Dear Sirs and Ma'ams,

BLUF: need cheap, light-recoiling, accurate 12ga slug load. Preferably using the undesireable Winchester High-Strength (narrower inside at base) 2.75" plastic hulls; since I have alot of them.

I am trying to develop a light "plinking" slug load for a 12ga Baikal break open shotgun. The elderly-but-healthy shooter who will be using it is limited to slugs only at his range, and the range is 25yds or less.
Slugs being expensive commercially, he tried the Aguila mini-shells, and likes the lack of recoil and price; but they are not even on paper at 25yds (note: he is otherwise a good shot, so its not him). After measuring an Aguila slug I found it to be .709- kind of an odd diameter for a slug, and I figure between bore fit and the short 2-inch shell and 3-inch chamber and forcing cone, that explains some of the problem if not most of it. The Commerical reduced-recoil slugs are accurate and pleasant to shoot, but far too expensive for the realtively frequent target practice he does.

I havent slugged the bore of the Baikal yet, nor do I know which, if any, choke he is firing through.

I plan to slug his bore next time I visit him, and will use a slug or slug-in-shotcup to get the correct "slip fit" necessary for good accuracy from this smoothebore.

So given the unknowns of bore measurements and choke, I am looking for safe load data that will be easy on the shooter (for reference, the Aguila is a 7/8-oz slug-and-basewad at approx 1250fps)(*) that I can just apply to the proper slug once the bore is measured.

Also, I have been sitting on a big bag of the Winchester High-Strength hulls, the ones nobody wants; and since this load i am seeking is a light one, i was hoping to use them. They are once-fired, so have a fold crimp memory at the mouth. But that can be trimmed if a roll crimp is necessary.

Any good powder/charge recommendations out there? (**)

Many many thanks,
C-

(*) approximatly equivalent recoil impulses to 385gr @ 1250fps including but not limited to: 440gr at 1100fps, 495gr @ 975fps, 530gr@900fps, and 585gr@825gr; but i will take en even lighter load as this is for short range, paper shooting only. Accuracy and cost are prime considerations.

(**): Of course, when the bore is slugged, i will revisit this thread with the new data.

p.s. I know, i am into heavy slugs lately, but this load is not for me. Still fun though.