Coveted discontinued OEM wads for slug and roundball loads

[Barry54]

So many factory component wads seem to have disappeared from production or sale to the public at least. Yes there are aftermarket replacement equivalents for most but in many instances they just aren’t the same as the real deal.

So let’s hear it. Which wads do you miss, and what were you loading in them?

[pipehand]

Federal 12S4. They worked well with the Lyman 525 wadslug. My mold is rhe MP brass 2 cavity version.

[Barry54]

And that’s one there’s no clone for, that I’m aware of? And why not? Is there no demand for heavy lead loads anymore since the lawmakers meddled with permissible waterfowl shot? There’s clones for the Winchester heavy payload wad. Why is it shunned?

[15meter]

And that’s one there’s no clone for, that I’m aware of? And why not? Is there no demand for heavy lead loads anymore since the lawmakers meddled with permissible waterfowl shot? There’s clones for the Winchester heavy payload wad. Why is it shunned?

Of all the shotgun reloading buddies, virtually all shun the Federal hulls in favor for Remington or Winchester compression formed hulls. They just reload better.

I'm a bit of outlier in the fact I actually bought 500 Federal hulls this past winter.

Although they are Federal paper hulls and I wanted to relive my youth......

[frkelly74]

I have a couple coffee cans of Federal plastic hulls that someone littered my shooting area with that look pristine.. I have trouble getting new primers to stay seated in them.

[K43]

I have a couple coffee cans of Federal plastic hulls that someone littered my shooting area with that look pristine.. I have trouble getting new primers to stay seated in them.

If you shoot a break open single shot, SxS, or O/U try a dab of fingernail polish on the side of the primer cup before you seat them. Let it set an hour to harden then load them.
There is also a tool to squish the primer pockets down, but not worth the cost unless doing tons of them. If getting other hulls isn't difficult, just chuck them in the trash. Once fired Gun Clubs and AAs are too easy top pick up from the range trash cans.

[Barry54]

Thank you pipehand for your on-topic reply.
To the rest of you, I commend you for at least reading posts from others and being helpful. At least you read other people’s posts. It seems to be a rare occurrence in some threads.

Anyone else with a pet load with discontinued oem wads?

[Agent1187]

Most of yall have more than a few decades on me, so I was not even reloading in earnest until all the old OEM wads had been long since discontinued. All I've gathered have been a last production run of Federal 12S0, and an ancient bag of Winchester 12R field wads.

Couple that with most of the heavy powders also being discontinued (PB, 800x, SRs, etc), I've spent more time fiddling with untested component combinations than not.

So unfortunately I don't have a rosy history to fall back on. It's just been many years of make due with what I've got.

[frkelly74]

If you shoot a break open single shot, SxS, or O/U try a dab of fingernail polish on the side of the primer cup before you seat them. Let it set an hour to harden then load them.
There is also a tool to squish the primer pockets down, but not worth the cost unless doing tons of them. If getting other hulls isn't difficult, just chuck them in the trash. Once fired Gun Clubs and AAs are too easy top pick up from the range trash cans.

Thank you! Sometimes posts do tend to wander off in odd directions.

[Frosty Boolit]

I was not aware that the 12s4 is discontinued. That is sad for me because I was planning on buying more when I run out. Someone recently gave me 3500 12C1 and I have designed almost all of my loads around it since I have so many. I recently saw a Ziploc bag of 12s4 and some activ TG32 for sale at a gun shop but I left them there.

[376Steyr]

I have a couple coffee cans of Federal plastic hulls that someone littered my shooting area with that look pristine.. I have trouble getting new primers to stay seated in them.

Federal made at least one run that used "oversized" primers for some reason. I suspect they imported some primers during the primer shortage. Try using "Rio" brand primers, which are larger in diameter.

[pipehand]

About that 800x. Wouldn't you figure that my most successful Lyman 525 load used the 12S4, 800x, and Federal Gold Medal hulls. All of my favorite metallic loads also featured powders that are nearly unobtainable or have changed formulation in some way. I had good experiences with Hodgdons International Clays in both 12 and milder 20gauge loads. Seems that everything I like gets gone from the market. Leinenkugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter comes to mind.

[Barry54]

So nobody had a pet roundball or slug load using AA wads?

[Budzilla 19]

Slug load is WW AA 12 gauge hulls, Blue Dot powder, WW AA12r wads,WW209 primers, Lyman 525 “ pellet” style slugs, folded crimps. Not for the recoil sensitive. Last WW aa12r wads I bought were the clones, then found a bag in a box in the corner! Hope this answers your question.

[papaglenn]

If your primer pocket is loose can't you substitute Fiochi (sp?) primers? They are a tad larger.

Another thread detour, sorry.

[savage308]

The old win wads were the best

[Barry54]

Which old ones? Before they were labeled AA wads?

[savage308]

The semi clear 1oz

[Smokecloud]

The Waa12r clones don’t work for 2 reasons. They have a little extra plastic on the inside at the base of the petals, it forces them to spread out when you put the Lyman 525 down inside. When you fire them, it cuts the petals off because the friction fit is too much. 2nd is the plastic just isn’t tough enough. Even with lower powered loads of all types of different powders, the base blows out.

It took me a couple of years to find a good working load with Win AA hulls, Federal 12S4 wad and long shot. I paper patch the base of the wad to stop powder migration and also glue fill the base of the Lyman pellet. I trim the petals of the wad to be even with the top of the slug. Labor intensive, but shoots 6 to 7” groups at 90 and 100 yards out of a smooth bore 930 and 870. Imdo run a Carlson rifled choke tube in the 930. I was disappointed to see Federal discontinue the S4. There is another company that makes a copy of it, but I haven’t tried it yet. I don’t recall if it was clay busters, or possibly Downrange wads. I have a few years supply left before I run out. Maybe we can lean on Federal to run a batch.

[centershot]

So nobody had a pet roundball or slug load using AA wads?

NO. In spite of my best efforts they destroyed themselves upon firing. I finally settled on the Federal 12S3 for my round ball loads, now discontinued. They proved themselves to be tough enough to stand up to the abuse. I bought 4 bags when I had the chance, still have 2+ left, I won't run out in my lifetime.