Many of you may recall the AEA challenger bullpup ".457s" that got their barrels slugged and people were finding that the groove diameter is actually closer to .46 or .461.
Since finding this out I've wondered what difference better diameter slugs would make. I have been using NSA .457 slugs. Mostly 196 and 220 grain with the dish base. I just got the Corbin swage die I've been waiting on for so long. It makes .460 diameter slugs with a cup base. I am still waiting on some lead from crown metals but while waiting I put some of my NSA slugs in so I could do some testing which I've been itching to do. I tested 18 of them today. It was very cold out. Pics first
Here is a 220 grain NSA slug on the right, the slugs I made on the left. I tried not to make them too much lighter, they came out at just a hair over 217 grains
Not sure what the lower limit is on weight I can do, probably around 180 grains, will have to test. Upper limit is somewhere around 400 grains, those look like this, a sample that came with the die
My challenger has no washers for power installed. I filled to 3300 psi for every shot.
The 220 grain NSA slugs averaged 853 FPS, and my 217 grain slugs averaged 875 FPS. Granted they're 3 grains lighter, but this is still more energy than the 220s. When I get my lead wire I can make a variety of weights to really hone in on what weight is most efficient for energy. When I did have the washers installed and filled to higher pressure, the gun could make 500 FPE with a 290 grain NSA, I assume it could make a bit more with mine now. Probably won't try though as those washers are a PITA to remove once in.
Accuracy seems comparable with the NSA slugs. Here is the NSA group at 100 yards. Three shots through basically the same hole, one kinda low
Here's the 100 yard group with mine. I had shot another one that wasn't as good, I think I wasn't being patient enough. Here's the better one. Decent minus the one that went high.
Too early to say if they're any more accurate, but they're faster so all other things being equal, still better. Best part is cheaper for me to make myself than to buy from NSA.
I also recently got a don cothran .457 pcp pistol. It does need .457 diameter slugs so i also got a sizer for my Corbin press so I can reduce my .46s for it. It makes 170 FPE with the 196 and 220 grains NSAs, (around 630 FPS with the 196 and 590 FPS with the 220). I tried the sample slugs I got with the die in it and when you do load a 400 grain in it will do 200 FPE but only at around 476 FPS. Just wanted to see if 200 FPE was possible, will mostly shoot the light stuff though as I like the extra speed for less drop.
Anyway that's all for now. I may be willing to part with some slugs once I get my lead wire if there is any interest. Nice for something to go my way for a change as the slug journey with my huben k1s has been a bit aggravating.
If no one minds, I'll be calling my challenger a .46 cal from now on. Because it is
Since finding this out I've wondered what difference better diameter slugs would make. I have been using NSA .457 slugs. Mostly 196 and 220 grain with the dish base. I just got the Corbin swage die I've been waiting on for so long. It makes .460 diameter slugs with a cup base. I am still waiting on some lead from crown metals but while waiting I put some of my NSA slugs in so I could do some testing which I've been itching to do. I tested 18 of them today. It was very cold out. Pics first
Here is a 220 grain NSA slug on the right, the slugs I made on the left. I tried not to make them too much lighter, they came out at just a hair over 217 grains
Not sure what the lower limit is on weight I can do, probably around 180 grains, will have to test. Upper limit is somewhere around 400 grains, those look like this, a sample that came with the die
My challenger has no washers for power installed. I filled to 3300 psi for every shot.
The 220 grain NSA slugs averaged 853 FPS, and my 217 grain slugs averaged 875 FPS. Granted they're 3 grains lighter, but this is still more energy than the 220s. When I get my lead wire I can make a variety of weights to really hone in on what weight is most efficient for energy. When I did have the washers installed and filled to higher pressure, the gun could make 500 FPE with a 290 grain NSA, I assume it could make a bit more with mine now. Probably won't try though as those washers are a PITA to remove once in.
Accuracy seems comparable with the NSA slugs. Here is the NSA group at 100 yards. Three shots through basically the same hole, one kinda low
Here's the 100 yard group with mine. I had shot another one that wasn't as good, I think I wasn't being patient enough. Here's the better one. Decent minus the one that went high.
Too early to say if they're any more accurate, but they're faster so all other things being equal, still better. Best part is cheaper for me to make myself than to buy from NSA.
I also recently got a don cothran .457 pcp pistol. It does need .457 diameter slugs so i also got a sizer for my Corbin press so I can reduce my .46s for it. It makes 170 FPE with the 196 and 220 grains NSAs, (around 630 FPS with the 196 and 590 FPS with the 220). I tried the sample slugs I got with the die in it and when you do load a 400 grain in it will do 200 FPE but only at around 476 FPS. Just wanted to see if 200 FPE was possible, will mostly shoot the light stuff though as I like the extra speed for less drop.
Anyway that's all for now. I may be willing to part with some slugs once I get my lead wire if there is any interest. Nice for something to go my way for a change as the slug journey with my huben k1s has been a bit aggravating.
If no one minds, I'll be calling my challenger a .46 cal from now on. Because it is
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