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I finally was able to collect everything I need to reload shotgun shells, with the purpose mainly for casting slugs. My plan is to buy 5lb lead cakes from a plumbing supply store and I believe they are at least 99.7% pure lead. My question is, if I am just shooting slugs at the range, do I need to mix the lead with other metals, and if I were to cast slugs for hunting, what ratio would you use?
Lead ratio for shotgun slugs
- Thread starter [Kev308]
- Start date
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balttigger
Ultimate Member
As soon as I saw the title i was "Oh sh*t....not this again...."
The neat thing about it is that no matter how serious the discussion is - no matter how much real information gets added - it remains 3% joke.
- May 15, 2007
- 24,527
I actually didn't need to drill into this thread to validate that 3% antimony was going to be suggested somehow. I just "knew" from the thread title that it was going to occur. And there it was... 
Just coat them with Liquid Alox from Lee precision and you will be fine.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,161
How hard do you Want your slugs to be ? What gives best accuracy with your prefered load in your gun ? Despite being an MDS punchline , 3% antimony might or might not be useful to you .
But meanwhile , a small amount of Tin will fill out the mold better , cast more consistent bulets ( slugs ) , add some hardness , but the resulting alloy will not be as brittle as antimony based . ( ie deform instead of shattering ).
For reference , black powder cartridge projectiles historically were in the range of 1:20 to 1:40 tin/ lead .
Various suppliers off tin for you to add to your pure lead for casting .
But meanwhile , a small amount of Tin will fill out the mold better , cast more consistent bulets ( slugs ) , add some hardness , but the resulting alloy will not be as brittle as antimony based . ( ie deform instead of shattering ).
For reference , black powder cartridge projectiles historically were in the range of 1:20 to 1:40 tin/ lead .
Various suppliers off tin for you to add to your pure lead for casting .
Bullfrog
Ultimate Member
[Kev308];5939011 said:
Possibly a correct answer, definitely also an inside joke.
You must read this.
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=93082
The train goes off the rails at post 13/14.
- May 15, 2007
- 24,527
Possibly a correct answer, definitely also an inside joke.
You must read this.
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=93082
The train goes off the rails at post 13/14.
My Gawd, we should ask the moderators to make that thread a "Sticky" in the Water Cooler. It's one of the DNA building blocks of MDShooter's
My Gawd, we should ask the moderators to make that thread a "Sticky" in the Water Cooler. It's one of the DNA building blocks of MDShooter's
We need a sticky with links to some of the classic threads so people can see the self-destruction and understand why “how much lead” questions will NEVER end well.
I loved reading that thread again. That should be required reading at the MDS Academy.
Possibly a correct answer, definitely also an inside joke.
You must read this.
https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=93082
The train goes off the rails at post 13/14.
Jeezus Chri....
Brickman301
Ultimate Member
What slug mold are you using? Pure lead slugs, are fine. No need to lube them, especially if they are used in a shot cup, the slug isn’t going to touch the barrel.
I prefer pure lead slugs in a shotgun for hunting. Less worry of fragmenting and maximized expansion.
Here’s a picture of a group I’ve shot using my Lyman slug mold and handloads.
I prefer pure lead slugs in a shotgun for hunting. Less worry of fragmenting and maximized expansion.
Here’s a picture of a group I’ve shot using my Lyman slug mold and handloads.
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Brickman301
Ultimate Member
[Kev308];5940207 said:
I also have the lee mold in 1oz. No need to add tin, in my opinion. Shoot your pure lead slugs 1st. Then load multiple loads using different components, with your pure lead slugs, to find your most accurate load. If you aren’t getting the results you like then, add some tin, if you feel it’s necessary.
I really don’t feel that adding tin is going to be helpful to you. The slug is riding inside the shot cup just like a sabbot. Since your slug is undersized from your bore, tin is completely useless in my opinion.
If using for hunting, the little bit of tin you would add would do little, is anything to performance.
By the way, my Lee mold would give he fits. Using several different load datas, I would get a a flyer with almost everything I tried.
I had several loads shoot a nice group of 4, then a flyer, that was sometimes a few inches away. Very frustrating. Hopefully you will have better luck with that mold than I have had.
Blacksmith101
Grumpy Old Man
- Jun 22, 2012
- 22,269
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