16ga.com ~ View topic - Ballistic Products X-Stream Spreader

Member Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 76 Location: Denver

Have any of you used these in 16g,, and do they work? Any special tricks needed to use them well when reloading?

As always, thanks.

Paul

*Last edited by brdhnt on Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:16 pm; edited 1 time in total*

Paul,

I have a grouse hunting buddy who has an old AH Fox with M/F chokes. I loaded up a bunch of these for him last year with one ounce of plated # 7's for grouse and one ounce of #8's for woodcock. They gave him skeet 1 (25%) patterns and light IC (about 42%). They worked well for him last year on grouse and woodcock. I used the B&P multi-hull (Cheddite case) with Winchester 209 primers, some of my dwindling supply of WAA-16 wads and Herco Longshot powder.

One thing I found is to make inserting the spreader a separate step. I used a single stage MEC and after inserting the wad, I would insert the spreader and then drop the shot. This worked well and they filled the shot cup nicely and the shot distributed evenly.

Hope this helps.

TB
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There is another alternative that is perhaps at least as effective and a bit easier to reload. Try some of the Poly Wad spreader inserts. They look like a big yellow plastic thumb tack. You insert them into the shot , pin down, by using the wad guide and a second pull of the handle after the shot drop. They "self center" into the middle of the shot column slick as can be. I run these loads in my MEC Grabber without a hiccup. They are at least as easy to use in a single stage press.

Be aware that all inserts displace shot. The Poly wad insert dispaces tghe least of all--about 1/8 ounce of shot. so you can use a 1-1/8 ounce wad for 1 ounce loads or a 1 ounce wad for 7/8 ounce loads. Its easy as pie.

The poly wad inserts are also less expensive than most Ballistics Products items and can be oredered direct from Polywad in Georgia to you. they are on the web under ploywad. They are also real nice folks to do business with and staunch supporters of the 16 gauge. I think you'll like doing business with them.

I use the X-Stream spreaders to make "spreader" loads for my light weight 16 gauge SxS. I find that I get IC patterns from my Full choke barrels.

Like the others said, one must allow for the displacement of shot due to the spreader insert. Also, I drop the shot into the wad in the hull, and then I insert the X-Stream spreader. It probably doesn't affect the pattern either way, its just the procedure that I found easiest for me.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Cut the petals off a few wads-load as normal and pattern-see what ya get---save yourself some bucks

Paul,
I have tried the X inserts from Ballistic Products and the T inserts from Polywad. Both work great and do open up the patterns. I like the Polywad inserts better for roll crimps and I like the X inserts better for standard crimps.
When I use the Polywad inserts for standard crimps, sometimes they do not crimp well or the crimps later pop open. This happens even when I drop down 1/8 ounce of shot. This happens to me in all of the gauges; with new or fired hulls.
If you notice, the loaded shells sold by Polywad all have roll crimps.
XVI

I've been using these inserts for over a year now and have yet to have one shell pop open. They work perfectly if you allow enough room above the top button for crimping. They are no different than using a thin wad on top of the shot before crimping like is recommended with buffered shot loads.

It all comes down to adjusting the height of the column inside the shell before you crimp. If you are not getting a good crimp, then use more wad seating pressure or shorten the column by a 1/16th of an inch. You might have to use less shot or go to a denser powder or a lighter charge of a faster powder. This is where reloading experience comes in. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.

Here is one recipe that works perfectly. Remington GL/SP hull. R16 wad or SP wad with 1, 28 ga. .135" thick card wad. 7/8 ounce of shot over 16 grains of Green dot. The Polywad insert is placed just after the shot is dropped by using the wad guide and second, light stroke of the ram to seat it without dropping more shot. Crimp as usual with a .060-.065." deep crimp set (1/16th inch). you can add one card wad and subtract 1/8 ounce of shot for a nice 3/4 ounce skeet load as well in the same recipe. If your crimps are popping open with these two loads, you are doing something wrong. Either ther is too much shot, the wad is being seated high, or you are not using a sufficient crimp set depth and final form taper.

Here is another, Same hull, one firmly seated SP-16 wad. 1 ounce of #6 shot over 18-19 grains of Unique. No card wad needed here. place the insert the same way and crimp as above.

These inserts work best with Remington or Winchester type wads. European wad shot cups are too short and interfere with the way the Polywad inserts work and how well they seat. hope this helps.

I have no problem with roll crimps if you have the time and the tools. However, I use a progessive press to reload 95% of my shells because I will blow through 100 to 150 in morning's shooting. I don't have the time to roll crimp this many shells, earn a living, and tend to domestic needs too on a regular basis. I do not know many foks who do. these Polywad inserts are the answer to a time challanged man's prayers. they work perfectly for skeet in my full choked guns and reload almost as quickly and easily as a standard load on my press. Plus, they are much more affordable than the Basllistic Products inserts if you shoot as many as I do.

By the way, I've tried using wads with the petals cut off. They don't work that well to spread a shot column. The Poly wad insert will help your full choked gun shoot a minimum of a loose IC pattern every time. you can use a 20-28 gauge insert to get a loose modified pattern in a 16 ga shell too. They work very uniformly and predictabley if you load them correctly. You can't ask for better results. Well, maybe you might, but I'll bet that if you do, then you are also the type who always wants an egg in your free beer too. Laughing

I use European wads almost exclusively. That may be the problem. I have been reloading since I was 12 years old and I am now 56, so I think I have some experience. I am just too old and too stubborn to change my whole set up and change several other components just so I can use the Polywad. I will continue to use the Polywad T for roll crimps and the X spreader for standard crimps. Why can't I have the best of both worlds? It works for me, not necessarily for you.
XVI

... and probably a whole bunch more leisure time too. Laughing

Hoashooter recommended cutting the petals off regular wads and watching what happens. I suggest you don't do that. Yes, the technique will open patterns quite effectively, especially if card wads are used as spacers in the shot column. The problem is that the unprotected shot rubs against the barrel during firing, and leaves a film of lead inside the bores. With repeated firings, the film becomes a cake of lead and is a monster to remove. Other problems also emerge.
The question: Is the cost savings of removing the wad petals worth the aggravation of removing caked-on lead from the bores? I think not.