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Thread: Benelli Super Black Eagle II - Slug Mold Choice

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    7

    Benelli Super Black Eagle II - Slug Mold Choice

    Okay here goes - I shoot a Benelli Super Black Eagle II. I’m looking to purchase a slug mold to start reloading 12 gauge. I’m looking to keep costs down for 3-gun practice.

    The Benelli website says I can shoot slugs out if my SBE II “as long as you use rifled slugs and do not use any choke tighter than improved cylinder.”

    But I don’t see any rifled slugs molds out there. Lee, Lyman AS-molds - they’re all selling slugs without rifling.

    So these are my questions -

    Do I actually need to use a rifled slug?
    And if I don’t - what un-rifled molds provide the most accuracy at 50 yards?

    Many thanks for your suggestions!

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    No, you don't need to use a rifled slug mold. I've accidentally shot .735" round balls through a full choke, and no damage occurred. I still would not recommend that. I would not worry at all about solid slugs with cylinder or improved cylinder. There are four tried and true slug molds for smooth bores that you can look at. There are more out there too that seem to perform good, but the jury is still out. The four I mention are the Lee 7/8oz (very few have any luck at all with the 1oz), the Lyman sabot slug (the foster slug sucks), a .682"ish ball, and a .735"ish ball mold. The Lee and Lyman slugs are hollow base slugs for use in a lead shot wad. The smaller ball, people have had luck with sizes from .678" to .690" in regular lead shot wads, depending on bore size, and what wad you use. The .735" ball is a full bore diameter ball.

    The Lee 7/8 oz is popular because the molds are cheap, they are about the lightest slug mold, and they fly half decent. I need to do more testing with them. My best loads shot in the 5"-6" range at 50 yards. Not horrible, but not good. The Lyman sabot slug is popular because it can shoot very well from both a smooth and rifled barrel, and that big flat nose puts a punch on animals like no other. I need to do more testing in 12 gauge with it, as a load with Bluedot shot in the 3"-4" range from a smooth bore at 50 yards, which is pretty good. The downside to these is they are about 1 1/4 oz. I was shooting them hard with bluedot. Some lower velocity loads probably wouldn't be too bad. I will say I used this slug as a full bore diameter slug in a 16 gauge, and it is phenomenal. By far the best slug of any I've tried, producing around 2" groups at 50 yards with open sights. The small round ball is a classic, yet I've barely ever tried them. I simply don't like slugs that use a lead shot wad much. The lead shot wad is less than consistent, and I hate variables. The good thing about the in-wad ball is they are lighter, about 1 ounce, so you can use any 1 ounce shot data. They cast super easy, and your lead alloy does not matter at all. They work, both performing great on game, and accuracy can be fairly good if you find the right ball and wad combo. My favorite has to be the .735" ball. A round ball cast so easy, and alloy doesn't matter. I've tried them both with alox lube, and with no lube, and find no difference. Some coat them, and it works too. It doesn't seem you can go wrong with them. They are slightly over bore diameter, so they self center. Accuracy is never great, but it is rarely bad. They shoot about 4" at 50 yards with little work. They work REALLY well in a rifled barrel too. The only downside I can find is that they weigh about 1 3/8 oz, so the strong loads can leave a mark. I find 18 grains of Unique is a fun load though, shooting only about 1000 fps, they kick about like a regular 1 1/8 oz trap load.

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    7
    Interesting.

    Another question but with more info - I plan on powder coating the slugs.

    Before this post I was planning on buying the Lee 7/8 oz slug mold and just figuring it out vua trial and error (i’m casting and powder coating 9 mm already with Hi-tek) but now I’ve been looking and as you said that Lyman Sabot slug tends to be more accurate (anecdotal evidence from castboolits and youtube).

    Any more suggestions?

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Aberdeen, South Dakota
    Posts
    7,136
    I suppose it is anecdotal, but I don't know of anyone on this forum who has got the Lee 7/8 oz to shoot better than the Lyman sabot slug. I have read promising reports on the Lee 7/8oz, however, I don't think those members have also tried the Lyman sabot as well.

    You can powder coat them if you want. Being as both slugs are fully inside of a wad, it would be a complete waste of time. It would not hurt anything either.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check