3d printing for shotguns

[lrdg]

Has anyone tried to use a 3D printer to make shotgun wads? Specifically I was wondering about printing a wad for round balls with PLA. It would not be too difficult to design a wad with a cup that fits the ball well and adjust the height (length). I believe 10% infill. PLA is biodegradable which might be a small advantage. I'm thinking cylinder bore.

Any thoughts?

[Bulldogger]

I figured if I ever reload my Aguila mini shells I’ll use my 3D printer to make wads, but I plan to use nylon since it is flexible. Be interesting to hear if anyone has already tried it.
Bulldogger

[bikerbeans]

I was sent a few dozen 3D printed 12ga by 44 cal and 45 cal sabots that i believe were made with PLA. I loaded and shot them with varying degrees of accuracy. I searched downrange and never found a single piece of a sabot let alone an intact one. I shot several rounds from the hip and didn't see a sabot bouncing in the ground. My guess is they were disintegrating during the trip down the barrel even though most of the loads made round holes in the targets.

BB

[dbosman]

PLA is brittle, add in that it deteriorates from heat, and I not sure that a wad will make it, intact, out of the barrel. This would be a good question for someone with a high speed camera.
The number of walls or layers will make a significant difference.

Because it is made from corn and easily biodegrades, it is a good idea for a wad, though.

[longbow]

I've seen the same idea posted somewhere ~ which is a round ball cradled in a plastic tail wad sort of like those used for muzzleloaders except non-discarding. I think the ones I saw pics of were injection moulded but no reason you couldn't 3D print them. ABS is likely a better choice for 3D printing than the PLA.

Look up BigMrTong's thread on is 3D printed tail wads for Lee slugs. He had good success with that. A little different tail wad but 3D printed so there may be some useful info there.

If you go bore size I'd suggest using a gas seal over the powder then put your slug with 3D printed tail wad on that so the 3D printed tail wad isn't directly exposed to the gases and pressure. If you go with wad slug then all sits inside a plastic wad anyway so no problem.

Hmmm... I just went looking for those RB's in plastic sabots but no go. I was sure I had seen a commercial version and thought maybe SIARM but nope! Possibly it was just a concept someone posted. Cap'n Morgan comes to mind as he has designed a few different slugs ~ some very nice Brenneke clones as well as some similar to what you are thinking with slugs inside a non-discarding plastic sabot though his sabots are injection moulded.

Anyway, a 0.662" RB is small enough to allow a bore diameter plastic wad to go just past the half way point so a round ball snaps into place. I think it is a good idea and I'd like to see what you come up with.

Longbow

[lrdg]

Someone somewhere has or is going to try it. I think I am going to give it a shot. Thanks for the responses.

[Petander]

Something like this?

239820

[Bulldogger]

HTPLA (High Temp) is heat resistant and less brittle. Might make a decent wad and is still degradable
Bulldogger

[longbow]

Best pic I can find is here:

239840

This is actually a lead ball with ribs and a plastic base but looks like the idea I mentioned... if the plastic base and "claws" were a plastic sabot holding the ball and the plastic base was longer anyway. Make sense?

I'm sure someone posted a pic of a plastic cup holding a ball but this was in the days before 3D printers were readily available so not terribly practical.

Here is a pic (Ajay's I think) of a ball in CSD wad on the right:

239857

With a 3D printer you could make a nice tail wad that the ball snapped into and that fit your bore perfectly. You don't need the cushion leg.

Maybe that a better example.

Longbow

[Matt_V]

I've seen the same idea posted somewhere ~ which is a round ball cradled in a plastic tail wad sort of like those used for muzzleloaders except non-discarding. I think the ones I saw pics of were injection moulded but no reason you couldn't 3D print them. ABS is likely a better choice for 3D printing than the PLA.

Look up BigMrTong's thread on is 3D printed tail wads for Lee slugs. He had good success with that. A little different tail wad but 3D printed so there may be some useful info there.

If you go bore size I'd suggest using a gas seal over the powder then put your slug with 3D printed tail wad on that so the 3D printed tail wad isn't directly exposed to the gases and pressure. If you go with wad slug then all sits inside a plastic wad anyway so no problem.

Hmmm... I just went looking for those RB's in plastic sabots but no go. I was sure I had seen a commercial version and thought maybe SIARM but nope! Possibly it was just a concept someone posted. Cap'n Morgan comes to mind as he has designed a few different slugs ~ some very nice Brenneke clones as well as some similar to what you are thinking with slugs inside a non-discarding plastic sabot though his sabots are injection moulded.

Anyway, a 0.662" RB is small enough to allow a bore diameter plastic wad to go just past the half way point so a round ball snaps into place. I think it is a good idea and I'd like to see what you come up with.

Longbow
Do you mean those?
http://www.gualandi.it/en/products_slugs/under_gauged_spherical_balls.html

Or these using gualandi wads
https://www.polveridosiecartucce.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18167&start=40
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