Dan,
I have a 1901 VH 12/30" F&F. Iload 17.8 grs. of Clay Dot with 7/8 oz. of 71/2 with a claybuster 4100 wad. I shoot sporting twice a week and 5 stand and skeet with it. An old Pennsylvania Dutchman told me many years ago, " keep the wood on the wood and if you are on the target it doesn't matter what choke you have".
Tom

I use the Claybuster 8100 which is for tapered hulls. Is the 4100 for straight walled hulls? Is there an advantage to having 8 petals on the wad instead of 4?

Today I shot trap with the Parker, and I shot 2 X 24's and 1 X 21 with 3/4 oz #8's using Claybuster CB0175-12 wads and 15gn of Xtra Light powder in a Remington-Peters hull.

I think it's either a manufacturing defect in the gun, or it's the gun's age that kept me from getting a couple of 25's today. It couldn't possibly be me! I should have the gun checked out by a very old gunsmith.

(I have noticed that I don't keep my noggin on the stock. The Parker jumps a lot more than my 1100, and for some reason I lift my head off the stock to watch the bird break. BAD habit, that I need to stop quickly!)

Dan,
Before I had my Parkers I always used the clay buster 1078, gray wad. One of the guys I shoot with each week had me try the 4100. Using my o/u I patterned the same powder and shot load, two with the 1078 and two with the 4100. I noticed a more open pattern with the 4100 so I changed. At my club we have a couple of stations that are near water. I have had a number of people ask me, first how my barrels are choked, and then what load and wad I am using. Apparently they are seeing my shot pattern on the water. The owner of Backwoods Quail Club measured the chokes and told me they are full/fuller. He did not give me the measurements, and I think Rick Hemmingway would know how to read a bore gauge. Oh, that old Dutchman also told me "never admire your handy work".
Tom

Lots of different spreader insert recipes. One of the 16 G forum guys puts most of the shot under the Polywad little bit more on top. He has a long and very good post on 16g.com. Best I have seen on spreaders. Worth reading.

My on top wad is easy and one recommended by Polywad. Aside they don't make a 10 g insert, recommend using the 12 in 10 g hulls. Works fine too. I don't expect a lot out of spreaders. Just give some open pattern for shots under Skeet distances, less than 20 yards.

William

I got the X-spreader and the Poly-Wad confused. That's why I didn't understand putting the spreader on top of the shot. I was wondering how you would push the X down into the shot. I ordered the X, and it looks like I'll have to order some of the Poly-wads as well.

From that posting on the 16ga site, I see there are uses for both strategy's. I'll try them both out and let you know what I find. It sounds like I can set up some loads to let me play all of the games I'm interested in.

X and Polywad disk = two different methods. Each has its fans. My shooting buddy swears by the X. It goes in the cup before the shot. Polywad you insert in the wad station after the shot and the one I prefer.

I am not sure it makes a lot of difference or more likely can't tell the difference without extensive testing . Thing about the disk on top I have confidence in it for certain targets. Confidence is 90% of the game.

Side tip I load my regular 7/8 loads I Red AA hulls. Spreaders in Green Gun clubs. Keeps things straight in the pouch. Much as I like 7/8 I do have a few 1oz loads in STS hulls for very long targets. On the one hand you can make the game too complicated. On the other loads tailored to the Gun and Target are nice to have.

William

Do you know the difference between the solid one and the one with the holes? The descriptions are a bit odd. The solid ones say for use in Mod or Full only, and the one with the holes says Cyl, Imp, Mod and Full. What's the purpose for the holes?

I shoot light loads, 7/8 oz 1145fps or 3/4 oz 1250fps.

Dan, The inserts with the holes allow shot to leak through filling up the center of the pattern. I have tried both and prefer the ones with the holes. I have spent many hours on the phone with Jay Menefee from Poly -wad and I feel I have a good understanding of the spreader load .

I seem to have a bit of a commitment issue... I just ordered 1000 Spread-r wads with holes, and another 1000 without. I guess if I like the ones with the holes, I can punch holes in the solid ones, and if I prefer the solid ones, I can cover the holes with duct tape.

Between the Polywads, the X-Stream spreaders, the Overshot wads, and the cupless wads, I should have enough combo's for me to spend the rest of the winter at the patterning board without ever paying to try to break a clay!

Just think of the money I'll save in shooting fees! I know how I'm going to finance my next Parker!

This is what I found when I patterned the barrels from 40 yards. 100% of the pellets are inside the 30" ring.
Right barrel
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1...rker-right.jpg
Left barrel
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...arker-left.jpg