What diameter buckshot mold should I buy next?

[Barry54]

I’ve got the Lee 18 cavity mold for 000 buckshot. I believe it’s 0.360” diameter. They don’t fit in a shot cup.

I was thinking about a 00 or maybe even a 0 mold since Lee is making both now.

What diameter do you prefer and what wads do they fit well?

Thanks!

[Abert Rim]

I would buy the 00 size -- .33 inch. Don't give up any more energy or penetration than you must.

[Budzilla 19]

I’ve got the Lee 00 mold, and the Lee #4 mold, both fit in the WW12R wad, or it’s clones, very well. I only load the Federal shotgun hulls, for buckshot, 12 gauge. 20 gauge is ww aa hulls. I think you would be well served with the 00 mold. Alloy is 50/50 ww/pure, with 2% tin, run those molds hot, and I think you’ll be satisfied! Then cut the strings apart, roll them for 12 hours in the Harbor Freight rock tumbler, they will look good! Good luck whatever way you go.

[Mr Peabody]

I would buy MP molds 8 cavity .310. It a lethal size and fits many shot cups great.

[Nobade]

The trick is .4641 times the diameter of the bore (or ID of the shotcup) to get the ideal size for stacking in threes.

[pipehand]

I've been using the Lee 00 mold, stacked by twos in a wad for 8 pellets. I have a Do-It mold that puts out pellets in the 5/16" range that stacks in threes in a wad.
If I were to buy another moldit would be either the MP .310, the Lee 0 (.320). or possibly for its application i a 20 gauge, the Lee 1 (.300) as wellas trying it in 12 gauge. I did finallyget to cast with a Martys Mold this weekend, and I was surprised at how well it did, considering it is .180"(BB). I didn't even have time to cut the pellets off the sprues. The Martys are pretty pricy. I got mine used at less than 1/2 5he price of new. Still havent gotten to use the .735 Lyman.
Shorter answer. .310 to 320 stacked in threes in a cup is easy and most closely approximates commercial 00 9 pellet loads.

[Milky Duck]

try removing the wad petals...quite a few commercial loads dont have petals at all just an undershot card/wad.

[Barry54]

I’ve got a pile of the MG42 wads from BPI and I like them since the pedals are longer than the WAA12R wads. Plus they seem to fit straight wall hulls better without powder migration. Does anyone use these and know what diameter stacks in two or three?

I figured out #4 buck stacks in sevens and leave out the top center pellet for a nice crimp. No shot cup.
F shot stacks like #4 in some shot cups.

I bought a 5 kg bag of #1 buckshot from BPI so I’m good there for a while. Really want something that’s between #1 and 000 for my next mold.

Thanks Budzilla 19 for confirmation the Lee 00 fit WAA12R in stacks of two.

[Barry54]

The trick is .4641 times the diameter of the bore (or ID of the shotcup) to get the ideal size for stacking in threes.

Brilliant!
Why isn’t this in bold print in all the shotgun reloading manuals??

[Half Dog]

Get one of each size and let me know which one works best.

[Mr Peabody]

I use the MG 42 wad, I can stack 12 .31 pellets in it by two's. Stacking by two's goes through a choke tube slick! With a full choke I'm dead on a Coyote to 45 yards. Longshot powder is your friend with this wad in a 2 3/4 inch hull.

[Barry54]

Get one of each size and let me know which one works best.

Send me your credit card number and I’ll give you a full report with twenty seven eight-by-ten color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was.

[Half Dog]

^^PM coming. Lol

[jsizemore]

I like 1's and 4's.

[Kennibear]

Lee 00 stacks 2X4 for eight pellets in the Claybusters CB3118-12AR wad which is for straight wall Federal/Euro hulls. You can use Winchester WSF for an economical but fast load.

KB

Sent from my SM-A546U using Tapatalk

[1Papalote]

I cast .311 round ball from a 2 cavity lee rb mold. They stack perfectly in a 12 ga shot cup. 9 balls in 2 3/4" hull. It's real hard on varmints.

[RMc]

I use the MG 42 wad, I can stack 12 .31 pellets in it by two's. Stacking by two's goes through a choke tube slick! With a full choke I'm dead on a Coyote to 45 yards. Longshot powder is your friend with this wad in a 2 3/4 inch hull.

Indeed, a choke friendly, easy to assemble load!

Two pellet layers, combined with PSB buffer, provide a very fluid transit through forcing cone and choke constrictions.

Excellent straight wall 2.75" 12 gauge, PSB buffered, Longshot load data is available for the Gualandi 12 Ga Super G Mag / TUWGL12 / MG42 wad. See: Tom Roster's Advanced Lead and Bismuth Shot Handloading Manual / update sheets. (Available at Precision Reloading and Rotometal websites)

https://www.precisionreloading.com/c...!l=TMTR&i=M444

https://www.rotometals.com/tom-roste...oading-manual/

.310" lead mold source:

Lee 6 cavity .310" ball mold - no need to clip apart after casting. Proprietary to Track of The Wolf

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...2/3/lee-310-6c

[Hillbillyhunter]

I started off shooting 00 buck shot almost exclusively when I joined a hunt club in Virginia that runs deer with hounds. A lot of patterning and a few kills later and I'm becoming a believer in #1 buck and also #4 buck. I'm using mostly MG42 wads and buck kicker choke tubes, but when you find the right combination of powder, wad, and buckshot they are all effective from #4 up to 000 without much difference in killing performance.

[Barry54]

Indeed, a choke friendly, easy to assemble load!

Two pellet layers, combined with PSB buffer, provide a very fluid transit through forcing cone and choke constrictions.

Excellent straight wall 2.75" 12 gauge, PSB buffered, Longshot load data is available for the Gualandi 12 Ga Super G Mag / TUWGL12 / MG42 wad. See: Tom Roster's Advanced Lead and Bismuth Shot Handloading Manual / update sheets. (Available at Precision Reloading and Rotometal websites)

https://www.precisionreloading.com/c...!l=TMTR&i=M444

https://www.rotometals.com/tom-roste...oading-manual/

.310" lead mold source:

Lee 6 cavity .310" ball mold - no need to clip apart after casting. Proprietary to Track of The Wolf

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...2/3/lee-310-6c

Found it! Load No. 26 where the TUWGL12 is listed on the update page.
All of the components are currently available. Fantastic!

[gns4me]

#4 buck Its what i load for HD and small -medium sized game . BPI buskshot guide is a good source for info.