12 Gauge Black Powder Slugs

[londongun]

Does anyone have load data for 12 gauge black powder slugs (not round ball)? I'd like to load these in a modern gun (Browning or Beretta). What kind of velocity is possible going this route?

[upnorthwis]

What kind of action type are you working with? I would never shoot them in a semi-auto. Come to think of it, I wouldn't shoot them in an O/U either. Maybe a pump. That said, I use 70 gr. FF Goex, Rem Gun Club hull, Win red wad, any primer I've got in stock, and the Lee 1 oz. slug cast of pure lead. Have not put it over chrono. Hulls I use are on their last shot and tossed after firing with black.

[londongun]

Thank you for replying! I'd be working with either a Browning or Beretta o/u. 500 grain slug. Why would you advise against that action?

[upnorthwis]

Would not recommend black powder in any quality shotgun. That stuff gets everywhere and rust everything it touches. Takes a deep cleaning every time it is used with black. Plan on removing barrel and cleaning it in a bathtub with hot water. I hate to even think about having to possibly remove the ejectors. Then dry and oil. Action must be wiped with solvent and oiled too.

[Springfield]

Black powder does not "rust anything it touches". Not real Black. Pyrodex and some other substitutes will rust your gun, though. And regular solvent doesn't do much for BP fired guns, best to use water displacing oil. I compete with BP guns at least twice a month for the last 11 years, and I haven't rusted anything yet, except for one shotgun that I tried some free Pyrodex in.

[John Boy]

Heed the advice from Springfield … real black powder reloads in a SxS or O/U is much faster to clean but in a semi or bolt will be a pure pain

[Markopolo]

i use it in my doubles.. springfield nailed it...

[Fitz]

I'm with Springfield , I shoot homemade black in H&R break action , Stevens bolt action and several pumps I do clean after use with Murphy's Oil soap in the bath tub let dry then oil as always over thirty years of this practice and still no rust .

[Lead pot]

This rust thing with blk powder gets strep around from people that never used it or clean there guns using any type of powder.
I uses it in my 1187 Rem and the .45 Gold cup. The nay sayers can come and look at any of my rifles/shotguns, revolvers or pistols.
I been using it since I was 12 or 13 and I'm knocking on the door of 82 no pits or rust on or in any of my rifles.

Like John said, the black powder firearms clean faster than cleaning the crap out of a HP rifle using smokeless.

[foesgth]

I have been using BP for years in my SXS. Pull the barrel off, in the laundry tub to run hot water down the barrel, finish up with Ballistol. No rust no fuss.

[Nobade]

This rust thing with blk powder gets strep around from people that never used it or clean there guns using any type of powder.
I uses it in my 1187 Rem and the .45 Gold cup. The nay sayers can come and look at any of my rifles/shotguns, revolvers or pistols.
I been using it since I was 12 or 13 and I'm knocking on the door of 82 no pits or rust on or in any of my rifles.

Like John said, the black powder firearms clean faster than cleaning the crap out of a HP rifle using smokeless.

I thought I was the only one out there using black powder in a 1911. Works great, doesn't it?
As for the shotgun, 70-90 grains of powder and whatever wad stack as appropriate for the slug you're using. Keep in mind that most any plastic wad material will melt and be a pain to remove from the bore. I stick to card wads for that reason. Black powder is all my little Stevens 94 gets, and cleanup is super easy. Plug the bore, let soak with water for a few minutes, a couple of patches, then an oiled patch and it's done.

[londongun]

I thought I was the only one out there using black powder in a 1911. Works great, doesn't it?
As for the shotgun, 70-90 grains of powder and whatever wad stack as appropriate for the slug you're using. Keep in mind that most any plastic wad material will melt and be a pain to remove from the bore. I stick to card wads for that reason. Black powder is all my little Stevens 94 gets, and cleanup is super easy. Plug the bore, let soak with water for a few minutes, a couple of patches, then an oiled patch and it's done.

You can really go with black powder in a 1911? I'd love to try that.

I plan on using only real black powder. Depending on how this goes, I might start working on a black powder shotgun sabot project.

Thank you for all of the kind help and information everyone!

[missionary5155]

30+ years ago we did some testing with our Fox B double 12 just to see what we could get out of the 30" barrels with Goex using 2F, the lower gas seal cup and RB.
At 135 grains goex we were pushing a RB at 1535 fps. Recoil was stout and was all the fun I needed. An ounce Lee slug should give you near those figures. And pressure in a modern barrel will not be the issue. We dropped back to 100 - 110 grains as a more enjoyable hunting load in our Fox B 12 gauge.
In some early 1900 Ideal reloading manuals they showed 85 - 100 grains 2F goex with RB in the newer for the day doubles with RB.
Why would you rule out RB ? Out to 50 yards it is easy / accurate to load and will penetrate as good as a slug.