Shot shell Wad shelf life?

mjes92 · November 9, 2015, 02:55 PM

I came across two bags of Remington shot shell wads my brother had sitting around for 30 years. Is there a shelf life for Shot shell Wads?

The wads look fine, but its hard to know if the material has not deteriorated over the years. I know an Old armature state champion trap shooter that would comb the trap field for used wads and reuse them for the next match back in the 70's. Don't know if it was a good idea or not but it worked.

I'm assuming 30 year old un-used wads are safe in comparison.

Opinions?

MarkCO · November 9, 2015, 03:18 PM

If they are still pliable and soft, I would use them.

I got a bunch of old stuff from a reloader, some were fine, some were not. When I started opening up loaded rounds, I found some of both. Luckily they were well labeled so the brand that had become brittle (and some of the other shells that were suspect) we only shot in inexpensive pumps. We were not worried about blowing something up, but the brittle wads did not pattern well and would not reliably cycle the auto-loaders.

lamarw · November 9, 2015, 03:27 PM

I would expect them to be just fine as long as they were kept out of direct sun light and in a temperature controlled environment.

What is the condition of the plastic bags they are stored in? It should give you a good indication. Is it pliable, does it stretch and etc?

FITASC · November 9, 2015, 06:09 PM

If they are pliable as mentioned they should be good to go.

rg1 · November 9, 2015, 06:24 PM

Try pulling the petals off the wads. If they tear off then they are bad. Sunlight and heat cause the worse damage. I was given a bag of RP wads that the logo on the bag was extremely faded and the wads were deteriorated. Pliable and if you can't easily tear a petal off with your fingers they should be good.

mjes92 · November 9, 2015, 11:16 PM

Bags were opened but wads are strong and pliable. Not brittle in the least.
Stored in a cedar chest for 29 years and spent the last year in the garage.
I'm betting they will shoot great.
Thanks for your help.

hartcreek · November 10, 2015, 02:46 AM

29 years old...that aint old for wads. I picked up a box of reloading stuff at the LGS for $20 that had 20, 16 and 12 gage plastic and paper wads as well as handloaders. The plastic wads are who knows how old and the paper.......The box contents had been kept indoors for five to six deckades. Even the plastic wads still were springy. Proper storage is the key.

November 9, 2015, 02:55 PM	#1
mjes92 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2013 Location: Land of 10,000 taxes Posts: 211	Shot shell Wad shelf life? I came across two bags of Remington shot shell wads my brother had sitting around for 30 years. Is there a shelf life for Shot shell Wads? The wads look fine, but its hard to know if the material has not deteriorated over the years. I know an Old armature state champion trap shooter that would comb the trap field for used wads and reuse them for the next match back in the 70's. Don't know if it was a good idea or not but it worked. I'm assuming 30 year old un-used wads are safe in comparison. Opinions? __________________ Dad !!! "It's only going to be perfect if you do it yourself." - my teenage daughter Dad !!! "I'm not scared" My Cancer fighting daughter." Cancer Sucks NRA - Life Member

November 9, 2015, 03:18 PM	#2
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,307	If they are still pliable and soft, I would use them. I got a bunch of old stuff from a reloader, some were fine, some were not. When I started opening up loaded rounds, I found some of both. Luckily they were well labeled so the brand that had become brittle (and some of the other shells that were suspect) we only shot in inexpensive pumps. We were not worried about blowing something up, but the brittle wads did not pattern well and would not reliably cycle the auto-loaders. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

November 9, 2015, 06:09 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	If they are pliable as mentioned they should be good to go. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

November 9, 2015, 11:16 PM	#6
mjes92 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2013 Location: Land of 10,000 taxes Posts: 211	Bags were opened but wads are strong and pliable. Not brittle in the least. Stored in a cedar chest for 29 years and spent the last year in the garage. I'm betting they will shoot great. Thanks for your help. __________________ Dad !!! "It's only going to be perfect if you do it yourself." - my teenage daughter Dad !!! "I'm not scared" My Cancer fighting daughter." Cancer Sucks NRA - Life Member

November 9, 2015, 03:27 PM	#3
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	I would expect them to be just fine as long as they were kept out of direct sun light and in a temperature controlled environment. What is the condition of the plastic bags they are stored in? It should give you a good indication. Is it pliable, does it stretch and etc?

November 9, 2015, 06:24 PM	#5
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	Try pulling the petals off the wads. If they tear off then they are bad. Sunlight and heat cause the worse damage. I was given a bag of RP wads that the logo on the bag was extremely faded and the wads were deteriorated. Pliable and if you can't easily tear a petal off with your fingers they should be good.

November 10, 2015, 02:46 AM	#7
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	29 years old...that aint old for wads. I picked up a box of reloading stuff at the LGS for $20 that had 20, 16 and 12 gage plastic and paper wads as well as handloaders. The plastic wads are who knows how old and the paper.......The box contents had been kept indoors for five to six deckades. Even the plastic wads still were springy. Proper storage is the key.