12 gauge slug reloading and casting

[allthegearandnoidea]

Hi All
Just bought a H &R Ultra Slug Hunter rifled barrel in 12g. Wondering if anyone can advise on...

Health concerns with lead casting
Aussie company Cast Bullet Engineering moulds ...flat nose .735 slug
Expected accuracy with hand loaded slugs - I shot. Box of 25 Sellier and Bellot 3" rifled slugs and once the red dot sight was zeroed, I was able to manage 4" groups @100 m. These were rifled slugs though and apparently not recommended

Any advice appreciated

Cheers

Steve

[bladeracer]

Health concerns with lead casting

Good ventilation (outside is best) and don't get the alloy too hot or it'll give off gases you don't want to be breathing.
Lead is highly toxic to children so don't melt anywhere that kids can reach, lead residue will settle on all surfaces throughout the area.

[TheDude]

Well ventilated area, don't eat or drink while casting etc.

Cast bullet engineering make some great moulds. I've not used their 12ga slug though, I use a cheap Lee 1oz moulds as I don't shoot many.

I reuse standard 7 1/2 shot rounds, by picking open the crimp, replace the shot with slug and wad and then trim and roll crimp. Accuracy is 2-3" at 50m with Bead sight on my Chiappa lever.

[Oldbloke]

Boys are correct, plenty of ventilation will do the trick. It effects the brain and young children are particulary vulnerable as the brain is still developing.
Can be absorbed by eating but more hazardous are the vapours when casting. But dont be put off if managed and unless you do casting say every week you should be fine. People most effected are employees that work with it daily. Also the body will remove lead over a few months.

Its all about the dose. Eg. Two panadol will help a headache but two boxes will kill you.

If you go to the worksafe site you can down load and read the lead code here, http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/info/hom ... mp=landing

How do slugs shoot in a 12g smooth bore?

[bigpete]

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could try doing this. Fiocchi 24gm target loads,crimp cut off,shot dumped,petals cut off wad,.725 RB seated,sealed with candle wax. Simple and easy. Seems to shoot nicely so far.

[wrenchman]

lee makes a 7/8 punce mold and it loads with the standard shot gun shell and normal loads you tube has guys that have been loading them

[on_one_wheel]

I'll be watching this thread closely, I've been wanting to roll my own 12 gauge slugs for ages.

Buying them is a total ripoff.

I've heard of holding them in with wax but prefer the idea of crimping, I think they will travel better that way.

I like the idea of modified factory
shot loads, do the 7.5's give you high enough velocities with the slug ?

I'm yet to see how to roll the crimp, keen to see how that's done neatly.

[TheDude]

lee makes a 7/8 punce mold and it loads with the standard shot gun shell and normal loads you tube has guys that have been loading them

I use a BPI roll crimper http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Origin ... fo/ROLL12/

I've been just doing them with a drill, a drill press would give you a more consistent crimp.

[bladeracer]

I'll be watching this thread closely, I've been wanting to roll my own 12 gauge slugs for ages.

Buying them is a total ripoff.

I've heard of holding them in with wax but prefer the idea of crimping, I think they will travel better that way.

I like the idea of modified factory
shot loads, do the 7.5's give you high enough velocities with the slug ?

I'm yet to see how to roll the crimp, keen to see how that's done neatly.

250rds of 28gm 7.5's cost me $90, 36 cents each.
00-buck is about 80 cents each for 250rds.
Slugs are $2.00 each.
A Lee mould is $90 for 000 buckshot, or $45 for a 1oz slug.
Northern Smelters do lead shot for $85/10kg or I think 5kg ingots are $40 - plus post.
A ladle and a gas flame and you're set.

The wax blows off as it leaves the muzzle so it won't affect flight.
You'll have similar velocity from a 1oz slug as you would with a 1oz load of shot, but for a lot longer range. If you want more velocity use a 7/8 slug in a 1-1/8 ounce shotshell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvJcPJ_45MY

[bigpete]

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Depends on how you do the wax. You can see the difference between these 2. The one on the left I dribbled the wax around the edge then heated the ball with a mini gas torch until the wax melted in around the ball. The one on the right I just dribbled the wax around the edge and left it. The right ones wax is already starting to crack and come loose a little but the other one is still neat and solid

[bigpete]

Bear in mind my RB loads are close to 1⅓oz so really they should be replacing heavier shot loads,but they don't have a lot of bearing area and they are safe out of MY gun.

[Oldbloke]

Why not a normal crimp?

[bladeracer]

Why not a normal crimp?

I don't think they work well over slugs. Can't recall ever seeing a conventionally-crimped factory slug.
Far easier to roll or wax them.

[bigpete]

I don't have a crimper

[allthegearandnoidea]

Hi bigpete. What sort of accuracy are you getting with the rb?

[bigpete]

Hmmm with these ones I don't really know I just shoot them for s**ts and giggles. I reckon they'd be good thru a rifled barrel.

[Oldbloke]

Perhaps you could pre-warm the slug and pour hot wax onto the case and slug?

[Oldbloke]

I have a SB 12g that I use as a camp gun. I just take a few various size shells to cover most situations. But lately thinking of adding slug to the selection.

Sooo, which Lee slug is best all rounder, 1 or 7/8oz?

[pete1]

Should pretty easy to machine a roll crimper to go on the end of a drill, if you have a lathe, think might buy some steel and give it a go just gotta work out best dimensions.

[wrenchman]

try one of these they work well from rifled barrel lee 7/8 ouce and you can crimp

[Oldbloke]

Yeah, I read the Lee slug instructions and they say use a normal crimp.

[tex1972]

I've been loading the lee 1 oz solids for years with a standard crimp as they advise in the instruction that come with the mold. Never had any dramas, quicker than roll crimping or sealing with wax.

[Oldbloke]

I've been loading the lee 1 oz solids for years with a standard crimp as they advise in the instruction that come with the mold. Never had any dramas, quicker than roll crimping or sealing with wax.

Glad to hear that. My Lee 1 oz slug mould arrived last week. Just gotta find time to cast a few now. I think a 32gram wad looks about right. Should give a good 8 star crimp.

Come to think of it. Do you need any filler around the nose of the slug?

[tex1972]

off the top of my head I'm running WAA SL 1 oz wads, no filler. The crimp up fine.

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[Oldbloke]

Nothing wrong with that crimp and I have a few 1oz wads. Thanks for that Tex

[Cooper]

Reviving an old thread. I plan on casting a few slugs. I already have the Lee 1 ounce mold. Have a 7/8 ounce mold and Lee 20lbs melting pot on its way. I've loaded a few trap loads before. But I'm pretty new to shot gun reloading. I'm thinking I'd like to buy standard trap loads and replace the shot with the slug. Will be interesting to see what kind of accuracy I get!

I was planning on just doing a normal crimp. Had a bit of look at roll crimpers. Any idea where I could buy one in Australia?

[bladeracer]

Reviving an old thread. I plan on casting a few slugs. I already have the Lee 1 ounce mold. Have a 7/8 ounce mold and Lee 20lbs melting pot on its way. I've loaded a few trap loads before. But I'm pretty new to shot gun reloading. I'm thinking I'd like to buy standard trap loads and replace the shot with the slug. Will be interesting to see what kind of accuracy I get!

I was planning on just doing a normal crimp. Had a bit of look at roll crimpers. Any idea where I could buy one in Australia?

I got a simple roll crimp drill adapter off Ebay.
Similar to this one.
https://www.ozgunmart.com.au/12-or-20-gauge-shotgun-roll-crimping-tool

[Cooper]

Reviving an old thread. I plan on casting a few slugs. I already have the Lee 1 ounce mold. Have a 7/8 ounce mold and Lee 20lbs melting pot on its way. I've loaded a few trap loads before. But I'm pretty new to shot gun reloading. I'm thinking I'd like to buy standard trap loads and replace the shot with the slug. Will be interesting to see what kind of accuracy I get!

I was planning on just doing a normal crimp. Had a bit of look at roll crimpers. Any idea where I could buy one in Australia?

I got a simple roll crimp drill adapter off Ebay.
Similar to this one.
https://www.ozgunmart.com.au/12-or-20-gauge-shotgun-roll-crimping-tool

Thanks I had seen that one. But out of stock. I tried searching again and got a few more hits. Some from Russia? And a Australian made one for $55 posted. I'll try casting a few slug first and see how I go.

[Oldbloke]

Just try the 12 or 6 star crimp first. Works fine if the height is right. (might need card wads to get it just right) If you're not happy then try the roll crimp.