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Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

Anyone know if BP's fiber wads will fit in federal monarch paper hulls? The old fiber wads measure .661 and the ones from BP measure .672(according to them). I was told they fit in the cheddite paper, but tight. The old fiber wads from federal paper are snug in cheddite hull.
If not does anyone know where to get fiber wads to fit them? I checked circlefly, track of the wolf, and all the normal precision, grafs etc. I know ebay sometimes has the old Alcon fiber wads but can't find any as of now. Thanks for any help

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

The fiber wads being sold, just like the older fiber wads, will fit tight in any 16 gauge hull. Card & fiber wads are supposed to fit tight in hulls and bores. They have no elastic properties like plastic wads do, so they have to begin with a tight fit.

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

Thanks Mark. What’s the best way to install them in paper hulls?

I currently have 3 fiber 16 gauge wads on hand. A few old Herter's waxed, BP HCW (hard card wad) and BP FC wads (fiber cushion wad). Measuring about 3 each, I came up with Herter's at .687, BP HCW at .671 and BP FC at .662. I also have what I'm almost certain are BP over-the-powder Nitro card wads that are about .675.

You ask about Federal hulls and fiber wads. The J. C. Higgins shells below were loaded with old Herter' waxed wads until I ran out, and one or the other BP fiber wads till I finished up (Federal produced a number of other shells for other sellers;J. C. Higgins shells were one of these, Hawthorne's another). Don't remember either being too tight in fiber wad insertion when I loaded these, but would comment that old waxed Herter's wads often "shaved off" some wax at the hull mouth sometimes (and wax may contribute to the larger diameter above). The fiber wads in the pic are the old Herter's. I thought I had used all mine up, but my brother gave me about a hundred more a while back!

More recently, have loaded a variety of old paper Winchesters, including paper Mark Vs and old 2 and 5/8 Ranger brush load hulls (which have a unique base wad, which goes up to surround powder on the sides), with BP wads. No issues, except an occasional missed shot! Have did most of my quail hunting the past two years with these shells in my NID.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2biXamy]

[/url]jchiggins1 by Michael Widner, on Flickr

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

I use my Sizemaster and put the cards in separately and then the fiber wads.

I have some new Federal 16 ga. paper hulls and have used Winchester 16 gauge fiber wads and they are a tight fit in the Federal papers.

The Winchester fiber wads are 0.672".

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

Thanks mark.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

Anytime!!

Joined: 22 May 2020 Posts: 268 Location: Ky

Not to go to far off topic
But I too have the 16ga western ranger paper hulls with odd base, I loaded them with 7/8 ( actual 360 grains) r16 wad, Cci 209 and green dot. The load was a published 7/8 load for win compression hull( closest thing I could guess) that I got from this sight a decade or so ago. It was labeled my load on the low pressure spread sheet.
By the way I have old faded hard copies of those if they are no longer available. Seamed mild but patterned great with my tight European guns.
My question does anybody have tested loads for these western ranger hulls? I have couple hundred.
I will send out loads to be tested in the spring but thought I would ask if anybody has already done the work.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1837 Location: Central ND

Jta5er,

If you used Winchester compression formed data for those paper hulls it will be 'mild'.

The paper hulls are all straight wall and inherently will produce a 'softer' load than an equally charged tapered hull, like the Winchester CF.

Joined: 22 May 2020 Posts: 268 Location: Ky

Thanks, I was just worried about that tight cupped paper basewad.
Love the paper hulls and the smell takes me back to some great memories!