Simple Homemade Spreader Load

[Pete Lester]

With the demise of the Polywad Spred-R inserts I have been thinking about and looking for way to continue making spreader loads especially for the 16 gauge which has far fewer options for wads. Scott Kittredge suggested putting a nitro card over the shot to see what it would do so I loaded a 3/4 ounce load with a .070 nitro card on top of the shot charge. The results in a 16 gauge Lefever with a full choke was a pattern that went from 79% at 40 yards in a 30" circle to a pattern of 39%. I got 40% with the Spred-R inserts at the same range so I consider this to be a success. Below is a picture of the results of a nitro card on top spreader load and below a side by side comparison of the same load in the same gun with no nitro card on top.

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

Nice patterns Pete. I have been using the BPI X inserts for my 16 gauge spreaders with similar results.

[Mike Koneski]

Austin, I use the X-Stream inserts too for 10 down through 20. With 20 you need to use a brush wad then set your X insert but they all work.

[Brian Dudley]

A guy I know made up his own spreader inserts out of plastic drinking straw pieces.

[Jack Kuzepski]

Brian,
I had heard about using a piece of plastic straw in the middle of the shot charge but haven't tried it. Have you seen any patterns from this guy or heard of any results?

Jack

[Dave Noreen]

It would seem to me that with a bit of tedious work one could make spreader loads like our major ammunition manufacturers use to make.

108596

108597

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108599

[Stan Hillis]

I tried the drinking straw spreader loads. I didn't like the results at all, and abandoned that method. Couldn't get the spread I needed with them.

I'm a big proponent of the X-post inserts. They give me the spread I want and are reliable from pattern to pattern. I became a believer in them when I gave the Fiocchi Interceptor one ounce spreader loads a try in my modified choked Perazzi, for sporting clays. I despise changing choke tubes and shoot a fixed choke MX8 with two .020" chokes. The X-post Interceptors are only used on very close and very unpredictable targets, like close, fast rabbits.

My testing of X-post spreaders has given me much confidence in them.

[Pete Lester]

I tried the drinking straw spreader loads. I didn't like the results at all, and abandoned that method. Couldn't get the spread I needed with them.

I'm a big proponent of the X-post inserts. They give me the spread I want and are reliable from pattern to pattern. I became a believer in them when I gave the Fiocchi Interceptor one ounce spreader loads a try in my modified choked Perazzi, for sporting clays. I despise changing choke tubes and shoot a fixed choke MX8 with two .020" chokes. The X-post Interceptors are only used on very close and very unpredictable targets, like close, fast rabbits.

My testing of X-post spreaders has given me much confidence in them.

I have used the x-post inserts and found the Spred-R inserts were easier to load. The results of an .70 nitro card on top appear to be doing a decent job of opening up a full choke. The tested range was 40 yards and that's not a target I would choose for a spreader load. I expect the .070 nitro card load will do much better at 25-30 yards over a full choke. I like the ease of how it loads and if you have a less than ideal crimp no shot is going to leak out. I thought perhaps some folks might be surprised how a simple over the shot card can affect the pattern so drastically.

[Jim McKee]

Spreader wads I have used with good effect, not home made

??how to turn right side up???

[Pete Lester]

Spreader wads I have used with good effect, not home made

??how to turn right side up???

Unfortunately both of those products are no longer available.

[Aaron Beck]

I have used the x-post inserts and found the Spred-R inserts were easier to load. The results of an .70 nitro card on top appear to be doing a decent job of opening up a full choke. The tested range was 40 yards and that's not a target I would choose for a spreader load. I expect the .070 nitro card load will do much better at 25-30 yards over a full choke. I like the ease of how it loads and if you have a less than ideal crimp no shot is going to leak out. I thought perhaps some folks might be surprised how a simple over the shot card can affect the pattern so drastically.

Is this a true to gauge nitro card? 16 ga in a 16 ga hull for instance?

[Pete Lester]

Is this a true to gauge nitro card? 16 ga in a 16 ga hull for instance?

That is what I used.

[David Noble]

Pete, what type of ring do you use to mask off the target from the pellets outside of the 30 inch circle?

[Pete Lester]

Pete, what type of ring do you use to mask off the target from the pellets outside of the 30 inch circle?

Targets are ready to go out of the box. The 30 inch circle is printed on it and additional 30" circles with smaller border are there as well in case your pattern is slightly off center. There are two types available from Ballistic Products, one with a clay pigeon in the center and one with a flying duck, I just buy which ever one is available, last time the duck target was on sale.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Winchester-Pattern-Target-30-Clays/productinfo/WPTSC/