Hammerhead slug from slugs 'r us

[Hogtamer]

In another thread Hatcreek mentioned the SPW sabots from Slugs 'R Us. From what I can read it seems like a drop kick to buy the mold, cast some up from COWW, load 'em in their custom sabots and shoot cloverleafs! Not much input on this site so thought I'd bring it up and see what the downside is from some of you who have actually loaded these things. Seems like nothing works in the sabot like the hammerhead (from what I can glean from other sites) although they say almost any 50 cal (in the 12 ga) will work. Who's gonna enlighten me?

[hatcreek]

A few years ago Hastings made a sabot slug called lazer accurate, it was the spw wad with the hammer head slug, it was crazy dead on, I have loaded the spw with a 320 .50 cal R.E.A.L on top of WSF they to shot great but the hammer head by far was more accurate, I see they make the hammer head mold now, I'm leaning on purchasing one and see if I can dubb the Hasting round, I have fired a lot of slugs of different brands both homemade and taylor mades, by far the Hastings was the best. Regards HC

[jmort]

They are soft lead and do shoot well from reports I have read. I think part of the accuracy is due to the unitized non-discarding wad. The wads are expensive, but for hunting not too expensive.

[hatcreek]

Orange wad is the hammer head taken from a hasting shell, next is a 320gr Lee R.E.A.L in a SPW wad and next is a 20ga SPW with a .44 cal 240gr pistol cast bullet. HC

[Hogtamer]

I'll take your word for the accuracy, as for the soft lead, I can fix that if I buy the mold. You are right looking at their expansion test, just complete flattening. Coww would be about right if they cast to size. I sent them an email asking the inside diameter and depth of the sabot but haven't heard back. Hatcreek, you can prolly answer that. I imagine a good tight fit in the sabot is key to accuracy.

[longbow]

Two things:

- good tight fit in sabot
- cushion leg doesn't distort badly at firing

I recovered some Gualandi DGS slugs and was surprised at the distortion of both wad and slug. They shot quite well to 50 yards (one keyholed) but the recovered slugs and wads really didn't look to good.

I tried some heavy steel shot wads that looked like they had the same or at least very similar cushion leg to the DGS slugs but they collapsed even worse and accuracy was not very good. These were loaded with tight fitting slug in unslit wads ~ Hammerhead like.

I should see if the Hammerheads are available in Canada. I would like to see the wads close up and personal. That has been my biggest issue with consistent slug accuracy ~ wads.

Is Slug 'R Us selling moulds directly? I guess I'll check their website to see what's going on.

Please post if you get a mould then cast and load your own Hogtamer. It'll be interesting.

Longbow

[Hogtamer]

I just got an email back from them with the dimensions as follows:


SPW 12ga length: 1.550 inches
SPW 12ga cavity depth: 0.620 inches
SPW 12ga cavity diameter: 0.50 inches

And their web site has pretty good pics of the wads. Says the OD is .727 and their slug weighs 420 with pure lead. The mold looks like a lee type.
http://www.slugsrus.com
The wads are $.40 each.

[jmort]

It is probably cut from a Lee blank

[longbow]

It does look like a Lee mould alright.

Hmmm, just looked through the site and note that they say "For Rifled Barrel Shotguns Only". I would have figured that the weight forward design would work reasonably well in smoothbores too. Maybe not weight forward enough. Oh well.

Maybe one day I will go rifled but not yet.

Longbow

[Charlie U.]

They look very similar to Remington Buckhammers.

[bikerbeans]

FWIW, you can still buy the Hasting's Laser Accurate slugs. The original hasting's slugs were produced by Breneke and about a 2 years ago Brenneke staring making these slug and selling them under their brand. My son has a Rossi single shot rifled 12ga that loved the Hasting's slugs and he get the same accuracy with the Brenneke slug.

BB

[stripercrazy]

I've been looking at that mold....sabots are 40 cents....mold 70.00 I've been trying to think how many sabots would I buy to make sure I had them if something happened to slugrus and they closed down. I spent 120.00 buying lightfields commanders to reload this year 100 rounds.....same price maybe I should have bought the mold and 100 sabots.....but I'd hate to have a mold and not be able to get the sabots....I was thinking I'd want 500 sabots before I got the mold

[sschultz]

What happens when you shoot these slugs through a smooth bore.

[jmort]

The are, as you probably know, "for rifled slugs only." You can get 20 wad/slugs readY to load for $15 and see how it goes. No reason you can't try. Would be interesting and potentially fun.

[Hogtamer]

I inquired but they offer no discount on quantity of sabots. I thought maybe there might be a breakpoint at say, 300 sabots only. I may order a few complete ones to try. Thinking about this mold as they say virtually any 50 bullet will work....
http://leeprecision.com/mold-500-354-m.html
The sabot weighs 70 grns plus this minie would give you about a 1 oz. load, so lots of possibilities as to charge/recoil.

[Scooby]

I am real interested in there sabots as I have a savage 220 and Rem Accutips are hard to find and when I do there very expensive. I need to call and ask some questions I have about there product.

[W.R.Buchanan]

We have got to come up with a Sabot/Wad assembly that is "Fin Stabilized" for smoothbores.

The big Lyman 525 slugs are like big airgun pellets and as such are weight forward. Figuring out a way to attach the wad to the slug semi permanently seems like it would add the accuracy most are looking for.

Maybe a cross between those BPI Rubber Boolits with a lead nose section would be the thicket?

Maybe something that worked like a Badminton Bird?

Randy

[Cap'n Morgan]

We have got to come up with a Sabot/Wad assembly that is "Fin Stabilized" for smoothbores.

I've been thinking along the same line for some time now...

My boss has ventured into the injection molding business and I now has access to machinery and material necessary to produce wads.
Once my Brenneke slug project is finally finished (could be any year now [smilie=1:) I'll make a test mold for a polypropylene wad with fins and a "snap-in" internal solid lead slug (the slug mold allowing for adjustable weight). If things pan out right and the interest is there, perhaps it could lead to a "do-it-yourself" group buy project where we ship wads and slug molds to a Cast Boolit member "honcho". That scenario should prevent any legal hassle over exporting/importing ammunition parts.

In the mean time, a merry Christmas to you all.

[longbow]

Cap'n Morgan:

Take a look at the old BPI AQ slugs. The were essentially a 12 ga. round ball with a cavity if about 3/8" (10mm) and a flat bottom. They had a plastic wad with a stem that pushed into the cavity and helical ribs. BPI sold them but I believe they were made somewhere in Europe so may still be available there.

I got very good accuracy from them so tried to copy them using round balls and hot melt glue wads cast onto the balls in a jig. I used both cavities and wood screws to anchor the wads to the balls in various experiments but found that running a #10 flat head wood screw into the ball worked best. Some shot very well giving impressive accuracy but getting the wad consistency is difficult using hot melt glue.

Now, injection moulding would take care of that!

Anyway, I may have a jpeg of an AQ slug if you can't find one but I am hesitant to post right now because twice I have tried to post photos recently and then everything crashes and I cannot get back into the site. Not sure what is going wrong as I have never had problems before.

Hmmm, might be best if you PM me your e-mail then I can e-mail the photo.

I have also made TC solids with hot melt glue wads and again, some have given pretty spectacular accuracy but too many fliers due to wad inconsistencies. For those I used a screw in the base.

A nice consistent wad would solve it I am sure but hot melt glue in jigs/forms just isn't good enough.

And yes, Merry Christmas to all!

Longbow

[longbow]

Hah! Just had a thought so went and looked. Here is a link to a Midway page with the AQ slug:

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/557135/bpi-aq-shotshell-slug-12-gauge-1oz-bag-of-25

Last time I checked BPI quit stocking them but here they are anyway. These were extremely accurate in my Browning BPS with smoothbore slug barrel.

Longbow

[jmort]

For some reason it has been discontinued or is no longer imported. The unitized nylon fins make sense. I would not be surprised to see BPI bring them back some day.

[longbow]

In all honesty I do not believe the fins impart any significant rotation even though BPI said they did. Recovered slugs showed little remaining "fin". They squish down pretty much at firing.

Also, I made a mould to make finned slugs several years ago and while they looked very cool, they did not shoot well at all. First issue was fins collapsing so I solved that by oven heat treating and recovered slugs looked like they could be shot again. However, the hard slugs wreaked havoc on wads so I had to reinforced the wad with polyethylene discs under the slugs. That solved the wad issue and I got nice "gear" shaped holes in targets so they were stable in flight but I never managed to get very good accuracy with that slug. My feeling is that the fins were operating in a partial vacuum behind the nose due to shock wave and all. then if they tip there is less surface area for the wind to push back.

The armour penetrating "darts" used by the military are much longer and arrow like with fins that actually stick out like arrow fletch rather than being behind a full diameter nose. Anyway, whatever, they didn't work.

The AQ's did work very well but I think it is due to extremely heavy nose and extremely light attached wad along with balance point about in the center of the ball.

Longbow

[Cap'n Morgan]

Something like this perhaps. Self-sealing PP wad. Wad & slug snaps together. Length 1.2". Combined weight 1-1/8 ounce:

http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag248/driftwood4/Capture1full_zps99318edc.jpg
http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag248/driftwood4/Capture2cut_zps9f0519b0.jpg

[jmort]

That looks more than useful. That should work real good.

[longbow]

Yup! I am liking that! When will you have them available?

[jmort]

I also like the proposed projectile weight. Could use Red Dot and Unique. Should hit like a freight train.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Longbow: the term you were looking for to describe the fins not getting any "air", is called "Blanketing"

On airplanes it is what happens when the wing separates the airflow so much that the stabilizer in trying to operate in essentially a vacuum. IE there is no flow to redirect and thus the control surface ceases to be effective in controlling the attitude of the Airplane.

This is why the stabilizers on an F4 are tilted down. So they can't be blanketed by the airflow over the wing and especially during landing when the nose up attitude is essentially making the wing fly thru the air with its bottom portion acting as a deflector more than a wing.

The little explosive projectiles I saw at SHOT Last year were fin stabilized and the fins popped out after the thing left the barrel. They were circular and when folded were the same dia as the body of the projectile. when they left the barrel springs deployed them.

A wad with fins that deployed would be a possible answer however the nose of the slug would have to be streamlined enough that it would allow airflow directly over the nose and not separate it to the point where the fins were blanketed.

As far a preventing collapse of the wad/fins I think making the slug have a spine say 1/4" in dia running the full length of the wad to act as a driver for the lead portion instead of having all the load compressing the wad assy.


There would essentially be a fin assy that was pushed onto the drive spine, and then the fins rolled down until the diameter would fit into the hull on top of a normal over powder wad.

This would be very close to the projectile I saw at the show without the explosive charge.

Something to think about, however it also must be considered that you will never achieve one hole accuracy with any thing coming out of a smoothbore shotgun. also part of the effectiveness of a shot gun slug is that big blunt nose that knocks the Krap out of whatever it hits. To have that, you have to give up the gilt edge accuracy of a Spitzer style bullet.

There are always going to be compromises.

Randy

[longbow]

"...one hole accuracy..." Hah! I'd be ecstatic with a consistent 6" t 8" at 100 yards!

As you are probably aware, a decent round ball load will give 4" or under groups at 50 yards or a bit further and generally speaking that is as good or better than I am getting from any home cast and loaded slug. It is the 100 to 125 yard accuracy I am still trying to get and 6" is good enough for me at this point.

I have not been out shooting slugs for several months now and do have to get back to it as I have some to test. Also from Bikerbeans post, he is getting pretty spectacular accuracy out to 100 yards from a turbo design in his 10 ga. If I could do that in 12 ga. my search is over. I just haven't managed it yet. I do have a mould I made that is basically the turbo design but with no grooves. I will resurrect that mould and try again using some different powders and wad columns to see if I can make it work as well as bikerbeans has.

Longbow

[longbow]

Forgot to comment on the Hammerhead for smoothbore.

The design appears to be a weight forward design so I am surprised that they are not recommended for smoothbore unless they just do not provide good enough accuracy. It would be interesting to try them in smoothbore to see though and no harm done but some time a a bit of powder.

Longbow

[brad2506]

need a little help for an aussie !?

the most suitable powder i can get my hands on is Blue dot (hopefully soon IMR4756 also) so just wondering if any of you blokes are loading the SPW/hammerhead slug with blue dot and what powder charges are you using ??
FYI the gun is an H&R 12gauge USH

[Rkeeper1]

Their website shows 40 grains of blue dot

[brad2506]

Their website shows 40 grains of blue dot

yeah thanks, i read that myself but i was just hoping someone here had some personal experience with this slug and blue dot ?

[CastingFool]

I see from the website they are using a roll crimp. I wonder if fold crimping is feasible, and if so how effective.

[longbow]

I have not used Blue Dot under that slug but I have used Blue Dot under slugs from 450 grs. up to about 800 grs. with good results. In fact I like Blue Dot and have mostly used Blue Dot for slug shooting. Lately I have been using 4756 as it was recommended over Blue Dot so I picked up a couple of pounds but so far I like the Blue Dot better.

I found 38 grs. under a 0.735" round ball produced punishing recoil in both my single shot and a Remington 870. A heavier gun like the H&R with bull barrel would probably help there.

If you decide to load 40 gr. of Blue Dot I suggest a good recoil pad or padded jacket. I am not particularly recoil sensitive but those loads off a bench were brutal after about 10 or so.

Longbow

[brad2506]

I have not used Blue Dot under that slug but I have used Blue Dot under slugs from 450 grs. up to about 800 grs. with good results. In fact I like Blue Dot and have mostly used Blue Dot for slug shooting. Lately I have been using 4756 as it was recommended over Blue Dot so I picked up a couple of pounds but so far I like the Blue Dot better.

I found 38 grs. under a 0.735" round ball produced punishing recoil in both my single shot and a Remington 870. A heavier gun like the H&R with bull barrel would probably help there.

If you decide to load 40 gr. of Blue Dot I suggest a good recoil pad or padded jacket. I am not particularly recoil sensitive but those loads off a bench were brutal after about 10 or so.

Longbow

Thanks longbow that's good info,
interesting your concern over the recoil with 40gn of bluedot as the slugs r us data says you can go higher?
Also could I get some more info on your .735" round ball load, some pics of your soft column and components would be great so I could try and replicate it with components available in australia??

[longbow]

My wad column was a cut off gas seal (no cushion leg) from mostly Pacific Veralite blue wads, 1/2" hard card wad + another 1/2 if memory serves but enough to raise the ball to almost crimp height then a 1/8" nitro card wad under the 0.735" round ball and roll crimped.

I based my load on research indicating that with heavy birdshot loads, Blue Dot was good without a cushion leg and a published load from Precision Rifle giving a recipe for a 610 gr. solid full bore slug in "a straight walled hull". They started at 36 grs. of Blue Dot and max. load was 44 grs. at 12,500 PSI.

I found the data a little vague and figured that 12,500 PSI was more than I wanted to try in my gun so I started at 36 grs. of Blue Dot under a 0.7535" round ball at 585 grs. so not only lighter but using the starting load they listed. That actually worked pretty well but I figured I wanted more so went to 38 grs. That was enough recoil for me both in a light single shot and a Remington 870. The pressure may be just fine but I really didn't want any more abuse than that was giving me.

Accuracy from both smoothbore and rifled gun was very good. Oh, I used Fiocchi 2 3/4" hulls and Winchester 209 primers.

I tried other wad columns including regular plastic wad with petals cut off and fiber wad under the ball for cushion but nothing I tried worked as well as the hard card wad column.

I also found that for any round ball load using a shotcup that a nitro card wad under the ball made a big difference in accuracy. Keeps the cushion leg from trying to wrap around the ball.

There are many here who have done a lot more load development than I have but so far I have to say that I like Blue Dot the best of any powder I have used for slugs. Unfortunately I am about out of it and none available locally anyway.

Longbow

[r6487]

I ordered the hammerhead mold today, will be ordering 200 SPW wads and starting with 40 grains of blue dot within the next month. will list some results when I get them.

[hcpookie]

I tested the Blue Dot load out of my Ultra Slug Hunter. Rem hulls, fold crimp. The primers were flattened! It was a stout load. Accuracy was adequate, but we tested at 50 yards only, and were just testing the load.

I ended up moving and boxed everything up so I can't say when I'll next get them to the range.

After seeing the price hike, I am interested in the hammer slug mold, however I suspect it could be improved somewhat. Interested to see some variations! I've seen some people using 50 BMG rounds for the payload, but never heard if they were really tested or only showing off :)

[Huntsman]

I ordered the hammerhead mold today, will be ordering 200 SPW wads and starting with 40 grains of blue dot within the next month. will list some results when I get them.

I just ordered the mold today too (2 years later lol) plus 500 SPW wads. I should be good for awhile.

[Blood Trail]

My favorite slug so far. Very accurate.

100 yard group:

186987

186988

186989

[Huntsman]

My favorite slug so far. Very accurate.

100 yard group:

186987

186988

186989

That looks pretty darn good for a 100 yard group, well done. I hope I'll have the same success.

[jmort]

That accuracy is outstanding. Between this and Uncle Dino, some of the best non-factory accuracy I have seen.
Great to see

[Huntsman]

I'm hoping my H.H. Slug mould and SPW wads arrive soon. Mind you with this great Canadian -30 deg Celsius weather we've been having, it's still a bit too cold in the garage to cast.

[Blood Trail]

Uncle D's is by the far the most accurate from scratch. Without those SPW wads, we'd be screwed.


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[Bob in St. Louis]

Kinda pricey, but amazingly accurate.
Might have to do a few here and there, but certainly won't be the one I let friends blast away in the back yard with.

[Huntsman]

Here's a question. All the data that S.R.U. uses SR4756 of which I have none and doesn't look like any will making it to Canada in the near future. LGS staff had said it's been really hard to get in the last few years or longer.
What I do have is; 800x, HS6, Titegroup and a wee bit of Greendot.
The question is which one would be most ideal?
Thanks in advance

[Blood Trail]

Here's a question. All the data that S.R.U. uses SR4756 of which I have none and doesn't look like any will making it to Canada in the near future. LGS staff had said it's been really hard to get in the last few years or longer.
What I do have is; 800x, HS6, Titegroup and a wee bit of Greendot.
The question is which one would be most ideal?
Thanks in advance

800x is my favorite for this load. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170216/5732a57799d424327138fae78151c85a.jpg


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[Huntsman]

How would it be with 2 3/4" (Rio hulls) I wonder.

[Blood Trail]

How would it be with 2 3/4" (Rio hulls) I wonder.

They perform the same as Fiocchi. Awesome to use. I use a ton of them for my work ups.


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[Huntsman]

They perform the same as Fiocchi. Awesome to use. I use a ton of them for my work ups.


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Perfect then. I was only able to get the Rio's.
Cheddite's in another month.

[Huntsman]

My parcel from SRU arrived :p
I'll get out to the garage today and cast some slugs up.
Blood Trail,
Any reason HS6 should or shouldn't be used? Do you recommend a safe starting Load?
TIA

[Blood Trail]

My parcel from SRU arrived :p
I'll get out to the garage today and cast some slugs up.
Blood Trail,
Any reason HS6 should or shouldn't be used? Do you recommend a safe starting Load?
TIA

I would start around 32 grs and work up to 36 grs.


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[stripercrazy]

i got to the range it was in the 80s windy just wanted to see how slugs shot ill have to find a good rest and settle in to really test groups

[stripercrazy]

40 grains of blue dot picture side ways bullets went high. They got a good pop not too bad. 50 yards notice Unburned powder in barrel I used a Hand R ultra sluger

[stripercrazy]

36 grains herco had a wider group than blue dot . Less kick, seemed not as fast 50 yards (target sideways)

[Blood Trail]

221659

here's 36 grs of Herco from my USH.

[Blood Trail]

221660

40 grs of BD from my 835.

[Blood Trail]

221661

40 grs of BD from my USH.

[Blood Trail]

221662

221663

Back when I was loading these, they didn't have data for Longshot, so I ventured out. Had good results, emailed them back with my results, and they pressure tested my load and added it to their published data. This group was from both my 835 and USH. 33 grs of Longshot @ 1450 fps.

[gpidaho]

I put in my first order with Slugs R Us today, Hammerheads in both 12 and 20ga. and extra wads of each so I could try 44 and 50 cal. lead bullets in the sabots. Was somewhat surprised that they charged over $20 shipping and was feeling a little roughed up over it but I wanted to try their products so I went ahead with the order. Then this evening I got a notice from PayPal that my account had been refunded $10 for a better shipping rate. I feel better about them now and all's well. Gp

[megasupermagnum]

Just so you are aware, their sabots really only work with their hammerhead slugs. I tried a few different 50 caliber bullets, and all blew trough the bottom of the sabot. Unless something has changed, 44 cal will not work.

[gpidaho]

MSM: Thanks for the warning. If the wads don't work out as sabots I'll just add them to my ever expanding collection on the shelf. If I like the hammerheads I'll most likely buy the mould. Gp

[Blood Trail]

It’s true, every .50 projectile I ran through them blew the base. Maybe you can try a faster burning powder.

I loved these so much, I bought the 12 and 20 ga mold.


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[Ranch Dog]

I wandered on to the Sabot Technologies website while Googling sabots last week and I'm sitting here with Hammerheads, finished components (40 slugs/wads), mold, and sabots. This seems like the best bet yet. Someone mentioned breakeven point for the mold vs. the finished components; 193 shots, that being if you are not buying your lead.

It is definately a good, tight fit in the muzzle of my Marlin 512. This far as I want to push it.

https://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Casting/sabot_tech/ST_hammerhead_03.jpg

`

[longbow]

I'll bet those mic pretty large so they fit about anything and just squeeze down being plastic.

I'll also bet they shoot well for you. They have a reputation for good accuracy.

Did you get the mould or just order slugs to try?

Longbow

[Ranch Dog]

Did you get the mould or just order slugs to try?
I got them all of it. Two bags of completed sabots (20 each bag) to hold me until I have time to cast, and then the mold and 600 sabots.

[longbow]

That oughta do you for a while! At least once you get to casting. Accumulated recoil form 600 rounds will be substantial! Go easy.

[Ranch Dog]

That oughta do you for a while! At least once you get to casting. Accumulated recoil form 600 rounds will be substantial! Go easy.
I figure that is about a lifetime worth of shooting. My worry about a small business, based on my business, is one day they shut down. If they shoot well downrange, I will probably buy another mold to keep just incase.

[longbow]

Same problem with those Russian slug moulds that more or less copy Gualandi DGS slugs, Dixie Tusker and Paradox slugs but with attached wads. The slugs look great and the moulds are said to be quite good but if a guy can't get the special wads he's kinda out of luck!

I think the same thing happened with some sabots for rifle and handgun boolits to be used in shotguns. They came on the scene then disappeared. I'd think it is a limited market.

That's where a full bore slug or wad slug for standard trap wads and a rifled barrel seem like the best idea.

Longbow

[tomme boy]

Well the thing with the Russian tail wads is to find a importer to import the wads from Italy. That's it. They will sell them to what ever importer that has the right paper work in place. Ballistic Products already imports them to the USA but they will not sell them to us because they want to sell us their slugs. So we need a workaround. And I may have one. I just have to talk to the guy. I just need to find time to get a hold of him.

[gpidaho]

I've been thinking I might cut down a couple of my Hammerhead slug sabots a bit and try firing some .735 round balls perched on top of them. Hoping this might help keeping the ball centered as the sabots are a lot more ridged than trap style wads. Not much lost trying just to see. Gp

[longbow]

I tried 0.735" RB's on Winchester wads with petals cut off (cushion leg only) with poor results. Same with plastic gas seal, hard card wads then fiber wad under the ball... thinking the fiber wad would form fit. Poor results again.

Went to plastic gas seal, hard card wads and nitro card wad under the ball and that did it!

Longbow

[Blood Trail]

This is was I use to center roundballs in the hull.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/HB12-12ga-x-8mm-Wad-Base-250_bag/productinfo/072HB12/

[longbow]

Those would do it too! I tried to order some from the Canadian BPI distributor but he couldn't figure out what they were!?! I cave him the part number from the BPI site but he was still unsure of what they were. I'm guessing he had never had a request for them before but still... a quick look at the BPI site would tell the tale. I'll be trying again with my next order.

[KrakenFan69]

Yeah I spoke with him at a gun show, even showed him the things in the catalog and he wasn't familiar with them Longbow. Not a big seller I guess. lol

Kraken Fan #69

[longbow]

Well, I'll try again on my next order which should be soon. I am running low on supplies!

[gpidaho]

This is was I use to center roundballs in the hull.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/HB12-12ga-x-8mm-Wad-Base-250_bag/productinfo/072HB12/ Those look like they would work well. They are listed as "out of stock" but maybe they'll get more in. Hope so. Gp

[Ranch Dog]

Those look like they would work well. They are listed as "out of stock" but maybe they'll get more in. Hope so. Gp
Must have been a good year for BPI, everything I look for is out of stock.

[Blood Trail]

I use these to center RB’s too.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/mobile/12ga-Obturator-gas-seal-250_bag/productinfo/02012/


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[Ranch Dog]

With round balls coming up next on my shotgun reloading schedule, I could use this 20 gauge seal (https://www.ballisticproducts.com/20ga-Obturator-gas-seal-250_bag/productinfo/02020/) to support a Lee .69" ball inside the cup of a 12 gauge pressure wad?

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/images/02020txt.jpg

[centershot]

RD, the .690" ball is large enough that it should center itself in a 12 ga. shotcup, you'll probably want a nitro card in the cup under the ball though.

[bikerbeans]

RD,

I have good luck with a lee 69 cal RB sitting on 20ga nitro cards inside a 12s3 wad. I can't remember if it was one or two 0.125" NCs. Just want the RB to open the crimp not the petals. 23g of unique gives mid 1,300 fps from a 18.5" rifled barrel.

BB

[longbow]

BB:

I'm surprised that a 0.690" RB will fit into the Federal wads. From what Randy said, they are much thicker than the Winchester 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 oz. wads I have right now. Hah! In fact I've said many times I couldn't find many wads they fit in but I have on had right now two different wads they fit! DOH!

However, last time I found a wad they fit in with decent push fit through the bore the petals sheared so no go anyway... but I think those were Claybuster Win clones.

Now that I know I have two different wads they fit, I guess I'll have to try again!

In the right wad they should be a darn good slug as they are a nice weight and almost full bore but should get through a choke if they ever met one so should be choke safe... except maybe for tight full or extra full.

Should be good in a rifled gun though. I think I posted in another thread that TRG3 said he used 0.690" RB's in a shotcup with 2 opposing petals cut off for his USH and he said accuracy was very good.

Seems odd to remove 2 opposing petals as diametral fit is the same with the 2 remaining petals but bore friction would be less. Regardless he said it worked well. Can't recall what shotcups he was using though so not a lot of help.

Not really sure if there is any advantage to using RB's in shotcups over using a 0.735" RB in rifled or smoothbore except for ease of loading. Its nice to just drop a nitro card wad or two in a shotcup then the ball and crimp. Easier than building custom wad columns. That's another reason those Hammerheads are nice, they are all unitized, just load 'em up. I wish they worked in smoothbore! Maybe that's another hint I should get a rifled gun! Or rifled barrel anyway.

Longbow

[W.R.Buchanan]

I use a .662 RB with a Claybuster WAA12 Clone wad with a 1/4" felt wad under the ball. This brings the ball up to where it supports the crimp perfectly.

This is my standard Trap load of 20 gr of Green Dot substituting the ball and felt for the 1 1/8 oz of #8 shot. The wad measures .725 with the ball in place.

The choke on My Tac Gun is .735 (full bore) with a bore that was back bored to .755.

The choke on the Mikuro Slug barrel for the A5 is .715 so the petals will get compressed slightly on the trip thru but should work well.

Hoping the Foster Slugs and the Lyman Sabot Slugs will work thru that barrel as well.

Some interesting things to explore here.

Randy

[Ranch Dog]

RD, the .690" ball is large enough that it should center itself in a 12 ga. shotcup, you'll probably want a nitro card in the cup under the ball though.
Thanks!

[bikerbeans]

LB,

The petals are mangled or missing on my 69 cal loads but the RB flies okay. I never try the push thru test. If the loaded shell will chamber i am happy. I shoot these same 69 cal RB loads offhand from a bead sighted Mercury SxS full/full and get 1/2 minute of pie plate at 50 yards.

My thought on round balls and slugs is the OD must be big enough to center the round in the chamber. If the projectile is loose or off center when you pull the trigger it will be off center down the bore. If the projectile is over bore diameter the forcing cone will double as a bullet sizing die.

BB

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