Fox Collectors

Seeking advice based on experience with the Polywad Doublewide 16 ga. shells. My Utica SW 16 ga. is choke M and F, and it patterns F and ExtraF with modern loads. Haven't tried Polywads Spred-R loads, thought the lower pressures of the Doublewides would be better for a gun that's as old as I am.

Anyway, I'd appreciate your input on patterns and effective ranges from these shells. All comments are welcome.

TIA, Neil

Neil, I haven't tried the vintager doublewide but I suspect it works just as well as their regular Spred-R loads. They will open patterns at least one choke and pattern well out to about 20 yards. At 25 yards they've already crapped out in my guns. I can get a little wider pattern with my cylinder choked barrels at 20 yards and they maintain out to at least 30 yards.

Don't expect to get much performance in cold weather either. I recently had Tom Armbrust freeze some of Jay's highly touted XXXTRA long range buffered 16 gauge low pressure loads down to 0 then put them on ice in a cooler for transport to the range. Velocity went down to 854 when they averaged 1111 fps at 86 degrees. RST's 7/8 and 1 oz. loads went down to 1077 and 1061 with the same treatment.

Most tests show you'll lose at least 1000 psi down to 32 degrees and about 25 fps depending on the shell and how "hot" it was to start with.

I put some of the old RST shells made by the original owner through my Chrony out hunting one time when it was 20 degrees out and they clocked out at just above 900 psi when they clocked 1150 that summer in the heat. Poly-Wad's vintager loads didn't fair much better.

YMMV.

Larry

I bought a flat of the Polywad Spred-R, 12-gauge, 3 dram equiv., 1 1/8 ounce, #7 1/2 shot, when the old Potomac River Gun Club was auctioning off their inventory and assets. My very limited experience with them, including shooting a total of three patterns at 40 yards from my Father's old, very tightly choked, Parker Bros. VH-Grade, showed very patchy patterns.

DT and Researcher,

Thanks for the information. Sounds like they're worth investigation, especially for skeet.

Regards, Neil

I use the Polywad spreader inserts for 12, 20, and 16 ga..I didn't do extensive patterning.Did blow a nice hole in a big box thought.They seemed to work well on the skeet range.Great for making up lighter loads for the vintage guns i.e.,1/2 oz.20ga.,3/4oz. 16's..