Wad shelf life?

[CANUCK]

Hello Everyone!
New to this Forum and have done a little reloading every year now for many years. Recently I went to use some WAA12R wads for Buckshot loads and the legs break when slightly compressed! They are around 25 years old so do they have a shelf life? I have perhaps 10 different 12 ga wads and many are just as old as the WAA12R wads. I used to pick up a variety of wads to be able to make whatever load I needed. I checked my JAXCO Windjammer wads and they crumble when I squeeze with my hand. Have I hoarded too many wads for too long?

[Combat Diver]

As with most plastics, heat and time are killers.


CD

[shotman]

About all plastic has a lifetime built in, Its so it dont last like glass in a land fill. wads will keep 20 years in the dark and below about 80* but in the bags that can get light about 1/2 that. After shot in open field about 2 yrs

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Hallo Canuck, I still have wads from 1978 to 1980, as long as you have then in original plastic bags and in room temperature it should be fine, mine are just fine but no extreme temp and if kept in a dark place then that is even better! A card board box.
Regards,
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlazingSabots
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[CANUCK]

Actually,they are dumped out in stackable bins with front access to each bin and sunlight does get in.
Lesson learned,
Thanks everyone.

[SuperBlazingSabots]

That's your real problem, Canuck!
Next time keep only what you think you will need in the next 6 weeks of loading and the rest in a closed card board box or a wooden cabinet.
Regards,
Ajay
BlazingSabots@Gmail.com
Blazing Sabots, LLC
www.BlazingSabots.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlazingSabots
www.PreciousVideoMemories.com

[M-Tecs]

Ultraviolet light is mostly likely what is deteriorating your wads.

[Vinne]

Everyone is right on here. Heat and light are the death of most components. Load in a climate controlled area and store components and ammo in the same controlled area. Sealed ammo cans are great or solid colored containers.

[farmallcrew]

I would hope pastic wads would have lifetime life. Except for what most said, heat, moisture. I have 2 boxes of winchesters wanted to be loaded but im to stubborn to see what my press needs to work. Oh well ill keep them in the card board boxes by the 3-5 gallon buckets of hulls.

Someones question, is someone elses question that didnt surface yet. Everyday i learn something new.

Thanks fellas

[hithard]

Fed 12c1 wads, just loaded up some that are about 25 yrs old. They have been working just fine, gotta love having a basement. The powder is a little older, by the way.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I'm loading some Winchester AA, Remington, and Herter's wads from the late '60's and early '70's. They were kept in a tin shed in SW Kansas. Extreme cold and hot swings, but no sunlight. They are working fine.

Wish I had more of those Herter's 12 ga for 1.5 oz shot. 15 #1 buck nestle in nicely, and patter extremely well. I suspect it is due to the thick walls of the cup.

[thauge]

Most plastics break down when exposed to UV light. Sunlight is the major source of UV in the environment (obviously). I keep mine in a closet and the only time they see light is when I'm loading. Other things will degrade plastics, heat, weather, air, ozone, various chemicals, etc. But the big factor is still UV. Keeping them cool can't hurt either.

[RED333]

I knew that plastics break down, but never thought of the wads, great now I have to think even more.

[mtgrs737]

I just tossed a couple of boxes of WWAA12 wads due to them being easy to tear the petals off the shotcups. I hate wasting them, but I like my loads to perform too.

[ROGER4314]

I keep my wads and hulls in one of three barns on my place. I noticed that the wad fingers get a bit bent up but the design of my MEC 600jr press opens them up before I drop the shot. I live near Galveston Bay so we have more moderate temperature than in other parts of Texas. Keeping them in a closed barn in some parts of Texas would be like storing them in an oven!

Flash

[gotin]

I recently bought a MEC press and two bags of Winchester wads from a gentleman, who got them from a friend's estate. My upstanding is that they were purchased in the 80's and sat unused in a closet.
The wads work fine, almost gone now, but I had to transfer them into a different bag - the original plastic bag disintegrated the first time I opened it.

[mtgrs737]

I just tossed some more Rem and Winchester wads that were given to me by my BIL. The cruppled and broke into pieces when touched.

[kd5exp]

I have a plastic trash bag full of different wads an old friend gave me. I noticed when I was loading some of them I could hear the wads crackle when compressed( brittle ). Not all of them but this bag must have seen a lot of UV in it's day. Disposed of them and ordered new. Keep them in a cardboard box out of the sun light.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`m getting the impression that not alot of these shotshell shooter/reloaders used various thickness fiber wads for height and them there new fangled shot protector strips of plastic. That`s how I learned to load for the old Model 12.Robert

[flounderman]

I have a few herters wads from the 60s or older and they are as good as new.