Originally Posted by
Smellysniper
Thank you so much for your replies. As you can imagine here in the UK we are always struggling with any type of shooting. This is due to both legal regulations and supply constraints. Equipment and info. that you can get easily in the U S is not available here and most U S suppliers will not ship to the UK both from legal constrictions and cost. So we struggle! I am more fortunate than most because I can make things and I do that a great deal. Producing slug loads is especially difficult as there is not a great deal of knowledg over here. Most shooters who shoot Target Shotgun ,if they are using slug ,simply buy commercial stuff .The cost is high. A box of 25 slug cartridges is £25 ,that is a pound a round.I can reload for 30 pence a round.! None of this will make much sense to U S shooters but it is expensive.
To answer some of your queries. !
Slug design : My first slug was rather like a cotton reel with a hollow base ,the mould carefully machined to .720" diameter which is my bore size.About one and a quarter ounces . I did of course slug the barrel to find the bore size. I used this with Green Dot, Unique and Red Dot I loaded lots of rounds in 2 grain increments from 20 grains up,but none of them ejected well. I did have some success with 26 grains of Red Dot which I thought was OK to shoot but anti social and I was advised,with horror,that it was an overload so stopped using it. As suitable powder was, and is, not available at present I decided to try to use standard shotshells and modify them . I removed the petal crimp,emptied the shot and replaced it with a similar slug shape but shorter and solid based . As you can imagine ,the one form of shooting which is relatively easy to do in the UK is clays and cartridges are easily available and relatively cheap at 30P per cartridge . The slugged cartridge is also very easy to produce, and that is the way I would like to proceed. Producing slugs like this is much easier for me as any suitable powder at present is very expensive and virtually impossible to obtain. So I am concentrating on that system. But they dont work! The original shotshell works a treat,when the shot is replaced by my bore ride slug,they dont! Which is why really the only thing in common is the slug design.Which leads me to my theory that it is simpy too small.
The slug is cast from range scrap which is about 13 Brinnel so much harder than lead which is 5!
My current slug is not hollow based.
NRA UK regulations state that slugs and plastic wads which do not stay together in the backstop must not be used,they must be permanently attached to each other,which is why I have to use felt wads and why the modified shotshel in fibre is such a good plan for me with what I have available.
Your comments on paper wrapping and knurling are extremely valuable as is the .003 oversize statement. I have also produced a round ball mould and my first attempt produced a .002' oversize. The amount of force i needed to ram it down the barrel concerned me a lot and i reduced the mould size to .720" so a slide fit again.They dont work either!
I think that my plan of action now, taking note of your very useful info. is to increase the slug size by about .003" either by modifying my mould ,knurling or paper patching. I think I should also try a softer lead mix. I have in mind a slug shape with the front lands at bore ride size and the base with a hollow cavity which will allow me to "flare" the skirt to any reasonable diameter using a suitably shaped punch and sizing if neccessary . I like the idea of a plastic ball in the cavity to upset the skirt but that would be a bit of a mission.
Thanks to all once more,it is good to know I can use your wide experience. There is not much in the UK.on slugging.As you can imagine shooting slug is difficult in the UK.I am fortunate that I am not far from Bisley which is really the only place I can do that so testing sessions are few and far between owing to the cost of hiring suitable ranges . I am also fortunate in having two other nutters to shoot with and share info and costs of range hire.
I will attempt to send a pic but as i stated initially I am a computer dummy.
Best Regards,and thanks,Tony