Experimenting making slugs

[bbogue1]

I'd like to slug my 9mm. A round ball slug would work fine but the surface coming in contact with the interior of the barrel is pretty narrow. The I'd like to use a slug that is slightly larger than the barrel but not so big it would be hard to push through the barrell. The answer to make a very short cylinder that is of proper diameter to give a larger surface making to easier to read. I'm planning to melt some 100% lead in a 9mm case then knock the slug out of the case using a bullet remover (Frankford Quik n easy Impact Bullet Puller). Then slugging the barrel with a slug custom made for my barrel. Actually I got the idea from a YouTube video.

What's your opinion? Am I over thinking this? Should I just get fishing weights, should I buy slugs made commercially? Is the information on YouTube accurate? See reply post number 16 below

[Walter Laich]

not a big investment other than time

I'll be watching to see if lead comes out of the case easily

Heard of folks drilling a hole in wood and using that for the cylinder molds.

others have taken lead balls and put them in a vice to make them more football shape

Pure lead is always better than hard ball alloy

[reed1911]

No reason not to do it if you like. Many use the egg shaped sinkers for fishing. For 9mm I just cast .360" wad cutters from pure lead and use them (use them in all .35 cals). Lots of ways to go about it.

[Mk42gunner]

In my opinion, you are overthinking this.

I have always used a .375 RB to slug any gun that I wanted to slug from .338 to .358", but I already had the RBs due to shooting cap and ball revolvers.

If you cast your slug in a 9mm case, won't it be too small for the bore of a 9mm firearm?

Robert

[bbogue1]

You think the slug might be too small? I would think it would be the same as inside diameter of the mouth of the case and since the case is taper crimped to the bullet therefore a normal bullet should be the same size as the inside diameter of the mouth. OR is it? This will be an interesting experiment.

[44man]

Smack the RB with a little hammer. I like RB's and they do read well with a good mike.
Another way is to start it, put a brass rod against it from one end and use another on the other side to upset it into the grooves. No dowel rods please.

[LAGS]

I just form some aluminum foil around a 3/8" woden dowel cut it to length and twist or fold one end closed.
Then you can pour it full of lead.
Or you can make a longer tube on the dowel, twist the end closed, then cast a longer cylinder of lead, that you can cut to the length you want.

[RU shooter]

Take a cast bullet you already have put it in a vice and squeeze it till it's about .360-.365 dia and there ya go . If no vice a hammer works

[GhostHawk]

I have several times taken a cast boolit of range scrap for the caliber in question.
Put the boolit on a hard surface and smack it once or twice. You will swell it up.

Nose first, then I like to slip a brass that will just fit down the bore as my driving surface. I have used .22LR, 7.62x25 pistol brass, what fits that freely slides down the bore without binding.

I then use an punch to get the bullet started, it normally raises a ring left at the crown. Then slip my rod/brass into place and start tapping.

I have only had a problem once. I have a very nice great looking Winchester 94 built back in 44.
I went to slug it and got to the rear sight and that is where the operation came to a sudden and screeching halt.

I ended up disembling the rifle and was able to tap it forward from the breech easily.

In my opinion, rifle bore is slightly big at the chamber, small at the rear sight dovetail and is oversized at the muzzle. A good candidate for a rebore by JES I think.

[Lakehouse2012]

If you used a .357 mold and held the handle loose a bit, you would easily get a cast at 360, that could be your slug.

[44man]

The most stupid is a pin gauge in the bore. No idea of groove at all. Grooves are from .003" to .010". A ring of lead cut at the nuzzle does not mean you are at groove.
Stupid lives everywhere.

[bbogue1]

How large can the diameter of the slug be? 3/8" rod with aluminum foil produces a lead rod that,s .375+. Tapping on the sides of the slug to make it about .360 before slugging a 9mm or should it be smaller?

[LAGS]

If you pound a .375 lead rod slug into your bore as is, it will cut off the excess diameter as it goes into the barrel.
We are building the Crate, not the Piano.

[nekshot]

Lags, I really like that aluminum foil idea! I need more gun barrels to slug with this new method!

[Moonie]

I have always used a cartridge case, fill it with lead and use an inertia puller to get it out.

[bbogue1]

I melted fishing weights into a 9mm case then I had slugs. I dropped the slug into my Lyman 38 cal gauge and it fell right through. Guess I'll have to pound it with a hammer to fatten it up till id doesn't fall through.187124.

[Fishman]

That's because a nine mm case is tapered inside. If you cast at all you already have the tools to make your lead slugs. Just whack them with the hammer you are going to use to drive them through the bore.