kody Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Which would pattern the best I've heard that plaswads one fired through a half choke barrel will be more like 3/4 choke patterns due to them being in that plastic cup until they exit the barrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Plastic are best because the shot is protected on it's way up the barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kody Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Plastic are best because the shot is protected on it's way up the barrel. So making z 1/2 choke more like a 3/4 choke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Although it's undeniable that plastic protects the shot, the ballistic effect is not always as pronounced as many would have us believe. I think one particular shooting organisation did a trial which reflected that point. I have no choice and am obliged to use fibre wads. Simply by changing the cartridge I can have my nominally bored 1/2 AyA shoot IC with one cartridge (Hull Imperial) and 3/4 with another (Hull High Pheasant) and both of which are fibre. The other advantage is that this beats the hell out of faffing about with these multi choke thingies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 So making z 1/2 choke more like a 3/4 choke Not really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Which would pattern the best I've heard that plaswads one fired through a half choke barrel will be more like 3/4 choke patterns due to them being in that plastic cup until they exit the barrel No! Plastic are best because the shot is protected on it's way up the barrel. Indeed they are. So making z 1/2 choke more like a 3/4 choke No! Not really. Getting the idea FC? The protection afforded to the pellets by the wings of the plaswad prevent damage to those pellets and so limit the number of flyers that are useless to your pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Dr John Harradine at BASC did a lot of research on this some years and concluded that the popular notion that plastic wads give a tighter pattern is completely false, fliers notwithstanding as pointed out by Wymberley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kody Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Will do a test using both plas and felt at 20 yds see for myself Will do a test using both plas and felt at 20 yds see for myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay_Russell Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) I shot my browning last year at some steel drum lids I got from work so not too technical. I tried RC sipes in 32g no6 plastic and then fibre. 1/2 & 3/4 choke At 25 yds and 40yds. At 25 yds there wasn't really any difference but at 45yds there were certainly more shot on the drum lid with plastic wads. I didn't record the numbers though I'm afraid. But the plastic certainly gave a tighter looking pattern. I couldnt get any more lids saved. Edited January 7, 2017 by Jay_Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kody Posted January 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 I shot my browning last year at some steel drum lids I got from work so not too technical. I tried RC sipes in 32g no6 plastic and then fibre. 1/2 & 3/4 choke At 25 yds and 40yds. At 25 yds there wasn't really any difference but at 45yds there were certainly more shot on the drum lid with plastic wads. I didn't record the numbers though I'm afraid. But the plastic certainly gave a tighter looking pattern. I couldnt get any more lids saved. This is what I thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 I only shoot fibre as I hate to see plastics wads scattered around our countryside. The only place they should be used is a clay ground. Going back to the question: No idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 This is what I thought To an extent you're correct, but to what degree and what effect this has in practise? Better quickly say I'm using round figures and as shotgun ballistic information is based on average findings, there will inevitably be some deviation. One shooting organisation tells us that on average 6 pellets in the vulnerable area on average are required to achieve a lethal strike(s) in the vital area of a bird. It also says that the pellets should be "generally well distributed over the 30" circle. It's worth noting here that this dimension was simply devised as a convenient size. For the woodpigeon, 140 pellets are deemed sufficient in that area which will contain the vulnerable area of some 44 pigeon. Therefore, it'll be realised that actually some 264 strikes on average are required if the phrase in brackets means 'equally' well distributed. In which case it's obvious we can stop there. The following is a numerical exercise and I infer no maximum effective range, purely an example. For many avian species the 6 on average strike requirement has been known in the Uk for well over a century, so we can stay with it. A plastic wad, as said, is very good in protecting the pellets from distortion by the barrel wall which would otherwise been 'fliers'. The effect on those not so affected is undefined. As an aside, and speaking of fibre wads, it now becomes apparent why just as the 20 bore was becoming popular, a 2" 12 would have been a better option, but that's history. If we take a bird of such a size that 110 pellets on average are required in the central effective 20" circle, then 1oz of No7s will achieve this at a distance whereby the available choke gives a 60% pattern. This is because (on average) such will place 33.5% of the load in that area. Unfortunately, as that is the case, then it means that a lesser percentage is available in the outer 20 to 30" ring which has a greater area and as such does not meet the lethal strike requirement. Suffice to say, the tighter the choke is, then the greater this discrepancy becomes. It will be noted that the discarded 264 pellet strike requirement has been reduced to a more viable 200 at a stroke - but even this is far greater than the specified 140. So yes, if a plastic wad does tighten up a pattern to a degree by pulling the fliers in, the practical effect of this for all shooting purposes is better measured by concentrating on assessing the cartridge performance in the central 20" circle as much beyond that the required lethal effectiveness rapidly deteriorates. The 30" circle simply remains as was intended as a convenient standard size for defining shotgun spread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Plastic wadded cartridges will throw better patterns than the fibre wadded equivalent. Fibre wads whilst better for the environment are worse for the quality of the kill over range. How many serious clay shooters would choose fibre wadded shells when competing at top level? NONE! I will happily use fibre wadded shells when I have to, some clay grounds insist upon it and when everyone abides then all is equal. Non of the land owners that I have permission from have ever insisted that I use fibre wadded shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilts#Dave Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 As above, I've found plastic wad shells identical to the fibre equivalent to be superior at longer ranges.....I don't pattern plate any of the ammo I use but it's 100% noticeable for me in the field when I swap between the two on pigeons. I'll happily use fibre when needed but I do prefer to use plastic was shells when possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Just wish makers would do a bio degradable plastic wad. Normal one must take 50+ years to degrade I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Just wish makers would do a bio degradable plastic wad. Normal one must take 50+ years to degrade I guess. With you on that one. Hate finding the bloody things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 With you on that one. Hate finding the bloody things. +1 Plastic wads are also apparently a hazard to livestock. Whilst no farm i shoot on has asked for it, I only shoot fibre as part of my pest control offer. Not sure that they degrade any quicker, though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_ox Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Just wish makers would do a bio degradable plastic wad. Normal one must take 50+ years to degrade I guess. There's one company I know of called green shoot who maufacture biodegradable plastic wad cartridges. http://www.greenshootcartridges.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) A lot of the claims made for plastic wads are nothing more than historic American advertising hype. The American ammo makers wanted to go over to plastic for financial reasons. They were a lot cheaper to produce and the automated loading machines could be a lot run faster on plastic wads. To get the rather traditionally reserved American shooters to accept plastic wads lots of adverts and 'slightly less than impartial' articles appeared in the American shooting press making exaggerated claims about improved performance. Some of those claims are still being repeated today I'm not anti plastic at all but don't believe a lot of the claims. They are cheaper that's all Edited January 9, 2017 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exudate Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I've done pattern plate testing on a few varieties of 28g 7.5 cartridges, both plastic and fibre wad versions, and to be honest I can't see any real difference in how either pattern. I just buy fibre wads, now. The farm that I shoot on insists on them, as do several of the local clay shoots I attend. I can't say that the pigeons express a preference when hit over the decoys, either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Once upon a time there was a plastic wad available .It was called bio wad which I used at the time.Had half a bag left in the shed next to the window in the sunlight.Been there about 6 month when I went to use them they just crumbled.Dont know the shelf live if they were loaded and boxed.Dont know why they stopped production.Dipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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