Formerly I have only reloaded metallic but now want to load full bore slugs for 12 ga. Is there a shotgun powder that is temperature resistant and offers very low velocity spreads?
Thanks,
Keith

Slugs are differants then shot loads. What slug are you planing to load . It would be best to follow the slugs manufacture powder ideas.

I want to shoot a custom cast slug that looks like a short, squat, Keith bullet. I know they are different than shot loads but the powder characteristics shouldn't change. I'm thinking Alliant STEEL may be the powder to try because I am going to have to modify a heavy shot load since no load data exists.

Ballistic Products makes a special slug loading manual that may be worth a look.

I recall hearing that there are slugs that are meant to be used in a regular shot cup, and essentially replace the shot load on a weight basis, and then there are specialty slugs that have to use

The Hodgdon shotshell manual has a bunch of slug loads in it, but everyone I know who loads slugs is loading for 3 gun competition, and is after minimal felt recoil, so what I know is low velocity slugs. I will say they do occasionally do strange things, so be a little more careful with it. To be honest, I would start loading regular shot loads for a while them move to slugs as they are a bit more specialized loading techniques.

You need to state if you are roll crimping vs. fold crimping, and you need to get the right info as to what kind of wad you are using. If its really short, you will have to play with spacer wads to get the column the right height.

I really don't recommend slug loading as your first experience with shotshell reloading...

+1 on what p dog advised. Slugs do not always follow shot loads as slugs pass through the choke diffrently than shot, causing pressures to differ. Look at Lyman's 5th Edition Shotshell Book and to BPI for some data. Your slug manufacturer should be able to provide some data.

Thanks for the replies.

I know the data will be different. I am going to use shot cups with the petals cut off and fiber wads. Some are soft lead and some are hard. They will be roll crimped because the dies that will actually seat a slug in an all brass case are outrageously expensive and I can put the money into serious load development. There is no choke because it is a fully rifled bolt gun.

There is no load data from the manufacturer. I want to know if anyone had a powder recommendation based on powder characteristics. I want a shotgun powder with the characteristics of the rifle powders (like RL15 in my 7mm-o8IMP) I use; low spreads and minimal temperature variations. I don't care if it produces high velocities because I intend to start them out of the barrel at about 1100fps.

Ok, got some recommendations from Hubel and followers. Longshot and STEEL (which had been my guess) are the shotgun powders for the job and SR4759 and RE17 are the rifle powders. I'll bite the bullet and have dies made and shoot brass cases with taper crimps.

Have you got an update for us? I am going to try the same thing, only in a mossberg with a rifled barrel. Got any ideas on where to start as far as loads go? Im wanting to try the brass cases as well.

I scrubbed the brass cases. To do it right you need to make a cast of your chamber then have the brass turned at RMC match or sizing them will be nearly impossible. The quote for the CH4D dies was over $350 and I wanted to modify them to take bushings because the case mouths will then with use and you will need smaller bushings. That was going to put it over the top.

It is easier and cheaper to buy a drill press and do it with plastic hulls. Instead of spending $400 or more on set up I'm at $300 with press, sizer, and all components for 300 loaded rounds. The $400 I would have spent on brass and dies is going to buy a new barrel with SAAMI minimum chamber. I think that is a better investment since I won't likely wear out a slug barrel in my life.

As for powders I'm using IMR4759 and IMR4227. It's way to early in the game for me to feel confident in giving you advice. However, I don't think RE17 is the powder to use especially with some of the data being put out there.

I have found who I believe to be two very legitimate mentors to walk me through this and I'll keep things up to date as I work on it. My military training schedule is a bit fast paced so it will be about three weeks before I get anything new up.

Hey, thanks for the advice. Maybe Ill stick with plastic hulls instead. Keep us posted, Im sure Im not the only one thats interested.