Lee Drive Key Field Report

[Dondalinger]

Hey Guys, Sorry I have not been around for a while. I was hunting last weekend and was able to take 2 bucks with my Lee Drive key 1 oz slugs. The performance on the whitetails was incredible. The first buck I hit high in the spine and he dropped instantly. The second buck was hit right behind the front shoulder and he only ran about 30 feet and piled up. Both shots were complete pass throughs!! I cast these slugs using pure lead and they still passed through even after hitting bone. The exit holes were not ridiculous. About the same as any other slug. I'm also casting the Lyman 525, but have not had the opportunity to take a deer with one yet. I'm getting about the same accuracy (2"-3" @ 100 yards) with both slugs. I was using a H&R single shot with 22" barrel. I was hoping to recover a slug to see how it flattened out, but both blew right through. The load is 34 grains HS-6, Federal 12S3 wad, Federal Top gun hull and Winchester primer. Very accurate load and great performance on whitetails.

Merry Christmas to All.

:drinks: Don

[lead Foot]

Well done Dondalinger . 34gr HS-6 is pretty hot ~ howz the shoulder. I too use federal top gun hulls. Here's two pic's of one shot kills using 7/8 oz lee slugs.

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/MrLeadfoot/driftwayboar.jpg


http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/MrLeadfoot/80kgsbaor.jpg

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Greetings Dondalinger here are two good hot hunting loads. You can thank James for them!
12 ga. 1oz Lee slug in Fed GM 2 3/4 hull 34 gr of Herco for 1525fps. Slug in Fed12S3 wad
12 ga. 1oz Lee slug in Fed GM 2 3/4 hull 49 gr of Blue Dot for1675fps " " " "
for 3 inch hull just add BPI X12X over the powder.
I have heard of some people using even 36 gr of HS-6 for 1oz Lee Key slug. Its a good hunting load that will kick like a mule!!!!
Hello Lead Foot I like your Trophy Hogs. Great picture.
Happy Holidays
Ajay Madan
www.PreciousVideoMemories.Com

[diehard]

Congrats to Dondalinger and leadfoot on their hunting success! For me this is what it is all about.

36 grs of HS-6 is indeed a handful. However, the Lee Precision data has a loading using 40 gr of HS-6 for a 1 oz load, which I have tried, and which I can tell you will let you know that the round went off! I shot it first from a bench before I decided that offhand would be more fun. [smilie=l:

Merry Christmas every one!

[EMC45]

My load is a 1oz. Lee slug with CB1114 wad in a Win- Universal hull with 36gr. HS-6 all lit with a Win Primer. I fire these out of my Model 11 Remington and 870. Both with 18in. tubes. They will make you stand up and take notice!! Specially the Model 11!

[Dixie Slugs]

Interesting indeed! We have a little load we make for local gals that hunt with the NEF guns....we call it the Dix-Lee....we load them only when we have time and do not sell them on the order form.
However....when the Lee Key Slug is cast from WV metal, put in the Federal 12S3 at a moderate velocity of 1400'/"......it will surprise everyone! With that harder alloy, if you use any choke tighrer that Imp.Cyl. you will cut up the wads petals. Most of the NEF barrels have been sent to Mike Orlen for a tube job. The Skeet tubes is excellent.....James

[Dondalinger]

Nice hogs you got there leadfoot. Looks like you are holding a blunderbuss! Here is a pic of a nice buck I got during blackpowder season. I was using a Hornady Great Plains bullet cast from hard lead.

Regards, Don

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y133/DONDALINGER/Big86.jpg

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Greetings Dondalinger she is a beauty, looks like the deer came back alive just to pose for the picture with a smile, nice picture.
Thanks for sharing.
Ajay Madan
www.PreciousVideoMemories.Com

[JeffinNZ]

Well done Dondalinger . 34gr HS-6 is pretty hot ~ howz the shoulder. I too use federal top gun hulls. Here's two pic's of one shot kills using 7/8 oz lee slugs.

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/MrLeadfoot/driftwayboar.jpg


http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af64/MrLeadfoot/80kgsbaor.jpg

I'd say you just the right shootin' iron for those little piggys. Kinda sizeable aren't they!?

[NSP64]

I have been reading the post's about the lee key drive, so I got the 7/8 oz mold. cast some from pure and 25%pure/75%WW using different wads and powders. I tried 36gr of win 540 and was getting unburned all the way down my barrel! My load out of my fully rifled Win 1300 with red dot scope will shoot clovers @ 50 yrds. It is a 25/75 slug (367gr) in a win grey wad (dusted with graphite in the bottom of the cup) over 26gr of unique fire by a nobel sport primer in a green remmington low brass case (1350 fps @ 6 ft). Fires off nicely even in this 10* weather today. I tried some with glue and some with cornmeal in the base of the slug to see if they shot better but it seemed they shot worse. the recovered wads show the key drive still engages, just not as much as when the slug is empty.

[tomcat388th]

I've tried the lee 1 oz key drive probably shot around 8 or 9 deer with them. I just have trouble getting any consistanty with them. I've shot them out of my moss 695 and a h&r ush 12 ga slugger. As for performance on deer they have done just fine they just blast right on though with good shot placement.
Off the bench I would get flier's after 1 or 2 rounds out of either gun. I
also shoot the lyman 525 slug out of my USH with them its a tack driver. With my moss 695 and a shortened barrell it holds about a 3.5 group at 83 yards with the lymans. I've tried a lot of different combo's with the Lee's 1 oz's slugs they just don't like me
tomcat388th aka illinideer

[lead Foot]

Those pigs above were shot with Lee slugs. Thats me in the top pic and my mate in the bottom. I'm using a 7/8 oz and my mate Ross is using 1oz slug. The guns are the same brand. I have full chokes in both, Ross has full and modified. We are both happy at that. I use those gray wads now and an equivlent powder to Unique (AP70) I use 30gr @ 1440fps. The first barrel shots 4'' to the left and 4'' low @ 50 meters, The second is just right ~ The gun shoots buck shot very well. My Barretta 56e shoots slugs even better but with buckshot it is use less. So I think the gun has a lot to do with it. 3.5" group at 83yards with that Lyman is real good Tom Cat. My Barretta will do that With the Lee 7/8 oz ~ but thats the best it will do though.
Lead foot;

[Tokarev]

Perhaps someone can put me in the right direction with Lee 1oz slugs.

I tried them out of my 2 3/4" 870 clone using two rifled barrels: 20" Remington deer bbl w/ rifle style iron sights and 24" Mossberg cantilever bbl w/ 2x20 telescope.

Shooting them out of Mossberg bbl with Win AA container and 33.1 gr HS6 behind them I could not get any consistency. At 10 yards sighting in they literally went into a single hole, but at 50 yards they opened up to the size of a dinner plate or even larger.

Should I reduce load and to where, or try a different powder? Kicks like a mule.
Edit: I see you gentlemen using 36gr HS6. Holy macro! 33 beats my jaw into a nice little bruise after 5-10 shots.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello Tokarev I would first check the gun barrel by putting the slug in wad and pushing it through the barrel with a wooden dowel just to see if its snug fit. If yes then I would change the scope for a 3-9 X40 Bushnell for $69. Your scope could be bad.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee75/Dantebeowulf/LeeKeyinFed12S4and12S3wad.jpg
The above picture to show different wad column height. Cut and fit your wad to fit the slug like in the picture.
Problem being some barrels are over bored in that case you cant expect any accuracy unless you go for a bigger size slug.
Your barrel locking nut needs to be tight and to the same tightness for slug testing all the time.
Ajay Madan
www.PreciousVideoMemories.Com

[NSP64]

Tokarev, What wad were you using? Every style/ brand of wad has different thickness of the petals, and like VdoMemorie stated thay have to be snug fit. You dont want to use like Claybuster replacements(good for shot, bad for slug) they have ribs in the center of the petals. hold it up ti the light and you will see . Also I dust the bottom of the shot cup with graphite to make slug release easier. Hope this helps.

Are you casting these? If so what are you using?

I have some win 540 (hs6) but have been getting erratic burn with this cold weather.

[Tokarev]

Hello Tokarev I would first check the gun barrel by putting the slug in wad and pushing it through the barrel with a wooden dowel just to see if its snug fit.
Can't... push.... them... thru!
I think I would need a rubber mallet, like the one my wife is using to keep me in line.


Tokarev, What wad were you using?
Using white Winchester AA shot container in mostly 1F Winchester shells. I have lots of 1F shells from the range and 75% of them happen to be Win.


Also I dust the bottom of the shot cup with graphite to make slug release easier. Hope this helps.
Haven't dusted mine yet. These containers are littering the range floor about 10 yards from the firing line. Is that good or bad?


Are you casting these? If so what are you using?
Pure WW. The last batch was water quenched too.

[35remington]

Given the "drive key" portion of the slug essentially reinforces the interior of the slug and prevents its complete collapse and flattening out like a doughnut, users shouldn't be terribly surprised the slug passes through deer sized game even if it is cast of pure lead.

The drive key helps see to that.....it's a reinforcing support arch.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hello Tokarev if its tight dont bother hammering it through as that tell us your barrel is not over bored.
Ajay Madan
www.PreciousVideoMemories.Com

[Tokarev]

> dont bother hammering it through

Yeah, I know! :)

[Tokarev]

Contemplating the purchase of Nikon Slughunter 3-9x40.
As this is not available in Canada yet, can the American users pitch in with their experience. Hoping someone already bought and tried it with slugs. I was told the scope is made in Philippines, which is not too bad. Could be worse, like China where Bushnells made.

[eye shot]

Never used the slug hunter but have shot a couple hundred slugs with the Nikon Monarch 3x9x40 BDC and it still works great.

[Tokarev]

What's Monarch's eye relief - 3.6"? Slughunter's relief is 5", that should accommodate cantilever bbl well, shouldn't it?

[Heavy lead]

We've got two cantilever rifled slug guns, the Win 1300 that is my nephew's has a Nikon Omega with close to a 5.5" eye relief, my 11-87 has a Leupold 2x7 VXII shotgun with a 4.5" eye relief, they both seem to be fine scopes and take the recoil, and fit the mounts well. The Omega is made in the Phillipines and I like it as well or better than the Leupold.

[Tokarev]

I ordered matte black Slughunter but they shipped realtree Omega instead.
After looking at it such and such it seems that it's a fortunate turn of things: Omega has 2x the ballistic circles and all I need is to figure each of them distance out.

How's Omega performing on a shotty? I am not spoiled with good optics, but each one of my family myself included said about the same thing when handled Omega just out of the box - this feels like a well made scope. It's going to be so far the most expensive piece of optics I ever owned and it better be good :)

[Harmon_Greer]

i had better accuracy with win AA hulls, 209 primer, 49 grains BLUE DOT and a WAA12R wad. it goes 1695 fps out of my mossberg rifled gun.

i never could get HS6 to shoot. i plan on trying longshot with hodgdon 1 1/8 ounce shotshell loads.

[NSP64]

I switched to CCI 209 magnum primers for HS6 and they light off good(even @ 20*F) Gives me 5" groups @100 yrds shooting 7/8oz Keydrives.

[eye shot]

I think the Monarch ER is 3.7-4" and thats plenty.

[lead Foot]

nsp64 That's pretty good shooting ~ is that with a smooth bore or rifled shotty?.
thanks Lead foot;

[Tokarev]

Another trip to the range, this time with Nikon Omega mounted in the Millet steel rings (it's pure luck that I bought them - but about that later).
Scope is very crisp, the best I ever used.
Using the same load of 33.6 gr HS6 behind Lee 1 oz drive key slug in a WAA12 shot container, ignited with CCI 209 primer out of Win extruded shell, once fired.

The groups are still 20" at 50 yards. I did some calculations in my mind, and it seems that to stabilize the slug, I need all velocity I can get out of the 24" bbl - 1500 fps or close. Is the load too small for that?

The millet rings have screws on both sides, so can be adjusted for windage. It turned out that I needed almost all windage the rings could give me. If they were fixed, I'd be screwed. The cantilever mount must have been welded on at a slight angle to the right and the scope's windage knob did not have enough clicks to compensate.

[Tokarev]

Another trip to the range, but this time with reduced load: 29.5-29.8 HS6 only and we are in business. She printed a 4" 15 shot group at 50 yards with 1st one being a flier and the rest grouping nicely. Even better results with round ball, but it's for a different topic.

I am going to load more and head to the range again today, can't wait to see what 28 gr HS6 will do. In order to compensate for smaller loads I had to use Win gray 7/8 oz wads. One of the wads had bottom cut around the drive key, the rest had strong imprint from the slug butt. Will post some pics tonight.

[Tokarev]

Further reduced load of 28gr has not produced better results. The sweet spot must be somewhere in 29-32 range.

[Tokarev]

Loading the slug hulls for the season today I started cutting off spew with a knife as usual and then it occurred to me that a mini lathe could do that as well.

Here we go, put a slug in the chuck, tighten it a little and center... How do we center? Spew is not same around circumference. A-ha! We can use a drill chuk with the jaws protruding just enough.

Now use parting tool to turn the spew down. Voila!

[35remington]

"Sprue." However, the part you're trimming is not the sprue.

FWIW.

[Tokarev]

What's a better word to describe that? Flash? Lap? My instructors used 'spew' so I carried on.

[35remington]

Flash would be correct. "Spew" is what you do when you drink too much.

[Tokarev]

Spew has legitimate uses in metal pressing, deep drawing and some other fields of metalworking to designate excess metal squeezed in between dies or molds and hanging onto the product. It may be archaic though.

[Carryacolt]

I always thought it was called "flash" or "flashing".

[Tokarev]

Let's call it flash then.

I am just thinking if the rough wadcutter of Lee drive key slug could benefit from turning too.
Did anybody try that and notice any benefit to accuracy?

[sniper317]

i use the lee 7/8 with waa12L wads in gun club shells and i found if you remove one pedel off the wad there is less bulge in the shell. in a remington 870 with a 24in smooth bore and rifle sights it shoots 2in high at 50yrds.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Just giving the slug base a stiff rub on a hardwood bench would clean off the 'whatever you want to call it' wouldn't it?

UPDATE; butttttttttttttt, then again, your method Tolkarev, would justify the purchase of a now essential mini lathe,which would never go astray.

If you are intomini lathes, look up Varmint Al. Boy,he and hid friends are seriously into mini lathes. Lot and lots of excellent reading there.