loading some slugs newbe question about the wad column

[stripercrazy]

I got the fake win pink wads by claybuster and 18gn red dot...a 20 gauge nitro card and 1 oz lee slug. win 209 primer.....my question is to build up the column I could put 2- 12 gauge nitro cards under the wad....how tight does the powder have to be to the plastic wad....I come from a muzzleloading background so I don't like any space between the powder and bullet, should I use the nitro cards(over the powder ones) to build up the column under the wad? is this what you guys do? thanks for any help.......I got some trap commanders that are even shorter than the pink claybusters thanks ed

[longbow]

The wad does need to be hard against the powder. I have never used nitro cards between powder and wad though. Normally the shotcups I use are deep enough and long enough that I stack nitro cards under the slug to bring it up to good crimp height. If the whole wad column is too short then that doesn't work because the slug has to be contained in the shotcup.

Easy enough to try nitro cards between powder and wad though and about the only thing that might be an issue is if the nitro card wads distort the edge of the gas seal causing gas leakage. Accuracy (or lack of) and recovered wads will tell you.

I think I would use fiber wads though since they are soft and cushiony like.

VDOMemorie has posted lots of info on wad columns and probably has a more definite answer for you. Do a search or PM him.

Also, maybe someone else who has tried this will post.

Longbow

[hubel458]

Why not use our slower powder loads where you use more powder
and then the wads will set up higher and crimp right, and you
will have more velocity with the same or less peak pressures
than magnum 12ga steel shot loads..
And you won't have to monkey around with extra stuff to
take up space. And in shotgun loading there can NOT be any
space.

Like 40-50 gr of Alliant Steel or 70-80 gr of IMR 4759.

And you could get our new 12ga sabots and proper plastic seals and
number of felt wads that are needed to fill the space.Ed

[stripercrazy]

thanks for the replys.....slower burning powder I'll see what I can get local very interested in the sabots too

[stripercrazy]

ed, sent a pm to you

[OnHoPr]

If you are talking about the cb1100 then you could possibly put 1 nitro card underneath and then put overshot card/s on top of the slug. I make overshot cards out of foam egg cartons with a sharpened 5/8" nipple. They work well in fine tuning the height of the whole load in slight various instances of loading slugs. Especially when using 6 fold hull and even the 8 fold hull, because depending on how hard your wad column is when you go to crimp. The insides of the folds do not match the ogive of the Lee or most slugs giving poor star crimps. It can be a bit different than just setting your wad in and filling with shot and letting the crimp seat the whole load on the powder.

[35remington]

Before you get too hung up on the claybuster wad, be advised I have more trouble with petal loss using them than the original Winchester pink wads.

FWIW.

[stripercrazy]

thanks for the help. I played around and found a 20 gauge nitro card under the wad worked good, I'll get the real Winchester wads next time