Pro Reach for lee slug loads

[Blood Trail]

Hey y'all, I worked up some slug loads using 1 oz lee slugs, various hulls and primers, and various powders. Mainly Red Dot and Pro Reach.

I'm using 24 grs of Red Dot. Not sure how it will shoot. I'm using 36 grains of Pro Reach.

Pro reach burns slower than blue dot, so it should do ok. I'll be roll crimping them. Here's what I got so far:

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/15/6yruty3u.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/15/uvyda2eq.jpg

[Hogtamer]

Nice load but know nothing about that powder. You "guesstimating" or have something to go on for the charge? Be safe friend...

[Blood Trail]

Nice load but know nothing about that powder. You "guesstimating" or have something to go on for the charge? Be safe friend...

We all gotta start somewhere, right? It burns close to Blue Dot. I've seen loads with 44 grs of Blue Dot.

[longbow]

Personally I would not be guesstimating like that unless I had a pressure testing setup so I could start low and work up. If you aren't aware, shotshell reloading does not work like metallic cartridge reloading. All the components work together to produce a given velocity and whatever pressure that turns out to be as long as it is below max.

Many relatively "light" loads run at 10,000 + PSI to achieve the desired velocity. Seemingly minor changes in components, especially primers or hulls, can cause drastic variations in pressure.

That sounds like a hefty charge of Red Dot to me.

While I have no experience with Red Dot, a quick look through Alliant reloading data indicated most Red Dot loads for 1 oz. shot are no more than 20 grs. and run up to 10,000 + PSI.

I also just check BPI slug load data and see one load for a Lee 1 oz. slug over Red Dot ~ 21.9 grs. @ 10,600 PSI.

No idea about Pro Reach, never heard of it.

I would not be pulling the trigger on those rounds without checking against loading manual data. The Red Dot load looks to me to be into dangerous territory.

Play but play safe!

Longbow

[Blood Trail]

These loads can't be any hotter than the 3,5 turkey loads and slugs I shoot. But we'll see!

[Hardcast416taylor]

If I had no given loads data to load a powder charge with I would start loading less than what is listed in your "source" to begin with. I also believe that RED DOT load is a goodly amount OVER the MAX load level. My eyes, hands, guns and other body parts are too valuable to me than to load and shoot unsafe ammo.Robert

[Hogtamer]

Folks here are trying to be helpful....you might see after ignoring good advice or you just might not see anything ever again. That's all I've got.

[Blood Trail]

I hear y'all. I may reconsider those loads esp the Red Dot. I was basing that load of a a max load for 1 1/4 shot load that uses 22.5 grs of Red Dot. I'm shooting a lighter load so naturally I thought that pressure would decrease.

I loaded a couple slugs at 18.5 grains and the recoil was so light, I was afraid of having a slug hung up in the barrel so I kept checking it.

Anyway, I'm new to reloading and I'll be a fool not to take y'all's advice.

Back to the drawing board.

[Blood Trail]

UPDATE: I gave the incorrect data. I am using a MEC number 33 powder bushing. That throws 19.9 grains of Red Dot and around 25 grains of Pro Reach. I bought a #39 bushing to throw 40 grains of Blue Dot whenever I find it.

[cpileri]

i took a look thru some manuals for 12ga 1 oz red dot loads. the only ones i could find that were kinda close were:

a 2.75" and 3" load using 24gr red dot in ched/multi hull w the LBC bluForce sabot and 7/8ox slug: 1475fps/10.6kpsi
and
a few 2.75" rio hull w the new 1&1/8oz Thug Slug, 20-22gr red dot: 1255fps/9.4kpsi-to- 1350fps/10.8kpsi


So, Blood trail, your loads 'seem' right on the cusp and MIGHT be safe; but depending on the exact primer, hull and wad combo; it may be over spec too. be safe!

We love load innovation here, but we want you to be safe.

C-

[cpileri]

Sorry didnt see your last post before I posted. 19.9 seems much safer.
C-

[Grizzly Adams]

We don't want you to live up to your name 😊

[Hogtamer]

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=2&powderid=27&gauge=12

[longbow]

Yup! Play but play safe. Shotgun slug reloading is fun but there is a lack of info and pressures do not seem to obey "normal" reloading rules. I have at least two sources that show a simple primer change ~ both 209 primers ~ can cause pressure to increase by 3000 PSI. That along with a hull change could cause some drastic pressure increases for sure.

So, if you were loading say that BPI Red Dot load at 10,600 PSI and used the "wrong" 209 primer that could potentially be a 13,600 PSI load.

Now to put all this into perspective, I am not speculating about the potential results. Many years ago I was using a "book load" for powder charge but different primer and wad column under a Lyman Foster slug. Well they went BOOM in a big way and I was too dumb to pay attention to the sticky extraction. My Browning BPS put up with a few of them with no harm done but I loading one into my Remington single shot and it came apart in my hands! Blew the entire breech off. I was lucky and suffered no significant damage other than some hearing loss in my right ear and a scratch or two. The gun was not so lucky.

I wish I had kept the load details and remains of the gun for show and tell. But if I remember correctly the powder charge and hull were correct for the load recipe but primer and wad column were not. That's all it took. I should have paid attention to the extraordinary level or recoil and sticky extraction. Those were two hints I missed. The basic load was from the Lyman Shotshell Reloading Handbook using PB powder and the Lyman Foster slug.

Like I said... play but play safe.

Longbow

[hubel458]

That is why when I want crazy speeds for slugs/sabots

I use 4759, which works, and so much slower than shotgun

powders, and have to use much more and eliminates a lot

of wads and stuff that can change pressures wrong way.

Used it for hundreds of hairy test ideas in 10 years and nothing

blown up.Ed