Jump to content

Well, they worked!


Recommended Posts

I posted about a week ago about making home made slugs out of Federal Bulk Pack birdshot and a lead dipper/slug mold. Well, I tested them at the range today. I made up 50 of them and out of 50, 47 fed, and the gun jammed with 3. So that's a 94% reliability rate from my miniscule sample. My gun is an unconverted, unmodified Saiga 12 19" barrel model. Is this ammo to stockpile for when the zombies rise from the dead? No. Is this ammo to stake my life on? No. Is this ammo for when I want to blow off 100 slugs for $23? hell fucking yes.

 

I went a little bubba this first batch, and just used Krazy Glue to hold the tops together, that could be responsivle for the 3 jams. This time around, I switched to GE Brand Silicone Sealant. It makes for a much more sturdy shell when I made up these first few just now, I'll report back and see if they fare better.

 

Like I said, for $45 in tools and no reloading work needed, this is hard to beat if you ask me.

 

post-21696-12692269151685_thumb.jpg

Edited by Klassy Kalashnikov
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

They shot pretty good. I am new to shotgun shooting at distance with slugs as up until a few weeks ago the farthest place I was able to shoot a shotgun was at 25. I pegged them all in a 6" circle at 25 yards and a little low and maybe 7-8" to the right of center at 50. But I'm pretty sure that had more to do with me than the gun. The temptation to head over to the informal range was just too great and after about two dozen shots I just had to head over and blow up plywood :lolol:

 

I'm cranking out another 75-100 or so this time around, and I'll be getting some good practice time maybe next week. I'll post back with some pics of the groups. I'm sure I can peg maybe 6" at 50 yards if I try and focus a little better.

Edited by Klassy Kalashnikov
Link to post
Share on other sites

So, you're just opening the shells up (cutting the crimps out?), dumping the shot and pushing a slug in place, then capping it with silicone?

 

What are you using for lead? Thought about trying Buckshot?

 

Yep, I take a razor blade and cut the top off, about 3/16" away from the top. I use a piece of electrical tape as a guide. For lead, I dump the shot out into the lead dipper, and melt it with a torch, regular $2.50 propane tanks from walmart, back into slugs. Everything is 1 : 1. Actually, you end up with extra slugs, as they're 1oz slugs and 1 1/8oz of shot in the cup originally. So you end up with an extra slug for every 8 rounds. I don't have a mold for buckshot, but I am pretty sure I'm gonna end up buying one when I get some cash next week.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What brand mold are you using? I'm assuming these aren't rifled slugs correct?

 

Eric

 

I use a Lee 10z slug mold. They aren't rifled, but they are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than usual so they will have no problem passing through a choke. (for those not sure, Slugs don't fly true because of rifling, they fly true because of their shape, and the rifling primarily helps them squeeze through a choke)

Link to post
Share on other sites

i applaud your ingenuity, but i got to say that it is ALOT faster to load em' from scratch. it takes about 30 seconds to deprime/size, reprime, charge, wad, load and crimp even on a slow lee load all. thats 100 per hour on a slow day and you get the added benifit of CLEAN burning, and much more powerful powder. it is also desirable to be able to fine tune your powder charge and experiment with different recipes to achieve the best possible accuracy. not only will you notice alot better accuracy, but your gas puck will stay cleaner ALOT longer, and you wont be gagging from the stench of that nasty dirty federal powder. another huge time saver is a bottom pour melting pot. i dont know how long it takes to melt the shot for each slug with a torch, but i can crank out a slug every 10 seconds with the lee pro pot(60 bucks i think) and the temp of the lead stays consistent all the time. when using the speedy lee melting pot, the aluminum slug mold gets hot real fast, i think an iron mold could crank 1 out every 6 seconds or so due to the fact that you dont have to stop and let the mold cool every couple slugs.

 

1 more added thought is that using a star crimper will definitely increase feed-ability. the load all gives a very nice crimp with a slight taper to it, so the crimped end is just a hair smaller than the main body of the hull.(a must for auto loaders) this will also save you the time consuming job of cutting down all those hulls.

 

if you want to get a loading press i highly reccomend picking up a used mec 600 jr on ebay. they are going for about 80 bucks or less including shipping charges and are FAR superior to the lee in every way. dont get me wrong i have a load all and it works great, but my versamec 700 (yard sale 25 bucks!!) is way faster, more compact and built to last MANY lifetimes.

 

gutting fed hulls and adding slugs is a cool idea for those who do not want to do the (fairly extensive and often confusing) research required to get started safely loading your own, but i think from scratch is by far the cheapest, fastest and most practical way do go about it at the end of the day.

 

the biggest benfits to hand loading from scratch are.....

 

1. price

2. the ability to fine tune loads

3.hording lead,wads, hulls,primers,powder is alot easier than hording loaded ammo. i can stash a ton of lead and thousands of hulls/wads anywhere i want and store the powder and primers in a secure humidity controlled environment.

4. the knowledge and ability you will gain along the way. if there is an ammo ban or outrageous ammo taxing begins, you will be hard pressed to find 100 packs for 23 bucks.

5. i sleep real well knowing i have enough shit stashed to load up 10,000 rounds and could do it with my eyes closed :smoke:

 

it is great to see so many taking an interest in reloading for the s12. they really do go together like peas and carrots :super:

Link to post
Share on other sites

What brand mold are you using? I'm assuming these aren't rifled slugs correct?

 

Eric

 

I use a Lee 10z slug mold. They aren't rifled, but they are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than usual so they will have no problem passing through a choke. (for those not sure, Slugs don't fly true because of rifling, they fly true because of their shape, and the rifling primarily helps them squeeze through a choke)

 

+1 rifling on a slug does not make it spin. it is to allow them to be fired through weapons with tight chokes without damaging the gun. the rifling just gives the slug room to swage down. i get in an argument about this with some know it all at least once a month :haha:

Link to post
Share on other sites

What brand mold are you using? I'm assuming these aren't rifled slugs correct?

 

Eric

 

I use a Lee 10z slug mold. They aren't rifled, but they are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than usual so they will have no problem passing through a choke. (for those not sure, Slugs don't fly true because of rifling, they fly true because of their shape, and the rifling primarily helps them squeeze through a choke)

 

+1 rifling on a slug does not make it spin. it is to allow them to be fired through weapons with tight chokes without damaging the gun. the rifling just gives the slug room to swage down. i get in an argument about this with some know it all at least once a month :haha:

 

Same! I have gotten "corrected" on this like 3 times now! It's so frustrating.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What brand mold are you using? I'm assuming these aren't rifled slugs correct?

 

Eric

 

I use a Lee 10z slug mold. They aren't rifled, but they are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than usual so they will have no problem passing through a choke. (for those not sure, Slugs don't fly true because of rifling, they fly true because of their shape, and the rifling primarily helps them squeeze through a choke)

 

+1 rifling on a slug does not make it spin. it is to allow them to be fired through weapons with tight chokes without damaging the gun. the rifling just gives the slug room to swage down. i get in an argument about this with some know it all at least once a month :haha:

 

Same! I have gotten "corrected" on this like 3 times now! It's so frustrating.

 

That's just asking to have your barrel blow up on you. Slugs were never meant to go threw choke tubes. If that were the case why are the riflings on the slug in a helical rifling pattern and not just straight groves?

Link to post
Share on other sites

What brand mold are you using? I'm assuming these aren't rifled slugs correct?

 

Eric

 

I use a Lee 10z slug mold. They aren't rifled, but they are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than usual so they will have no problem passing through a choke. (for those not sure, Slugs don't fly true because of rifling, they fly true because of their shape, and the rifling primarily helps them squeeze through a choke)

 

+1 rifling on a slug does not make it spin. it is to allow them to be fired through weapons with tight chokes without damaging the gun. the rifling just gives the slug room to swage down. i get in an argument about this with some know it all at least once a month :haha:

 

Same! I have gotten "corrected" on this like 3 times now! It's so frustrating.

 

That's just asking to have your barrel blow up on you. Slugs were never meant to go threw choke tubes. If that were the case why are the riflings on the slug in a helical rifling pattern and not just straight groves?

 

 

i cant speak with certainty as to why the rifling on breneke style slugs is helical as opposed to straight, but a good guess is that a curved line has more area than a straight one hence allowing that much more room for the slug to collapse. nor do i think that slugs (even rifled ones) should be fired through tight chokes for multiple reasons including but not limited to:damage to the shooter, damage to gun, damage to choke, loss of accuracy. however the fact remains that the rifling does not actually spin the slug.( at least not enough to affect accuracy ) some rifled slugs can actually be more accurate with a little choking (obviously not full) and i am pretty damn sure that it is the agreed upon consensus that rifled (breneke type) slugs

are rifled to allow the slug to collapse some when being fired through slightly tight barrels(not all shotgun barrels are open cylinder) to make a long story short, i think the breneke slug was designed to be compatible with tighter barreled guns to make them more versatile hunting weapons. for instance if billybob is walking through the woods hunting partridge with his (modified) diameter barrel and sees a deer he can pop in a slug and take down bambi without blowing his hand off. i researched this topic extensively a couple of years back, but if i am wrong about this please feel free to correct me

Edited by scattergunner
Link to post
Share on other sites

I made a jig out of wood and use an old kitchen straight edge knife to cut the shells at the same spot(or pretty close) every time. Much faster than a razor blade and tape as you can really bear down on it and use a longer sawing stroke. Dump the lead shot into the pot and move the shell to the other side of the pot. I do all of the shells like this before I move to the next step. Make the slugs and dump into water. Load them all up into the shells and roll crimp them. I can do the 100 in less than a hour if I use WW precast slugs. Never really timed it.

 

As for the smelly powder, I can't smell to save my life. I can't even smell my smoker cooking pork butt for 12 hours. It's a good thing I can taste!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, I never advocated shooting slugs through a choke. They are designed to pass through one but I still don't. But the fact remains, the rifling on a slug is there to help it squeeze, not spin it.

 

Reossed that jig sounds like an awesome idea. Do you have pics? What did you make it out of? I'd love to try that....

Link to post
Share on other sites

Klassy, how dirty is your gas chamber after firing these slugs compared to factory slugs? I am also curious about the amount and placement of silicone you use. I watched the youtube video on your other thread, and knew it would only be a matter of time before you had a range report up.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Gas chamber wasn't too bad really. I fired a whole bunch of birdshot and regular slugs that day too so I can't really isolate it. But when I cleaned it at home the next day the system cleaned right up with a dental pick and some canned air real quick. I'm guessing the silicone won't be a problem as it's between the slug and cup mainly so very little if any of it will contact the barrel walls. I went to take pics of the silicone placement for you and my battery just died :ded: So I'll have some later when it's done charging.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the fast response!

 

I always have a hell of a time cleaning my gas block after shooting slugs. There is always a ton of lead build up in there.

 

When I picked up my first S-12, I had to take it to a local indoor range to work out the kinks. At that range they only allow slugs :ded:. I got to perform a ton of cleaning during that time, lol! Unfortunately, I spent a ton of money on slugs too. I wish I had known about this trick back then!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the fast response!

 

I always have a hell of a time cleaning my gas block after shooting slugs. There is always a ton of lead build up in there.

 

When I picked up my first S-12, I had to take it to a local indoor range to work out the kinks. At that range they only allow slugs :ded:. I got to perform a ton of cleaning during that time, lol! Unfortunately, I spent a ton of money on slugs too. I wish I had known about this trick back then!

 

Ouch! I know the feeling man.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll get some pics of the jig this weekend. It's just a 2X4 that I put a 5/8"(I think it's 5/8") hole in sideways and trimmed down on the table saw until just the edge of the shell sticks out. Put it on a wood surface, put a shell in, cut with a large knife, once you are through the shell's crimp make sure you hold the knife next to the shell's hull or the shot will pour out and make a mess. I dump the shot while the shell is still in the jig.

 

It's really some thing that you could do with out pics as it's just a hole in a board :) Good luck!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Let me know if it speeds you up any. I'm sure it will. Make the hole just big enough for the hull to fit through. The rim should be catching on the side of the hole. I clamped down a block on a work table and hold the shell/jig next to it. That way I'm not trying to hold the shell in place while I'm cutting. Like I said I'll get some pics of the jig. Just won't be until this weekend.

 

Make one and lets compare.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw the youtube videos on how to do this.. and the use of silicone just made me shake my head- no wonder they were not accurate!

the slug won't come free from the wad cleanly

 

I'd trim the wad a bit, and use a roll crimp tool... or a mold that doesn't require the wad, and trim the wings off it entirely..

 

just thinkin' out loud..

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Chatbox

    Load More
    You don't have permission to chat.
×
×
  • Create New...