Slugs - reloading methodology?

[Ds J]

Hi Folks,

Which methods are there to reload slugs, and what does one need to look out for?

I have read about sabbots, regular wads and paper patching for older (BP) shotguns.

Does powder coating work to prevent the barrel from leading up?

Which type of slugs work well?

[oafpatroll]

I've done a lot in 12G and have molds from Lee, Lyman and Svarog.

By far the most accurate and effective from that lot are the drag stabilized (shuttlecock style where the gas piston of the was is screwed to the slug) Svarog Sveroboy prefragmented hollow points. I powder coat them and that completely eliminates lead fouling in both barrels and gas systems.

When I got the molds years ago I thought of setting up to make them in reloading kits as a sideline and had Somchem do some load dev for me. Unfortunately MS200 turned out to be the sweet spot in their line so I'll have to redevelop with something that's available.

For the 560ish grain slugs the best charge weights were 24 and 27 grains which can give cloverleafs at 50m, shoot into a palm sized group at 75+ and land reliable effective hits on a torso sized target out to 120+.

I'll dig out some pics and post them here later.

[oafpatroll]

I have read about sabbots, regular wads and paper patching for older (BP) shotguns.

True discarding sabot style shotgun slugs (ala APDS type artillery rounds) where the projectile is substantially under bore diameter are pretty rare things and are only really a handloading prospect where you have the use of a 3d printer. I'm not sure that they would offer enough benefit to bother unless you drove them really fast.

The more typical thing that people are referring to when they use the term are lead slugs sufficiently sub calibre that they fit into a standard wad cup in place of pellets. The Lee 7/8 and 1oz key drives and Lyman Diablos and clones thereof are this style. I've had really poor results from the 10z Lee, slightly better from the 7/8 and fairly good from the pellet styled Diablo clone from Svarog. A reall advantage to this style is that its usually possible and perfectly safe to use factory 28gram loads with the crimp opened and the shot replaced with a slug. The first few hundred slugs I loaded were of this type and worked well enough. Pic below (and attached labeled Lee and Svarog) of examples of the two types.



Slugs that are close to bore diameter like the RCBS Forster style one and the Svarog Sveroboy I have sit on top of a wad with no cup and ride the bore. Before I powdercoated I found I got significant leading in bother the bore and gas system of my semi auto with these.     

Does powder coating work to prevent the barrel from leading up?

Yes, very much so. I won't put slugs through my guns without it.

Which type of slugs work well?

My absolute top slug load is the Svarog Sveroboy. It's so much better than the others that I haven't cast anything else in years. 24 / 27 grains of MS200 give groups like the one in the pic below, good enough that they warranted me rigging up a quick release wide angled low power scope on my 12G semi auto






 

[oafpatroll]

I've found that roll crimping has given me the most consistent accuracy and is the easiest way to set up absolute repeatability using a drill press and a good hull trimmer. I get about four reloads out of the best hulls before either the primer pockets get too sloppy or the hull mouth cracks.



 

[Ds J]

I have searched for Sveroboy moulds but couldn't see any available?

[oafpatroll]

I have searched for Sveroboy moulds but couldn't see any available?

They are made in Russia by a company called Svarog Hunt and have been unobtainable for a while. I see their Diablo clone listed on Ali Express if you are prepared to go that route.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002456172020.html

[oafpatroll]

ASP in Boksburg sells something similar to the Svarog Botfly which is again similar to the Sveroboy as part of a kit if you wanted to try before committing to buying a mold.

https://www.adv-sp.com/product/12-ga-asp-reaper-slug-kit-available-now-at-an-unbeatable-price-of-just-r150-00-each/