This article originally appeared in the July/Aug 2005, issue #176 of The Fouling Shot. This is part 2 of 4.
The first article in this series was on selecting the best gauge for a rifled slug gun for use in Indiana where the use of rifles for deer hunting is forbidden. I will limit my editorial comments on such laws to pointing out that although the .44-40 is outlawed for deer hunting because of safety considerations, you can spend the rest of the year hunting coyotes or even squirrels with a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum. Consistency apparently isn’t the Indiana Fish and Game Department’s strong suit.
In looking over the performance figures of the commonly used twelve gauge factory slug loads it became apparent that the free recoil energy from an eight pound twelve gauge slug gun was approximately the same as that of the 300 grain .375 H&H Magnum load. Given my aversion to such concussion inducing recoil, I then examined the performance of the twenty gauge loads and found that some exceeded the muzzle energy ofcommon .45-70 factory loads. This convinced me that the twenty gauge was enough for the type of woods hunting involved.
The first article in this series was on selecting the best gauge for a rifled slug gun for use in Indiana where the use of rifles for deer hunting is forbidden. I will limit my editorial comments on such laws to pointing out that although the .44-40 is outlawed for deer hunting because of safety considerations, you can spend the rest of the year hunting coyotes or even squirrels with a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum. Consistency apparently isn’t the Indiana Fish and Game Department’s strong suit.
In looking over the performance figures of the commonly used twelve gauge factory slug loads it became apparent that the free recoil energy from an eight pound twelve gauge slug gun was approximately the same as that of the 300 grain .375 H&H Magnum load. Given my aversion to such concussion inducing recoil, I then examined the performance of the twenty gauge loads and found that some exceeded the muzzle energy ofcommon .45-70 factory loads. This convinced me that the twenty gauge was enough for the type of woods hunting involved.
Performance of Factory Slug Loads
After buying a twenty gauge NEF Ultra Slug gun, the next step was to assess the accuracy of the various factory offerings. I planned from the start to handload to see what could be achieved with handloaded cast bullets since some factory loads are very expensive, and since handloading something as unusual as a slug load was intriguing. In addition to the burning desire for scientific truth, the handloads could of course be assembled for a fraction of the cost of the factory loads, an attraction to are covering depression baby. Testing the factory loads would provide a benchmark of accuracy and power for comparing my future handloads. The goal would be toequal, or exceed if possible, the effectiveness of the factory loads at a fraction of the cost.
After buying a twenty gauge NEF Ultra Slug gun, the next step was to assess the accuracy of the various factory offerings. I planned from the start to handload to see what could be achieved with handloaded cast bullets since some factory loads are very expensive, and since handloading something as unusual as a slug load was intriguing. In addition to the burning desire for scientific truth, the handloads could of course be assembled for a fraction of the cost of the factory loads, an attraction to are covering depression baby. Testing the factory loads would provide a benchmark of accuracy and power for comparing my future handloads. The goal would be toequal, or exceed if possible, the effectiveness of the factory loads at a fraction of the cost.
Typical slugs in factory ammunition with wads.From left to
right; Federal "Power Shok", Remington"Slugger" with
24 grains of micro sphere buffer in film canister cap,
Winchester "BRI" in half of sabot,Brenneke from Brenneke
USA three-inch shell.
right; Federal "Power Shok", Remington"Slugger" with
24 grains of micro sphere buffer in film canister cap,
Winchester "BRI" in half of sabot,Brenneke from Brenneke
USA three-inch shell.
For the test of factory ammunition I gathered a supply of eight different factory slug loads: Remington“Slugger” and “Copper Solids”; Winchester “3/4 ounce Hollow Points”, “BRIs” and “Supreme Partition”; Federal“Power Shok”; Brenneke USA “Magnum” and Rottweil “Mag Load” which uses Brenneke type slugs. The Brenneke USA Magnum was a three inch shell and the rest were two and three quarter inches. The cost pershell varied from $0.40 to over $2.50.
The weight of projectiles ranged from 260 grains (in sabot loads) to 437 grains (one ounce). Velocities claimed ranged from 1,400 to 1,900 ft./sec. Energies ranged from 1,200 foot-pounds to over 2,100 foot pounds.These were fired from a bench rest at fifty yards with the scope set at 4.5X.
The three-inch Brenneke USA Magnum was the most powerful giving a one ounce (437 grain) bullet a muzzle velocity of 1,476 ft./sec. It was also the most accurate producing five shot groups averaging 1.5 inches(three minutes of angle). This is respectable accuracy for many rifles carried into the woods after the wily whitetail and far exceeds the precision most hunters can achieve using open sights. This combination represents first rate equipment for deer sized targets out to well over 100 yards. I suspected it would be a real challenge to come up with a cast bullet load that would equal the Brenneke’s excellent performance. However, they cost over $2.50 each so there was incentive to try.
The Winchester BRI load was almost as accurate averaging 2.1 inches (4.2 minutes of angle) for five shot groups. However, it was much less powerful giving a 273 grain bullet a claimed muzzle velocity of 1,400 ft./sec.,approximately the power of a .44 Magnum from a long barreled pistol. The BRIs cost approximately $2.00 per shot.
The other six factory offerings were not accurate enough to reliably and humanely kill deer except at extremely close range. The low price loads were all highly inaccurate running around 10 to 15 minutes of angle for five shot groups, thus supporting the old saying that “there is no free lunch”.
Two of the high price offerings consistently put about eighty percent of their shots into very respectable group sand just as consistently put the other twenty percent as much as ten minutes of angle out of the group making them unacceptable, again casting doubt on the equally old saying that “you get what you pay for”. You only get what you pay for sometimes as these two expensive loads showed.
The weight of projectiles ranged from 260 grains (in sabot loads) to 437 grains (one ounce). Velocities claimed ranged from 1,400 to 1,900 ft./sec. Energies ranged from 1,200 foot-pounds to over 2,100 foot pounds.These were fired from a bench rest at fifty yards with the scope set at 4.5X.
The three-inch Brenneke USA Magnum was the most powerful giving a one ounce (437 grain) bullet a muzzle velocity of 1,476 ft./sec. It was also the most accurate producing five shot groups averaging 1.5 inches(three minutes of angle). This is respectable accuracy for many rifles carried into the woods after the wily whitetail and far exceeds the precision most hunters can achieve using open sights. This combination represents first rate equipment for deer sized targets out to well over 100 yards. I suspected it would be a real challenge to come up with a cast bullet load that would equal the Brenneke’s excellent performance. However, they cost over $2.50 each so there was incentive to try.
The Winchester BRI load was almost as accurate averaging 2.1 inches (4.2 minutes of angle) for five shot groups. However, it was much less powerful giving a 273 grain bullet a claimed muzzle velocity of 1,400 ft./sec.,approximately the power of a .44 Magnum from a long barreled pistol. The BRIs cost approximately $2.00 per shot.
The other six factory offerings were not accurate enough to reliably and humanely kill deer except at extremely close range. The low price loads were all highly inaccurate running around 10 to 15 minutes of angle for five shot groups, thus supporting the old saying that “there is no free lunch”.
Two of the high price offerings consistently put about eighty percent of their shots into very respectable group sand just as consistently put the other twenty percent as much as ten minutes of angle out of the group making them unacceptable, again casting doubt on the equally old saying that “you get what you pay for”. You only get what you pay for sometimes as these two expensive loads showed.
Slugs For Handloads. From left to right; Lyman 360
grain "Shotgun Sabot Slug", 285 grain 0.575"
diameter ball, 370 grain 0.635 inch diameter ball.
grain "Shotgun Sabot Slug", 285 grain 0.575"
diameter ball, 370 grain 0.635 inch diameter ball.
Bullet Molds
The first order of business was to decide what kind of cast bullets should be tried in the pursuit of a suitable load. The availability of molds was very limited. Lyman offers a mold that casts a projectile they call a “Shotgun Sabot Slug”. This strange bullet looks like a giant diablo air rifle pellet with a flat point, a constricted middle and a hollow skirt. These are meant to use the shot cup of the ubiquitous plastic shotshell wad as a sabot. Lyman also offers a mold that casts a slug somewhat like a civil war minie ball which they say doesn’t require rifling. I ordered a mold for the Shotgun Sabot Slug.
The first order of business was to decide what kind of cast bullets should be tried in the pursuit of a suitable load. The availability of molds was very limited. Lyman offers a mold that casts a projectile they call a “Shotgun Sabot Slug”. This strange bullet looks like a giant diablo air rifle pellet with a flat point, a constricted middle and a hollow skirt. These are meant to use the shot cup of the ubiquitous plastic shotshell wad as a sabot. Lyman also offers a mold that casts a slug somewhat like a civil war minie ball which they say doesn’t require rifling. I ordered a mold for the Shotgun Sabot Slug.
Lee offers molds for an interesting slug that has a hollow base and what they call a “drive key” which is supposed to “positively rotate the slug in rifled barrels.” This slug, like the Lyman Sabot Slug, is designed to use an ordinary plastic wad as the sabot. Unfortunately, these molds are only available in twelve gauge.Mold manufacturers also offer round ball molds. The head diameter of the Lyman “pellet” is 0.575”. I reasoned that if this would work in the shot cup of a plastic wad then a ball of the same diameter might also work and ordered a Lee mold for a 0.575” round ball.
I also wanted to try a round ball that would engage the rifling without a sabot. A chamber and bore cast indicated the grove diameter was approximately 0.632”. Nomold for this diameter was found in the mold lists of the major mold manufacturers.
While I was deciding if I wanted a ball of this diameter enough to pay for a custom mold, I received a call from CBA member Jay Wilkinson of Machias, Maine on another subject. I had never met Mr. Wilkinson but as we talked about various cast bullet subjects I confessed that my latest project was handloading for a slug gun. I mentioned that one of the bullets I hoped to try was a ball large enough to engage the rifling but couldn’t find amold. He asked what size I needed and when I said 0.635 or so, he replied that he had just such a mold and would send it over on loan. This was one of the nicest coincidences I had encountered in a while.
The mold arrived in a few days and I immediately cast up a large supply of balls from each of three different alloys; lead, wheel-weights, and linotype. Half of the wheel-weight balls were quenched in water directly from the mold. The mold was an old Ideal single cavity and it cast as well as any mold I have ever used, dropping one perfect ball after another. I don’t know when I have enjoyed casting more, all the while appreciating Jay Wilkinson’s generosity.
I decided the Lyman Sabot Slug, and the 0.575” and0.635” balls would provide enough variety of projectile sto keep me busy for quite a while. With all the possible combinations of paper, plastic and brass shells, type sand charges of powders, and the endless possibilities for wads and sabots there was plenty of room for experimentation.
Published Data
The next chore was to find out what loading data had been published for loading slugs for a rifled slug gun. Asheet of suggested loads had come with the Lyman pellet mold. Most of the rest of the meager information I could find was of course for the twelve gauge. No guidance at all was found for starting loads for a full bore size round ball.
Not only was loading data for twenty gauge slug loads hard to find but the information I did find raised additional questions. For example, some of Lyman’s suggested loads for their Sabot Slug were over fifty percent heavier than similar loads of the same powder for shot loads of equal weight, even though the pressures and velocities given were similar. I don’t know if this represents some sort of major difference in the interior ballistics of shot loads compared to slug loads or serious flaws in the loading data which might get you killed.
The second edition of the Lyman Shotshell Handbook recommends 55 grains of IMR 4227 behind the Lyman 341 grain slug for several loads. Although 4227 has a slightly slower burning rate than shotgun powers like Alliant’s Blue Dot and Hodgdon’s HS-7, 55 grains is more than twice the recommended charge for loads of 380 grains (7/8th ounces) of shot. Such wild differences in recommendations between slug and shot loads made it clear that reloading for various weights of slugs was going to be an adventure. I began thinking about ways to support the rifle so I could pull the trigger with a long string.
Summary
Although six of the eight factory slug loads tested were woefully inaccurate, the Brenneke USA Magnums and the Winchester BRIs shot very well in the NEF Ultra Slug Gun. These loads equaled or exceeded the power and accuracy of many time tested deer rifles.
I now have three cast bullets to work with and an almost infinite number of possible combinations to try.One of these is undoubtedly the ultimate twenty gauge slug load. All I have to do is find it.
Part three will report on the trials and tribulations of trying to match or exceed this performance with cast bullet handloads. The lack of appropriate loading data will add to the challenge and perhaps to additional healthcare costs. •
I also wanted to try a round ball that would engage the rifling without a sabot. A chamber and bore cast indicated the grove diameter was approximately 0.632”. Nomold for this diameter was found in the mold lists of the major mold manufacturers.
While I was deciding if I wanted a ball of this diameter enough to pay for a custom mold, I received a call from CBA member Jay Wilkinson of Machias, Maine on another subject. I had never met Mr. Wilkinson but as we talked about various cast bullet subjects I confessed that my latest project was handloading for a slug gun. I mentioned that one of the bullets I hoped to try was a ball large enough to engage the rifling but couldn’t find amold. He asked what size I needed and when I said 0.635 or so, he replied that he had just such a mold and would send it over on loan. This was one of the nicest coincidences I had encountered in a while.
The mold arrived in a few days and I immediately cast up a large supply of balls from each of three different alloys; lead, wheel-weights, and linotype. Half of the wheel-weight balls were quenched in water directly from the mold. The mold was an old Ideal single cavity and it cast as well as any mold I have ever used, dropping one perfect ball after another. I don’t know when I have enjoyed casting more, all the while appreciating Jay Wilkinson’s generosity.
I decided the Lyman Sabot Slug, and the 0.575” and0.635” balls would provide enough variety of projectile sto keep me busy for quite a while. With all the possible combinations of paper, plastic and brass shells, type sand charges of powders, and the endless possibilities for wads and sabots there was plenty of room for experimentation.
Published Data
The next chore was to find out what loading data had been published for loading slugs for a rifled slug gun. Asheet of suggested loads had come with the Lyman pellet mold. Most of the rest of the meager information I could find was of course for the twelve gauge. No guidance at all was found for starting loads for a full bore size round ball.
Not only was loading data for twenty gauge slug loads hard to find but the information I did find raised additional questions. For example, some of Lyman’s suggested loads for their Sabot Slug were over fifty percent heavier than similar loads of the same powder for shot loads of equal weight, even though the pressures and velocities given were similar. I don’t know if this represents some sort of major difference in the interior ballistics of shot loads compared to slug loads or serious flaws in the loading data which might get you killed.
The second edition of the Lyman Shotshell Handbook recommends 55 grains of IMR 4227 behind the Lyman 341 grain slug for several loads. Although 4227 has a slightly slower burning rate than shotgun powers like Alliant’s Blue Dot and Hodgdon’s HS-7, 55 grains is more than twice the recommended charge for loads of 380 grains (7/8th ounces) of shot. Such wild differences in recommendations between slug and shot loads made it clear that reloading for various weights of slugs was going to be an adventure. I began thinking about ways to support the rifle so I could pull the trigger with a long string.
Summary
Although six of the eight factory slug loads tested were woefully inaccurate, the Brenneke USA Magnums and the Winchester BRIs shot very well in the NEF Ultra Slug Gun. These loads equaled or exceeded the power and accuracy of many time tested deer rifles.
I now have three cast bullets to work with and an almost infinite number of possible combinations to try.One of these is undoubtedly the ultimate twenty gauge slug load. All I have to do is find it.
Part three will report on the trials and tribulations of trying to match or exceed this performance with cast bullet handloads. The lack of appropriate loading data will add to the challenge and perhaps to additional healthcare costs. •