12 ga. .690 Round Ball

[flatwater bill]

RB...........I have shot them in both caplock and flintlock............with the same load, the caplock gets about 1560 fps and the flint 1410 fps. When I could see a little better, I could get 3-4 inches, for 3 shots at 75 yards.............and have occasionally done that at 100 yards with the cap. I confine my shots to 75 yards with the flint always.......here is a deer I took last year with a handcast ball in a flintlock....FW Bill

 

[ChrisG]

ChrisG,

with those brass cases, that makes for a very impressive looking round!

What type of accuracy and velocity do you get from those loads?

Round Ball

I am loading them to around 1,150 fps with a charge of blue dot. The gun (an H&R Slug hunter with a 19" barrel) can likely go higher but my shoulder won't appreciate it.

I actually get better accuracy by roll crimping them in plastic hulls (I just can't buy 3" hulls anymore because they are never in stock) so I load them in those RMC brass cases. With roll crimps in Fiocchi 3" hulls I am getting about 2.5" at 100 yards. They are zeroed for 80 yards to MPBR on bear is about 125-140 yards.

With the brass cases, I am getting around 3" at 75 yards. More than enough for close range bear/deer but I have to figure out the neck tension for the brass loads. It is just running a red dot. With a scope I could probably do better.

 

[IvW]

I never have tried a round ball. These are my 12 bore loads. Though I only have one coyote to claim with them so far. The bullet dwarfs a 9mm round.View attachment 414389View attachment 414390

They are 775 grain wadcutters cast from an accurate arms mold, loaded to about 1,150 fps... and a little overkill for a coyote.

I'm glad I am not the only one who enjoys loading and shooting some heavy, slow chunks of lead!

What is the part number of the mold you are using? Thx

 

[ChrisG]

What is the part number of the mold you are using? Thx

These are from accuratemolds.com mold number 73-775S

Here is the link:

Bullet Design Details | Accurate Molds

www.accuratemolds.com

You'll have to slug your barrel. I ordered my mold to drop them at 0.732". Your mileage may vary but they form a good seal in my gun.

I lube them with a mix of vegetable oil and red carnauba wax, melted in a dish. Then I dip them and push them through a cut off plastic shotshell hull to remove the excess lube.

 

[Round Ball]

Wow! Beautiful buck you killed last year FW Bill.

Good velocity and very acceptable accuracy = mule deer down and you can't beat that!

Round Ball

 

[Round Ball]

ChrisG,

I know what you mean about your shoulder not appreciating a higher load.

That is far better accuracy than what I thought possible from that very sizable "slug" that you are loading. Good job on the reloading.

I wish I knew that you needed some of those 3" hulls. I gave away a bunch of the Fiocchi unfired hulls last week. I'll let you know if I come across any more of them.

I have done a LOT of work accurizing those H&R Ultra Slug guns, and they turn in some very impressive performance.

Round Ball

 

[ChrisG]

ChrisG,

I know what you mean about your shoulder not appreciating a higher load.

That is far better accuracy than what I thought possible from that very sizable "slug" that you are loading. Good job on the reloading.

I wish I knew that you needed some of those 3" hulls. I gave away a bunch of the Fiocchi unfired hulls last week. I'll let you know if I come across any more of them.

I have done a LOT of work accurizing those H&R Ultra Slug guns, and they turn in some very impressive performance.

Round Ball

Right after I posted that I went to ballistic products and they had 3" clear fiocchi hulls in stock I ordered a bag of 100 of them. I dont use that many rounds out of that gun per year so 100 should last a good long time.

 

[Round Ball]

Good deal, glad you found some.

Round Ball

 

[IvW]

These are from accuratemolds.com mold number 73-775S

Here is the link:

Bullet Design Details | Accurate Molds

www.accuratemolds.com

You'll have to slug your barrel. I ordered my mold to drop them at 0.732". Your mileage may vary but they form a good seal in my gun.

I lube them with a mix of vegetable oil and red carnauba wax, melted in a dish. Then I dip them and push them through a cut off plastic shotshell hull to remove the excess lube.
View attachment 414464

Thank you.

For the slugging do you measure at the muzzle?

 

[ChrisG]

Thank you.

For the slugging do you measure at the muzzle?

I would get a soft lead ball (fishing sinker?) That is bigger than the bore by a little bit. Then get a 5/8" (16mm) wood dowel rod and a mallet and pound that lead chunk down the barrel. Then, using a micrometer, measure the widest part between the grooves on the lead chunk, and order a slug mold 0.001" - 0.002" over that size to insure a tight fit. Even with a bullet that much oversize, without a gas seal behind it, you will have a hard time building enough pressure to get any real velocity. Wothout a gas seal I was getting 850fps. Just adding the seal bumped it up 250-300fps. Unlike a rifle, in a shotgun, if you dont build pressure before the slug starts to move out of the shell, you aren't going to get any speed.

Are you thinking of using these as leopard follow up medicine?

 

[IvW]

I would get a soft lead ball (fishing sinker?) That is bigger than the bore by a little bit. Then get a 5/8" (16mm) wood dowel rod and a mallet and pound that lead chunk down the barrel. Then, using a micrometer, measure the widest part between the grooves on the lead chunk, and order a slug mold 0.001" - 0.002" over that size to insure a tight fit. Even with a bullet that much oversize, without a gas seal behind it, you will have a hard time building enough pressure to get any real velocity. Wothout a gas seal I was getting 850fps. Just adding the seal bumped it up 250-300fps. Unlike a rifle, in a shotgun, if you dont build pressure before the slug starts to move out of the shell, you aren't going to get any speed.

Are you thinking of using these as leopard follow up medicine?

Thank you.

I most certainly am as well as for.bushpig, I am doing a lot of bushpig hunting where they are causing havock in cultivated fields.

I also want to use my 9.3x74R/12ga combination more for hunting, hunting with a scoped rifle is getting boring....

I always used brenneke slugs but they are no longer availible so I need an alternative.

I have 45 thick walled solid brass cases I want to use(old armour brass cases) much thicker than the normal ones or if I can put it that way I have to press a Brennecke slug hard to seat them.

 

[IvW]

I see they are availible in a few different.weights and also shapes interesting

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Round Ball , can you use load these in 3 inch shells ?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Thank you.

I most certainly am as well as for.bushpig, I am doing a lot of bushpig hunting where they are causing havock in cultivated fields.

I also want to use my 9.3x74R/12ga combination more for hunting, hunting with a scoped rifle is getting boring....

I always used brenneke slugs but they are no longer availible so I need an alternative.

I have 45 thick walled solid brass cases I want to use(old armour brass cases) much thicker than the normal ones or if I can put it that way I have to press a Brennecke slug hard to seat them.

I see you’re South Africa based . Do you have access to these ?

12 Gauge Ammunition - Industrial Cartridge SA

12 gauge ammunition

industrialcartridgesa.com

They list a rifled slug . Never used this company though , so can’t speak of their quality . The only South African shotgun shells I’ve used are Swartklip . But they haven’t been available for quite some time ( I hear it’s because their factory exploded ) .

 

[IvW]

I see you’re South Africa based . Do you have access to these ?

12 Gauge Ammunition - Industrial Cartridge SA

12 gauge ammunition

industrialcartridgesa.com

They list a rifled slug . Never used this company though , so can’t speak of their quality . The only South African shotgun shells I’ve used are Swartklip . But they haven’t been available for quite some time ( I hear it’s because their factory exploded ) .

I do not like the shape the nose is too sharp.
As far as I know the ammo is ok

 

[Round Ball]

Round Ball , can you use load these in 3 inch shells ?

Yes. 3" loads are a double Round Ball load with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps..

The last time I loaded any of these was about 7 or 8 years ago when one of my customers wanted them to take to Africa. During that hunt, James shot and killed 6 different species of game, including a Cape Buffalo.

Round Ball

 

[ChrisG]

Thank you.

I most certainly am as well as for.bushpig, I am doing a lot of bushpig hunting where they are causing havock in cultivated fields.

I also want to use my 9.3x74R/12ga combination more for hunting, hunting with a scoped rifle is getting boring....

I always used brenneke slugs but they are no longer availible so I need an alternative.

I have 45 thick walled solid brass cases I want to use(old armour brass cases) much thicker than the normal ones or if I can put it that way I have to press a Brennecke slug hard to seat them.

The thick cases work great. Mine are made by Rocky Mt. Cartridge and are thick walled as well. I have to use my woodworkers vice with a space cut to the length of the loaded round. I squish the bullet in with the vice until it bottoms out on the spacer.

Is your barrel rifled? I doubt if these will stablize in a smooth bore, as they have no drag "fin" like the brennekes do. Mine are fired from a rifled bore and are still stable and nose on out past 125 yards.

In any event. I cast them at about 92% lead, 2% tin and 6% Antimony. They are hard enough you cannot easily scratch them. This is what they look like after stopping in hard packed clay:

Sorry @Round Ball , it wasnt my intent to hijack your thread.

 

[ChrisG]

Yes. 3" loads are a double Round Ball load with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps..

The last time I loaded any of these was about 7 or 8 years ago when one of my customers wanted them to take to Africa. During that hunt, James shot and killed 6 different species of game, including a Cape Buffalo.

Round Ball

If you don't mind my asking, what is your load for a double round ball? Thanks

 

[Round Ball]

My double Round Ball loads were only loaded in the long discontinued 3" Active hulls, and since I no longer have any of these, nor can I find them anywhere, the load has been shelved until I can possibly find more of these hulls.

Since this was a load that I developed and pressure tested, I do not give it out for liability reasons.

Round Ball

 

[IvW]

The thick cases work great. Mine are made by Rocky Mt. Cartridge and are thick walled as well. I have to use my woodworkers vice with a space cut to the length of the loaded round. I squish the bullet in with the vice until it bottoms out on the spacer.

Is your barrel rifled? I doubt if these will stablize in a smooth bore, as they have no drag "fin" like the brennekes do. Mine are fired from a rifled bore and are still stable and nose on out past 125 yards.

In any event. I cast them at about 92% lead, 2% tin and 6% Antimony. They are hard enough you cannot easily scratch them. This is what they look like after stopping in hard packed clay:View attachment 414494

Sorry @Round Ball , it wasnt my intent to hijack your thread.

Non rifled but I am thinking to get a lighter mold and then add the felt rear sectionsame as Brenneke...contrary to popular belief the "rifling" on a brenneke does not induce spin....