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Guest

Keith place the 20 gauge felt wad inside the wad shot cup. Let the wad seal the powder in the way it is intended.

Member Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 592 Location: Minnesota

Similar situation when loading 1 1/16oz - any difference between cork, felt or fiber filler wads? Or - for those who look for cost savings - I've read people use Cheerios?

Member Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Michigan

Twice Barrel - if I put the felt wad inside the shotcup, I will still have a spacing problem. Won't the 20 ga felt wad seal the powder (they are listed in catalog as over the powder wad. My question is, will the 20 ga felt wad be the right diameter to seal the powder in a 16 ga hull. I think that I have read somewhere that they are.

Keith

Guest

Keith,

The felt wad can't seal the powder gases. Only plastic gas seals or hard 1/8" or thicker card wads can seal powder gases properly. Filler wads are best put in the shot cup and ALWAYS under the shot. Pinto beans and any other B.S. filler is to be avoided, as they promote inconsistent ballistics as they desintegrate before the crimp opens. The ideal situation is the primer ignites the powder and the crimp holds tight until the powder gas overcomes the crimps mechanical strength. Start putting fillers in that desintegrate and you get all kinds of erratic pressure curves.

Guest

Ole Dog Chaser has it pretty much right, however, I have found no appreciable difference in putting a couple grains of puffed wheat/rice or a styrofoam disc on top of the shot charge as a filler.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Member Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Michigan

Guest

Hi Keith,

It is safe, but I guess I am missing the spacing issue. Under the shot in the shot cup is going to make up the same space as over the powder. If the issue is that a row or two of pellets is out of the shot cup if you put the card wad in the shot cup, that shot will be in the wad once you pull the trigger.

Member Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Michigan

dogchaser37 - there is already quite a few pellets that don't fit into the shotcup as it is (1 oz loads). If I put the card into the shotcup, that would put a lot of the pellets outside of the shotcup and I didn't want to do that.

KEith

Guest

Keith,

If that load fits that poorly, I would find another load that works better, There should not be that much of a problem putting a load together.

If you really need this load I would use a 20 gauge card wad over the powder. I know it is smaller than 16 gauge but you want the plastic wad to seal the powder gas properly and you don't want a 16 gauge card wad interferring.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Guest

SPR310,

I agree with you that this load doesn't sound correct at all.

To be honest, there isn't a load I will put together and use either for the field or for clays, that I use filler wads of any kind for. I have never found any reason for it. Hull, primer, powder, plastic wad, shot and a nice tight crimp. That is it, if you need to do more than that get another load, IMO.

I have developed a lot of loads and the lead loads that perform best are always the ones that are simplest to reload. I have developed some loads that require filler wads, but even though they were published, I avoid them.

I understand some of the guns with short chambers need to use filler wads,but in 2 3/4" length, I don't see the need. Between B & P, SP16 and Gualandi wads and the hulls we have now only 3/4 oz loads and a few 7/8 oz. loads would need filler.

Now with Mr. Hammack coming out with his new wad that should eliminate the foolishness for the 3/4 and 7/8 oz loads too.

I have never seen a filler wad yet, that added to the internal, external or terminal ballistic efficiency of a load in a positive way, or sped up the loading procedure.

Member Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 115 Location: Michigan

All I can tell you is that I am using a published load (Reloaders Bible) for Fiochhi hulls and there is way too much room left over inside the hull. Now with the Remington plastic wads, the spacing is perfect, but the Remington wad does not seal the Fiocchi hull as the Remington wad was made for tapered hulls. The lack of good components (hulls/shotcups) for the 16 gauge is a real problem. I load thousands of shells each year for registered trap shooting in 12 gauge and hundreds of loads each year in 28 gauge for skeet shooting/hunting and don't have this problem because of the quality of components available.

SPR310 - it wouldn't bother me a bit if you didn't want to shoot next to me. I am asking for help and you insult me.

dogchaser37 - I appreciate your patience and willingness to provide constructive help.

I am simply not able to have the right spacing in a Fiocchi 2 3/4" hull using only the BP plastic shotcups. I don't know what else to do other than to use an overpowder wad for spacing. I do not like the idea of a lot of the shot being outside the shotcup - that does not happen in any of my loads in other gauges. I have never reloaded anything but published recipes, but I can not find one that works with the hulls/wads listed above.

Keith Rich

Guest

I'm not much help when it comes to Fiocchi hulls, Keith. My Fiocchis hulls are stashed away for "someday" reloading.

If you're set on using the Fiocchis and have a large stash to use up, you could try trimming the hulls down and pick up a "short kit" for your MEC (if your're using a single stage MEC). That would take care of the space problem, but add more time and expense.

I know some guys have made there own short kit by cutting out a wooden platform to elevate the shortened hulls 1/4".

Guest

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=13300&sid=e93b68cc1a8be5f6fca1a1a0a993df20

http://www.mecreloaders.com/order/OrderItem.asp?PartNbr=1008849

All a moot point if not using a MEC, or not interested in the hassle or expense.