Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? - The Firearms Forum

dartswinger · 12-11-2012, 03:54 PM

I have a sizable number of Western XPERT Mark 5 hulls. These are the old plastic hull with a quite high cardboard base wad. The base wad is so high I haven't found any modern wad that will fit. I have been loading them with 18 gr. Unique - one .150 nitro wad and one .370 fiber wad with good results. I am running out of the fiber wads but still have mucho nitro wads of varying sizes. Can I form the wad stack from the nitro cards instead of fiber? A stack of one .70 - and three .150 nitro cards would give the proper height. Workable idea or no way Jose !?

Alpo · 12-11-2012, 07:33 PM

Seems like it would make more sense to get hold of Circle Fly and buy some more fiber wads, than to jury-rig something in reload.

stev32k · 12-11-2012, 08:51 PM

50 years ago myself and several friends made our own wads. Got newspaper soaking wet and stuffed 12 ga hulls that had came apart in the gun then put them in the oven until the paper was dry. Then pushed the wads out, and cut them to length. They were kinda dirty and came out of the gun on fire, but otherwise worked just as good as the wads we couldn't afford to buy.

We even tried soaking them in melted candle wax, but that didn't work out to well. The paper came apart and it made a heck of a mess. We learned that it was best to load them while they were still warm. As they cooled off and absorbed moisture they would swell just enough to provide a good seal.

dartswinger · 12-12-2012, 03:54 PM

I'm an old guy and don't shoot this 1939 vintage Win. M12 very often, I don't want to buy new ammo as I really like loading my own and seeing it work well, ya know? I don't wanna buy a box of new fiber wads as I wouldn't shoot near that many in my lifetime. Grew up dirt-poor so I hate wasting stuff, thats why I asked about forming my wad stack from the nitro cards as I have a bunch of'em. It would seem to be perfectly functional and safe - but - I would like the opinion of someone more experienced than I.

Alpo · 12-12-2012, 04:36 PM

Okay. Fiber wads compress when the gun is fired. Stacked cardboard won't. Seems to me that the "not compressing" would increase pressures. Maybe too high for the gun.

True the bag is 500 wads, but it's only eight and a half bucks.

12-11-2012, 03:54 PM	#1
dartswinger V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SE Pa. Posts: 147	Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? I have a sizable number of Western XPERT Mark 5 hulls. These are the old plastic hull with a quite high cardboard base wad. The base wad is so high I haven't found any modern wad that will fit. I have been loading them with 18 gr. Unique - one .150 nitro wad and one .370 fiber wad with good results. I am running out of the fiber wads but still have mucho nitro wads of varying sizes. Can I form the wad stack from the nitro cards instead of fiber? A stack of one .70 - and three .150 nitro cards would give the proper height. Workable idea or no way Jose !? -->

12-11-2012, 07:33 PM	#2
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,662	Re: Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? Seems like it would make more sense to get hold of Circle Fly and buy some more fiber wads, than to jury-rig something in reload. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.

12-11-2012, 08:51 PM	#3
stev32k V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 371	Re: Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? 50 years ago myself and several friends made our own wads. Got newspaper soaking wet and stuffed 12 ga hulls that had came apart in the gun then put them in the oven until the paper was dry. Then pushed the wads out, and cut them to length. They were kinda dirty and came out of the gun on fire, but otherwise worked just as good as the wads we couldn't afford to buy. We even tried soaking them in melted candle wax, but that didn't work out to well. The paper came apart and it made a heck of a mess. We learned that it was best to load them while they were still warm. As they cooled off and absorbed moisture they would swell just enough to provide a good seal.

12-12-2012, 03:54 PM	#4
dartswinger V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SE Pa. Posts: 147	Re: Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? I'm an old guy and don't shoot this 1939 vintage Win. M12 very often, I don't want to buy new ammo as I really like loading my own and seeing it work well, ya know? I don't wanna buy a box of new fiber wads as I wouldn't shoot near that many in my lifetime. Grew up dirt-poor so I hate wasting stuff, thats why I asked about forming my wad stack from the nitro cards as I have a bunch of'em. It would seem to be perfectly functional and safe - but - I would like the opinion of someone more experienced than I.

12-12-2012, 04:36 PM	#5
Alpo Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Florida Posts: 8,662	Re: Load 16 ga. with nitro cards ? Okay. Fiber wads compress when the gun is fired. Stacked cardboard won't. Seems to me that the "not compressing" would increase pressures. Maybe too high for the gun. True the bag is 500 wads, but it's only eight and a half bucks. __________________ Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and taste good with catsup - George of Lod, Year of Our Lord 297 I always take precautions. Beware the Evil Bullet Fairies.