Loading slugs backwards

expeditionx · May 29, 2006, 04:30 PM

A few years ago I vaguely remember someone at a shooting range suggesting that slugs can be safely loading backwards in the shell.
This seemed odd to me. He said that forster slugs will really expand when they impact backwards. I do not load/reload so I wouldn't know much about his comment. I suppose many people that frequent this board would know
if his suggestion was safe to do.

Rimrod · May 29, 2006, 05:12 PM

But I will try an uneducated guess.

This technique was popular, for awhile, with the Speer hollow base wadcutters. Loaded backwards with a full charge of powder and the expansion was awesome.

The difference with the slugs though would be that they will not stabilize to stay that way. The slugs are made more like a badminton bird with a heavy nose and light skirt. Without spinning like the handgun bullets they will want to turn around and fly nose first. To get around this you might try attaching something to the nose of the slug that will cause enough drag to keep the slug reversed. somewhat like the Brenneke slugs if you are familiar with them. The only problem with this would be getting enough drag to keep the slug from tumbling, there may not be enough room in the case.

And as for trying it without some sort of stabilizer, if the slug tries to right itself while in the barrel you could have a problem. (I wouldn't try it) Slugs do not fit tight in the barrel and actually have room to move around. A wad behind the slug acts as a gas check.

Ruger4570 · May 29, 2006, 06:32 PM

Rimrod has it right.. try dropping a dart or a badminton shutlecock point end up. It will try to fly point side down. I suspect the slug expansion would be tremendous at VERY close range though. How close, I don't have a clue.

May 29, 2006, 04:30 PM	#1
expeditionx Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2004 Posts: 330	Loading slugs backwards A few years ago I vaguely remember someone at a shooting range suggesting that slugs can be safely loading backwards in the shell. This seemed odd to me. He said that forster slugs will really expand when they impact backwards. I do not load/reload so I wouldn't know much about his comment. I suppose many people that frequent this board would know if his suggestion was safe to do.

May 29, 2006, 05:12 PM	#2
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	I've never tried it. But I will try an uneducated guess. This technique was popular, for awhile, with the Speer hollow base wadcutters. Loaded backwards with a full charge of powder and the expansion was awesome. The difference with the slugs though would be that they will not stabilize to stay that way. The slugs are made more like a badminton bird with a heavy nose and light skirt. Without spinning like the handgun bullets they will want to turn around and fly nose first. To get around this you might try attaching something to the nose of the slug that will cause enough drag to keep the slug reversed. somewhat like the Brenneke slugs if you are familiar with them. The only problem with this would be getting enough drag to keep the slug from tumbling, there may not be enough room in the case. And as for trying it without some sort of stabilizer, if the slug tries to right itself while in the barrel you could have a problem. (I wouldn't try it) Slugs do not fit tight in the barrel and actually have room to move around. A wad behind the slug acts as a gas check.

May 29, 2006, 06:32 PM	#3
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	Rimrod has it right.. try dropping a dart or a badminton shutlecock point end up. It will try to fly point side down. I suspect the slug expansion would be tremendous at VERY close range though. How close, I don't have a clue.