Shotgun Reloading: Alternative shot?

Arkarayne · Oct 14, 2010

Was mostly curious if anyone's tried any "alternative" shot ideas, in thier shotgun reloads. size combinations, different slug types, using cast bullets, etc.
A mix of curiousity and a pirate movie (shoving tableware into the cannons) made me think of this: putting 3 of my cast lead, un-checked .309/160gr bullets into a 12ga wad, and they fit, shell closes up and everything. (3x160 = 1.09oz, .03 shy of 1-1/8oz)
Crazy, interesting, or got a similar tale to share?

...and to answer the inevitable "why?":
A) When the time comes you can't find ready-made shot or slugs
B) ...Haven't bought a buckshot/slug mold yet.
C) Would rather pay 12-15 cents a shell for custom, purpose-made rounds, then $1+ a shell for what everyone's got.

Oh, secondary Q: slugs in non-rifled shotguns; bad, or just not as accurate?

"I prefer to ask the stupid questions than find out the stupid way it doesn't work." - Anonymous.

AMProducts · Oct 14, 2010

When I first got into bullet casting, I bought a lee 12ga slug mold, which makes a very pretty slug. It is only marginally accurate out of a non-rifled barrel, but you can also skip these slugs across the ground (start from a kneeling position, and hit the ground 25-40 yards out. They make a sound like a giant angry hornet.

Also, if you're worried about shot being "not availible" check out the littleton shot maker:

LittletonShotMaker | Products

I think magma engineering is now making it. It's a very neat, but VERY hard to use product. I have one that I've been screwing with for several years trying to get it to make good shot, I suppose if I actually sat down and put my mind to it, I could make it work. But I don't shoot that much shot gun, and I would rather use my scrounged lead for making .45 ACP bullets. If you're really interested in that thing, the castboolits forum has a whole section dedicated to making that thing work.

spengo · Oct 14, 2010

flechettes are always fun

RobertJ. · Oct 14, 2010

I load a 1 oz. lead ball ahead of 17 gr. Titewad and a 209 primer, with AA hulls and wads. The book says about 1200 fps. Not a powerhouse, but fun to plink with. I call them, "pumpkin balls"!

I load on an old MEC 600 Junior. The charge bar is long gone (I only load slugs and weigh all my charges). I just got a couple different sizes of buck, but haven't had time to experiment with that yet, so I can't report on it.

FriendOfEvanWilliams · Oct 14, 2010

$1.60 in dimes :s0155:

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chemist · Oct 14, 2010

The Intertubes say that the best slug for a smoothbore is Federal TruBall, which has a plastic ball in the base that jams in the skirt when fired, making the slug expand and seal symmetrically in the bore. They say they're good to at least 75 yds., but I've never tried them at anything like that range.

Those fancy (read: expensive) copper hollowpoint sabot slugs just can't function out of a smooth barrel, because they're way too long and skinny to be stable when they're not spinning.