Making Shotgun Slugs on The Cheap

[JeffColorado]

Check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g06a6RWC4A

[docsoos]

Interesting; "Caveman Reloading"! ;D

The Lee Loader he's using is okay, but I don't know about his casting technique! :o

If that's ALL one would have to cast slugs, I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do, but I would DEFINITELY, STRONGLY suggest that one purchases a PROPER SLUG MOLD to cast the slugs! The diameters of the slugs cast in the way he showed on the video could, and most probably WOULD, VARY WILDLY, if they were cast in "fuzz board" or whatever he was using. An out-of-round slug could sieze in the barrel, and with 21 grains of Unique behind it, that would ruin the operator's entire day, I promise you!

If you look at the time index at 08:29 on the video, as he's showing you the holes in the can he was shooting, it appears that those 500-grain cylindrical slugs that he cast "keyholed" when they passed through the target, which tells me they are tumbling in flight, and NOT stabilizing as they should. Not to mention the fact that at the velocities he listed, severe barrel leading with the pure lead he alleges to have cast the slugs with would occur, FURTHER reducing the diameter of the barrel, and GREATLY increasing the chances of a siezed slug. Not good. Not good at ALL. :o

For last-ditch efforts in a dire situation, I guess that ANYthing would have to do, but when things are not that bad, invest $30 bucks in a proper slug mold, and squirrel it away for use when it's needed. I cannot suggest strongly enough, that a proper mold be used when casting ANY projectile for ANY modern firearm!

What scares me, is the fact that some other kid will watch that video, take a few other short cuts, then a 12 Gauge round will burst a barrel in his face, and he'll be maimed for life, or worse. I admire the kid that made the video for his ingenuity, and wanting to help others of like mind, but for $30 bucks, there's no good excuse for taking THAT shortcut.

Disinformation can KILL in THIS activity! :P

Good link, Jeff!

DocSoos

[JeffColorado]

It was interesting to watch, but I agree it could be a recipe for disaster - but somehow I see myself many years ago doing the same thing. Sometimes I wonder how I survives some of the dumb things I did as a kid.

[rAcErRicK]

:o I'm with you Doc. !! I nearly "bought the farm" myself one time on a squib load in some ammo I purchased. I was told by several gunsmith caliber friends that had I been firing a lesser quality firearm than what I had, that the barrel would have exploded in my face. Certainly no one in their right mind would use something that even might cause this situation to occur, but to do it in a shotgun with as thin a barrel as they have is sheer stupidity !

Forgot to mention, my squib load did cycle the action, and load another cartridge, but it failed to exit the barrel. In the heat of competition I failed to notice the difference in feel, and had already fired another round before I realized I was in trouble. The result was scary to say the least, and you should have seen the people scatter ! The barrel in my 1911 swelled so much it was seized to the slide, but somehow managed to contain the pressure, which escaped as if the weapon was on fire. Smoke came out from everywhere, and the sound was terrifying. I truly thought I was going to meet my maker on the spot. Had this been a shotgun, or even a lesser quality firearm, I probably would not be typing on this keyboard today. A lot of people learned a lot that day, and I would not recommend that experience for anyone ! Simply NOT worth the risk, times ten thousand !

[rAcErRicK]

It was interesting to watch, but I agree it could be a recipe for disaster - but somehow I see myself many years ago doing the same thing. Sometimes I wonder how I survives some of the dumb things I did as a kid.

Jeff, I love your piggie, but he looks like he's gonna sneeze ! Ya don't suppose he has the feared and dreaded "piggie flu" do you ?
;D

[docsoos]

It was interesting to watch, but I agree it could be a recipe for disaster - but somehow I see myself many years ago doing the same thing. Sometimes I wonder how I survives some of the dumb things I did as a kid.

Agreed! ;D

Some of my more memorable teenage "incidents" involved, shall we say, "improvised combustion accelerants"; I'll leave it at that........... ;)

It was not until a few years later, after some military training with the "real deal", did I realize just how charmed a life I had been leading....

DocSoos

[jim]

Yep, God has kept me safe many a time during similar incidents!

jim

[JeffColorado]

Jeff, I love your piggie, but he looks like he's gonna sneeze ! Ya don't suppose he has the feared and dreaded "piggie flu" do you ?
;D

Hope not! The thing made me laugh when I 1st saw it.

About the flu - I received an ecard the other day that had Pooh Bear and Piglet walking through the woods, hand in hand, and Pooh thinking "Love that pig, but just one sniffle or sneeze and I’m eating ham for dinner tonight!” - Almost fell off the chair with that one - I guess I have a sick sense of humor.

[hunter63]

Agreed! ;D

Some of my more memorable teenage "incidents" involved, shall we say, "improvised combustion accelerants"; I'll leave it at that........... ;)

It was not until a few years later, after some military training with the "real deal", did I realize just how charmed a life I had been leading....

DocSoos

Rodger that.
You could always tell who was fooling around with this stuff by the missing eyebrows and picking their nose with the wrong finger.......
Darwin's theory was ruined by 911, but I digress.......

I also like the Lee Loader, and I agree that a proper mold is a good investment, but it was intresting.

[blackpowderbill]

The slugs he made are not going to lead the barrel because the wad will be riding on the sides of the barrel not the slug!
The wad will prevent the slug from hitting the barrel & tilting it as well.
From the distance he was shooting & hitting the bucket, if the slug were tumbling he would not have been able to hit the bucket. I.E. A tumbling slug would be very inaccurate.
21gr of unique is a very light slug load, he should try blue dot.

Man used wood,clay and soapstone moulds for hundreds of years with no problems.

Something else that makes a good cheap slug are minnie & maxi bullets. You can load from 410 to 10 ga with great bullet to wad fit!