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Joined: 26 Jan 2015 Posts: 1

Started reloading using Spread_R wads, but made mistake of not subtracting 1/8 oz of lead as directed. I thought the load recipe my friend sent me had already done that….I was wrong. Glad I checked with him.

Here is what I loaded:

Federal Hulls
25gr of 4756
WAA 16 wad
1 oz #8

I should have loaded 7/8 oz of lead and the Spread_R disc instead of 1 oz and the Spread_R disc. I loaded 55 of them. They crimped well and look good, however I know that this would increase the pressure of the load. I know this is a low pressure load anyway, but I am worried about what this would do to the pressure. Any thoughts? I shoot an Ugartechea. Do I need to get out the razor blade and save the components?

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

I haven't weighed one, but I'd think that the increase would be similar to that much of an increase in the shot column. Compare what the pressure is for the same powder/etc with the additional weight of the plastic.

That load is listed at 8500 PSI, in the Hodgdon data. Adding the spreader is not going to raise the pressure over 11,500 PSI.

The reason for less shot is to achieve the proper wad column height. The plus is there will be no increase in chamber pressure, which means that the spreader manufacturer can be lazy, cheap and not produce loading data.

The weight of the plastic is not a consideration.

I read the Spred-R advice the same way Mark DC47 apparently does. First of all, I find Spred-R's advice ambiguous. I think they meant to take out 1/8 oz of shot for fit reasons. I do not reduce my shot charges when I use Spred-R's. I don't load Spred-R's in loads with pressures posted right up against SAAMI limits. It seems likely the Spred-R can only increase peak pressures, but it also seems unlikely it can increase pressures enough to hazard a gun that meets proof, or SAAMI criteria, even if they go over SAAMI limits. i.e. is a Spred-R going to take you further than a 18,000 psi proof load or anything close to that? And no, I'm not saying I'll accept as "OK to shoot" anything up to 18,000 psi or whatever the proof load is.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2347 Location: West MI

I agree and understand the data as well in that it's purely a volume and not a pressure thing using the PW inserts. I use em & love em.