16ga.com ~ View topic - wads, wad cushions, and many more questions for a new guy

Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 36 Location: Southern Indiana

My first question is where do you guys find wads for 7/8-1 oz loads? I have found one or two brands. Are those the only ones made? My second question refers to wad cushions(I think that is what they are called). I have a bunch of Rem sp16 wads, but they are only for 1 1/8 oz loads. Could I place a cushion over the powder and use this wad for a 1 oz load, or would I place this cushion inside the wad under the shot? If so does anyone have a recipe for this? I have Remington, Winchester, and Federal Hulls to try this with. Is doing this as affective as using a wad designed for 1 oz loads. All help is appreciated.

others will answer with more experience/specifics than I but from what I'm seeing, you add a shot card to the inside of the shot cup (wad) once it is in the shell but before the shot charge on the sp16 wad. I believe some use the spreader thingie from Ballistic Products to "fill" space in the SP16 and use 1 oz. of shot

search "28 gauge card" or similar and you should find a few threads that will help you

Also - be very careful with recipes and different hulls - there's lots of posted recipes out there and each are specific to ALL components used.

I'm scouring the Hogdon 2007 manual and seeing differences just by using a different primer, same shot/powder/hull - each hull has it's own characteristics. You can't simply swap hulls and use the same fillers...

Be very careful how you load each hull type and follow recipes exactly.

as for 7/8 or 1 oz wads - they sometimes buy a bulk order of 1oz from somewhere but I haven't seen it since before the holidays.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

I'm fairly new too but as to where to go - go online to BPI to buy wads and 7/8 -1oz you can get SG16, Z16 or MM.

The overshot cards are for just that, placing over the top of the shot just before crimp. The filler goes in the bottom of the wad's shotcup and is from 1/8 - 1/4" thick and is felt cushion wads by BPI for 16 GA you buy 20GA cushion wads so they fit in the shotcup. These are just general rules and not gospel - but great for a newbie to follow. Right now I'm loading 1oz loads with the federal purple hull, the SG16 wad with an 1/8" felt cushion wad in the bottom of the shotcup, followed with 1oz of nickel shot, then an overshot card over the shot and I'm getting great crimps and excelllent patterns for upland bird hunting. Just got some z16's to try too and will see if they are even better. I have found Ballistic Products to have the fastest service and best selection for my needs. Except I just ordered a bunch of Cheddite Hulls from Grafs becasue they are a bit cheaper - but I still have gotten two BPI orders delivered in the time that I'm still waiting for Grafs stuff to arrive. So BPI is fast for me. Midway supply was also faster than Grafs. Not sure if its due to my location or what.

Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 36 Location: Southern Indiana

Okay, I want to verify what I think I am hearing. If I have a recipe for a 1 1/8 oz load I can put a 1/8 fiber cushion under the shot and only add 1 oz of lead instead of 1 1/8. I loaded my first 60 shells last night, and I was very careful to follow a recipe that I had for Federal Shells. I know I listed numerous hulls, and that is just because I have a collection of shells from years past sitting around. I plan to reload all of them if at all possible with different combinations until I find one I really like. My crimps last night varied from very ugly to like new. I haven't figured out what the trick is yet.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

The question is: do you need the cushion as a filler to get the shot column high enough for a good crimp? Not sure of the volume capacity of the wads you have but the reason for the filler is usually to ultimately get the shot slightly above the top of the shotcup and to get a good crimp. So, the only reason for the filler wad is to adjust shot column height for good crimps. Cuz good crimps translate into better loads for several reasons running all together.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

Oh and by the way....no you cant take the 1 1/8 down to 1 oz by placing a filler in the shotcup with that recipe. That will completely change the load dynamics. You want 1oz loads - you need to get a 1oz recipe. Pressures will change dramatically with very little change in recipe -I repeat DONT DO THAT!!!

Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 36 Location: Southern Indiana

The reason I am wanting to use a filler cushion is simple. I have easy access to Rem SP16 wads and nothing else. The wads are designed for 1 1/8 oz loads for the most part. I was hoping I could add a filler and use 1 oz instead of 1 1/8 oz. Is that possible. I will buy whatever powder I need to use, but right now I have Unique. I am not going to try any of this until I get certain verification from a few people, so don't worry I won't go and blow myself up. I am new to this, and that makes me ultra cautious. The problem I have is that there are very few if any recipes for the SP16 in the loading manual I have for 1 oz loads. If someone has a 1 oz recipe for the SP16 for either Winchester XX Hulls, Purple Federal Hulls, or Black Remington Hulls that would be great also. If not can I make a 1 oz load using the SP16? I'm sure there is an easier way, I just haven't found it yet.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

sure you can put the filler in the SP16 and load 1oz - just not with that 1 1/8th oz recipe. You need to find a 1oz recipe using whatever hull, primer, wad and powder you have on hand. Or you will have to buy some new stuff if its not currently in your supply. If you cant fins a 1oz recipe that has ther SP16 wad, hull, primer etc that you have then you can't do it. My guess is you can find a recipe. And yes, you can load that SP16 with 1oz of shot

JUST DONT USE THAT 1 1/8 RECIPE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT

GET A 1oz RECIPE!!! then use that filler wad all day long if you want.
I load the SP16 all the time with 1oz of shot - why not? I just make sure and use a 1oz recipe.

870W: It sounds like you've got enough ingredients to make a load but are missing the exact recipe - go to the website for your powder mfgr and look up recipes that work with your components. trying to be helpful

Also check out the low pressure group - I'm sure that knowledge base would help you with your specific problem.

I am also curious how to "finish" a load (for lack of a proper term) with a 1 1/8 os wad with 1 oz of shot - I have several from the hogdon manual but they don't mention fillers or cards - so if you find a solution, please share - here or PM would be appreciated

Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 36 Location: Southern Indiana

I have the 4th edition of Reloading for Shotgunners and it has 4 loads for Rem SP16 wads in 1 oz, and they are all for Winchester Hulls. Where should I look for a 1 oz recipe for Federal and Remington Hulls? And thanks for all of the advice. I and my neighbors appreciate that nothing around here has blown up lately.

go hit the bookstore/news shop - the hogdon 2007 manual looks like a magazine and has several pages of 16 loads for rem, fed, win, fiocci hulls and a few others. it lists several recipes for each hull type - both 1 & 1 1/8 oz. loads - it lists different wads, primer & powder formulae for each hull type - steel & bismuth too.

Maybe check their website - you may be able to download it but I simply bought it when i saw it.

Member Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 524

Go to the Unique powder MFG website and look under load data. Chances are 50-50 they will have a load with those components. Otherwise you may have to bite the bullet and order some SG16 or Z16 wads from BPI

As for recipes calling for fillers - they rarely will. The filler is inconsequential to the recipe and will rarely be called out in the recipe. Remember, the filler wad is just to get proper shot height for good crimps. You just can't sub filler wad for shot quantity like in your original question which was "can I change shot load from 1 1/8 to 1oz if I use a filler. The filler has nothing to do with the weight of the shot charge, recipe or anything else except shot height for your crimp. One thing I ve been kind of bummed about myself is the lack of large amounts of load info for Fed purple hulls. Oh there info, just not nearly as much as Fiochi, Win, REM, Cheddite and just about every other hull. Try joining the 16GA low pressure group -I'm sure they will have a recipe for you. Thats an awesome group!

Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Memphis, TN

One non-16ga source is http://www.sgcato.com/smf/

Post there and you're sure to get a response. Send a PM to "Ned S" on there, and if he doesn't know (or know who knows), I'll eat your boot.

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/shotshel/16rempla.php

I count 5, 1oz loads using SP16 wads.

http://www.imrpowder.com/data/shotshell/16rem-sp.php

8 loads here.