Here's a couple methods I do to remove the sprue marks, lead flashing, mold lines, and to make my buckshot more round. Rounder buckshot makes for better patterning loads.
I use small dog nail trimmers to cut my buckshot. The blades are ground with half circles cut into them that fits the shape of the shot perfect. Doesn’t leave a mark on them and lets you cut them easily when you need to trim them up. Hope you all try this out. And i have the lee molds not marty’s or the other do it style.
I have a new way of finishing buckshot. I just clip, clip, clip and don't worry about the little shite. Since I quench my shot they are brittle and the spru and connecting points are also brittle. These break very clean and tumble up nice. There are some scuds of course and I either retumble them or chucked them back in to the pot.
Great video, Leon! I make over 200 lbs of #00 buckshot every week using two Lee molds at a time. To break up the strings of three, I toss up to 50 lbs at a time in a Whirlpool dryer (no heat) for 90 minutes. The pellets come out all separated with a slightly "hammered" finish, but very regular and with NO snip marks. At this point they pattern well up to 25 yds, but then I throw them in a HF cement mixer with some emery cloth glued to the drum for 20 minutes and they're ready for the LONG shots. I can turn them into jewelry if I want to tumble longer, with an abrasive powder vs the emery cloth. Before you ask the logical question "Why not just break them up in the cement mixer?", I've tried it and it won't work. Heh heh. I can hear the gears in your head turning from here!
Great video, have you ever done a comparison test? Polished vs. unpolished? To see if there is a difference in the pattern at 40 yards. Would be a cool test. I reload 00 but haven’t tried the tumbler yet.
Hi Jason. To answer your question, yes I have. I got fewer fliers with finished buckshot. Makes sense seeing how the surface as less defects that affect the flight and trajectory of the patterning.
A file works really well also. a bit of lead dust so I always do it outside with gloves on! But my old Lee .690 mold spits a ball with a really bad sprue, after a few seconds against a file and then a bit in the tumbler the sprue mark vanishes! Buckshot would be even quicker but harder to hold with gloves on for sure! Great video bro!
I'm really new at reloading, so new I haven't acquired everything I need yet. Before I saw your video about tumbling the buckshot, it never occurred to me that it was a necessary process. Now, it makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for the video!
@@rogeradkins9146 look up his Russian slug mold video and you will see the buckshot mold ... It looks like sharpshooter mold and you can also look up Marty's buckshot molds
So if I'm casting shot for max 15yds home defense, use soft stick on wheel weights, don't bother with this level of quality control, and don't tumble. A soft a lead will more easily deform inside the bad guys and reduce risk of overpenetration? Awesome channel! Liked and subscribed!
At 15 yards, no need. Unless you’re pushing them super fast, they should pattern goo enough for and purposes. As for over penetration, even if a pellet or two did pass through a soft target, the energy loss will be substantial. The only reason I would shy away from soft lead and buckshot is I saw my buddy split his Winchester barrel using .32 cal lead balls from Hornady in one of his loads. Could be that he pushed them too hard, but whatever it was, caused a tremendous amount of sidewall pressure to put about an 8” split in his barrel.
@@buckandslugreloaders9005 #0 & #1 8 or 9 pellet at 1100fps. I'll try #3 16 pellet or #4 21/28 pellet at 1300-1400 fps. I've got a big stash of stick/clip on wheel weights to melt down. Save softer lead for slugs? Thanks for fast response!
@@kurt5490 I think if you kept it below 1100 fps (being conservative here) you should be fine. You can always add some Linotype to your soft lead to hardened. A little goes a long way, OR save the soft stuff for slugs!
@@buckandslugreloaders9005 Thank you for fast responses and answering my questions! I just found out about your channel and will be binge watching! Thanks again @
