12 guarge roundball slug load, please?

Hi. I think I'm going to need a recipe for a roundball (.690) slug load for the 12 gauge. I was originally going to use a load for AA hulls, but I understand the new AAs suck to work with. Anyone have any tried and true loads using any other kind of hulls?

I would just like to know what else is out there in terms of loads because I do feel the old style 1 piece AAs are probably being horded like gold, and finding any now would be very hard. I'm not opposed to federal, remington, or even winchester, provided its not a AA hull. ;-)

While I am admittedly not an expert on shotgun loads, my friends that load them are unanimous that Foster type slugs are much more accurate than round "pumpkin" balls. (A litte rifling does wonders for a round ball, and smooth bores do not stabilize them very well.) I would be looking in the Lyman shotshell handbook for specific information. You should have a copy of it anyway, no matter what kind of shotshell loads you are putting together.

I haven't put anything together yet, and I'm still waiting on my lyman book. I'm not doing anything till then. I'm only trying to see what else is out there. Thanks

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Originally Posted by The sentinel

Hi. I think I'm going to need a recipe for a roundball (.690) slug load for the 12 gauge. I was originally going to use a load for AA hulls, but I understand the new AAs suck to work with. Anyone have any tried and true loads using any other kind of hulls?

I would just like to know what else is out there in terms of loads because I do feel the old style 1 piece AAs are probably being horded like gold, and finding any now would be very hard. I'm not opposed to federal, remington, or even winchester, provided its not a AA hull. ;-)

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Good morning I have shot roundball out of all sorts of hulls... what is more important is to start with choke diameter.... you must know what the smallest diameter is that ball is going to have to pass through. Round balls will not compress like an old type slug. Measure that very carefully. Next measure the thickness of the Wad pettals you will use... remember to subtract that (2X´s ) from your choke diameter. Why 2X´s ? Well that represents total diameter reduction as that wad is passing down the bore. Now you know what diameter ball is the "Perfect fit". I found through experimenting that using a ball 3 thousands larger than the "perfect fit" gave very good accuracy through no choke... whatever choke.. and rifled choke. Those plastic wad pettels will compress but 5 thousands is about safe limit.
Wad length is not a great problem.... a round ball does not take up much room in a hull.... Start with whatever powder load (minimum) you are going to use corresponding to a 1 ounce shot load. Use the recommended wad.. remembering to measure those petttals. Place the Ball in the wad all the way to the bottom of the wad with the sprue mark as straight up as possible. There may be excessive air space on top of the ball that will not let you crimp properly... I have used corn meal and Creamof wheat to fill that so a proper crimp can be made. This is another reason you must start with the minimum suggested powder charge. So now go out to your range... place a target and fire at aboit 15 yards... Use a large target... you have no real idea where that barrel is shooting unless you have regular sights or are accostomed to launching slugs from that barrrel.
Having done all this you can now consider using a heavier powder charge... advance charges in about 1/2 grain increments.... recoil can become interesting depending on your shotguns weight.
I also worked with blackpowder... start out at 85 grains FFg... :-D

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Originally Posted by versifier

While I am admittedly not an expert on shotgun loads, my friends that load them are unanimous that Foster type slugs are much more accurate than round "pumpkin" balls. (A litte rifling does wonders for a round ball, and smooth bores do not stabilize them very well.) I would be looking in the Lyman shotshell handbook for specific information. You should have a copy of it anyway, no matter what kind of shotshell loads you are putting together.

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Having done my work with "pumpkin balls" I found be using the CORRECT diameter for the weapon gives as good as accuracy as Foster slugs from my double 12 .. and my Moss 500 cylinder and modified barrels. But for just "Buy it and go shoot it... slugs are much easier ....
A round ball will out perform any slug in penetration and energy. I used a 5 inch oak pole for penetration tests... slugs did not get half way through... pure lead round ball near pop out... wheel weight mushroomed some with comeplete penetraion... linotype: little expansion complete penetration and dug into bullet burn 16 inches.... That is my bear bullet by the way.:-D