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DaMan · September 21, 2000, 07:07 PM

Maxinquaye, the "wad/wads" serve two (sometimes three) purposes.

First: It seals the expanding gases of the burning powder keeping gas from escaping around it and assuring a complete "burn" of the powder.

Second: It provides cushioning for the shot to lesson deformation. The less shot deformation, the better the pattern.

Third: The wad is sometimes used to adjust the height of the shot column in the shell for a proper crimp.

If you loaded a shotgun shell with powder directly under the shot without wads, the following would happen. There would be incomplete combustion with gas escaping between the pellets. This would result in a "blooper" load. Low velocity pellets and unburnt powder would exit the muzzle. A lot of unburnt powder residue would remain in your barrel. Not good. Makes a mess and not very effective!

Regards! DaMan

PS - And Fourth: The hot gases directly contacting the lead shot would also create hot enough temps to melt some of the shot.

[This message has been edited by DaMan (edited September 21, 2000).]

September 21, 2000, 07:07 PM	#4
DaMan Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2000 Posts: 222	Maxinquaye, the "wad/wads" serve two (sometimes three) purposes. First: It seals the expanding gases of the burning powder keeping gas from escaping around it and assuring a complete "burn" of the powder. Second: It provides cushioning for the shot to lesson deformation. The less shot deformation, the better the pattern. Third: The wad is sometimes used to adjust the height of the shot column in the shell for a proper crimp. If you loaded a shotgun shell with powder directly under the shot without wads, the following would happen. There would be incomplete combustion with gas escaping between the pellets. This would result in a "blooper" load. Low velocity pellets and unburnt powder would exit the muzzle. A lot of unburnt powder residue would remain in your barrel. Not good. Makes a mess and not very effective! Regards! DaMan PS - And Fourth: The hot gases directly contacting the lead shot would also create hot enough temps to melt some of the shot. [This message has been edited by DaMan (edited September 21, 2000).]