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Wolfchief
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2005 6:28 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 782
Location: Indiana

Does any one know of a company who makes spreader loads for the 16 ga.; ie, they would spead when shot from a tight-choked gun? Have you used them, were they effective, what was the approximate cost, etc??? Thanks for any info.

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IFL16's
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2005 11:02 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Oregon

Wolfchief, Polywad http://www.polywad.com/polymag.html makes some 16 gauge spred-R loads in both a vintager load and regular higher pressure load. The vintager only comes in 8 shot but you can get the other in 6 shot and smaller. I personally haven't had much luck with the regular 1 oz. 2 3/4" shell. It's got a card over the end instead of a regular crimp and in an IC, mod., and two full choke barrels all the patterns have been blown at 20 yards. I've reloaded shells using their little plastic post and had great luck with them but for some reason I can't get a decent pattern from their factory load. I haven't tried their low pressure 2 1/2" 7/8 oz. vintager spred-R load. Don't need them for targets and 8 shot is too small for chukars.

Larry
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Wolfchief
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2005 3:23 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 782
Location: Indiana

Thanks, Larry, I'll check out their website. It sounded too good to be true.....

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IFL16's
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2005 4:00 pm  Reply with quote
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At least you can buy them by the box to try out before committing to a whole case or flat. Good luck and if you get some let us know how they pattern for you.

Larry
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Mr. 16 gauge
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:28 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 18 Apr 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Troy, MI

If you reload, polywad makes a plastic insert that you can insert on the top of your shot charge (it looks sorta like a golf tee); I have used these in my modified choked Ithaca to open the choke to take woodcock, quail, ect. and it works pretty well.
I have heard that dividing up the shot charge with cardboard spacers will also accomplish the same result. I have loaded up some 12 gauge rounds with the polywad spreader, the "X" spreader from Ballistic Products, a home made cardboard X from the back of a legal pad, and some discs that I made from dividing some 20 gauge cardboard wads. I will post the results when I get a chance to do the testing (Unfortunately, it won't be until mid June at the earliest). I would imagine that if the 20 gauge cardboard wads work to open the pattern, you could do the same thing in 16 gauge using 28 gauge cardboard wads.

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hoashooter
PostPosted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:40 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: Illinois

Another trick is to cut the petals off.What this will do us deform the the shot down the barrel.This will spread the shot due to the flattening.If you have the time and patience you can make x's out of cardboard and simply push them into the shot charge.Last but not least is to cut more petals into the wad using stout scissors.Remember to use soft shot too Laughing Lastly-----CHECK YOUR BORE WHEN TRYING OUT THESE LOADS----A BLOWN BARREL WOULD BE BAD Embarassed tHESE ARE PROVEN METHODS BUT PLAY IT SAFE Exclamation Exclamation Exclamation Exclamation
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polywad
PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:55 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Posts: 1

I noticed that ya'll were discussing polywad, so I decided to drop by and provide some interesting news regarding Polywad...

Recently, I teamed up with Jay Menefee and we rebuilt a new web site for Polywad that is very user friendly and has a good secure on-line order entry system.

To learn more about these Polywad products you were just discussing and to view the new website, click on the following link:

www.polywad-shotgun-shells.com

Thanks for your interest in Polywad!

R. McEwen
webmaster for Polywad
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16gaugeguy
PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:47 am  Reply with quote
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I covered these Polywad inserts pretty well in several posts during September/early October. Jay Menefee sent me some to try in my AyA full choked gun. They work great and are easy to reload with. Plus, Jay is one of the few manufacturers who has produced a product for the 16 ga reloader and deserves our business, our loyalty, and our thanks. I intend to use them reularly in my hunting loads from now on.
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bustingclays
PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:23 pm  Reply with quote
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Gentlemen:

I have not tried the polywad inserts.

I have, however, tried the X spreaders from Ballistic Products and they work great with 1 oz of 7.5s or 8s in cheddite hulls and the sp16 wads. I have not patterened these on paper, but they are murder on skeet targets - expecially stations 3, 4, and 5.

My 16 ga AYA Matador was choked m/f before I had the barrels opened up and these loads with the inserts allowed me to shoot many 25s with this gun.

Funny, I have found many of the X spreaders on the ground at station 8 and have picked them up and re-used them.

When I upgraded to a 16 ga grabber, I kept my mec jr just in case I needed to handload some more on an as needed basis.

good luck....

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16gaugeguy
PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:51 pm  Reply with quote
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I use my 16 ga Grabber to load the Polywad inserts without difficulty of any kind. I just insert them into the wad guide after seating the shotwad and dropping the shot. I then repull the handle just enough to clear the spreader insert cap past the wad guide fingers and the shell mouth. I do so carefully and avoid dropping additional shot. The crimp start and form station does the rest automatically. Its that easy. it will become second nature for you in no time. Trust me here. You won't be using that 600 much longer if you try the Polywad inserts. And, they are far cheaper to get than the Ballistic Research Spreader inserts. Just order directly from Polywad. Thats a good thing for me too, because I've used a lot of them so far and need to buy more.

Plus, by sheer coincidence, I also use them in a 1960 Matador with 28" full and extra full barrels to shoot skeet with. Small world! Very Happy See my old posts about this gun and my introduction to the 16ga Polywad insert in early October. They are also very effective. Before I used them, breaking 20 with the AyA as a real chore. Now, 24-25 is a common thing. Give them a try in your Grabber. You'll love them.
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bustingclays
PostPosted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:48 pm  Reply with quote
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16gaguy

Thanks for the tips with the grabber. I will have to order some polywads in the next couple of weeks to try them out.

Curious - any trouble with the Matador? Mine doubled about 3 weeks ago on station 7 low - wasn't much left of the bird Shocked . I was sure surprised. I had the resident shopsmith/gunsmith look it over and the conclusion was the wood was binding the switch between the hammers. Relieved the binding and no more problems (so far).


Last edited by bustingclays on Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:28 am; edited 1 time in total

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16gaugeguy
PostPosted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:51 am  Reply with quote
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So far, mine has been 100% dependable. However, I've heard that the single selective trigger/selective ejector system on the Matador can be problematic. Mine was made in 1960 from near the end of that model's run. So its possible the problems were solved by then. Plus, the gun was given too me by a friend who owned it for decades but never shot it. So its seen very little use.

I did a file test on a corner of the barrel water table on mine. The test indicated that the steel in this gun is not as hard as my Citori guns. But it is not overly soft either. I think I will use only milder and light 3/4 or 7/8 oz. skeet loads in it on a regular basis as well as keep the bearing surfaces well greased. Other than that, I'd have to take a wait and see approach to honestly form a more qualified opinion or offer any other meaningful advice.

I do know that the stock wood can be a problem on any boxlock type action and have seen the same problem on various guns of different makes including Winchester 101 models, Beretta 686 and 682 models, a Miroku Charles Daly, and a few others. Wood can and will swell in odd places being an organic material. There is little any gunmaker can do but cut the mortices to adequate size and put some type of sealer in the grain. Sometimes the sealer gets skipped or skimped on. Or, sometimes the wood has an unstable spot in an unfortunate area. These things happen.

The good news is that the problem is a very easy one to fix by identifying the offending area, relieving the wood, and applying some sealing agent to prevent it from reoccuring. I would just keep an eye on it. If your smith knew his stuff, you'll probably not have anymore problems. Anyway try those Polywad inserts. They are prefect for use with a progresive machine. Good luck, 16GG.
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