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Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 52 Location: Michigan

Is it important that the entire shot charge fit inside the wad's shot cup? For example, the Gaulandi SG 16 wad will load 7/8 and 1 ounce loads but the shot cup holds only 3/4 ounce of shot. If I'm loading 1 ounce loads is it a problem that 25% of the shot is not protected by the plastic sides of the shot cup - especially if I'm shooting it in a Browning sporting gun with ported barrels? (The DR 16 wad holds only 3/4 ounce of shot also, while the CB 16 holds 1 1/8 ounce). Thanks.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Most domestic one piece plastic wads originally designed by or for Remington, Winchester, and Federal hold most of the designated shot load but rarely all of it. A few layers of shot usually end up a bit above the rims of the cup when inside the hull. These exposed layers of shot will usually settle back into the cup when the load is fired and the wad and shot charge exit the hull. Some recommended loads allow for a considerable amount of shot to be exposed above the rim of the shot cup. However, the loads' overall performance usually warrant this. We see this mostly in magnum loads with extra heavy shot charges.

I personally prefer my selected wads to have shot cups which hold and protect as much of the designated shot charges as possible when I'm using heavier shot charges of bigger shot sizes in my 16 gauge (and other sub-gauge) hunting loads designed for bigger birds. I want as many of these big pellets to exit the bore in a good round shape so they have a reasonable chance of remaining in the patterns out at longer anticipated ranges. This is why I prefer to use Remington SP16, Winchester clones, and the now obsolete Herter's 16 ga, 1-1/8 ounce wads for most of my heavy duty 16 ga. hunting loads.

I also prefer the R16, one ounce wad or the Winchester clone for all of my 1 ounce hunting loads.

If you examine the wads after shooting them, you'll notice that the top of the wad rarely has shot indentations. The overflow shot most likely ends up in the wad on setback.

Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 477

Several commercial shells are semi-transparant. If you look at them closely, you'll see most don't contain all the shot within the cup.