I'm getting there!: achieving the best possible home-made slugs.

[Y-man]

Hi, I have been working on series of development of home-made slugs to replace the shot in shotshells.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/08/24/turning-birdshot-into-slugs-for-self-defense/

I have done several design changes and enhancements, working with advice from all you guys on the different discussion groups I belong to, and I have made continuous modifications to achieve the best possible performance of my slugs: accuracy, range etc...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=70899&highlight=Y-man

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=80555&highlight=Y-man

As at last post: I was working with modified aluminum molds to achieve these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44877118@N04/4503445065/in/set-72157623807783250/

But I was still not satisfied. I have not tested them yet, but I decided to further improve my stuff...

I went with the idea of using a socket spanner (Socket wrench), size 15, made of stainless steel. (Others have done this, but they used a flat spanner...)

I cut it in half:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44877118@N04/4550835761/

And I had measured it: the little teeth are perfect. It makes a perfect 12-ga slug mold. I melted the shot from the shotshell and poured into this mold. I got this!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44877118@N04/4550850439/

Its almost perfect: ribbed (Though I know that will not impart any effect actually on the slug in flight.) and the slugs turn out even and consistent. It has a good front cross-section for expansion on impact.

I have loaded up a few, and will soon test.

I even produced an Armor-Piercing version too...(Using ball bearings as the penetrator...)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44877118@N04/4550843247/

Please tell me what you think? :castmine:

[EMC45]

I think it's AWESOME!

[hcpookie]

That's a great idea!

Do you need that "skirt" on the bottom of factory slugs? I always thought that will make for a better gas seal but with a gas seal basewad it may not be necessary.

[Y-man]

I did some tests yesterday! Great shooting slugs: accurate (groups of 4" at 35 meters.) and hitting point-first at that range.

I fired at a thick, wet catalogue: the slugs went right through: cutting some serrated disks of paper along the way. (Talk about "daisy-cutters"!)

I recovered one slug in the sandbank behind the book: unfortunately: wad had been forced into the cavity.

I can easily solve that by filling with epoxy or something...

Great stuff. I am truly on my way!
:smile:

[Blammer]

Neat!

[squirrellnuttz]

Way cool!

[Y-man]

Well, I think I have pay-dirt! I have made further improvements and came up with a new mold, and new slugs.

Check these out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44877118@N04/sets/72157624028920569/

Let me know what you think?

Thanks!

[raffica]

Hi.
I suggest you use a plate spruecutter.
So you would have slug with constant weight.
It'a easy to make.....
Best regard's
Raffica

[Y-man]

Hi Raffica,
Thanks for the suggestion. A sprue plate would be good but not for me: it would cause the front face (Meplat) of my slug to be completely flat.
I don’t want that, so in order to ensure I have consistent weight: I will be using a measure to pour my lead: a measure that cannot contain more than the precise quantity of lead I need.
Thanks.

[longbow]

Looks good Y-man!

I will be interested to see how those do for accuracy. If they fly well they should hit hard with that big front end on them.

I will suggest again that you fill the cavity to help support the skirt and/or oven heat treat. I did have some success with oven heat treating to avoid skirt or fin deformation of my slugs.

As I mentioned before, I have gone away from hollow base slugs due to skirt problems. I hope you are more successful than I was.

Keep us posted and keep up the good work.

Longbow

[Y-man]

Hey! Went shooting today, and got some tests done for this slug.
Fired over rifle-type sights (which I fabricated myself...) and free-hand, standing, 25.1yards to a 1-foot round target.

I fired only 2 of them: one in a 2.75inch hull, and one in a 3inch hull. I fired only 2 because in my country: ammo is very expensive, and hard to come by: even for legitimate owners of shotguns.
(I fired a lot of my other, older slug designs too, though...)
Two shots: one hit/ one missed.
*The 3inch shell hit: cavity was filled with wax, and well seated in the wad.
*The slug in the 2.75 hull was also cavity-filled with wax, but did not sit on bottom of wad. There was a gap between bottom of slug and the wad. This obviously affected the performance of the slug.