Birdshot Lead Slug FAIL

[cgates]

simple lesson learned - if you dont have a crimp on your bubba load, dont put it through your mag tube.

Lee recommends a standard crimp when using these slugs. Crimp them and dont worry about only feeding one at a time.

[Written]

I did not use wax slugs, I was merely posting that article for people who think its ok to use wax slugs.

I take birdshot shotgun shell.
I cut it open.
pour out the lead into my lead melter.
melt the lead and pour it into a slug mold.
take the newly formed slug, insert it into the shell and glue the wad/slug into the shell.

The point is not that it was a wax slug. The thing that happened in the thread you posted was he made a wax slug, but changed the wad and the load size, and did not compress the powder afterwards. What SHOULD be taken from that thread is NOT that wax slugs are bad. Tampering with a factory load, and leaving the powder uncompressed, or added weight, or a different sized wad, could if you are not careful, cause a catastrophic failure. If you did not notice the squib you would have been in the same boat. Any kind of reload should have SOME kind of precaution.I am not trying to be a dick( I know I may have sounded like one) BUT - unexpected things happen. nobody is perfect, not even the factory. Be careful with your home made slugs.

[metalliman545]

Read the whole thread you posted? I did.

I did not use wax slugs, I was merely posting that article for people who think its ok to use wax slugs.

I take birdshot shotgun shell.
I cut it open.
pour out the lead into my lead melter.
melt the lead and pour it into a slug mold.
take the newly formed slug, insert it into the shell and glue the wad/slug into the shell.

[Written]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_1/368..._from_me_.html I would be.
I didn't use wax slugs, I melted the lead and formed them into a slug using a Lee one ounce slug mold

Read the whole thread you posted? I did.

No i didnt mess with the powder but i did take the wad out and replace it with a shorter one out of a different shell which sat in the shell further down. So my theory is that the added weight from the shorter wad and adding more bb's and wax. I dont remember actually seeing shot #49 on the paper and i dont remember how it sounded because i wear ear muffs and everyone else at the range was shooting. So its very likely the previous shell was stuck in the chamber. Also would me taking the wad out and the powder not being properly packed cause anything?

After looking at the remains im a believer in barrell shrouds, 4" of the barrell vaporized and luckily the shroud absorbed what would have shot up in my face. I shot this from my hip. Also looking at my northface fleece jacket the majority of damage i received was burn, my sleeve was melted.

Again this was 100% my fault. I dont question the integrity of maverick/mossberg but my next shotgun will be an 870 and i will never fire anything other than a factory load. Thank you everyone for your concerns. I guess its a good thing parents pray for they're kids because everything in the chain of events worked out in favor and i still have 10 fingers, 2 eyes and both my arms!

OP do you have pictures of the larger cups you used.

As it stands this thread is very disingenuous/misleading. You had me scared of the 100+ wax slugs I have, but what your OP should really read is: I blew up my shotgun because I took a light projectile out of the shell, changed the cup and put a heavier projectile in. You cannot tinker with ammo like you did, changin all kinds of components. Right now everyone who just reads the OP will think its because you made wax slugs and will blame the people making those youtube videos, when it was your own fault.

[Nicoman]

How much more weight did the wax add? Shot guns and shot shells are subject to failures like any firearm or center fire reload. But isn't it cool what you can shoot out of a shot gun?

I'd say they're about twice the weight with the wax and shot.

Great looking shorty by the way.

Thanks I love it! after 7 and 1/2 months of waiting I take it out as much as I can

[metalliman545]

You didn't redo the fold crimp did you? The case in question appears cut and there was glue involved? I use a Lee Shot shell press. Nothing fancy but one of the best deals on my reloading bench. I also use the Lyman shot shell reloading manual. I have only used the fold crimp instructions for the cases I use. Often I have used 1 1/4 oz field load data with the Lee 1 oz slug sometimes sitting on a 0.125 in. 20 gauge card to keep the slug in place by the fold crimp. Not all attempts to redo the fold crimp turn out. Pics to come. When all else fails, follow the directions.

I did not put a crimp in. look up the lee one once slug, you take a lead bird shot shell, cut it open, pour the lead out, melt it down, put it in a slug mold and put the slug into the shell. theres plenty of videos on youtube of people doing it, and they all load it into the ejection port, one at a time, not tube load it like I did./

the loads work, as long as you single shot them.

[donnrcp]

I've done this with birdshot cut the tops off the shells melted wax (I used old broken crayons) then filled the shells back up with wax and the shot. haven't shot them yet kind of afraid to, don't know why.

How much more weight did the wax add? Shot guns and shot shells are subject to failures like any firearm or center fire reload. But isn't it cool what you can shoot out of a shot gun? Safety First! Great looking shorty by the way.

[donnrcp]

so I was melting down cheap birdshot to make slugs, ended up making about 40 of them. molded them into the slugs, put them into the shells glued them up.

they fired just fine when inserted into the ejection port. I loaded up a full tube and I guess the recoil made the last shell and glue fail causing the wad to move out of the shell.
long story short, I shot it, squib load. be careful, this could have ended very very badly. luckily, it made a weird noise, didn't have recoil and there was no hole on the target.
the shotgun is an 870 express with modified choke, which I have read is ok to use slugs with. when I took the barrel off the receiver, unburnt powder fell out of the barrel and receiver

You didn't redo the fold crimp did you? The case in question appears cut and there was glue involved? I use a Lee Shot shell press. Nothing fancy but one of the best deals on my reloading bench. I also use the Lyman shot shell reloading manual. I have only used the fold crimp instructions for the cases I use. Often I have used 1 1/4 oz field load data with the Lee 1 oz slug sometimes sitting on a 0.125 in. 20 gauge card to keep the slug in place by the fold crimp. Not all attempts to redo the fold crimp turn out. Pics to come. When all else fails, follow the directions.

[eros1486]

I shot a homemade slug once... thing shot like a champ

[Nicoman]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_1/368..._from_me_.html I would be.
I didn't use wax slugs, I melted the lead and formed them into a slug using a Lee one ounce slug mold

looks like I'll be getting rid of them. Thanks for the link you may of saved my 870 AOW

[socalstag]

as long as you check and load each round individually and practice your best judgement this is no more dangerous shooting tulammo

[metalliman545]

I've done this with birdshot cut the tops off the shells melted wax (I used old broken crayons) then filled the shells back up with wax and the shot. haven't shot them yet kind of afraid to, don't know why.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_1/368..._from_me_.html I would be.
I didn't use wax slugs, I melted the lead and formed them into a slug using a Lee one ounce slug mold

[Nicoman]

An old man I used hunt with, told me that during the 1930's he used to open the end of a shotgun shell and poured melted wax over #6 bird shot. Let it cool and pour more wax until the shell is full. He used those to kill deer, during the Great Depression. He used a SxS, not a pump.

I tried it with a 20 gauge and the waxed shot stayed together until it hit the door of an old refrigerator. Slug sized hole in the door and loose bird shot inside.

I've done this with birdshot cut the tops off the shells melted wax (I used old broken crayons) then filled the shells back up with wax and the shot. haven't shot them yet kind of afraid to, don't know why.

[metalliman545]

when rollin your own, play safely

Best advice, at least I'm fine, and so is the shotgun. Now I need to pound the slug out of the choke.

[metalliman545]

Well the post wasn't so much about the slugs themselves failing, it was more about how the wad moved forward and there was enough space in the powder area that the primer didn't ignite all the powder, it was essentially a squib.