Vectan AS Slug Load Data

[Grizzly]

Being a mean old bugger I cast my own 1oz Lee slugs so no charge except my time and a bit of gas.
I use new primed Fiocchi cases, 21.6g of Vectan AS, plastic wad and a plastic covering disc over the slug then roll crimp the case. I reckon it costs me about £18 per 100.
These cycle faultlessly in my Remy 1187.
I got all my load data, cases, plastic wads etc and powder from John at Folkestone Engineering Supplies. Check out his web site it contains some good stuff on slug and he's a mine of information if you talk to him.
When I started on this AS was less than £40/kg now it's more like £60. John reckons Maxam CSB5 is the same as AS in slug and is less than £40/kg so the way to go perhaps in future. Like Mag41 says though - go carefully.
Unfortunately at Bisley we cannot now use plastic wads unless the slug and wad are attached so I have also developed a Lee slug load using just fibre wads and a bit of paper round the slug (like a paper patched bullet). I think I've given details of this on FBUK in the past. I've tried this before and it shoots OK but I'm now trying to get on Butt Zero at Bisley to refine it a bit.

Thanks for the info. Looking good, at least two people on here that have used AS. Good to know there's leeway to experiment with different wads etc. as I also have a load of fibre.

[Grizzly]

Quick question -

I cast up some 1oz Lee slugs last night and used a spent hull to dummy run the spacing to determin whether I will have the right amount of hull left to properly star crimp.

So put two nitro cards in to represent powder - compared levels to an existing Gamebore slug and Gamebore shotshell and they were the same. Obviously this doesn't mean much since the powder will be weighed and checked on final load so may change. Then I added a Gualandi V-Zero wad and the slug.

I had enough room left for a decent crimp but when chambering I noticed a bit of resistance. It still chambered but not as smoothly. With the slug sitting against the petals of the wad and the thickness of the hull the shell is a micro fraction wider than my bought Gamebore slug.

Is this expected or should it chamber like butter and my bought Gamebore slug? I notice my Gamebore slug uses a plastic wad then fibre wad against the slug so no petals and the slug is just sitting against the hull.

[saddler]

Try a different hull/wad combo.

A sensible step is to check all the loaded shells using a case gauge.
Got mine from the US.
Failing that remove the barrel from the gun & make sure they DROP info the chamber.

[Grizzly]

Try a different hull/wad combo.

A sensible step is to check all the loaded shells using a case gauge.
Got mine from the US.
Failing that remove the barrel from the gun & make sure they DROP info the chamber.

OK thanks. Just so I have a benchmark, pre-crimp, should the slug sit firmly in the hull/wad without falling out if turned upside down? I could use my fibres instead but it will leave my slug loose until crimped.

[bradaz11]

is the hull recycled?

[saddler]

is the hull recycled?

Hulls are once fired Gamebore Velocity plus.

...I'd take a tenner on YES

A lot of my slug loads are on third & fourth cycles of the hull.
No issues, check them all for splits & bin any suspect ones.

[Dellboy]

could you use brass cases ?

[Grizzly]

is the hull recycled?

Hulls are once fired Gamebore Velocity plus.

...I'd take a tenner on YES

A lot of my slug loads are on third & fourth cycles of the hull.
No issues, check them all for splits & bin any suspect ones.

This one was a no. I emptied an unfired shell to size it up. Lee slug wobbles a bit without the petals and too tight with.

I'm going back to the drawing board on this one and buying a Lyman Sabot 525 mold. My Lee mould is falling apart already. Have been checking out accuracy tests on youtube and the quality of the Lyman mould is way better IMO. Much simpler design, better quality and less to go wrong

Checking out the Winchester AA's and WAA12F114/Fed 12S3/Fed 12S4

Will probably swap my powder as well.

It's a dark art this shotshell/slug reloading...

[Dellboy]

Lyman Sabot 525 mold who stocks them ?

[dodgyrog]

Lyman Sabot 525 mold who stocks them ?

Hannams