Very Cheap 12Ga Slugs

[25 Pdr]

Hi,
First post here. Thought I would share my manufacturing method for economy slugs for plinking. Apologies if this has been suggested before.

Requiring some slug loads for a fun club shoot I did not want to invest in reloading gear. I already cast and reload for a bunch of Rifle and Pistol rounds.

First I used a 15mm Ring Spanner as a Mold. Hold the spanner against a metal surface while pouring the lead and immediately dunk it in water give it a tap and the slugs pops out easily.

OK it doesn't have a sprue plate but this is for a plinking load. With a little practice you will have a slug of O/D 0.680" and a weight of around 380/400 Grains.

Next take a 12Ga 28Gram 7.5 round and remove the shot. since I'm not investing in shotshell reloading tools I held the shotshell against a bench grinder to remove the top and tip out the shot.

Push the slug into the shotcup, next a thin wad topped off with wax and that's it.

I have only checked the accuracy at 25 Metres just now, but they will stay on a A4 size pistol target.

They feed OK through Autos and Pumps.

As the Title says "Very cheap" All comments, hints, etc.(Good or bad) are welcome.

[yondering]

Cool!
Two comments:
1- what is a 15mm Ring Spanner? Do you mean a 15mm socket? Maybe a picture would help, sounds like you're not from the US so your terminology is a little different.

2- Instead of grinding the end off the shotshell, you can pry open the crimp with a nail. Pour the shot out, put your slug in, then close the crimp partly with your fingers, and finish it off by pushing it against a hard flat surface, like the kitchen table. The crimp closes up again just like a factory load, and is probably a little more consistent than sealing the end with wax. This is how I load roundballs sometimes for my 12 gauge.

[1874Sharps]

25 PDR,

I like that field piece in your avatar! Now that is one heck of gun!

Wohnen Sie in Deutschland? Sind Sie in Europa?

[25 Pdr]

Cool!
Two comments:
1- what is a 15mm Ring Spanner? Do you mean a 15mm socket? Maybe a picture would help, sounds like you're not from the US so your terminology is a little different.

2- Instead of grinding the end off the shotshell, you can pry open the crimp with a nail. Pour the shot out, put your slug in, then close the crimp partly with your fingers, and finish it off by pushing it against a hard flat surface, like the kitchen table. The crimp closes up again just like a factory load, and is probably a little more consistent than sealing the end with wax. This is how I load roundballs sometimes for my 12 gauge.

Thanks for the tip Yondering..Here is what we call a Ring Spanner..:grin:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee142/smle_01/DSCF2905.jpg

[25 Pdr]

25 PDR,

I like that field piece in your avatar! Now that is one heck of gun!

Wohnen Sie in Deutschland? Sind Sie in Europa?

Thanks 1874Sharps...

It was the most interesting gun I have ever fired...Especially in the Anti Tank Role...

Firing a 20Lb Tungsten Shell ahead of four pounds of NH025 Cordite. Never in anger though.:razz:

[Hardcast416taylor]

25 Pdr. Here in the states that "spanner" is more commonly called a box end wrench. Thanks for the quick and dirty slug molding.Robert

[Four Fingers of Death]

dang 25 Pounder, I tol you these Yankees can't do metric!!

By the way for our brothers accross the pond, the 25 Pounder was the Commonwealth's primary artillery piece in WW2 (and Korea I think). We have been using good ol' yankee howitzers since.

[25 Pdr]

dang 25 Pounder, I tol you these Yankees can't do metric
:-)
Yeah I know but the nearest Imperial equivalent is 9/16" AF and that turns out a slug of 0.650". A bit undersize.

Do you mean to say that US autos are still using Imperial?? That explains why our local COSTCO still sells tools in Imperial sizes. Not much use here in the UK.
:smile:

[Taylor]

...and there ain't nothing worst than finding out your Ford (American) requires a metric wrench or socket,however I have managed to gather up a few over the years.BTW,Four Fingers,we all ain't Yankees.
Did I ever mention that I got to visit Australia back '79,loved it,we were bivouced (sp?,we lived in tents) and got to go to the Gold Coast on weekend pass to drink beer.I appreciate the hospitality,wish I could visit again someday.

[Four Fingers of Death]

...and there ain't nothing worst than finding out your Ford (American) requires a metric wrench or socket,however I have managed to gather up a few over the years.BTW,Four Fingers,we all ain't Yankees.
Did I ever mention that I got to visit Australia back '79,loved it,we were bivouced (sp?,we lived in tents) and got to go to the Gold Coast on weekend pass to drink beer.I appreciate the hospitality,wish I could visit again someday.

We Aussies tend to refer to all Americans as Yanks, which is incorrect, like referring to people from the UK as poms or Brits. The Scots respond very quickly to that one.

All of our socket sets and spanner sets seem to be split half Metric and half AF. PITA, AF spanners are good to have if you have an old car, but are as useless as an ashtray on anything recent. I have a good set in 1/4" drive and a good set in 3/8" drive, but years ago we only had 1/2" drive sockets available. I'm about ready to buy a new 1/2" set, but don't want to spring for all of those AF sockets which I will never use. I have enough AFs to get by if I ever need them, but I fancy buying myself a good quality set of metrics, which will see a lot of use, every thing I drive or ride is German or Japanese nowadays (scheeooooot!! We won the war didn't we? How'd that happen????).

If I win the lottery I will buy me a brand new sets of AF tools and a big Ford or Chev V8 Diesel to haul my guns, bikes and camping gear, not to mention my ass around. Till then it's metric for me

[yondering]

Thanks for the tip Yondering..Here is what we call a Ring Spanner..:grin:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee142/smle_01/DSCF2905.jpg

Ah, thanks. I have several 15mm box end wrenches. Those are cool looking slugs, they look like beer bottle caps.

[oldtoolsniper]

What if you stack them like buckshot pancakes?

[25 Pdr]

What if you stack them like buckshot pancakes?

They weigh about 3/4 oz (around 380 Grains) each. A bit too heavy for multiple loads in a 28 Gram cartridge.:razz:

Suppose you could handload two to give a Magnum load. But the idea was to convert a cheap 28Gram cartridge with no reloading tools.

[Blammer]

ah it used to be the metric were the ones that you'd buy an never use.....

[big boar]

Really enjoyed that info, I have to try it. Here in Canuk land we use both imp and met. I'm a millwright and my tool pouch weights.....well....about 25lbs. My dad served overseas during WW2 and was an artillery man till a couple years before he died. The army was his life. He use to refere to the howitzers as either the 105's, 155's or 25 pounders. Again thanks, I gotta try it.

[NSP64]

My tools at work are STD (aircraft) and tools at home are metric!

my avitar is an 8" (200 pounder)

Neat idea 25 pdr, I have cast slugs from an 11/16 deepwell socket to put in my shotgun butstock for extra weight

[Rio Grande]

Great idea.
When I get home I'm checking out the dimensions.
I guess the weight would be dependent on the 'thickness' of the wrench.
What would be used for a 20 gauge?

[Four Fingers of Death]

Just looking at the 25pounder reminded me of a story my Dad told me. He said when they were in New Guinea, they were in areas that had never been mapped. He said that they worked out where they thought they were in relation to the artillery, then worked out where the japs were and hit the deck. The 9 mile snipers as dad called the artillery would do a bit of guesstimation, then let rip with a round from one of the batteries 25 pounders. If they didn't see where it landed the artillery would add a few hundred, etc and continue until they spotted the fall of shot then guide the hits onto the japs. Dad said they took it turns to watch for the fall of shot. He went on to say that the artillery were real good at dropping one in their laps, and managed to do so every few months. They lost a few guys spotting over the time they were in no man's land. He said that every now and then, the japs would be gone before they got it right.

[Rio Grande]

For 20 gauge, in shot cup.... 12mm 12 point box wrench (ring spanner) by .300 'thick'. Checked about .555 inch across points with calipers. .555 dia. x .300 long slug calculates 209 grains. Of course that doesn't take to account the fact it's not round...so maybe minus 10 grains or so...results may vary!

equation....Lead cylinder weight in grains = 11.4 x .0361 x (.7854 x dia. squared x length) x 7000

Really, a brilliant idea 25 Pdr, thank you. Cheap is Good!
Here, slug shells cost about 5 times what cheap shotshells do. Plus, I can use scrap lead for the slugs and keep the shot!

[DLCTEX]

I don't much mind metric anymore, but I've owned cars that had some metric and some Imperial bolts. That tried my good nature to the breaking point. Those slugs would be like being hit with a battering ram.

[1874Sharps]

Gentlemen,

A very interesting string of posts, indeed! Maybe I can give that a try.

My father was a 40mm gunner on the deck of an LST transport ship in the South Pacific during the war. He said that when he hit one of the Japanese planes it would tear the wings right off!

[sargenv]

They would be a shoe in for a 24 gram international load. Likely the powder mix for the 28 gram load would work since they are probably utilizing the same burn rate powder for both. In a pump they would likely cycle fine. My Browning gold will cycle 24 gram loads with ease usually. 24 Grams converts to approx 370 gr (7/8 ounce = 24.8 grams) 3/4 of an ounce actually converts to 21.25 grams.