hawkeye Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 (edited) About wads i was told this week when i went into my local gun shop for some cartridges (i asked for felt) that a lot of farmers dont like the felt wads as if sheep for instance eat them it swells and can cause lots of damage to animals. they said that the farmers preffered the plastic even though it is not biogradeable as if animals eat them it just passes straight through there system. So looks like i will have to have stock of both and check with the farmers what i can use each time i go shooting. Mike :( :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: PS whats your opinion on this. :blink: :blink: Edited July 2, 2005 by hawkeye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 that could be a buger not long bought 250 fibre to shoot over sheep fields Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 I suspect the Gunshop has some plastic wadded cartridges it wants to shift. I have always been told that Farmers prefer fibre wads because they biodegrade, which plastic doesn't. The livestock will have to be quick to eat fibre wads and if they did, I can't see it doing them any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooky Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 The place we shoot he asks for fibre as he says the plastic gets stuck in the back teeth of the sheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 Sounds logical to me. I was given exactly the same advice by my local gunshop. Mind you, he also added that if it was his farm he would not allow either types of wad anywhere near his livestock fields. Food for thought !!!! Just a word of caution Mike and for what its worth, if i were you i would just take your gunshop's advice and use the suggested wad when in the company of animals, and not mention the posibility of any danger to the farmers. I am not saying be sly or underhand, just be sensible and do the right thing as you see fit until such times as we see an article published by a vet or other such authority giving a professional opinion one way or the other. Its just possible your farmer might take fright and not allow you yo use either types of wad - a terrible thought. Sorry to ramble on but i felt your question deserved an unbiased and in depth reply. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 I've always associated fibre wads with livestock, I've heard a few farmers say plastic wads will choke sheep. You try swallowing one! Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 :( :blink: How BIG are the wads supposed to expand to? How many would it have to eat to even get indigestion? Have sheep stopped chewing what they eat these days? :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 To add to my previous reply, i have just recalled that my gunsmith did say that sheep eat felt wads and spit out fibre wads - then again he also said he wasn't a farmer :( Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 I suppose the chances of sheep picing up a fibre wad are a lot less. They will have already swollen from all the bloody rain we get in this country! Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 correction - sorry i ment to say the sheep spit out plastic wads - how many tins of newcastle have i had? :( Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted July 2, 2005 Report Share Posted July 2, 2005 I dont know of any farmer with livestock that would want pasy wads. Someones tugging your plonker mate. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High velocity Posted July 3, 2005 Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 just had to do it !!!!!!!! took me back to the good old days of "HOW" took some fibre wads out of 2 different makes of cartridges left them soaking in water for 12hrs, no swelling. And they hadnt even been blasted through a barrel at 1300ft ps which seems to break them up any way. I reckon Cranfield is right. shop keeper wanted to sell plastic or he had no fibre. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted July 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 thanks for all the imput lads i think i will be getting felt wads from another shop. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 3, 2005 Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 I use what ever I can get my hands on at a reasonable cost. Ive been shooting over pasture containing 500 head of sheep for years with plastic and Ive never heard of a sheep picking up a wad of any sort. ( or cows for that matter ) They are more likely to choke on a golf ball. Plastic is infact Bio degradable but this is measured in 1000,s of years which in the scheme of things considering the age of the planet is but a blink of an eye. If we are, on the other hand, considering the environmental impact of plastic then we shouldnt really be chucking around an oz of lead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted July 3, 2005 Report Share Posted July 3, 2005 Years ago I did a lot of work finding out about wads and livestock.Sheep when grazing use their lips to pluck the grass and would probably reject plastic wads because of taste and texture,fibre and felt wads degrade very quickly and would cause little if any injury if eaten.Cows on the other hand chomp great mouthfulls of grass and can easily pickup any wad and swallow it,Eley did a lot of research where they fed cattle plastic wads purposely with no ill effects, they just passed through.Fibre wad technology has improved a lot recently and you will not be disadvantaged using them on pigeon out to extreme range. Taffy has split with his lady friend he took her for a meal, she said the food was like plastic.You have been warned,use fibre for marital harmony (or rubber) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 An article in a recent shooting magazine did some ballistic tests of pastic verses fibre wads, and the fibre came out on top! webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 I've always been told (by farmers) not to use plas wads as they can open out inside a beasty and get stuck, bit like a plastic carrier bag. Fibre wads seem the best option if livestock are around. Nothing'll lose you permission faster than dead stock Might also be worth thinking about the noise around livestock. Horses especially can get real nervous about shooting. And dogs if you use them. I know they should be under control but if you've ever had a herd of mother ******* Fresians (and I do mean mothers) stampeding across a field to get at your dogs you'll understand my meaning. Nothing like experience to make you remember. Around live stock ALWAYS exercise caution and keep a farmer happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 8, 2005 Report Share Posted July 8, 2005 spoke to my gunshop man again today and told him about this debate. He went further with his previous answer and stated that if he had to use one or the other he would use plastic over fibre as plastic comes out clean and in now more advanced in degradability, and fibre comes out with TRACES OF LEAD, and it is the lead deposits that will do the damage not the fibre. Jim the geordie. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 You will find visible traces of lead on a plaswad too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 Good grief i'll have to start getting second opinions on en everything he tells me after this :< :< Are there no vets in this group? I know, i'll send an email to basc and try to get a professional opinion on this and until then i have to agree with the majority. Best advice i suppose is ask the farmer what he wants and carry both types with you. Jim the Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 JIm, your gundealer must be a *** to tell you all this rubbish. Start going elsewhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcha Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 This may sound stupid, but what is a wad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apbuild Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 The wad is the 10 or 15mm disc of felt between the powder and the pellets in a shotgun cartridge in a felt wad cartridge. In plastic wad cartridges it is the plastic cup between the powder charge and the pellets. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 Sam I think your right mate, trouble is he is a friendly soul and likes a good natter. Not many will take time out for you these days - they are only after the £££££s. Good customer service is generally a thing of the past. Of my two alternative nobs, one is 1/2 hours drive - you can't get parked and he can't get you out of the shop fast enough. The last *** is local but i have been warned against him for giving abuse to customers - he is not a friendly soul. Have been in the shop and he looks like he used to be a bouncer and does not suffer fools gladly :< I suppose i will just buy what i need locally from number one, have a chat, take what he says with a pinch of salt, and get get anything else off the net. There are some very good suppliers out there, if you know where to look. Have bought loads of kit off the net and buy and large they have been ok Cheers Jim the Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpw99 Posted July 17, 2005 Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 My final word on this. I did look on BASC site and their advice is always use fibre wads if at all possible. They did not go into detail as to why. Cheers Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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