Reloading 12 Gauge Shotgun Slugs - Lee Load-All II

[Nwest82]

I see you do a star crimp with your slug, is there anyway to do a roll crimp" with the lee load all? I just got one today, and loaded 25 1oz shells very quickly and looking very professionally.  I used Winchester AA hulls and AA12 wads, 20grains of green dot, and 1oz of #4 lead shot. Avery comfortable round to shoot with medium to low recoil and power seems nice, I just wish I had a crony so I could test the velocity, I can't seem to find a recipe using AA hulls and wads with green dot.

[Nwest82]

@Nwest82 continued... as I'm sure a recipe would have the velocity listed, I can likly get the rough velocity by looking at data with similar grains and load, but with different wads and hulls. oh yeah I used CHEDDITE primers also.

[memorygap420]

any 00 buck reloading videos? thanks, IM using VihtaVouri powder...

[Liberty4Ever]

@memorygap420 No 00 buckshot videos, but the process is very similar. You'd load bird shot in the shot bin on the reloader and measure it with a shot bushing, but slugs or buck shot are loaded by hand.

With 00, most people put three in the cup, three more offset 60 degrees, and three more offset another 60 degrees. There are other packing arrangements.

Make sure the shot cup will withstand 00, as it'd be harder on the cup than Lee slugs or bird shot.

[fusil56300]

Hi, does the type of used shell matter when loading slugs? I have buckets of birdshot shells waiting to be used. I only want light loads for target shooting. Any advice.

[Liberty4Ever]

@fusil56300 The hulls do matter. The reloading data includes the hull type. Most reloaders prefer to use good hulls from more expensive 12 gauge shells. You probably won't get many loadings from the cheap "low brass" hulls from $23/100 Walmart trap loads. I have some very old Win AA hulls and the plastic isn't very pliable any more, so the crimps don't work as well.

[2ssmoke]

It's not really how much I use I just don't want a dangerous over amount of powder. Thanks. Great video.

[Liberty4Ever]

@2ssmoke The powder manufacturers have online load charts, and there are a LOT of 12 gauge loads readily available. You can generally either print the load data from their site, or download a PDF and print that. Double check those powder weights!

[2ssmoke]

Nice video. Would you happen to remember what bushing you used for the longshot powder? I'm always tight up for how much powder I use. Thanks.

[Liberty4Ever]

@2ssmoke I don't have a Longshot load I could recommend. I didn't do many of them and my notes all indicate that they didn't crimp well with WAA12L wads and a shorter wad is needed. If you're tight up for how much powder you use, consider Titewad. It's made for economical 12 gauge reloading and you'll use less powder for the same performance. I don't have a lot of experience with it to make a solid recommendation, but my loads used less powder and crimped well.

[Liberty4Ever]

The wad length varies with the size of the slug and the volume of the powder charge. The cast slugs from the Lee mold are designed to drop into the shot cup on a wad made for about the same amount of lead shot., so, if you have a recipe for shot, try it for the same weight Lee lead slug.

My favorite is a 7/8 oz slug I cast from a Lee mold, a Winchester WAA12L wad, Win 12AA hull, 30.8 gr of Universal powder, and W209 primer.

NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS!

[chios1958]

Excellent video. What type of hull and primer did you use? Thank you

[sla052609]

what slugs did you use by chance

[Liberty4Ever]

@sla052609 Nothing by chance in reloading! :^)

I cast 7/8 oz and 1 oz slugs, using the Lee molds. They're very easy to cast, they shoot very accurately (100 yard shooting) and the casting is fast and easy. Much cheaper than buying slugs at $1 each, I have no idea why trap loads are 25 cents each in boxes of a hundred, and slugs are $1 each in boxes of five, other than marketing and the way people shoot them. We need more three gun competitions with sport shooters using slugs!

[redsuncivic]

hi, i just got a lee load all and a lee slug mold. what powder and primers do you like to use?

[Liberty4Ever]

@redsuncivic I'm not that fussy about which brand of powder or primer I use. I try to pick a recipe and stick with it for the sake of safety. I'm not aiming for ultimate precision, so all I really want is safe, inexpensive and reliable operation with full power loads. I've used Winchester W209 primers. I bought 5,000 or 10,000 Wolf primers and some Remington primers I haven't used yet. I've used Universal and Longshot powder, but lately I've been using Titewad because it's a bit cheaper.

[RemFireball]

Awesome! Thanks for this quick but great video.

[ironDsteele]

I see your using AA's which are 2 3/4. Can you use a 3" hull, and if so what would you do differently?

[Liberty4Ever]

@ironDsteele I think with 3" shells, I'd just pull the handle a bit less. :-)

There's no depth stop on the Load-All II, so it's dependent on the operator to pull the handle with just enough force to perform each operation. The operations all have a wide range of forces, so there's nothing particularly critical. I have thought of adding a hard depth stop to the final crimp stage to help make the crimps more consistent.

[ironDsteele]

@Liberty4Ever I see, thanks for responding. You would also have extra space for for powder or a heavier slug but I'm assuming you would have to check a reloading manual for safety.

[TheChubbyKid]

Do you ever have problems with low brass shells? I've read that low brass is a bit more risky, a little to much powder and it can cause problems.

[TakingU2Skool]

wow thats a great crimp for a slug.

[monsterman27]

with lead slugs for smootbore,does it matter the hardness/softness of the lead? If so how do you know the hardness?When casting that is

[Liberty4Ever]

@monsterman27 The Lee slug molds are designed to use pure lead, which contracts more when it cools to pop out of the mold more easily. The slug weights are also a little light if you use lead-tin alloy as pure lead is denser. Pure lead is softer and slugs expand more in softer targets, but expansion is good with wheel weight lead alloy too. The Lee slugs are loaded into plastic shot cups so any hardness works OK in the bore with no leading.

[summerdude600]

thanks for the reply. I have been casting the 7/8oz lee slugs but cant get the reloading components locally so i haven't reloaded any yet. what load book do you use/recommend?

[Liberty4Ever]

@summerdude600 I go to the powder manufacturers' websites and download the PDF versions of their load data. They have the most current load data for all the new powders and calibers, and they're free!

[summerdude600]

what recipe you using for the winAA hulls??? and you loading 7/8oz or 1oz slugs?

[Liberty4Ever]

@summerdude600 I load 7/8 oz and 1 oz slugs. I like the 7/8 oz better because they're faster (maximum energy). So far, I've used Hodgdon Universal, Titewad and one other powder that slips my mind right now, but the performance was similar and I used the load book data. You need the correct wad length matched to the slug size and powder volume. You'll probably need to experiment a bit with the wad length for Lee slugs, but otherwise, try the load book data.

[Liberty4Ever]

@summerdude600 I load 7/8 oz and 1 oz slugs. I like the 7/8 oz better because they're faster (maximum energy). So far, I've used Hodgdon Universal, Titewad and one other powder that slips my mind right now, but the performance was similar and I used the load book data. You need the correct wad length matched to the slug size and powder volume. You'll probably need to experiment a bit with the wad length for Lee slugs, but otherwise, try the load book data.

[Liberty4Ever]

@summerdude600 Here are two recipes that worked for me, but VERIFY ALL INTERNET LOAD DATA WITH A PUBLISHED LOAD BOOK.

Win AA hull

7/8 oz lead slug (I cast these myself with a Lee mold)

Winchester WAA12L wad

W209 primer

29.6 grains of Universal powder resulted in 1424 fps velocity

30.8 grains of Universal powder resulted in 1525 fps velocity

VERIFY ALL INTERNET LOAD DATA WITH A PUBLISHED LOAD BOOK.

[oPaRaLyZeRx]

Well, that was easy.