Differences between filler wad material? Shot stuck in wad base.

[Barry54]

So if a picture is worth 1000 words is each example 500?

Those are precision Reloading’s TUPRW12 steel shot wads. They are tough! The recipe is from Tom Rosters pamphlet. I was assembling 1.5 ounce loads of B shot and nickel plated F shot, with intent to use on coyotes and predator hunting. I was happy enough with the pattern from each, so I loaded 25 of each. After the fact, I found these wads yesterday while pattern testing home cast buckshot. I was pretty proud of myself for using a 410 hull to push the 1/8” 20 gauge cork wad down into the bottom of the cupped steel shot wad and keeping it flat and level. One of those I’m a genius moments...
But now I’ve discovered nearly 10% of the load imbedded in the bottom of the wad all tangled up in the Precision Spherical Buffer and cork wad. What a waste of expensive nickel plated shot!

If this is a known characteristic of cork wads, why does anyone use them? Does felt or fiber do better or worse? Do I need to put a 20 gauge card wad on top of the cork wad? Is this a one off situation that only occurred when I loaded intermediate to large shot pellets with buffer? I sure don’t want to shoot 25, 50 or 75 rounds downrange looking for the random wads with stuck shot in the base.

Has anyone else seen this? What’s the cure?
Thanks

[Mr Peabody]

I use a hard fiber 28 gauge wad in the bottom of those shot cups and I stopped using the Precision buffer. The Precision buffer sticks to things like you see. BPI's buffer doesn't do that and it weighs less. I think the Precision buffer might raise pressure too, imho.

[Hogtamer]

listen to Mr Peabody ^^^^

[Tripplebeards]

That’s good to see/hear because I was just looking at buying some buffer. It was debating between the two companies offerings. I just cut out a bunch of cork cushion wads today and now I’m scratching my head. I “read” that some guys get better patterns with cork cushions vs felt…and said they had pellets sticking with felt. I’m guessing it’s the buffer that’s gluing them to it and not the cork or felts fault? Guess all I can do is try them with some BPI original buffer when I get around to ordering some.

[Barry54]

I’m perplexed. I feel like if a product is inferior in the age of the internet, it would be known. Bad news spreads like wildfire! Cork wads, felt wads, and fiber wads have been around a long time. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I assume buffer is the newest trick in the lot?

I’m reluctant to blame the PSB since I’ve stumbled upon my best patterning buckshot load ever, using it. Shooting targets further than I normally shoot shotguns with the buckshot bliss load is how I discovered the wads with shot embedded from a couple of days before. I was ready to buy a ten pound bag of it, before I got replies on this thread.

[Mr Peabody]

Try some pf BP's original buffer before you shoot more of the PSB's. You might be happier

[Barry54]

Try some pf BP's original buffer before you shoot more of the PSB's. You might be happier

I’ll try it soon. I’ve got original and #47 from BPI. I was just following the recipe in Tom Roster’s manual That I purchased from precision reloading, which called for precision Reloading’s spherical buffer.

Upon further thought, PSB pours down into the shot charge much better than the BPI options. Less tapping to get it to settle in. But on that same note, it might flow down better upon setback packing in when fired? All of this is just thinking out loud...

[Mr Peabody]

It is heavier too, so your payload weighs more