Slug Quest 1979

[RMc]

Thought I would do a metadata search on Lyman Foster Slugs. Found a few interesting things, but this circa 1979 Handloader article caught my eye. :coffeecom

https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/hl81partial.pdf

It seems like the the handloader's quest for an inexpensive easy loading slug for the big smoothbore has been longer than many realize.

[copdills]

Thanks for the Good Reading WOW

[longbow]

Yes, thanks for posting that it is a good read. No surprise the quest has been going on for so long though. The only mould available for years was the Lyman Foster and they all cast well under bore diameter.

Some factory Foster loads have performed amazingly well in my guns but they are too expensive to shoot many of so home loading and preferably casting are the only answers and so far I 'm still searching for something better than round balls. It is hard to beat a round ball to 50 - 60 yards. A good weight forward slug should do well to 100 yards and I've been told and that article says) the Lyman slug can be adequately accurate to 100 yards. I have as yet to see it though.

What I keep trying to figure out is why there are so many better alternatives to Foster slugs used in Europe yet in North America we struggle away with what I believe will always be a marginal projectile.

Brenneke, Gualandi, AQ, Benco-Vitt, Duppleks and many others. Of course for the most part they are not doable for the home caster, they are purchased slugs for reloading but the Brenneke Classic should be something the home tinkerer could make (though so far I haven't done well there!).

I plan on getting a bunch of felt wads and some heavy plastic sheet for the washers and giving the "Brenneke Classic home made" a try.

Also, look at the variety of new slug moulds coming out of Russia. Most have the Gualandi style tail wads so a specialty item but not a major expense and seemingly easy enough to get... so far.

The quest continues!

Longbow

[CastingFool]

Trying to reload slugs was what got me into reloading shotshells, a little casting (cast close to 400 foster slugs) and eventually cartridge reloading. Yes, at the time, the Lyman foster slug mold was the only one available.

[longbow]

Hah! RMc... you have been posting links to good stuff for some time now!

I was searching for Vitt slugs which are similar to the Brenneke Classics and found this:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?225798-Slug-design-Past-is-prologue-from-1963

linking to this:

http://slivideo.mobi/onlain/videoproSXZveXZqZGFmdXM

and looking at the flight of those slugs in slo mo it is no wonder they shoot well.

So far my wad columns for Brenneke/Vitt style slugs have failed to maintain integrity but I have not tried a real dense felt and heavy plastic washers so that will be upcoming.

And the quest continues!

Longbow

[RMc]

Hah! RMc... you have been posting links to good stuff for some time now!

I was searching for Vitt slugs which are similar to the Brenneke Classics and found this:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?225798-Slug-design-Past-is-prologue-from-1963
...
And the quest continues!
Longbow

Indeed, Past is Prologue. I think we often forget that so many things we take for granted in the shooting sports world were first designed by ordinary folks who came up with a solution to a problem in their time.

Yes, there is a reason we refer to rifled slugs as Foster slugs. And Longbow, I think you might be surprised that Karl Foster's original slug design, (prior to commercialization), had the hollow base filled with beeswax!

Ah yes, the quest...

[longbow]

No, I wouldn't be surprised at all! I fill my slugs because I blew wads right through a soft lead Lyman Foster slug and the stretched tube kinda popped out of the barrel very lazy like landing about 20 feet in front of me! Ever since then I filled and thin skirted HB slug though I did try a few thick skirted slugs with nitro card wads underneath. That didn't work well either so now all my HB slugs are filled.

Also, if you noticed the pics I posted of hard card and nitro card wads, they distort into hollow cavities upsetting the wad and causing damage to the slug... along with going for a ride with the slug so upsetting accuracy that way as well.

On the Foster slug accuracy and bumping up per the comment in one of those articles that they don't... they most certainly do when cast from soft lead! I have recovered enough slugs from soft snow that I learned a lot and while the Lyman Foster starts out at 0.705" from my mould, it winds up at bore (or choke) diameter after firing! Mine did anyway. I have also been told that putting a copper washer under the slug will help if bump up evenly so making it more accurate (didn't for me) so obviously others have experienced bump up too.

I also have several recovered factory Fosters that have obviously bumped up.

In fact, I had to oven heat treat wheelweight slugs to prevent skirt collapse as there was too much distortion using hard card wad columns.

Anyway, all in all I am not much of a Foster slug fan. I've shot a few that did not badly but I still think an attached tail wad is the best answer... just what easily assembleable tail wad is the question!?!

The quest goes on!

Longbow

[725]

RMc - Loved the article. Thanks. I may have to dust off the Lyman mold and have a go at it. Before, I was met with only frustrations. I have found a very reliable and accurate RB load for myself, but wouldn't mind going back to try a Foster.

[jeremy360]

Very enjoyable read, thanks for sharing. The slo mo video still showed the vitt having a little bit of wobble in rotation...but only on some of the flights.

[RMc]

Very enjoyable read, thanks for sharing. The slo mo video still showed the vitt having a little bit of wobble in rotation...but only on some of the flights.

Remember the slugs used in the video were closing in on 60 years old. The plastic gas seals were obviously brittle and failing.

See this 1963 article by the inventor (pg. 28) when the 'Vitt slugs were new:

http://gunsmagazine.com/1963issues/G1263.pdf

[jmort]

Another one
Back to the Star Crimp
I am excited to see I can pre-order Pet Loads

[jeremy360]

Good point RMc. Man I enjoy reading those old articles.