Project: Cheap guy making slugs out of birdshot

Me.

Me.

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Here's the plan. Supplies are on the way.
  • Lee 7/8 oz slug mold = $38
  • Lee lead melting pot = $70
  • Roll crimp hand tool = $36
I plan to cut off the end of cheapo birdshot, turn that lead to slugs, drop the slug right back into the same hull, crimp and fire.

I'll let y'all know how it works out.


Dollar-wise, the break-even point is just over 200 slugs. That will be about 100 more slugs than all the slugs I've ever fired in my life.

I'm doing this partly for the curiosity of it, and partly to be able to make "serious business" shotgun ammo for less than the cost of cheap 9mm cartridges.

Once I reach the break-even point, I will pretend that the math says I'm making slugs for under 25 cents per shot.


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Interesting. If you’re cutting off the end of the birdshot shell, are you sure there’s enough hull left to crimp the slug? Are slugs shorter than 1oz of birdshot? Never even considered reloading shotgun, so I know nothing is this area.
 
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i’ve done wax slugs before. shot 3 out of my shotgun and checked the barrel and chamber, iirc, wax build up was present, a good amount actually.

shot them at an old hot water heater and there was no pass through, but it did lunch a hole in it at 15-20 yards

maybe a harder wax like bees wax might work better. mine were made out of candle wax.
 
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backwoodsshooter said:
i’ve done wax slugs before. shot 3 out of my shotgun and checked the barrel and chamber, iirc, wax build up was present, a good amount actually.

shot them at an old hot water heater and there was no pass through, but it did lunch a hole in it at 15-20 yards

maybe a harder wax like bees wax might work better. mine were made out of candle wax.
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Depends on what you want to do with the slug. The waxed slug is basically a pre-fragmented large bore round and should be devastating on soft targets while having some "range". If it's penetration desired, get some Brennekes. ;)

The slug making project seems like too much work to me. I'd do the wax method. Or, if you're serious about extending the range of a "shotgun" and not the penetration of a large bore solid, forcing cone extension and back boring can produce surprising results with shot.

Are you putting rifle or ghost ring sights on the shotgun? I was doing head shots with slugs on an IDPA target with ghost rings.
 
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georgel said:
Depends on what you want to do with the slug. The waxed slug is basically a pre-fragmented large bore round and should be devastating on soft targets while having some "range". If it's penetration desired, get some Brennekes. ;)

The slug making project seems like too much work to me. I'd do the wax method. Or, if you're serious about extending the range of a "shotgun" and not the penetration of a large bore solid, forcing cone extension and back boring can produce surprising results with shot.

Are you putting rifle or ghost ring sights on the shotgun? I was doing head shots with slugs on an IDPA target with ghost rings.
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oh this was about 4-5 years ago, never bothered with it again.
 
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Shortening the shell could/most likely will effect feeding. The cheaper the bird shot the softer the lead and since your not using a wad the soft lead will be in direct contact with the bore. How well do you enjoy cleaning lead build up from a shotgun barrel??
 
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Me. said:
When I got into reloading, I told myself I'd save money. Turns out, it only lets me shoot more! With this slug idea..... I haven't spent $150 on slugs over the course of my life, and now I'm getting into this silliness to "save money". I'm probably not too smart. :eek:
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Yeah, It's kinda like a woman in a dress store. Spends $500. But look at all the money I saved. They were on sale. LOL
 
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Well, I sure am learning a bunch today! Now I'm curious about the effectiveness testing on wax slugs vs. cut shells. I like the super glue idea too.

I also want to know how the slug modification turns out, because I have a lot of old bird shot shells but the range where I shoot require slugs.
 
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just buy a bag of 25 lbs of shot around $40.00 the get some hulls from the local skeet range 25 lb will gave you @400 1 oz slugs
 
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Why do you make the overall length of the slug shorter than the original overall length of the bird shot shell? Will it still feed properly in your gun? (I know if you’re using a SxS or single shot, the length wont matter)
 
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Me. said:
They could be made longer. you can cut just the tip of the crimp, and use a wad under the slug base to make it slightly longer.
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I have some of those fiber wads, and would donate some to your cause if you decide you want to test with them to alter the length.
 
Very interesting. Great pics too! Thanks for the time/effort you’ve put into this thread.
 
Pink_Vapor said:
Since the chamber is teamed for the shell, wouldn’t the barrel be ~1/8” smaller in diameter than the front portion of the cartridge, potentially causing excessive pressure/barrel swelling?
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No idea, I just posted the video because someone wanted to know what cut shells are. I'm not much of a shotgun guy.
 
Nice job. I've been reloading on a MEX 600 JR that I got used back in the early 90s. Didn't start loading shotgun till about 10 yrs ago however. 1 oz is 1 oz of payload and shotshell doesn't know if #8 or slug. I cast already and would only need the mold. Most of my shotgun has been 12 ga Buckshot loads or heavy field loads as that's where I save money. Not worth it to reload Dove loads when box leader loads by Rem/Win/Fed are super cheap (at least last time I bought several flats) For buckshot I cast .311 and .375 round balls for my black powder pistols and use them for both applications. The .311 also work for light .32 ACP. I'll add a 12 ga mold along with a .490 round ball to my wish list.

CD
 
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Combat Diver said:
1 oz is 1 oz of payload and shotshell doesn't know if #8 or slug.
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That sounds like it should be right in a common sense sort of way but I'm pretty sure its not right. my manual doesn't work that way at least.
 
Great. Now, I find myself scoping out the cheap 12ga. stuff at Wally World. :rolleyes:
 
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Catfish said:
That sounds like it should be right in a common sense sort of way but I'm pretty sure its not right. my manual doesn't work that way at least.
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There may be issues with the height/wads but a the manuals don't differ on size of shot.

CD
 
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