Shotgun Wad Management

[smoothshooter]

I just have a bunch of questions today. Ok - how do y'all manage your wads when you are out hunting? I'm particularly wondering about the heavy cushion wads. I found the Skychief load to pattern particularly well in my smoothbore. For that load the cushion wads need to be heavily lubed. Lube = messy.

So far I've been keeping the lubed cushion wads in a ziplock. Then there are the thin and heavy card wads to consider. I'm just curious what some of y'all have discovered to make loading a bit quicker? I know we'll never win any speed contests, but I'd like to feel efficient anyway. Do you separate the thin and heavy wads? Keep them in a pouch pocket? Keep them in a tin? If your shooting clay birds it doesn't matter much. If we're out after birds then it matters.

So share with me what y'all do that works for you.

Altoid boxes work better than anything I have tried.
My shooting bags all have at least one integral pouch inside made specifically for the Altoid boxes. Even my rifle bags have them for carrying extra patches and balls. I keep the patches and balls in the same box.
Same for the shotgun wads. Cushion and cards in same box.
Others that frequent this forum use them also.

 

[Brokennock]

What's the wooden gizmo with the brass end that is in the metal tin? It's the thing sitting on the thin card wads.

I used to use it to set my thin cards in the muzzle level. Sometimes they would want to tip.
I've gotten better at starting them level with just my thumb and pushing them in with the next component.
I build my shot loads at the muzzle instead of pushing each component down onto the powder individually. It eliminates the need to cut or put a small hole in the cards to allow air to pass.

 

[knifemaker]

A pal who uses a Skoal type tobacco is saving his Skoal cans for me. They ought to be ok to use too. Might ask a Skoal dipper friend to save his. And where else might you find a wad box with such a minty bouquet as either Altoids or Skoal...He empties one every three or so days. The 1/2" soaked wads may be a problem being tall, but maybe not. Better to take up eating Altoids by the box instead of starting a pinch between cheek and gum to get the cans. I haven't got far enough in resurrecting the old '80's Pedersoli SxS with its full choke right barrel and extra full?? choke left barrel to start wrestling with finding the load and wad combination which works.

 

[Mike in FL]

I just use s designated pocket sewn I to the I side of my bag. Just me but I won't use plastic anything,not even container !ids. It sort of detracts from the authentic challenge. Yeah I'm weird.

 

[knifemaker]

I understand completely. When I was doing blacksmithing demos at rendezvous, I got the most out of the experience by hanging with period equipment, gear and clothing. I recently put up a new tipi here at the end of the road. I am dangling all this outdoor grandsons bait in front of them to kindle their interests in skills, not Pokemon.

 

[rkg1]

Made my own pouch and have a pocket for each wad. To change the pattern I just change the the wad thickness or use or eliminate a wad. A full felt wad will make a tighter pattern than a half wad and only a card wad will make an even broader pattern. It seems to work for me.

 

[smoothshooter]

I used to use it to set my thin cards in the muzzle level. Sometimes they would want to tip.
I've gotten better at starting them level with just my thumb and pushing them in with the next component.
I build my shot loads at the muzzle instead of pushing each component down onto the powder individually. It eliminates the need to cut or put a small hole in the cards to allow air to pass.

If I want to ease tig

 

[smoothshooter]

Rather than poke a hole or cut a slot in the non-cushion wads I merely press the edge of them against the muzzle where the barrel flats meet the outer surface of the crown, making a shallow notch in the wad. Takes about 1 second.

 

[rodinal220]

European brand pipe tobacco tins. They are metal and have a gasket in the lid. The "tins" are threaded. They are good for pre-lubed wads, patches, small accessories, shot or lube.

 

[SciAggie]

European brand pipe tobacco tins. They are metal and have a gasket in the lid. The "tins" are threaded. They are good for pre-lubed wads, patches, small accessories, shot or lube.

Do you have a pic? I googled with mixed results.
Is this what you are referencing?

 

[pab1]

View attachment 163524View attachment 163525View attachment 163526View attachment 163527
The contents of the tin get changed around a bit depending on the game pursued. Sometimes it's thin cards and lubed felt, sometimes it's thin cards, nitro cards, and lubed cushion wads. The bag usually just gets tow or faux-tow wadding.
After I soak my cushion wads for the SkyChief Load. I quickly dip them in melted beeswax for a very, very, thin coat which keeps them from oozing oil all over. The coating is thin enough that it just breaks apart when I push the wad into the muzzle.
View attachment 163528
View attachment 163529

Nice setup @Brokennock!

Since I only started hunting with shot recently I'm new to carrying cards and cushion wads. After a couple hunting trips I came up with this idea. Turns out its very similar to @Brokennock's method of carry.

I put a small Altoids tin in a regular size tin. The small tins lid is removed and placed under it with four nitro cards between them. This raises it high enough that the cards stay separated. I only use a half a cushion wad with my load so there are twelve shots in this tin.

To reduce the chances of spilling when I reload I grab a nitro card and wad and put the over shot card between my lips. Then put the tin back in my bag.

I also keep a small tin in my gun case so my first load of the day isn't coming out the supply I carry. I keep the wads in a plastic bag to keep the lube off the other components.

 

[rodinal220]

Do you have a pic? I googled with mixed results.
Is this what you are referencing?

Yes, those are the tins

 

[Brokennock]

You can get blank altoids type tins in different sizes, as well as other tins and small bottles here;
https://www.specialtybottle.com/metal-tin-containers

 

[user 48702]

I tried all kind of wads, lubed, un-lubed, cardboard, fiber, leather. All were mighty slow to reload, and most were messy, especially with a Colerain turkey choke barrel. Since I'm mostly going after squirrels and rabbits, I find I get satisfactory patterns in my Pedersoli Trade Gun, as well as the smooth rifle with the Colerain turkey barrel by just using wasp nest over powder and just enough wasp nest to hold the shot in place. I have some of Walter's Fiber Wads (lubed) that I'm going to try, half a wad over powder and half over shot. For carrying the wasp nest, I either use Crown Royal bags or a small canvas bag. I have a buddy who works behind the bar at a club and he always saves the Crown Royal bags for me. The wasp nest is a renewable resource around here, so I use it. I just wish Evan Williams or Old Overholt provided a bag with each bottle.

 

[smoothshooter]

European brand pipe tobacco tins. They are metal and have a gasket in the lid. The "tins" are threaded. They are good for pre-lubed wads, patches, small accessories, shot or lube.

Hmmm. I have never seen any of those.

 

[smoothshooter]

I just have a bunch of questions today. Ok - how do y'all manage your wads when you are out hunting? I'm particularly wondering about the heavy cushion wads. I found the Skychief load to pattern particularly well in my smoothbore. For that load the cushion wads need to be heavily lubed. Lube = messy.

So far I've been keeping the lubed cushion wads in a ziplock. Then there are the thin and heavy card wads to consider. I'm just curious what some of y'all have discovered to make loading a bit quicker? I know we'll never win any speed contests, but I'd like to feel efficient anyway. Do you separate the thin and heavy wads? Keep them in a pouch pocket? Keep them in a tin? If your shooting clay birds it doesn't matter much. If we're out after birds then it matters.

So share with me what y'all do that works for you.

 

[smoothshooter]

Altoid boxes work better than anything I have tried.
My shooting bags all have at least one integral pouch inside made specifically for the Altoid boxes. Even my rifle bags have them for carrying extra patches and balls. I keep the patches and balls in the same box.
Same for the shotgun wads. Cushion and cards in same box.
Others that frequent this forum use them also.

The KIWI Shoe polish round cans work pretty good too.

 

[Nor'Easter]

Nice setup @Brokennock!

Since I only started hunting with shot recently I'm new to carrying cards and cushion wads. After a couple hunting trips I came up with this idea. Turns out its very similar to @Brokennock's method of carry.

I put a small Altoids tin in a regular size tin. The small tins lid is removed and placed under it with four nitro cards between them. This raises it high enough that the cards stay separated. I only use a half a cushion wad with my load so there are twelve shots in this tin.
View attachment 164203

To reduce the chances of spilling when I reload I grab a nitro card and wad and put the over shot card between my lips. Then put the tin back in my bag.
View attachment 164204

View attachment 164205


I also keep a small tin in my gun case so my first load of the day isn't coming out the supply I carry. I keep the wads in a plastic bag to keep the lube off the other components.
View attachment 164206

That's a nice set up! I like it a lot. NE

 

[pab1]

That's a nice set up! I like it a lot. NE

Thank you! That was for my .62 cal. I recently did the same setup with my .56 cal and its working well. Even with the thinner over shot card its keeping everything separated.

 

[Nor'Easter]

You can get blank altoids type tins in different sizes, as well as other tins and small bottles here;
https://www.specialtybottle.com/metal-tin-containers

Thank you for the link. I like finding sites like this, they have enough variety to find what a person is really looking for!