# Reloading Sabot Shells



## Guest (Oct 24, 2001)

This may be a silly question but here goes...

I was looking at my expended shells (sabots) and they seemed to be normal shell cases. Can you reload your own sabots? OR, Can you use the old sabot cases to reload other types of rounds?


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

Paul;
Yes, you can reload those hulls.....if you have data for them. I searched a long time for a particular Remington hull (SP) for some steel shot reloading data that I had and could never find any that fit the description. Then one day I picked up a slug hull at the range, and there it was! So I gathered up a few for experimentation.
As for sabots themselves, I don't know of anyone who actually manufactures a sabot for reloading, but I have reloaded slugs in a normal plastic shot cup, and they act similar to a sabot (the plastic grips the rifling and imparts spin, ect). The mold I have is a LEE, but Lyman also makes both a mold and sells the projectiles. Ballistic products has a booklet on slug reloading (including 16 gauge ) which I have found most informative, but I am coming to the conclusion that unless you shoot a BUNCH of slugs throughout the year, it isn't really cost effective nor do you gain much in accuracy.
Also, slug hulls tend to have high brass, which can be a pain in the butt to reload......I prefer low brass, even for my heavy steel, bismuth, slug, ect. loads. Hope this helps answer your question.


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2001)

I was just wondering I do not reload.. but my uncles do... so if they could reload them with shot or whatever I was just going to save the ones I shoot for them... call me cheap but it was worth the thought


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

Paul;
We are not "cheap".......we are "frugal"


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## mparks (Sep 4, 2001)

At $9 for a box of 5 sabots it wouldn't take long for reloading to be cost effective. 

I've often tought about trying to reload slugs. But there just doesn't seem to be much info out there on it. Mr. 16, how does the accuracy of lead slugs in a regular shot compare w/factory Sabots?

I shoot a Marlin 512 and am very happy with its 100yd accuracy w/3" Rem Copper Solids. I would saccrifice a little power and accuracy for cheaper loads that I would shoot more of.


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

Mparks;
I just went over my data, and some of the loads were comparable to factory loads (4-5" groups) at 50 yards. The worst I had was unmeasurable and the best I had was 3" at 50 yards. IN comparison, the best factory load I had was Brenneke (2 1/2") and Winchester Foster (2"), and the worst was Fiocchi at 9" (at 50 yards). Remember that all my slug guns are smooth bore, and that I am told that rifled barrels will make these handloaded slugs more accurate as the rifling will impart spin to the wad, like a sabot.
You can get a lot of info from Ballistic Products (www.ballisticproducts.com) catalog; they have many styles of slugs to choose from. However, beware if you order thier slug reloading manual....most all of them require components that are only found in Ballistic Products catalog (surprise, surprise ) and almost all require a roll crimp, necessitating a roll crimper. I went with the LEE mold, and they give you about 14 different loads to try (and they are all folded crimps), but only two powders. If I can give you any more information, let me know. Good luck.


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## mparks (Sep 4, 2001)

Thanks for the info Mr. 16.

I have a question as to what exactly is a roll crimp and a fold crimp.

With the fold crimp, I'm assuming the end result would be a shell that looks like a regular shotshell except with a slug inside?

I looked at the Ballistic Products web page and see that it appears that a roll crimp is the same as what is used on factory slugs. Is that true?

This is a very interesting topic to me since I already reload and pour my own muzzleloader bullets. Sounds like the only special equipment I would need to buy would be the Lee mould.


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

MParks;
Yep, that is pretty much it, except that the folded crimp didn't really become popular on shotshells until the plastic cases came to become standard. Roll crimps used to be used on all shotshells, and a cardboard disc (usually printed with the shot size and load information) was used to hold the shot in. You and get a device that will enable you to roll crimp from BP, but with the LEE slug, all the data states folded crimps. Make sure, for saftey sake, that you lable each shell as to what it is (if there is a slug inside).....don't need any accidents at the trap range, ect. 
You can check out the LEE mould at www.leeprecision.com.


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## Sargeyork (Dec 9, 2004)

Lightfield does supply the Commander IDS slug as a reloading component and provides data for the powder and hull to use.

Sargeyork


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