Blackpowder Shotgun Slugs?

[J-Bar]

On another forum, a fellow said he was planning to load up some 12 gauge brass hulls with a home cast slug which weighs 510 grains over 100 grains of blackpowder. I have no experience (or desire) to load blackpowder slugs, but pushing a projectile that heavy with that much blackpowder out of a shotgun scares me a little. At what point does a slug shell become a pipe bomb?

I know there are heavy barreled "Slug guns" that use loads in that range, and the old buffalo rifles used heavy bullets with lots of black powder, but shotgun barrels are thinner and I simply don't know if even a modern (non-Damascus) shotgun would safely shoot that kind of a load.

What say those with experience? Is he pushing or exceeding the limits?

Thanks.

 

[Patocazador]

I have shot 1+ oz. home-cast slugs from muzzleloading shotguns with 85 gr. of FFG with no ill effects. I quit because the accuracy was not up to par. The 12 ga. hull would mean packing more powder into a smaller diameter "tube" (the hull) but if the end of the hull were not unduly restricted, the pressure would soon dissipate as the slug cleared the barrel.

I would not like to be behind the gun with 100 gr. charges. I'm a bit recoil sensitive.

 

[Armored farmer]

That bullet is slightly over 1 1/8th oz, not quite 1 1/4th oz.
100 grains is a pretty stiff charge of powder.....
I suppose it would depend on the gun, but that's probably okay imho.
I load 1 1/4 oz over 90gr 2f for my Turkey load in a 12ga sxs.

 

[noelf2]

As long as the slug isn't restricted by a choked barrel, there's not much difference in pressure than a similar weight of shot.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I can see a big issue with a short forcing cone. He needs to check his chamber length and not exceed that length with the overall shell length. Would also recommend checking for a short cone. Stuffing shot through a short forcing cone is one thing but a solid slug is something else. Try to picture 20 fat guys going through a narrow door at the same time then picture one really big guy trying to go through the same door, something has gotta give.

 

[J-Bar]

Try to picture 20 fat guys going through a narrow door at the same time then picture one really big guy trying to go through the same door, something has gotta give.

That analogy alone makes this thread worthwhile; Thanks!!

 

[PapaG]

I used to shoot the standard Lyman Foster slug out of my Navy Arms "Magnum" double. Patched with linen over a couple card and one fiber wad. I think the charge was 3 1/2 drams of ffg. Always ran the rod down the second tube to be sure the slug was still seated before firing second shot(uncapped before checking). After a dozen times,I had never found the slug unseated. It was patched tightly.
BTW, not very accurate. Stayed on a fifty yard pistol target at fifty yards. The right barrel would stay in the black, to the left, the left barrel way right. Severe crossing I guess.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Try to picture 20 fat guys going through a narrow door at the same time

There's a Walmart thread going already.

 

[midland man]

That bullet is slightly over 1 1/8th oz, not quite 1 1/4th oz.
100 grains is a pretty stiff charge of powder.....
I suppose it would depend on the gun, but that's probably okay imho.
I load 1 1/4 oz over 90gr 2f for my Turkey load in a 12ga sxs.

in my 10g sxs Bp shotgun I load 2 1/4oz over 100gr 1fg goex powder makes a great turkey load!

 

[paul harm]

If the slug is small enough to go down the barrel without getting stuck it will be OK. He's using brass shells the correct length, so forcing cones aren't going to be in play because there's no part of the shell unfolding into the forcing cone. Short cones were made that way so the short length fiber wads wouldn't have blow by before they hit the diameter of the barrel. I shoot about 15 different SxSs, most Damascus barreled, and have never checked the chamber or forcing cone lengths. I know many were made for 2 9/16" length shells and have never had a problem. Parker guns were made with chambers a 1/8" shorter than the shells to help the sealing problem. Sherman Bell did some test with 2 3/4" shells in guns with 2 1/2" chambers and pressures only went up 5 to 700psi. I would be more worried about recoil if the gun is not heavy enough. My 8ga would handle 4oz of shot and 400grs of 1F. If my math is right that's a 1700gr payload. That was a 18 lb gun. It would just push you on the ground if you weren't standing right. And your thoughts about how strong Damascus barrels are - the same Sherman Bell tried to blow up 20 wall hangers, and he got all the way to 32,000psi before he could blow up a Parker. That's not to say all Damascus barrel guns are that safe, just that most are not so unsafe. Remington proof loads are 18,500psi. Just some food for thought.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Actually, that's only 3 and 2/3rd dram of powder, and if he's using 2Fg or better yet, 1Fg...., that's not going to give a huge pressure spike.
They once upon a time sold 4 dram shells in 12 gauge (110 grains of powder) with 1.25 to 1.5 ounces of shot.
Granted, at the muzzle that's a lot of lead if there was a choke, BUT consider the surface area and the friction of a shot column vs. a slug like this https://www.ballisticproducts.com/12ga-DGS-12-Slug-25_pak/productinfo/0721612/ where very little lead is causing friction, so you're mostly overcoming inertia, unlike a shot column.

LD

 

[drobs]

How about a 12gauge round ball?
https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Pumpkin-Ball-Slugs-12ga-715-550gr-25_pak/productinfo/7000004/

• Weight: 550 grains (1-1/4 oz)
• Diam: .715"
  
  
  

 

[Pete D.]

I shoot 16 gauge round balls from my flintlock fowler. Diameter is .662, 437 grains with 70 grains FFg. No patch. They work very nicely at 50 yards as do .648s at 410 grains.