Trout on Ice Part 2: Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, and Big Water Browns

Article by Jim Paige



When fishing “big waters” or when fishing for especially large trout in winter, I use totally different tactics than explained previously. It’s a whole new ballgame now, as I’m after fish that most people will usually never encounter much less land. My gear isn’t even the same. As a rule, I keep an entirely different set of tip-ups set aside for using on big trout (or salmon), or on deep waters. I use Heritage “Laker” tip-ups exclusively for this type of tip-up fishing. I have the extra-large spools rigged with standard, pale-colored 36-pound ice (squidding) line. To that I attach a quality, medium size snap swivel, then a 14-pound mono leader about 3 feet long. A smaller snap is then attached and then the hook, usually a single Eagle Claw baitholder in size #4. I never use a treble for live bait fishing. It impedes the bait and can often be felt, when the bait is taken, causing a “drop”. If possible, I use a live smelt for bait. Other, local baits may also work well, such as large, emerald shiners.

Bait size matters little when lake trout fishing. They’ll take pretty much anything they encounter, even dead baits. Big baits are simply more readily noticed by a big fish, but browns and salmon tend to prefer not-so-large baits and the livelier the better. I also apply a drop or two of smelt-oil (we use a product called Smelt-Rite) right to the hook wound on the bait. Our live baits are generally hooked just above the spine and about midway between the dorsal fin and head. This keeps the bait pretty much “level” when it’s not swimming, appearing more normal.

Lake trout can be found at all depths, depending on the body of water, the day, weather conditions, even the time of day. Weather plays a huge role. We always have our best luck the day before, or even during a big storm, but never just after. Those clear, often calm days just after a big blow always finds us home where it’s warm. Fishing after a big storm is a waste of time, as far as we can tell.

Lakers have varying habits, depending on the lake you are on. I fish some big, deep, northern lakes where these big trout never seem to leave the deep waters, or at least not for long. We may catch them in the shallows right at dawn or dusk, but otherwise they stay in the deep sections, often well below 75 feet, even in winter. Yet on other lakes, we have our best luck in waters anywhere from eight to 35 feet. Trial and error is the only way I know of to tell. Using a fish locator is not the answer. I’ve marked fish at certain depths, in certain lakes that will never seem to feed at those depths! It won’t help you to locate them if you can’t get them to hit!




top: This big winter brown was taken by this young fisherman using a tip-up and live smelt for bait, set just under the ice.
bottom: This is an “average” size lake trout for us, about 6-7 pounds.
For the most part, if fishing a new lake for lake trout, I’ll give them an assortment of set-ups to choose from, setting some tips out deep and some in shallow. Even when fishing deep though, we’ll often set the baits at various depths in the water column. Overall, our best luck has come from lines set at anywhere from 6 to 8 feet down, even when fishing in over 100 feet of water. The large schools of baitfish these big predators rely on are often deep. When attacked, some of the baitfish will get wounded but not caught. Eventually, just like in summer, they’ll float to the top and be stuck there, right under the ice. Lake trout and other large predators know to cruise at this level, looking for leftovers. And remember too, a lakers eyes and nostrils are located on the top of their heads. If your baits are set even a foot or two below where the fish are cruising, they’ll never see or smell your offering.

Many people have the mistaken impression that lakers are a “deep water” fish. This simply isn’t so. What lakers are is a cold water fish, not necessarily “deep”. I’ve fished many areas of the far north where lake trout live and can be caught right in the rivers, even in the dead of summer. That the water never warms above 50 degrees is why. So in winter, when ice covers the lakes, nearly every inch of that lake now becomes lake trout territory.



top: Lakers can get BIG! This one was about 14 pounds.
bottom: Landing a big trout is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face!

I enjoy jigging for lake trout, especially. There’s something about hooking, fighting and landing a huge trout on tiny gear that just can’t help but be fun and exciting. I generally (but not always) fish deep though, as for the most part lake trout still tend to hang out deep, if only due to the location of the larger schools of baitfish. There are, of course, exceptions to this, such as when a school of lakers decides to enter a cove or harbor and chase a school of small perch around. At those times, jigging can be especially productive. The guys jigging perch daily can tell you just when and where that occurs. They get frustrated when large, toothy trout snip off their little bibbits time after time. I like to use a “Jigging Rapala” in firetiger color and about size W-5, at such times. I do replace the lower treble hook with a larger size though, as the one that comes with these lures simply isn’t large enough to handle lakers. It’s an easy process and I replace the tiny treble with one in about size #8 normally. A small chunk of baitfish and a drop or two of smelt-oil on the fish completes the process.

My jigging rods are a bit stiffer than the size you’d use for panfish, obviously and I use a medium size open-face spinning reel with a quality drag as well. You can’t use cheap gear when after trophy size fish. You get what you pay for generally. Buy cheap stuff and expect a cheap result. I usually use Gold Stren in 6-8 pound test for my line. It is highly visible and has good stretch to it, both factors I rely on. These new “no-stretch” lines have no value to me, as I count on the line’s ability to stretch to help me battle a huge fish on light line and tackle. I attach a quality, ball-bearing snap swivel to the line, then an 18-inch length of 14-pound mono (we use Silver Thread) as a “shock leader”. The line is then tied directly to the jig. When not using the Rapalas, I like the Spro lead-head, bucktail jigs in assorted sizes and colors. When fishing big, deep lakes like Lake Champlain (NY & VT) I use jigs anywhere from 1 to 2 ounces. I generally stick to the lighter colors too and chartreuse combinations always work well on big lake trout. The weight is to help counter both deep waters and the strong currents these big lakes tend to have, even in winter. That hi-vis line is imperative, when jigging deep. Often as not, you won’t feel the hit when jigging in 75 feet of water. But you’ll often see that line go slack or twitch once, that is, if you have line that can be easily seen! Set the hook hard as you back away from the hole. It often takes me up to 15 feet, to get all the slack up and actually connect with that fish, as I’m backing up! I then slowly work my way back to the hole, never allowing the tiniest bit of slack. Never hurry the battle with a large fish. I’ll often get a big trout to the hole 5 or 6 times before I can actually land it. Big holes are a plus when fighting and landing a big trout. I use my 10-inch auger at such times. Usually I jig two rods at once also, with one down near bottom and other only 8-10 feet down. Long, sweeping motions and “lifts” are used to jig the bucktails, which are often tipped with a chunk of smelt meat or a minnow head and that all-important smelt-oil. More often than not, the fish will hit as the jig sinks, after each lift. Watch for that line to go slack! That’s the hit!


This laker fell to a one-ounce bucktail jig.

When fishing lakes for big browns and salmon my tactics are similar as for lake trout, with a few exceptions. The tackle and set-ups are the same. What’s a tad different is that we never set baits deep. We may be over deep water, but our baits and even jigging is kept to just under the ice a few feet. After decades of trial & error, this is something I am steadfast on. If we want to catch big perch or even bass, we’ll fish deeper, but for trout in winter, we stay just under the ice. I also like to get away from the crowds, especially on big lakes. I’ll go way the heck out in the middle of the lake sometimes, just to get away from noisey neighbors on snow machines and quads. Silence is golden, especially when after big trout that are cruising just under the ice. We often space our tip-ups out a lot too, perhaps 50 yards apart, if possible.

A typical trout-fishing day begins well before daylight. We’ll cut however many holes we feel we need while it’s still pitch black out. We are baiting and setting tip-ups in the dark, using headlamps. Often as not, we arrived an hour or two before that even, just to jig for our live smelt for bait, with the aid of a lantern. The smelt can be brought right up to just under the ice early in the morning, with the aid of a lantern and are easily caught with tiny lures and a small piece of earthworm. I especially like the Hali jigs in silver, firetiger and “glo” colors. A quarter inch piece of worm on the hook completes the rig. Most days we can jig all the smelt we need in an hour or so, keeping them alive in a five-gallon bait bucket filled with lake water. I always reserve a hole just for jigging too and will jig smelt all day, just to keep us in fresh bait. Likely as not, I set about half our tip-ups down near bottom, set for big perch. My wife likes to stay “busy” when fishing and for eating, perch are at the very top of our list.



top: This is a typical catch for us while trout fishing,…lakers, big perch and smelt.
bottom: Just an “average” winter landlocked salmon (about 4.5 pounds) for us, taken on a tip-up and live minnow.

Baits for big trout and salmon are set and hooked the same as described earlier, but as I stated, set just down a few feet and no more. We try to check baits every couple hours too, to ensure they are still alive and kicking. I like the Jigging Rapala for browns too and in any number of bright colors. Salmon too, like this lure and the more it mimics a small smelt, the better it’ll work on salmon.

One big difference I’ve noticed between our methods and other fishermen is the way we treat a hit. Once a flag goes up we get to it ASAP and set the hook immediately. Some anglers seem to wait for the fish to stop, turn and swallow the bait. Often as not, at this point the fish will drop the bait and never return. Plus a fish with a swallowed hook is darn hard to release, if one needs to, such as with sub-legal fish. Set the hook quickly and release all but a couple to eat. Bring a camera and get photos as soon as the fish is landed. There is no better feeling than catching, photographing and releasing a big, trophy fish. Fish safely and remember to always check local and state laws. Not all of what I have outlined may be legal in your particular state, or on all waters. Be sure to read the laws before heading out and always check the ice thickness and hardness on a regular basis. Good luck!


A typical early morning catch of salmon, a big brown and some nice perch. These fish were taken on tip-ups and live bait.

Author Bio

Jim Paige is a well known New England outdoorsman, author and outdoor guide. He has acted as a representative and prostaffer for numerous nationally known outdoor-related companies and has been published in most national and regional publications over the years, as well as being a popular seminar speaker.

Jim lives with his wife Sherry in a small village in the mountains of Central Vermont and still is a very active hunter and fisherman. He and his wife have hunted and fished all over the country and especially enjoy ice fishing together each winter all over New England. They operate a small scent company called Ridge-Runner Scents (hunting and fishing scent products) out of their home in Middlesex, Vermont. They moved to Vermont from Alaska in 1984.

Article originally posted to DIY Ballistics in December of 2009

Trout on Ice Part 1: Ice Fishing for Brook Trout, Rainbows and Shallow Water Browns

Article By Jim Paige

The following information is not the only way to locate and catch various species of trout, but it is a collection of methods I’ve used extensively and successfully in my over 50 years of ice fishing experience. I won’t try to cover every aspect of the sport, only a few which seem to work time and again for me and in various waters. Most of my ice fishing these days is done in the New England states, but I have fished all over this country, including Alaska, where we once lived for a few years.

I fish for rainbow and other stocked trout pretty much in the same way these days. I think the biggest key to my success when after these fish is to keep my baits small and to target these fish when they are feeding the heaviest. To me, that means being out there and all set-up to fish well before daylight. Stocked and even wild brook and brown trout tend to begin feeding right at first light each morning and in fairly shallow water. Rocky points that jut out into the lake (or pond) are excellent places to place out a string of baited tip-ups or even jigging holes. I like to get all my holes drilled or cut long before daylight, so as to allow that area to “calm down” some before we are actually fishing. Small, live minnows work well for bait on tip-ups. I like to have my tip-ups rigged with fairly light mono leaders and usually set no more than 6 or eight feet down, with but a tiny split shot or snap swivel for weight. This allows for the greatest of bait action and natural appearance. The light, clear leaders also are difficult for the fish to spot or shy away from. Later in the day these fish will move in to deeper waters, though often still cruising just under the ice. We seldom set lines deep for trout, except for lake trout.

top: We landed this nice brown trout in a shallow cove shortly after daybreak, using a small, live minnow. 
bottom: As you can see, this rainbow was landed very near shore, off a rocky
point.

When fishing for rainbows, whether wild or stocked, we switch over to small pieces of earthworm and they are but lightly hooked on thin, wire hooks, usually in size #6 or #8. These are also normally set at only 5 to 6 feet down and most often in very shallow waters, usually near the entrance or exit streams or creeks. We avoid the actual flow of water or current though, instead setting up on the edges. Be especially careful of thin ice at these locations!

Another excellent place to set-up for rainbows is on any sandy bottom, such as a public beach, in waters no deeper than 8 feet. Some might argue that “powerbaits” work well, but my experience shows that a natural bait (like an earthworm) will outfish the fake baits 5-to-1. Just keep your offering small and avoid jobbing the baits on a hook. Make it look as natural as possible. We generally like to hook the small piece of worm just once and leave a lively tail showing. For whatever reason, I like using gold hooks. We often keep our tip-ups set no more than 8 to 10 feet apart. The rainbows generally arrive as a “school” of anywhere from 2 to 12 fish and I like to cover a small area where I feel the fish will pass through. If you miss the strike on one line, often as not, you’ll immediately get a hit on a very nearby tip-up.

These fish won’t hang on to the bait for very long so don’t walk casually over and expect the fish to run out, then swallow the bait. The fish will likely be gone 2 out of three times, even if you sprint to the hole as soon as the flag goes up. I like to sit in the very center of my tip-up spread and jig; close enough to the tip-ups so I can hear when one goes up. I then immediately dash to the tip-up and grab it and set the hook as I’m going by! You’ll soon see why this works, once you try it a few times. These fish are hitting on instinct most often, not because they feed on earthworms in midwinter! They’ll usually drop the bait within seconds. Other baits that work are a single salmon egg, mealworm, or corn kernel. Be sure to check on the legality of all baits before fishing in your state.

For this reason, jigging can be an especially deadly method on winter rainbows. I sit on a stool, poised by the hole, with a tiny bobber hooked to my light mono line. I either have a tiny wet fly or small piece of worm for an offering, again, set just a few feet under the ice. At the slightest movement of that bobber I do what I refer to as a “straight lift” to set the hook. Instead of trying to battle the fish with the tiny reel, I simply apply gentle, steady pressure by backing slowly away from the hole. The fish will eventually land itself, when it reaches the top of the hole, by jumping out, on to the ice. For this reason, I like to use a 10-inch auger blade, when cutting my holes. During extreme cold, this also keeps the holes from icing-in solid so quickly.

The next important thing to know about ice fishing for rainbows is to be there super early. Rainbows will often begin hitting well before daylight. My wife and I have limited out, more often than not, before it is ever fully daylight. The fish often start hitting by 4:00-4:30 AM! We wear headlamps when setting-up and even when fishing. Browns and brookies are more apt to wait until just daybreak to begin hitting, but not the ‘bows. Our winter fishing trips for these fish are generally done by about 9:00 AM.

top: This two-person VT limit of 1.5-pound rainbows was taken before daybreak very near an exit stream, in the shallows of a deep, northern lake, late last winter. Winter rainbows are usually of very high quality, as table fare.
bottom: This is a classic male/female pair, landed from the same hole, just minutes apart.

Often as not, we meet the majority of ice fishermen as they are just walking out, ….and we are leaving for the day. It’s no wonder to me that they seldom catch any rainbows. Almost all are using live minnows for bait and most are fishing way too deep and get there way too late for the days’ action. I’ve even run in to folks using whole nightcrawlers on tip-ups for bait. Not surprisingly, they catch few if any rainbows. A whole nightcrawler, even a small one, will supply us with enough bait to set-out 4 or 5 tip-ups.

If jigging is your only option, such as when live baits are outlawed, stick to very small presentations (such as tiny nymphs or other small wet-flies) and keep movement of your fly or jig to a minimum. Perch may like a lot of action,… but brown, rainbow and brook trout do not, for the most part. Fish tend to “slow down” both their general activities and their feeding, during the cold waters of winter. Adapt by slowing down your presentations.


Author Bio

Jim Paige is a well known New England outdoorsman, author and outdoor guide. He has acted as a representative and prostaffer for numerous nationally known outdoor-related companies and has been published in most national and regional publications over the years, as well as being a popular seminar speaker.

Jim lives with his wife Sherry in a small village in the mountains of Central Vermont and still is a very active hunter and fisherman. He and his wife have hunted and fished all over the country and especially enjoy ice fishing together each winter all over New England. They operate a small scent company called Ridge-Runner Scents (hunting and fishing scent products) out of their home in Middlesex, Vermont. They moved to Vermont from Alaska in 1984.

Article originally Posted to DIY Ballistics in December, 2009.

“C” is for Companion: The 1894 C Marlin

The following is a guest article by Stephen Galan on hunting deer with the Marlin 1894c .357 Mag. carbine. A word of warning to the squeamish: the article does contain photos of bullet wounds in deer.

I’ll start with the things everyone loves about these carbines. Short, light and handy; these little six pound thunder sticks practically jump to the shoulder. They swing fast and if you’re not careful, you’ll forget they’re hanging on your shoulder, even after a decent hike. This is what the firearm is meant for; constant carry. It is a great companion and at a total length of 3 feet, it is handier than a walking stick. It is a versatile wonder for the mobile hunter, trapper or hiker alike. It can easily be strapped to a backpack or ATV and quickly deployed at a moment’s notice. It fits very easily behind a truck seat and its short overall length makes it quick to maneuver out of truck in a hurry (longer barrels and big scopes have a habit of hanging up on upholstery, steering wheels and door frames). These same fast handling qualities make the 1894C great in the thickets as well.

The carbine holds 10 cartridges and the lever action is both faster and more intuitive than a bolt action for most folks. This thing seriously puts the fun back into shooting. The muzzle report and recoil from this combo are so light that range sessions find me waking from a euphoria filled cloud wondering, “Where did all my ammo go and how long have I been here?” For target practice and small game you can always slip some .38 specials into the magazine and blaze away while the front sight barely moves. I cannot think of a better trainer and first deer rifle for the smaller framed and/or young hunter. Kids love them and so does every adult that has ever asked me for more ammo after shooting all of mine!

So why doesn’t everyone have one these carbines? The answer is caliber envy. This little workhorse is chambered for the .357 magnum. For most guys reading the latest hunting and shooting magazines, the .357 magnum simply isn’t “enough gun” for deer hunting. It amazes me how many hunters will instantly proclaim the .357 inadequate for deer having never fired one at deer or even witnessed one in action.
Out
of a carbine, the .357 magnum will produce as much velocity and energy at 100 yards as a handgun will at the muzzle. Additionally, you now have a weapon you can shoot much more accurately than any handgun and its report and recoil are an afterthought. Not to mention you have a magazine of ten cartridges instead of six. Such a man is well armed indeed. But what about longer distance shots? Ask yourself, when was the last time you shot a deer that was over 100 yards away? Let me say up front this is not a long range deer hunting platform. But then again, most hunters are not long range hunters either. If your hunting routinely involves shots over 100 yards I would look for a .270 Win or the like. While hunting with the 1894c, I am confident out to 100 yards, but no further. It will kill further out, but bullet expansion starts to suffer. Without expansion, thin skinned medium game such as whitetail deer normally take a little longer to expire than I like. Admittedly, there are so many factors that can affect terminal ballistics that one man’s experiences could never offer a comprehensive review of a cartridges killing power. However, common sense is common sense and I will attempt to convey just such an argument for the .357 carbine as a deer rig. Bullet performance is the key here.
For example, I once shot a snowshoe hare right behind the shoulder with 9mm HP ammo. He showed no response and hopped off to later be finished with a .22 bullet in the head. I once shot a 40 pound young feral pig behind the shoulder with a 338 Win Mag firing 225 grain bonded bullets. I almost lost that pig. There was almost no sign of a hit and 150 yards later I found her with two 33 caliber holes on each side just above the heart. Based on these examples, shall we proclaim that 9mm 124 grain bullets are inadequate for snowshoe hare and conclude that 225 grain 338 magnum loads are no match for young hogs? Certainly not! They both had ample bore size, energy and velocity and were placed perfectly. Why then did they not perform well? The answer is bullet performance. The 9mm Hollow point needed a little more resistance to mushroom properly. It is not designed to expand in the 3 inch think rib cage of a rabbit. Similarly, the .338 Winchester Magnum slug, though extremely powerful, simply did not encounter enough tissue to upset and expand in the vitals through which it was placed. Both animals perished, but not quickly or cleanly. Assuming central nervous system shots are out, for a clean kill on medium game, an adequate bullet must expand and fragment during its transit through the vital organs. An entry and exit wound is preferable but not mandatory.

With the above in mind, remember that most .357 bullets are designed to perform at handgun velocities, not carbine velocities.  This means for optimal carbine performance, you need 158 grain pills or heavier. My primary bullet for deer and hogs is the 180 grain Hornady XTP hollow point. This bullet has the hollow point needed for lower velocity expansion and the mass needed to hold together on high velocity (read close in) impact. My handload of Hodgdon Lil’ Gun and magnum primers push this bullet right to 1800 fps out of the little Marlin. Believe me, they are potent deer killers. My field experiences average 60 to 70 yards and were all heart/lung shots. No deer has traveled further than 50 yards after impact, with most dying within 20 yards. I have yet to recover a bullet from a deer.
During range testing I set up a milk jug full of water in front of stacked wet news print. At 50 yards I needed 18 inches of news print to catch one of the bullets, which after destroying the milk jug, created a .6 to .7 inch diameter cavity in the wet news print. The recovered, expanded hollow point XTP looked like a poster child for a Hornady catalog. Try this same test with your .270 or 308; I think you will be surprised at how they compare to the .357. This load usually groups around an inch at 75 yards from a carbine with a 2x scout scope. I ask you, how is this not wonderful deer medicine? The internal damage these bullets cause is incredible. Let’s not forget, this is a 180 grain .35 caliber bullet designed to expand and kill within the velocity envelope to which I am pushing it. Put in laymen’s terms, it is a big chunk of expanding/fragmenting lead that routinely completely penetrates a broadside deer and destroys the vitals in the process.

How is this not adequate for deer? You can quote energy figures and ballistic charts all day but the fact remains they are still just numbers on paper. Remember, on paper, aeronautic engineers can prove a bumble bee cannot fly! I have yet to see a deer hit with this combination suddenly leap up and run off into the timber when it realized it was only hit by a .357 magnum. I realize that someone will say that a .22 will kill deer as well and that doesn’t make it an adequate cartridge for deer and I would tend to agree. However, one look at the terminal results of this combo of carbine and .357 and you’ll agree this ain’t no .22!

Let’s review. The Marlin model 1894C is 6 pounds, 36 inches long, has a 10 round capacity, is a fast lever action and is equally fast handling. Recoil? No. Muzzle blast? Minimal. Price? Reasonable. It is extremely versatile with uses including target practice, training, ranch needs, home defense, small game and deer hunting. A large amount of ammo is easy to carry without much weight or bulk making it a great “bug out” gun. Ammo could also be shared with a revolver and it can be topped off without taking the gun out of action. Its action is tried and true and extremely reliable even in bad conditions. Few firearms are as versatile and exhibit such a long list of favorable traits as the 1894C.  Give one a try and you’ll be glad you did.

The author with a doe he shot using his Marlin 1894C chambered in .357 Magnum. The load used was a Hornady 180 grain XTP hollow point over 15.0 grains of Hodgdon Lil’Gun for a muzzle velocity of 1800 f/s. The doe was hit behind the shoulder at a range of 65 yards and ran approximately 40 yards before expiring.

The photo above shows the entry wound made by the XTP. 

The inside of the ribcage on the entry wound side of the deer. The bullet punched through a rib and continued through the animal.

.45-70 vs. gel blocks

The following was a guest article originally posted to diyballistics.com in September of 2010.

It is a goal of mine to ultimately run a test of every lever action cartridge still in production, and maybe even a few that are largely no longer available. The big problem with this plan, as usual, is money. I am not a man of great means, so it is unlikely (barring a Powerball win) that I will own a lever action rifle chambered in every available cartridge within my lifetime. Luckily, I’m in contact with people who have many more firearms than I and who are willing to run a few gel tests for me.

Ted Hambach from the forums over at www.leverguns.com was kind enough to take the time to prepare some gel blocks and test a few of his favorite .45-70 gov’t loads. His test setup consisted of 12”x6” blocks of 10% gelatin backed by stacks of dry phone books. All test shots were fired from a Marlin model 1895 Guide Gun with an 18.5” barrel. All cast bullets were made with wheel weight alloy for an approximate BHN (Brinell hardness) of 12.

Rounds used in the tests (from left to right); 322 gn cast HP, Hornady 350 gn FP, Speer 400 gn FP, Cast 420 gn FP


The unfired bullets (left to right); 322 gn cast HP, Hornady 350 gn FP, Speer 400 gn FP, 420 gn cast FP Lyman 322 grain cast hollowpoint
The first load to hit the blocks was a 322 grain hollowpoint cast from the Lyman 457122HP mold. The usual muzzle velocity of this load is 1600 f/s. In the interest of simulating a 50 yard impact on the block (which was shot at a range of 15 feet) the charge was reduced to produce a 15 foot impact velocity of approximately 1450 f/s.

The bullet began to open up a few inches into the gel then explosively expanded, sending bullet fragments in multiple directions through the gel block with some fragments exiting the top and sides. The expansion of the bullet devastated the first 8 inches of the block and the core travelled through the entire 12 inch block, just embedding itself in the first phone book behind the gel. The primary fragment had a retained mass of 115.3 grains and a diameter of .552”.


Cross section of the cavity created by the 322 grain hollowpoint.


Recovered 322 gn HP Hornady 350 grain flat point
Next up was a Hornady 350 grain jacketed flat point. The full power load leaves the muzzle at 1900 f/s, so it was loaded down to a velocity of 1700 f/s in order to simulate a 50 yard impact.

The load inflicted a tremendous amount of destruction on the gel block, splitting it, and the 2×6” pine board on which it sat, into two pieces. After annihilating the block, the bullet buried itself 1.5” into the dry phone book backer. The recovered bullet had a retained mass 311 grains and an expanded diameter of .897”.


Cross section of the cavity created by the Hornady 350 gn FP


Recovered Hornady 350 gn bullet RCBS cast 420 grain flat nose
This bullet was cast from the RCBS 45-405-FN mold (lubed and gas checked) and loaded to an impact velocity of 1250 f/s, putting it on par with the loads that were fired from trap door rifles on the American frontier in the 19th century.

The bullet cleared the block and 3” of dry phone book, demonstrating spectacular penetrative capability. The recovered bullet has a mass of 389.5 grains and an expanded diameter of .720”.


Cavity created by the 422 gn cast FP


Recovered 422 gn cast FP Speer 400 grain jacketed flat point

This heavy hitter is usually launched at a muzzle velocity of 1800 f/s but was loaded down to an impact velocity of 1650 f/s to simulate 50 yard performance. The bullet left a wide cavity in the gel block before exiting and embedding 1” into the dry phone book backer. The bullet held together exceptionally well, balancing expansion and weight retention. The recovered bullet retained 396.1 grains of its original mass and expanded to a diameter of .842”.


Cavity created by the Speer 400 gn FP


Recovered 400 gn FP


A comparison of the unfired and fired bullets (left to right); 322 gn cast HP, Hornady 350 gn FP, 422 gn cast FP, Speer 400 gn FP

European Heavy Hitter: The Solid Brass US-S Slug Tested

Since writing this article in May of 2010, I revisited the US-S slug and attempted to create a reasonable 3 inch load incorporating them. Velocity was only a shade above 1100 f/s, but they still made short work of a gel block and penetrated more than three inches of solid hardwood. I think the US-S has great potential in the USA for  applications against heavy and/or dangerous game, but the company is running into problems finding a practical way to export them to the states. Recently, ECU (the company that makes the US-S slug) offered me distribution rights in the USA. I'm interested, but I have no idea where to start with the process and what government red tape (customs? ATF?).


If anyone out there knows how I should best get the ball rolling as an importer, please shoot me an email.

Two months ago I received an email from European Cartridge Unlimited, a Greece based manufacturer of reloading components, containing information on an interesting new 12 gauge slug called the USS (Ultra Solid Smoothbore). These slugs, which are currently offered as components for hand loading, consist of a milled, solid brass, flat point projectile encased within and mechanically locked to a stabilizing wad. The diameter of the bare, brass, projectile is .690″ with a meplat diameter of .510″. Currently, the slugs are offered in three different weights for three different hull lengths; 570 grains for 2.75″ hulls, 700 grains for 3″ hulls, and 970 grains for 3.5″ hulls. Being a shotgun slug aficionado, I just had to get my hands on a sample of these heavy hitters. I emailed the company and they were generous enough to send me a box of their 570 grain slugs to test and review.

The USS Slug loaded into a Fiocchi Hull (Left) and in it’s sabot (right).

According to Eleftherios Vasileiadis of European Cartridge Unlimited, the USS slug was formed to fill a niche in the smooth bore slug market. In Greece, the only firearms legal for hunting both large and small game are smooth bore shotguns. Further, the only big game animals that can legally be hunted are wild boar, which are known for being tough and often ornery quarry. It was felt that existing smoothbore slug technology (which has been fairly static for quite some time) left much to be desired when pursuing boar and other large, dangerous game animals. These factors ultimately lead to the development of the USS slug. Although the slugs are currently only offered in 12 gauge, projectiles for 20 gauge and .410 bore are currently in the works. Slugs for rifled barrel shotguns are also currently in development.

The first challenge in testing the slugs was working up a good load. Currently, all load data for USS slugs uses a powder called Vectan SP2. Unfortunately for me, this powder seems to be of limited availability in the United States, so I was on my own as far as load development was concerned. A quick look at a burn rate chart showed that Alliant Blue Dot has a burn rate similar to SP2, so I decided to use that powder in my trials. I started with a light charge of 30 grains in a Fiocchi hull, which yielded a velocity of 945 f/s. The slugs have to reach a velocity of at least 1250 f/s in order for the sabot petals to open up and break away properly. I gradually increased the charge until I had reached 43.0 grains for a velocity of 1356 f/s from the muzzle of my 18.5″ bbl Benelli Nova. This is where I stopped. I’m confident that further experimentation could have yielded higher velocities, but I didn’t want to run myself out of slugs during the load development process and be left without anything to fire into the test block.

Speaking of the test block, this time my approach was different than usual. Since USS slugs are designed for deep penetration, I wanted to really put them through the wringer. Rather than using the FBI standard 10% density gelatin, I doubled it to 20%. In front of this gel block, I placed 1″ of hard polyurethane plastic sheets. While hard polyurethane does not perfectly mimic bone, it was the best analogue to which I had access that would not reduce the useful life of the gel in the same manner as actual bone. Behind the gel block, I placed a series of 5/8″ plywood pieces to stop the slug should it completely penetrate the gel block. In addition to testing the USS slug, I wanted to provide a frame of reference for the results, so for the sake of comparison I also tested a 1 oz Remington Slugger (MV 1421 f/s).


The test setup used for the USS Slug. 1″ of hard plastic, 14″ of 20% gelatin, and a whole lot of plywood.

First, I fired the USS slug into the test block from a distance of 12 feet. As is evidenced by the photos below, the plastic sheeting was obliterated, the slug completely penetrated the 14″ gel block, and continued on to defeat nearly 2″ of plywood. The recovered projectile was completely unscathed, save for a few scratches. Even though I had destroyed my entire supply of polyurethane, I had a second gel block just aching to be used, so I fired the Remington slug into it without the same inch of hard plastic used to test the USS. The slug penetrated the gel block and dented, but did not penetrate the plywood backer. The recovered projectile had flattened into a lead disk .85″ in diameter.





top: The test block after being hit with the USS slug. Bottom: The entry hole made by the USS slug



The “wound” channel created by the USS. Entry is at the right end of the block.


The recovered USS. Add a new sabot and it could be fired again.





top: “Wound” channel created by the Remington Slugger. bottom: Recovered Slugger
So far, I’m encouraged by the terminal performance of the USS slug. I am going to continue working up loads for both increased velocity and optimum accuracy, incorporating different powders, and possibly additional gas seals. I am also looking forward to testing both the 700 grain and 970 grain versions of this slug, though my shoulder will likely pay dearly for the latter.

For more information on the USS slug, visit the European Cartridge Unlimited website