Reloading Slug

[philip in china]

Can 12 bore slug be successfully reloaded? If so does anybody have any comments to make?

Can 12 bore slugs be cast at home or should I buy them ready made? Again any comments please.

 

[enysse]

12 gauge slugs can be reloaded. I have no experience with them though. I buy them when they are on sale. Sorry I couldn't be more help on the subject. Shotgun hunting for whitetail deer is huge in the Midwest of USA. I can hit a 12 in plate everytime at 200 yds. with a rest and my custom shotgun.

 

[Calhoun]

12 guage slugs can be reloaded sucessfully. A friend of mine cast his own slugs with great results. I tried a few and they did shoot pretty good. I'm considering it as shotgun slugs are getting ridiculously expensive here in Wisconsin! The slugs he reloaded were quite accurate.

 

[philip in china]

Metal used

Would you use a hardened bullet metal. I used to use about 1 part of linotype to 2 or 3 parts of lead. As the lead was largely bullets dug out I was aware that my bullets were getting harder all the time so eventually went on to just recycling old ones. How green and eco friendly can you get?

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Hello;
Sorry for the late reply, but I just found the thread. Yes, 12 gauge slugs can be reloaded....I've molds for both the LEE and the LYMAN 12 gauge shotgun slugs; the LEE is a foster-type slug with a 'driving band' on the inside...the LYMAN is a wasp-waisted style slug. The LEE comes in 7/8 and 1 oz weights, while the LYMAN weighs (IIRC) 1 1/16 oz.
Both are loaded in a plastic shot cup (they take the place of the shot), and can use a folded crimp, which makes things a bit easier. I haven't used them, but you an get Gulandi dangerous game slugs from BPI and load them with a roll crimp.
Both slugs are suppose to shoot better out of a rifled bore than a smooth bore, but I"ve found that the Lyman is a better slug for rifled bores. I have some somewhat accurate loads for the LEE slugs, but they aren't any more accurate than some of the factory foster slugs I've used (as a matter of fact, some of the factory foster slugs are more accurate). I've probably duplicated the accuracy of sabot slugs with the Lyman.
I spent one Sunday afternoon shooting 160 slugs of 12 & 16 gauge persuasion, both factory and handload.....man, I needed some Ben-Gay for a few days after that!
As far as the lead goes, LEE recommends pure lead (no tin or alloy) for their slugs, and I think Lyman does the same, but I can't remember for sure. Hulls with a large internal capacity did better with the LEE, and the Lyman did well with the Remington Unibody hulls.
That's all I can remember off the top of my head.....hope it helps.