Roll Your Own Slugs

[barrike]

With the ridiculous price of Remington Accutips these days, I decided to try hand loading my own slugs.  I loaded both 3" and 2.75".  I obviously need to work on my roll crimping a bit.  I found that a lower RPM works better than the suggested 900 rpm.   I'm taking them to the range Wednesday morning to test accuracy and velocity.  I'll post my results when I get back.  

[sxs]

be interesting to hear how they shoot and what recipe you used.

[Mixbaghunter]

Cool good luck

[Gunsmoke]

looking forward to the results

[Recurve hntr]

Can’t wait to hear the results! Awesome!

[barrike]

The results are in!!

I am not impressed.  I dunno if it was me, the gun, the ammo, or the technique.  More testing is needed.  I loaded the 2.75" loads with 250gr Hornady XTP and 54gr IMR4227 per CCS sabot mfr spec.  The 3" loads were loaded with the same powder and charge.  CCS spec called for 1 more grain of powder for the 3" loads, but since it was my first go around I wanted to test at a lower charge first.  Next time I'll add another grain.  The slugs were shot off of sandbags out of my 20 gauge H&R Ultra Slug Hunter at 50 yards.  Book velocities for the 2.75" load are 1625fps.  IDK what barrel they shot that out of.  My results are well short of that, BUT the max recommended velocity for the bullets is 1500fps.  So we're in the right ballpark there.  The rest of the numbers are in the pics. 

For my next go around, I'm going to load with 300grain  Hornady XTPs and see how that goes.  I'll also need to test with my Savage 220 and Rem. 870 at some point.

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by barrike

[electric10162]

40 minutes ago, barrike said:

The results are in!!

I am not impressed.  I dunno if it was me, the gun, the ammo, or the technique.  More testing is needed.  I loaded the 2.75" loads with 250gr Hornady XTP and 54gr IMR4227 per CCS sabot mfr spec.  The 3" loads were loaded with the same powder and charge.  CCS spec called for 1 more grain of powder for the 3" loads, but since it was my first go around I wanted to test at a lower charge first.  Next time I'll add another grain.  The slugs were shot off of sandbags out of my 20 gauge H&R Ultra Slug Hunter at 50 yards.  Book velocities for the 2.75" load are 1625fps.  IDK what barrel they shot that out of.  My results are well short of that, BUT the max recommended velocity for the bullets is 1500fps.  So we're in the right ballpark there.  The rest of the numbers are in the pics. 

For my next go around, I'm going to load with 300grain  Hornady XTPs and see how that goes.  I'll also need to test with my Savage 220 and Rem. 870 at some point.

 

Only one more grain of powder for the 3" load?

[barrike]

1 minute ago, electric10162 said:

Only one more grain of powder for the 3" load?

yes. 

[barrike]

Just loaded some 300gr loads.  My roll crimping is much better this time around.  I plan on testing them on Friday.  Hopefully, I get better results.

 

[smittty]

I’m sure you will find the lower velocity rounds will do much better in the H&r and you’ll need to speed them up for the 220 do to the faster twist. That’s why the H&r”s do well with lightfields that you can no longer buy. I went to browning BXS with the H&r and there right at 1600 anything faster wasn’t good 

[CJ3a]

Well done and good work.  I think what you are seeing is honest five shot groups.   A lot of guys claim 1 1/2 groups at a hundred but it is usually 3 shots  or just don’t count the fliers when making the claims.    Don’t take this wrong but the vertical stringing of the 2.75 group is technic or the gun has an issue. Heat, etc. 

[MGHunter66]

Bit of advice…..I have been loading slugs for years. The most critical point is making sure they are all loaded to same length which translates to consistency. I use a piece of pvc cut to the length of a finished shell roll crimped. It takes a bit to get it right but once its done each shell is roll crimped until the crimp tool hits the pvc. Every shell will be same length, same pressure and no large variations in velocity. 

[MGHunter66]

4 hours ago, smittty said:

I’m sure you will find the lower velocity rounds will do much better in the H&r and you’ll need to speed them up for the 220 do to the faster twist. That’s why the H&r”s do well with lightfields that you can no longer buy. I went to browning BXS with the H&r and there right at 1600 anything faster wasn’t good 

And totally agree with this. The slower twist rate H&R will do better with faster burning powders like Green Dot also. 

[BillCarson]

Thanks for the updates, I will be following you here. Red dot is not used for slugs, too fast? asking, always wondered why.

[RICK420]

I apply 80 lbs. of pressure twice with a 15 min interval than roll. I load54.5 grains of IMR 4227 with  2 cards(cup up) gas seal Barnes 250 gr MZ. w/ .45 cal CC sabot. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by RICK420
added .45cal