Oh Boy, Gonna Get Busy With the Lee Slugs

[Ranch Dog]

Same here JDL, the only place I ran into the wads where on BPI site, no reference on Claybusters', so I went ahead and bought them. It might be something that BPI special ordered? If so, that means they might not be available in the future. I will post some information about them as soon as it is received.

[GRV01]

Sometimes i get in my head and say i could do shotgun reloading some day, amd then i read threads like this and think 'Nope'

Best of luck RD, looking forward to reading your progress on it

[Ranch Dog]

Once in a while, things come together all of a sudden. After struggling with the 3" column of components, I discovered my 512 has a magazine limitation shorter than the SAAMI 3" spec despite having a 3" chamber. I had never shot the Slugmaster from the magazine, ugh.

So back to the drawing board! I went straight back to a 2 3/4" hull spec, which didn't hurt my feelings as the Load-All II does much better at this length as all the strokes bottom out. To get the stroke to bottom out for consistent results with a 3" hull, I slide a PVC collar that has been cut to length over the shell. Anyway, I have the BPI Trim Doctor, so the exact trimming takes just a few seconds per hull. I was back struggling with the stack column, just couldn't get it right so I added a grain of powder, 36 to 37 grains of HS6. Lee's suggested load is 36 grains, but I have shot up to 40 grains in my other slug guns. I'd be careful with that, it all depends on the barrel you have. What my notes reminded me of was how the 1-ounce slug tightened up the harder I pushed it.

So component stack from bottom to top is 37.0-grains of HS-6, the Federal 12S3 wad, and two 20 gauge Mini Nitro Cards behind the 1-ounce slug.

I walked back up to the range and put five shots through a ragged hole at 25-yards. I know it is a short distance, but this is where I start with my rifles. If I don't get a ragged hole, I don't go further. The hole to the left is a 36-grain load. It was a 3" shell with the star crimp that had started to unfold. I wanted to see how it shot. Yeah, I wish I would have started with a clean target but that is what I get for being lazy.



What is interesting is that everything is sticking with the slug. All the wads were firmly attached to the slugs and passed through the target and then separated. The bore with the 36.0-grain load was very dirty with powder residue. After the five shots with 37-grains, the bore is slick and clean.



Okay, time to load up and move out to 50 and 100 yards along with chronographing the load.

[GasGuzzler]

I'll likely never try this but the topic is very interesting nonetheless.

I'm sitting in the DPS office (over an hour now) waiting for my renewal one day ahead of the required date. ;(

[horseman]

Going by what I've READ, I've never loaded slugs before and don't intend to, is that a card below the Lee key slug is a GOOD idea as it keeps the wad from being "forced" into the key slot causing a "late" separation between the two upon exit from the bore which can cause poor accuracy. Also to the roll crimp problem you're having, you can use a 20 gauge nitro card atop the slug and then roll crimp. With your trimmer you can adjust the hull height easy enough but with all other things (stack) being "close" I would think just cutting off the old star crimp would suffice. Again, I've not done this so I'm just thinking of what I've done for "regular" shot shells. Also read that on wads that you want to use something that's pretty "sturdy" and to trim the petals down to just below the ogive of the slug. Getting pretty labor intensive to my way of thinking but I guess if it works then it becomes a labor of lo....well, enjoyment. Keep us posted, even if I've not done it and don't plan on doing it, it is interesting to read about others trials and tribulations. One other thing, I noticed on your target it said "temp 74 degrees", was 38 here this morning when I went out to feed the horses a 7am. They were standing up in the NW corner of the pasture, that's where the sun first hits in the morning. And I thought horses were dumb....

[Ranch Dog]

I'm sitting in the DPS office (over an hour now) waiting for my renewal one day ahead of the required date. ;(

Exactly how I like getting things done!

Thanks for the input horseman. So far, it seems as tough I've gotten lucky. Also, it is a bit different as far as overall lengths are concerned. You must work in fixed lengths, 2 3/4" or 3", at least with the Trim Doctor and Load-All as they are of fixed length. Even the Lee Loaders present the same issues. I had a Deluxe 3" 12 Gauge Loader so it would not have done me any good. I looked all over for it and I seem to remember that I might have sold it a couple of months back. I'm such a goofball

[larryw]

Sometimes i get in my head and say i could do shotgun reloading some day, amd then i read threads like this and think 'Nope'

Best of luck RD, looking forward to reading your progress on it

Yup, what he said... But it sure is interesting.

[Ranch Dog]

Sometimes i get in my head and say i could do shotgun reloading some day, amd then i read threads like this and think 'Nope'

Best of luck RD, looking forward to reading your progress on it

Yup, what he said... But it sure is interesting.

If you are working from a recipe with current components, there is nothing to it, especially with 2 3/4" 12 Gauge ammo on the Load-All II. The Lee slugs have been lacking in recipes.

Here is what that search has cost me. Ten bags of cards and not shown, five bags of wads. Now I've got to pull all the components out of the hulls in the tray.



My slug gun interest has waned because I haven't been drawn for this hunt in a while. Initially, I geared up, and as the drawing left me out, I lost interest. After a couple of years, everything went dormant, and I considered just forgetting about the slugs. Instead of doing that, I just sat back and waited to be drawn as that would put me in a time crunch to get it done. I hope to be done by Sunday.

[Ranch Dog]

Next 15 ready to go!

[GRV01]

...
If you are working from a recipe with current components, there is nothing to it, especially with 2 3/4" 12 Gauge ammo on the Load-All II. The Lee slugs have been lacking in recipes.

...

So if your need was for, say, 00 buck then this wouldve been much easier?