reloading 20 gauge slugs

Slug guide rings for axial trajectory along the barrel, easily self-reducing, to be fired with throttled barrels too. I didn't have the luxury of drawing a 30" circle, but I'm pretty sure the steel plate is at least 40" in diameter. The oil paint was thicker around the edges which is why the outer-edge impacts look so large. I used a stack of plastic sheets to get to .280". So I shot lots of 40yd shots against the impact board and took lots of pictures. Bottom up - this is where I setup the press for 3" shells and then modify the final crimp assembly. - Carlson Light Modified Sporting Clays choke, Very Poorly Slit RSI SAM1 Wads from Buck's Run. Barrel Test Stamps - The CH in the rectangle is the CIP proof mark and date code (2011). 40yd Pattern with 20mph cross wind - Carlson Light Modified Sporting Clays choke. I do the crimping in batches. So I did a little math and discovered that at Station 4, with a typical shot distance of 25 - 30 yards, the difference in lead from wet fart to screaming death ray is about 1 foot. The weather was dead calm and about 74*F. I was leaning up against the truck but otherwise I wasn't using a rest. Load data for every gauge: Our Slug Loading Manual shows you the easy step-by-step process to craft your own custom slug … But they didn't. I'm using the cardboard OverShot card (wish they made a 20 gauge clear version). Bird seed filler on top for a nice crimp (or maybe some kind of buffer), PT2092 (1.85" long) on left, Hevi-Steel wad, Uniform size flake of powder - not Longshot, or LilGun (both squashed ball). What does a faster TT buy you? Gamers tend to use fast powders that build pressure very quickly, hittin the SAAMI max pressure at a bit over 1200fps. Federal Power-Shok Rifled Slug provides a line of different slugs for your rifles in just about any gauge you may need. Categories. On impact, the Flex Tip initiates expansion at all velocities. No wind, 75*F. Funny, but there was  covey of quail running around me while I was patterning. 228. Load Titles: Number of Loads: 20 Gauge (Lyman Slug Data): 3" Federal Plastic Shells Paper Basewad: 7: 20 Gauge (Lyman Slug Data): 3" Fiocchi Plastic Shells Plastic Basewad: 7: 20 Gauge (Lyman Slug Data): 3" Remington Unibody Plastic Shells: 8 I use #5 simply because that is what I have on hand, and it happens to be a popular size for Turkey. Less lead and less wind deflection. According to BPI, roll-crimping decreases start pressure, which might not have been a good thing with Alliant Steel. My best load for my rifled barrel slug guns is one load I have for one of my 20ga. So it is possible that I say stuff that I later contradict, or come to different conclusions, or wads/hulls/powders go out of style/no longer available. The ideal distance was ~3.6" with the ram lowered completely, and the press setup for 3.5" shells. Available in 12 or 20 gauge, these moulds cast perfect hollowbase slugs which do not require rifi ling. Many loaders complain that they don't have enough room for a crimp. = 398 grains (7/8oz) LOADING NOTE: When loading slug components with an inherent gas seal, the entire slug component must be nudged down with your reloading press' rammer tube. Compare 20 gauge ammo from the top online retailers to find the lowest price. It matters. (Fasteel ran 1540fps with a 30fps ES). I do recommend you stay away from those using coin cells and instead get one that uses AAA batteries. I think this would've been higher velocity if I hadn't stood 5' back from the Chrony - maybe 1300fps. that represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how steel fails. This is my go to waterfowl load. I achieved a 2.67" COL with the fold crimp, which will cycle in my Franchi. So I'm not too surprised by the burn-through shown below. The velocities agree with my el-cheapo Crony.Â. I happened upon this product by accident. Yes. My guess is that you can't reuse the Winchester hull. Team Buds Only. 3,437. Because it is normal to have both very old and very new shotguns in one's collection, a reloader/shooter needs to take steps to ensure that 15,000psi 3" ammunition never finds its way into old 2 3/4" shotguns. But for shotgun it isn't as risky because you can see through a yellow hull pretty easily to tell whether or not you charged it. So I wanted to seal the crimps. He has the 4th edition Lyman manual, and it only lists for the 12 gauge. I'd love to get some Alliant Steel and maybe one day it will be available. The fold-over cup is not a "blown-wad", as some think, but rather it is simply the cup folding over upon muzzle exit. This is not a big deal in many shotgun styles (OU, SxS, etc. Might as well deal with this up front. I like to both optimize my shells and save some money.Â. I may regret this, but if you want to ask a question or set me straight on something, go ahead and drop me a note at - [email protected].Â, I'm doing stuff in this writeup that makes sense to, There are people who can't wrap their heads around the idea that the SAAMI maximum working pressure of 12,000 psi isn't the limit world-wide. Please note that a slug that is rifled is different than having a barrel that is rifled. ... 20 Gauge Slug Mold Self-Hosted Help Desk Software by SupportPal. Time left: d. h. m. s. day. So I zipped over and gave them a try. 25yd pattern L/M choke (Carlsons extended sporting clays). It doesn't matter - people get all twisted up over meaningless variations of 50fps or so. Velocities had to rise to make steel usable. Used my 20 gauge remington 870 with 18″ rifled slug barrel. Store / Shotgun / Svarog Russian Slugs & Tools / 20 Gauge. I've got a garbage bag full of once-fired Federal Target hulls (paper basewad) and a brick of Winchester 209 primers. Thank you for your support. Have there been bulged barrels from shooting 3" shells in 2 3/4" chambered shotguns? And although it is true that the velocity difference at the extreme is meaningless, the time to target (TT) is not. Most of what frosts my shorts with MEC is their lack of common sense instructions to troubleshoot their machines. I wear a latex-coated $1.99 glove on my holding hand. The first live shell I roll-crimped surprised me how easily it went. For more information or to purchase Nice Shot in bulk, contact Precision Reloading: http://www.precisionreloading.com. a fold crimp doesn't have a ridge that is basically 1/2 the unrolled hull material above the OS card. What folks should notice is that the roll crimp version of the this load is less than 50fps slower than the fold-crimped version. So I thoroughly absorbed those detailed instructions, grabbed a handful of spent 20 gauge Federal target load hulls and set to work. I suspect that this will be within SAAMI 12Kpsi, and so would be safe in my 1936 LeFever. There are no videos covering the details of each gauge. Machines don't have senior moments, they don' get distracted. What about recoil? I used a rest when shooting these, and I had a 5 - 10 mph wind mostly at my back. I'm kind of surprised at how tight that pattern is at 40 yards from a ligh-modified (.605") sporting clays choke. The Lee Perfect is a great example of a low-cost ($25) powder dispenser that works really well with common shotgun powders and speeds up the hand loading process. Trimming to 2.9" resulted in a COL of 2.75" - good crimp, Trimming to 2.7" resulted in a COL of 2.67" - inadequate crimp, Trimming to 2.8" resulted in a COL of 2.67" - good crimp. This might be worth pressure testing. No other slug gun ammo can come close to the performance of the SST®. Turn on the scale and wait for it to zero. In a previous section I showed some nice photos of the PT2092 wad burned through with the 38gr LilGun load. Both satisfy Tom Rosters "Large Ducks Over Decoys" of 85-90 pellets minimum. First of all, I discovered that Kent's advertised velocity is accurate, running ~1540fps from my 26" barrel. I was hoping for an amazing Turkey zapper using my stock flush full choke (.590"), but the pattern board says it needs more work. Backing off the shot charge to 420gr (6 #3 pellets) is the easiest way to make a shell that will work in Italian shotguns. I am a member of a nearby trap & skeet club with a nice impact board. BTW, some well-meaning noob ding dong used plain latex house paint on the pattern board, so the pellet strikes look strange. None of the above wads have a crush section, so when loading water fowl capable steel shot, count the pellets exactly, consider roll-crimping, or use a filler over the top of the shot. I'm not interested in trying to reach 2000 fps, or bulge a barrel. Not round, not uniform size, full of holes, bumps and voids. Is there a small cumulative error with this approach? Because it is easy compared to trying to adjust that POS MEC (a bit of frustration that will pass). I have no idea what somebody would hunt with #7 steel shot, but it certainly isn't any water fowl or upland bird I chase (starlings maybe?). So I can build my own loads for ~$6/25 - which is about the cost of buying wet fart target loads. For those shooting modern shotguns the 1500+fps fodder is the best way to get your pattern to the bird on a windy day and maximize lethality. No, if you're hunting. squashing). Whether or not the color change actually prevented stupid  people from doing stupid things - I don't know. 9. Count the strikes in the imaginary 30" circle and take the average. It is a place to teach, to learn, and to collaborate and interact. Due to the fact that 20 gauge shell will stick in the forcing cone of a 12 gauge, (and not easily fall out), and that somebody was dumb enough to fire a 12 gauge shell behind the stuck 20 gauge, manufacturers agreed to make all 20 gauge hulls yellow. The slugs are offered in 12 gauge (1-1/8 ounce and 1-3/8 ounce,) 16 gauge (1 ounce), and 20 gauge (7/8 ounce) and consist of a mean-looking lead … The OS card isn't all that important and it certainly doesn't adversely effect the pattern. 5.5 gram approx. 20 GA Slug 250 gr FTX® Custom Lite® Item #86233 | 5/Box US Patent: 8,161,885 | 8,413,587. Less recoil and less payload momentum acting against the choke. And you and I will be able to piece together a reloading "machine" that will eliminate the shortfalls of the current "dumb" reloading machines. But understand that BPI produces that load data partially as a sales tool for their components. hour. And you can see the nice crimp with a COL of 2.645", and you can see the stack of stuff under the shell plate. But there was a huge difference between the #4 and #3 leaving me to believe that the PT2092 will need a mylar/teflon wrap if you want to go bigger than #3. 15/16 ounce is 410 grains. Since the LeFever design was being manufactured by Ithaca at this point, I'd have to do some digging. The ones I've seen were genius and very easy to use. What does the speed difference between a single-stage and a progressive mean? Lets see, an ounce is 437 grains. Why is this bogus? CIP and SAAMI serve the same purpose in establishing standards for the safe design, manufacturing and marketing of firearms. I fiddled with the wad slitting, choke, velocity - no real affect. I'm making the case that mixing up 3" and 2 3/4" in older shotguns could cause damage. So time for some pictures.  The first two are at 25 and 30 yards with the Carlson flush mount full choke (.590). Left = No sealant, right = Ducco sealant - the circles are my eyeballing the cloud center. A typical premium 20-gauge, 2 ¾-inch sabot round starts with a muzzle speed of around 1,850 fps and delivers about 1,500 ft. lbs. They require double cavity handles. LilGun is a slow burning ball powder that is great for 44 mag performance loads. Slow and heavy - 1350fps - Remington Nitro Steel 1oz 20ga, Federal 1350fps 1oz 20ga, Light and Fast - 1550fps Kent Fasteel 7/8oz 20ga, Remington Hypersonic 1600fps 7/8oz 20ga. I'm wondering if slowing it down would improve the pattern significantly. The SAM1 wad has the thickest sidewalls and the material is much harder. into the hull. Winchester Expert uses a melted crimp - very possibly not reloadable. I brace the shell on a chunk of 2x6. Now I don't know that I can blame the funky rolled gas check (880fps blooper) on evil LilGun - quite possible that I buckled the hull slightly when mashing the crimp - i.e. So off I went to Harbor Freight to pick up a $7.50 (20% off coupon) hollow punch set. 7/8 ounce is 383 grains. And after patterning I can see why. This is based on keeping shot one row above the cup to avoid scoring the bore. My point here is informational only - in case you're on Jeopardy, or you're considering substituting hulls. Of special note is the very low basewad height they achieve with the one piece injection-molded hull, which greatly increases the usable capacity. load firing a 1-3/8oz. My apologies, I was not clear. LYMAN 20GA/350GR FLAT POINT HOLLOW BASE (FOR RIFLED BARRELS ONLY) OR LYMAN 12GA/525GR FLATPOINT HOLLOW BASE SABOT SLUGS.USES PLASTIC WADS AND A FOLD CRIMP. I happen to use the Precision Reloading product. Whereas the pressure at the muzzle is typically very low. In one hour you would have completed 75-100 shells on a single-stage. Roll crimping requires precise trimming of hulls. Hevi-Steel is doing some creative numerical rounding to get to an ounce. from Russian Federation. I would stay away from the uncoated, rough finished stuff because most of what I've seen is rusty. Notice the height L->R, new 3" cheddite hull, 3" Winchester Xpert 3" 7/8" oz #2 Steel, Hevi-Steel, Kent Fasteel 3". First off, you do not need a shotgun reloading press to load shotgun shells. I shot this pattern on a bit of an angle as I didn't want to find out if steel shot would bounce back 40 yards off of a steel plate. The CSD20 wad looked like it took a leisurely trip down the barrel. So my "short" is about 3/4 length and my "long" is about 2/3. I chose an arbitrary distance of 40 yards and a 30" circle. So I thought I would put those pictures here so they are easier to find. I suspect that manufacturers could up the speed of a 3" 20ga 7/8oz load to 1700fps and stay within CIP HP pressures, but none have bothered. Basically it needs more threads. But if your combination of ingredients pushes your COL greater than 2.61" then the MEC will not work. Sunny days tend to register a little slower in my experience - maybe 30fps. The standard Cheddite and Fiocchi 3" 20 gauge hull is (drum roll please) 3" long (actually 2.97" +/- a handful of thousandths). Shell locating plate (black) at the pre-crimp and final crimp stations. Can't explain why the unsealed load ran faster than the sealed one. What does a slow (1350fps) load buy you? I may not explain the following in a manner that will make sense to those who've never messed around with the MEC crimping concept. A #3 steel pellet is 2.8 grains, a #4 is 2.2 grains. Here are the nail-polish sealed using the blue cutting board material OS cards. The stack height looked doable. Condition: New. I preheat the tool by running it on a range pickup. Slug moulds are single cavity only and cut into the larger double cavity block. I received a new order of 3" 20 gauge SAM1 wads - preslit. Somehow Hevi-steel claims a full ounce as does Winchester Blind-Side. European hulls suck - they are first quality and used worldwide by shooters who also reload. guns that puts a 1-oz solid slug consistently in a 2-1/2” group at 200 yards with a muzzle velocity of nearly 1,800-fps and my best smooth bore load is a 12ga. Why? Here's where some pictures are necessary. BPI Cardboard 0.028", Blue Cutting board 0.032", Grey shelf liner 0.024". Load Data - 20 gauge. Well I've done that now - the shells go BANG and the ducks drop from the sky, so I'll likely not actively work on reloading stuff much anymore. It is possible that a truly automated solution might create a reasonable TAM. Just returned from Illinois for my first deer hunt in a slug gun only state. I'll scrape it off and do it right next time I use the board. Really what I'm seeing is the difference between gamers (ATA Trap) and waterfowl hunters. Christmas decorations? spacing up the shell plate. There is this myth that reloading steel shot requires a degree in advanced wizardry, and the powder manufacturers have bought into it big time. 1. Wasn't enough. The failed crimp produced by the POS MEC Sizemaster that wont adjust for a 2.7" shell (SAAMI max for folded crimp). You can get scales more accurate, but that accuracy isn't all that important for shot-shell reloading. But some folks are more distracted by it. . No sealant, 3shot cumulative string at 40 yards, the 30 inch circle is from me eyeballing the center of the cloud. (Maximum Average Pressure) is an average of the. Here are the BPI OS20 (0.028" cardboard) OS card loads, Here are the blue cutting board material OS card loads, And here are the Grey plastic OS card loads. I called Buck's Run and they told they are split that way by design and that I should try them before giving up on them. I would guess that each crimp took less than 5 seconds. Could I kill farther out with #2? Or maybe down to 34 grains. I looked at the end of a Remington Hypersonic and saw that it is sealed with something. But a press allows you to assemble shells faster. I backed the final crimp punch out as far as it would go and I disconnected and swung out of the way the final crimp cam. But the buyer should be aware of whether or not their shotgun is rated for CIP HP. My 40 yard patterns are ~60%, which isn't great (room for improvement). I also have a mental problem with #2 shot because I just can't get enough pellets into a 20 gauge shell,(although the penetration is excellent). I don't own an expensive one - I suppose I would brag if I did. So I did. Why? The velocity was reasonably close to the published numbers, but not much above Kent Fasteel. With all this hocus-pocus I was able to get a reasonable 6 point crimp, but I couldn't get the taper portion of the final crimp to work - no biggee. What I might try is slowing this load down a bit - probably drop from 38 to 36 grains of LilGun. SeeÂ. hollow base non-rifled foster slug with a squatty short TC nose shape at about 1,400 fps muzzle velocity that prints about a 3” group … The wads are traveling 40 yards and hitting the board. I use the Precision Reloading Roll Crimp Tool and hand drill for my crimping. While I'm on the subject of MEC, here are a few things to bear in mind if you are thinking of purchasing one. at 100 yards. Waterfowl hunters were forced to non-toxic alternatives - steel being by far the most popular. So I did a little experiment to see how short a COL I could achieve by trimming the hull prior to roll crimping. The curled-forward gas-check is happening as the wad exits the muzzle, not in the chamber, as evidenced by the low ES of the SAM1 wad. I want duck hunting performance. I'd really like to load a 3/4 #8 load, but I don't have a wad combo that makes the stack height work for a fold crimp without manually adding cup spacers or bird seed. There is some data from the European manufacturers, but it is sparse and relatively low-performance (remember that CIP mandates momentum limits which essentially makes their "approved" loadings pretty wimpy compared to what we do here in the US). The no sealant wads landed at 15yds, the Ducco sealant wads landed at 25yds - if that bit of trivia is helpful. He has a line on Hornady XST 20 gauge slugs, and want to try reloading with them. Side view of the stack height - the dark line above the brass is the top of the powder. Kent Fasteel claims 1550fps, Winchester Expert claims 1500fps, and Hevi-Steel claims 1400fps. If he continues with this hobby, (and pays his hosting fees), his blog will likely be the best resource on the web anywhere. I ran some more Ducco-sealed loads over the Chrony on a warmer, clearer day - the numbers are rational. Also, I didn't tamp down the shot, so stuff loosens up after a day or two. The Drive Key positively rotates the slug in rifled shotgun barrels. But there is almost an 18" shift to the right at 40 yards. Based on the pressure test data, and general experience with LilGun, I'm going to. Pressure and momentum are two very different quantities and not at all related. Also it seems as though Kent could squeeze a few more pellets in there too - wonder why they don't? I don't have Mossberg 500 20 gauge handy, but they state that it will handle a 2.75" shell(Maverick 20ga cycles 2.78" she'll fine). The "Proof Tested" mark is interesting - I wonder what they were testing to back in the 1930's? The lengths I chose are based on previous experience with pre-split SAM1 wads where the petal length was too short to release the shot. I do a fair amount of metallic reloading, so resizing, weighing, measuring are pretty familiar operations. When I started hunting in the mid-60's, 20 gauge shells were paper hulled and colored red. Even though 2.7" is the SAAMI max for a folded crimp 3" 20 gauge finished shell, the MEC Sizemaster won't do it. This includes the handles and the bottom pin for forming the wad cavity. Was: Previous Price. Very tiring. I realize that 19-24 pellets isn't all that important in the grand scheme of things (velocity versus payload arguments inserted here), but since the 20 is payload limited, I feel that it is worth the effort to squish in as much as possible since I'm wanting to push 1500fps. But I haven't had any problems with the plain stuff sold by BPI, used in Fasteel, and Hevi-steel (and probably others). Lithuania. The 5/8" plug cutter produces discs that are 0.625" - 0.630" which fits snugly into a Rio Hull. The most over-rated, under-performing powder in 20 gauge is Alliant Steel. Can't blame them, they're not a charity, and they can't live in their mommy's basement. The only downside is that it has a fairly fast power-off for battery saving, so you have to learn to touch it every few seconds to reset the timer. Most of the wads recovered showed burn-through, and the extreme spread in velocities was 100fps. On a progressive you would have completed 300 - 1000 shells. The load is straight out of the BPI Advantages load book.  3" Cheddite hull, Cheddite primer,  PT2092 wad, 600gr of high antimony #5 shot, 30 gr of LilGun, and overshot card to make the fold crimp look pretty. L->R, PT2092, SAM1, CSD20 - Side view of the gas check design, L->R, PT2092, SAM1, CSD20 - End view of the gas check design. So I dropped the powder charge 4 grains to 34gr of LilGun and ran them over the chronograph and slammed them against the pattern board. Franchi Affinity 20 gauge Chamber - notice how the forcing cone appears to be a step, when in fact it is a gradual diameter change. Left is "short" and Right is "long". I'm glad I have easy access to a pattern board. I decided to use the SAM1 wad slit all the way to the base, because it is easier to slit that way. I heard horror stories about RTV causing the hulls to break off because the sealant sealed a little too well. 439gr (2 more pellets) will not. 12 Gauge 8 Products 20 Gauge 1 Products 410 Gauge 1 Products Filter Products Save & Close. The second two are the same distances but with my favorite Carlson Extended Light Modified (.605). And here are three 40 yard patterns. I only tested 4 petal splits. The crimp cannot unfold completely. I have not found data loaded to CIP HP 15.2Kpsi. Slow the load down 100fps - no significant improvement. It has the thinnest sidewalls and it was close to rubbing through with 1500+fps loads. Who knows, maybe slowing it down will have a major effect. I've made the "top down" method work - meaning that I got an easy crimp with a COL of 2.65". Kind of makes me wonder how you can develop enough pressure to keep it lit in cold weather. Nice shooting 1oz load that patterns well and uses a 2 3/4" hull. Place an empty hull on the scale and press "tare". Well I finally got around to working the "Top Down" approach - i.e. Watch this short video on building shells without a press -. This is a hull that could hold more than an ounce of steel shot with the right wad. So if I save $9/25, and I shoot 100 per season thus saving $36 per year, my investment might not break even before I'm too old to enjoy it anymore. and real estate on my bench. What I discovered is that while the Franchi will chamber a 2.8" COL shell when loaded from the ejection port, it will not load one that long from the magazine. It is possible somebody makes a crimp punch with more threads - actually I might cut some more myself. Aug 2011. I know that doesn't make sense. Customization - I can raise/lower velocity, increase/decrease payload, etc. I've checked the patterns multiple times. 2 grains less LilGun did about what I thought it would. So how do we get a full ounce of steel in a 20 gauge? $114.00 25% off. Always use straight wall hulls. My Point? Anyways, I've been using this load for 300 rounds or so and it whacks the clays nicely. Left is the fold crimp and Right is a roll crimp using a hull trimmed to 2.8" - both 1 oz #3 steel over 38 gr of LilGun, SAM1 wad. Keep your shots close - yep, probably the best solution. No joke, that is about the extent of the instructions. The nose of the slug must not protrude beyond the roll crimp on the hull. Some loading data is included with the slug molds. I've been using cardboard overshot cards from BPI. A couple more and I had it figured out. And here is the view of the lonely steel impact board from a laser'd 40yds. Lee Precision Shotshell Reloading Press 20 GA Load All II. Well to get a starting point, I can refer to pressure test data I obtained from Precision reloading. So a CIP HP proofed 20 gauge shotgun (3" chamber by definition) is safe for operating pressures 3000 psi above SAAMI. Kent's fodder is pretty good, averaging 1540fps with an ES of 30fps. I guess not everyone knows what grease paint is or how to make it (latex paint, white lithium grease, motor oil). Yet another challenge. The COL came in at 2.77", under the 2.8" SAAMI max for roll crimp. $176.98. Ballistic Products data, on the other hand, ranges from wet fart to screaming death ray. Personally, buy a MEC press from Ebay, Estate sale, Craigslist, etc. So why bother with a single-stage? use the extra hole in the frame. These discs might be too big for some hulls. The wind doesn't have much effect at 30 yards. The pattern is shifted significantly high and left. When you stuff in 38gr of Lilgun, a SAM1 wad, 1 oz of #3 steel shot, a 0.024" OS card, tamp it down and then roll crimp with some pressure - you get a 2.78" COL which just makes the 2.8" SAAMI maximum.

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