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Old June 29, 2010, 10:29 PM   #1
Prof Young
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Reloading sabot slugs for shotgun

Loaders:
I haven't tried the sabot slugs in my rifled barrel shotgun due to cost. I hear they are very accurate, but at 3-5 dollars a shot, I'll stick with the "sluggers." (I think they are called sluggers.) Anyway, if there was some inexpensive equipment for reloading sabot slugs I might give them a try. Any info out there?

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Old June 29, 2010, 10:55 PM   #2
Loader9
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I'm loading a 1 ounce solid copper slug in a sabot 12 ga made by Barnes for some of my guys. I use a Lee Loadall for the basic loading but it requires a roll crimp. A roll crimp requires a special tool that fits in a drill press. So in addition to the Loadall, you'd need a drill press and a roll crimp tool. Graf and Sons have the roll crimp tool which is like $25.00 as I remember. You'll need to make a base to hold the shotshell while in the drill press. I made one from a piece of 1x 6 and used the appropriate size drill to carve out the same size hole as the brass head of the shotshell of about 1/8" deep in the 1x 6. Works great for me. But expect the components to still be expensive. I think the sabot slugs are still like $1.50 each plus once fired hulls, primers and powder. Barnes recommended 34.0 grs of Blue Dot in their data in Federal Champion or Gold hulls. You will not be able to reload the used hulls once you've put a roll crimp on the hull.
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Old June 30, 2010, 10:38 AM   #3
Prof Young
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Thanks

Loader9:
Hey, thanks so much for the information. I'm tempted to get the gear and try it just for the fun of it, but . . . I could wait a while and see if the factory loaded sabots come down in price some too. Thanks again.

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Old June 30, 2010, 08:00 PM   #4
SL1
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Lee also sells a mold for casting "key-drive" slugs

which are loaded with standard shot wads and take a star crimp. I have not used them, but they sound like an option to consider for lower-cost slug loads.

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Old June 30, 2010, 10:07 PM   #5
crowbeaner
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I'm still trying to find the magic reload with ANY kind of slug that my beloved A-5 will group as well as the antique Federal F127RS in the red and white box. Moving last year put a kibosh to my research, but I'm going to resume the testing soon. The Lee 1 ounce slug was an abysmal failure with any loading tried. I got a little better results with the Lyman foster type, but my moulds cast a .690" slug; the newer ones are .705". A buddy told me he got good results with the Lyman hourglass slugs and Herco powder; another guy told me that WW powder was best in his gun. Be prepared for ANY KIND of results; each gun is different, and each has it's preference for a certain load. You may have to try a LOT of different things to get acceptable accuracy.
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Old July 1, 2010, 12:08 AM   #6
vranasaurus
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I looked at this but just to purchase the sabots and slugs is pretty costly. By the time you add everything up the savings would be minimal.

I shoot at most 20-25 slugs per year and the Hornady SSTs shoot so well for me I just chalk it up to the cost of deer season.
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