Availability of 10 and 8 gauge wads and potential solution
 

Considering the very limited availability of 10 and 8 gauge wads in the market, a friend and I have had discussions around a potential solution, making our own. My friend has the expertise in plastic extrusion and is quite capable to set up a wad production line.

The question is what is the real demand in the market place? Is it strong enough to justify either or both of the gauges suggested and the required investment?

Just by observation at two events where there was a 8 gauge dedicated shoot, the numbers might not be there for the 8.

But the 10 is more popular given the constant presence in the matches, and may, on a national level, be viable.

I would be interested in your collective feedback that might provide insight into the demand for wads in general or more specifically what the usage rate is? :corn:

Thanks

I got a call from BPI concerning a backorder for the Gualandi style 10 gauge wad they bought the molds and patent rights to . Anyway the guy said they should hit the market in January or February . The 8 gauge he wouldn’t address :banghead:

the 10 ga would do finebut the 8 ga would be slow although I would buy 8 ga wads if they were made....I use card wads for the 8 ga since I run out of 8 ga plastic wads...and I would make the 8 ga wads hold up to 2 1/2 ounce of shot for hunters....the italan wads don't hold much shot....good luck...if you follow thru....charlie

For the 8 gauge perhaps wads could be 3d printed, I have read most plastic wads are made from LDPE which can be bought as filament for a 3d printer. Might make more sense for small scale production compared to using molds.

Charlie Ive made my own plastic shot cups for the 8 ga I tested some over fiber wads and a few attached to a SP-8 base.

would like to see pictures of your home rolled wad...charlie

Thanks for the feedback all, I had heard BPI was possibly going to do a 10, so that sounds more certain Craig. We will wait into the new year!

I find a full length shot cup helps with the roll crimp because the overshot card sits nice and flush on top of it. Though with my 8 ga being cylinder choke I didnt see much of a difference in pattern between not using a shot cup.

Wow. A really nice looking shell.

looks good to me I bet it would shoot a better pattern in a choked gun....I will try making spa shotcup wad and shoot it out of my gun that has some choke in it....charlie

Charlie all you do is take a old 10 gauge hull cut it to the length you need and glue a nitro card in the bottom. According to my caliper its measure around the same as the SP-8 wad in diameter. I want to say around .820 or so, youll want to try some different slit patterns if you decided to tinker with them. I also made some shot cups from cardboard tubes as well but they were extremely hard to cut slits into.

A bit time consuming to make and im not really sure the purpose of using a shot cup in a 8 gauge unless someone had a modern one and wanted to try different non toxic shot types. I did have some 8 gauge steel data at one time from across the pond haha. Im fine with lead though besides we cant use the 8 gauge on waterfowl anyhow so its kind of a mute point.
Still its fun to tinker and try new things.

If this post is not allowed, please remove it.

There is a substantial quantity of 4,8,&10ga material in the upcoming sporting auction at PA Auction Center. It is their 12/17/22 sportsman’s auction.

https://paauctioncenter.hibid.com/ca...tion/?cpage=10

There was quite a bit of RST Black Powder stuff that sold on GB a few weeks ago, at insane prices (nobody could have been buying it to shoot.) I think a lot of the more scarce has started going around and around the auction sites in a bizarre "rareity"situation.

How many wads would you like?

I’d very much like 4-8 bags of the Remington SP-8 wads .

I likewise got a call from BP. What Craig said. Hopefully available after the first of the year.

6-pt
8 bags (x250) ok. I will find a shipping price for this.
Anybody else?

8 ga wads
 

Neil,
I would like 4 bags please.

Keavin Nelson

I would like 4 bags of SP 8's if you still have some to sell. Thanks Craig

6-8 bags of SP-8 for me!!!!

Many of us have been told by reloading suppliers that it is illegal to export reloading supplies including wads and hulls from the UK. Neil please comment about this.

CL -
from experience that statement is false. And from enquiries here in UK the source of that is perhaps misleading - if not actually disingenuous.
But it is not for me to sway your opinion.

Milton, you may try " jug choking " your gun. .010 choke is only .005 on a side. An adjustable reamer and a slotted 1/2" aluminum about 3' long to adjust the reamer while in the barrel is all that's needed. The reamer will cost you a bit over a Franklin, but then you'd have it.

My view on "adding " choke - I would only consider it in a really thick walled barrel, preferably a single. Removing metal is rather a one-way street.
If the bore diameter is .835"+ and there is no/minimal choke I would just use a plastic wad, wrapper and buffer....( lead shot)...but may well work with bismuth.

I have seen some really good patterns out of muzzleloading shotguns that have been jugged choked, another method ive read about that doesnt remove metal is having fixed choke sleeves soldered in.