Packing Peanuts as Wadding?

[wiscoaster]

Anybody ever try these typical styrofoam packing "peanuts" as smoothbore wadding? Seems to that cut in half they're about the right size and easily compress with no muss and no fuss, they're only mildly flammable, and if memory serves, they're even biodegradable. Compared to what typical shotgun shooters are discharging into the environment these packing peanuts are nothing. Opinions? Comments? Actual usage?

 

[Tom A Hawk]

They are usually low density poly ethylene. If used as an OP wad I'm concerned they would melt and coat the bore.

 

[wiscoaster]

They are usually low density poly ethylene. If used as an OP wad I'm concerned they would melt and coat the bore.

Ahhhhh .... hadn't considered that at all. I think that's a great cautionary observation. Makes perfect sense. And I think based on that I'll just forget the whole thing. Thanks!!

 

[SDSmlf]

Take a flame to some. Then try cleaning up the mess.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Ahhhhh .... hadn't considered that at all. I think that's a great cautionary observation. Makes perfect sense. And I think based on that I'll just forget the whole thing. Thanks!!

Glad to help. I was 33 years in the plastics industry.

 

[Beaverman2]

They are usually low density poly ethylene. If used as an OP wad I'm concerned they would melt and coat the bore.

That's the first thing I thought.

 

[snakebit]

Agree with Hawk, and Beaver. Might be a nightmare getting it out of your bore. I know where a fat, juicy hornets nest is. Not cold enough to go get yet. And nobody has triple dog dared me either.

 

[RiverRat]

I try to keep my loading stuff as period correct as possible.

 

[Clark Badgett]

Agree with Hawk, and Beaver. Might be a nightmare getting it out of your bore. I know where a fat, juicy hornets nest is. Not cold enough to go get yet. And nobody has triple dog dared me either.

I triple dog dare you to go get that nest right now

 

[Banjoman]

When experimenting with wadding, I like to think about what would have been available to 18th and 19th century hunters.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Most packing peanuts are made from food starch these days. You can lick them and stick them together to make cute animal shapes.

 

[deGheyn]

If you have the cornstarch peanuts, you should be ok. Cowboy action shooters use these in their cartridges. It would be worth testing what you have. Polystyrene peanuts are soluble in acetone, starch-based peanuts dissolve in water.

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

Aren’t plastics based on petroleum byproducts?? As we know according to some if you get any petroleum based product near black powder, the world will instantly end and the culprit will burn on the pits of hell for eternity!! Give it a try and see how the smoke, no pun intended!!

On the other end you can get a lifetime supply of nitro or fiber wads for about $20!!

 

[wiscoaster]

....

On the other end you can get a lifetime supply of nitro or fiber wads for about $20!!

Packing peanuts are free.

That's why that wild and crazy thought came to mind.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Trying the corn starch ones might be an interesting experiment, but the polystyrene ones...nope, not in my gun.