Adam604
07-24-2008, 05:20 PM
My Lee Key Drive Slug Results.
I searched for loads to use my 7/8 oz. Lee Key Drive Slug and found very little until I searched the forums on Cast Boolits and some others.
First casting with the Lee Key Drive Slug mold was tricky to get the slug to drop out, but I expected that.
The slug always released fine from the mold but really hung onto the drive key plug. After casting a few out of wheel weight lead and needing to pull them off the drive key plug I inspected the cast slugs for defects on the drive key plug surfaces. I found some so I used a very fine file and 600 grit emery paper and cleaned them off. I then used a bit of cloth ribbon with some polishing compound to buff the plug to a nice shine. I smoked the drive key plug with my butane lighter (do this to a cold mold or it won't smoke coat it)
This time the casting session went much better. The Slug would drop out with just a little tap of the handle or fall out by itself. I've used pure lead (stick on wheel weights) and regular wheel weight lead. I the last couple of months I've cast more than 500 of them and shot most of em too..
The first 12 guage slug shells I loaded and shot where Federal 12 guage target loads in 100 packs I bought at Walmart for $20. 1 1/8 oz of 71/2 shot 3 dram equivelent. I used a scratch awl to open the 8 fold crimp and dumped the shot into a coffee can to be melted down later. I used a deep socket to neatly
open up the crip all the way so I could push in the 7/8 oz slug on top of a 20 guage card wad. Using my fingers to reshaped the crimp I worked the crimp fold mostly closed and used a 10mm deep socket wrench to complete the fold. The crimp refolded like I never opened them at all.
So far I've shot about 200 of these with no sign of pressure or problems and have been getting pretty good groups. Best so far is 3.5 inch groups at 75 yards from a bench. I use a smooth bore Mossberg 500 vent ridge pump with a modified cylinder choke tube. Standing, I can get better than 5 inch groups at 50 yards. My son is a better shot and his groups are smaller than mine.
I just got a Lee Loader in 12 Gauge off ebay and have loaded more than 250 slugs into the Federal hulls from the above loads. (Federal target hulls -- not Federal Gold).
The load I use is:
Federal target hull
Federal 209A Primers
23 Grains Unique
Federal 12S3 wads (pink)
20 gauge card wad
7/8 oz. Lee Key Drive Slug
Crimp with a 8 segment fold
These rounds are shooting almost just like the "dump and load" rounds. Mild recoil, no pressure signs and consistent performance as far as I can tell. I expect I'm getting about 1350 ft sec with this load. This is a recommended load for 1 1/8 oz of shot.
Last week I "tested" for penetration so I made a Deer target. I used some old carpet that I pulled out of a hallway, 36" wide 25' long. I folded it in half and soaked it in water then I rolled a 2x12 inside it. It was heaver than hell and about 1.5 - 2 foot in diameter. I shot at it from 40 yrd, 50 yrd and 75 yrds. I was expecting to get flatted slugs out of the carpet somewhere. Every shot was a thru and thru. I tried pure lead slugs, wheel weight slugs and water dropped wheel weight slugs. No sign of expansion with any and they blew through the target like it was paper. Might need to try a hotter load.
Just the other day we had a shooting party and 12 different folks tried my slug rounds in 5 different 12 gauge guns and they all had similar results. Everyone was able to hold 5-7 inch groups at 45 yards with no problem and no practice. Heck some have never even shot a 12 gauge before.
So to finish up, Dang I'm having a blast with slugs and you don't need a spotting scope to see if you are :-Dhitting the target!
I searched for loads to use my 7/8 oz. Lee Key Drive Slug and found very little until I searched the forums on Cast Boolits and some others.
First casting with the Lee Key Drive Slug mold was tricky to get the slug to drop out, but I expected that.
The slug always released fine from the mold but really hung onto the drive key plug. After casting a few out of wheel weight lead and needing to pull them off the drive key plug I inspected the cast slugs for defects on the drive key plug surfaces. I found some so I used a very fine file and 600 grit emery paper and cleaned them off. I then used a bit of cloth ribbon with some polishing compound to buff the plug to a nice shine. I smoked the drive key plug with my butane lighter (do this to a cold mold or it won't smoke coat it)
This time the casting session went much better. The Slug would drop out with just a little tap of the handle or fall out by itself. I've used pure lead (stick on wheel weights) and regular wheel weight lead. I the last couple of months I've cast more than 500 of them and shot most of em too..
The first 12 guage slug shells I loaded and shot where Federal 12 guage target loads in 100 packs I bought at Walmart for $20. 1 1/8 oz of 71/2 shot 3 dram equivelent. I used a scratch awl to open the 8 fold crimp and dumped the shot into a coffee can to be melted down later. I used a deep socket to neatly
open up the crip all the way so I could push in the 7/8 oz slug on top of a 20 guage card wad. Using my fingers to reshaped the crimp I worked the crimp fold mostly closed and used a 10mm deep socket wrench to complete the fold. The crimp refolded like I never opened them at all.
So far I've shot about 200 of these with no sign of pressure or problems and have been getting pretty good groups. Best so far is 3.5 inch groups at 75 yards from a bench. I use a smooth bore Mossberg 500 vent ridge pump with a modified cylinder choke tube. Standing, I can get better than 5 inch groups at 50 yards. My son is a better shot and his groups are smaller than mine.
I just got a Lee Loader in 12 Gauge off ebay and have loaded more than 250 slugs into the Federal hulls from the above loads. (Federal target hulls -- not Federal Gold).
The load I use is:
Federal target hull
Federal 209A Primers
23 Grains Unique
Federal 12S3 wads (pink)
20 gauge card wad
7/8 oz. Lee Key Drive Slug
Crimp with a 8 segment fold
These rounds are shooting almost just like the "dump and load" rounds. Mild recoil, no pressure signs and consistent performance as far as I can tell. I expect I'm getting about 1350 ft sec with this load. This is a recommended load for 1 1/8 oz of shot.
Last week I "tested" for penetration so I made a Deer target. I used some old carpet that I pulled out of a hallway, 36" wide 25' long. I folded it in half and soaked it in water then I rolled a 2x12 inside it. It was heaver than hell and about 1.5 - 2 foot in diameter. I shot at it from 40 yrd, 50 yrd and 75 yrds. I was expecting to get flatted slugs out of the carpet somewhere. Every shot was a thru and thru. I tried pure lead slugs, wheel weight slugs and water dropped wheel weight slugs. No sign of expansion with any and they blew through the target like it was paper. Might need to try a hotter load.
Just the other day we had a shooting party and 12 different folks tried my slug rounds in 5 different 12 gauge guns and they all had similar results. Everyone was able to hold 5-7 inch groups at 45 yards with no problem and no practice. Heck some have never even shot a 12 gauge before.
So to finish up, Dang I'm having a blast with slugs and you don't need a spotting scope to see if you are :-Dhitting the target!