Slugs for Badger

[meles meles]

Well oomans, we now have our Section 1 Browning pump action shotgun. We've been doing some research on slugs (the lead sort to shoot, not gastropods) and other types of cartridge and we're bewildered. Ammozone have two types of slugs in stock, these Gualandi style at £7 for 10



and these at £7.10 for 10.



Are the differences between them significant? We plan to do some target shooting, probably against stationary targets, and so are considering joining the National Target Shotgun Association.

Do any of you have recommendations for good suppliers of ordinary shotgun cartridges too?

[johngarnett]

I don't know where your sett is in relation to Mecca (aka Bisley) but I buy S&B Practical slug and Special slug at £0.58ea and £0.54ea respectively from the NRA Range Office. I bought a case of 250 for war stock just so I can run my fingers through them!

If you intend to do a waddle down or up to Mecca you may want to ensure they have stock first. It's a long walk on those little legs

JohnG :cornwall:

[mr smith]

And i think the Nra have target shotgun covered though IIRC it's only £5 to join NTSA so no biggie.

[phaedra1106]

Time you got into Paw Loading, even buying ready primed new hulls and slugs from Siarm in Italy I can load them at 39p each!.

[meles meles]

Time you got into Paw Loading, even buying ready primed new hulls and slugs from Siarm in Italy I can load them at 39p each!.

We're coming to the same conclusion. Our copy of Lyman 49 is in the post and so we'll soon be plaguing you all with questions about the sort of kit we'll need to take up paw loading

[Dougan]

Our copy of Lyman 49 is in the post and so we'll soon be plaguing you all with questions about the sort of kit we'll need to take up paw loading

That should be interesting razz

Good choice of manual

[meles meles]

It wasn't just the lower cost of paw loading that attracted, though being Yorkshire badger we have to admit it does count, but the accuracy potential.

We were firing some factory .45ACP in our Armalon carbine a week or two ago and getting reasonable groups at 25m. The range owner looked at the groups and then wandered away to his reloading room, returning half an hour later with a handful of freshly minted .45ACP for us to try. Our group size halved, but he wasn't impressed. Half an hour later he brought us 10 more rounds. The group size shrank even further. We now buy all our .45 ACP at the range: it's more accurate and is actually a little cheaper than factory loads. The bad news is that no ammo made at the range is allowed to be taken off site, hence we're slowly summoning up the will power to carve our own.

[saddler]

Paw loading slug ammo is very easy.

I use the Lyman sabot type slug, which is used inside a standard wad.
This design can be loaded on any shotshell press as it uses normal star crimps.

We know someone that just pawchased one of the MEC slugger presses at quite an outlay.
Seems he's now looking for a normal press...

The main thing to sort out with your homeloads is make sure they have a good tapered edge for reliable feeding.
Most basic presses will do the job, even the basic Lee.

Recipes for pumps can be quite economical on fodder too.
My first loads with the above slug used 20gr of Unique. Someone at a recent shoot using the same slug but in a semi needed 25gr of Unique to get the gun to cycle...thats 25% more powder compared to a pump.

[meles meles]

We'll probably start out paw loading in a few months time once we have read up on the subject and scavenged from all the brains here... right now we're looking for a low cost supplier of high quality ready made slugs

[Blackstuff]

I've never seen those Gualandi slugs before but the Magtechs can be a bit brutal depending on the 'model'. They do look like the ones a guys at Carlisle uses and the 2 foot cone of fire can be seen on overcast days or in the woods and thats out of 26" barrel While that does look tongueout it doesn't make for fast shooting and if you start flinching at the recoil it'll ruin you accuracy too, especially out of a pump (which don't absorb as much recoil as a semi).

Most people i shoot with use either Geco Coated Competition slugs or S&B Special Competition slugs;





Reloading is the way forward though. My local RFD does a box of the Geco for £16.50 which is a decent price believe it or not