Smoky Pistols Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Could one, or more, of the wiser, more knowledgeable, keen minded individuals on here please tell me the difference between the WAA12, WAA12L, and WAA12SL shotgun wads? Is it mainly the amount of space they take up in the hull? I bought some WAA12 wads on the classified (back when I knew less than I do now) hoping to replicate the WAALite shells. Now it looks like I'm going to be adding an extra 1/8 ounces of shot according to reloading tables. How will that affect the performance of the shotgun? Will it kick harder, softer, or is it even noticeable. Even better, if anyone has a load worked up for these wads, I'll be happy to try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Wheeler Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Drifter Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 they are designed to hold different amounts of shot and still fill the hull properly. I have a load for the WAA12 wads that i will share later today. Away from my info right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Wads have 2 dimensions to consider. Length of the pedals that determines the amount of shot held. Length of the base cushion that determines the amount of power held. These 2 things determine the overall length of the finish shell. Choosing the wad also requires knowing the volume of the hull you plan to use. All hulls are not the same inside. Winchester AA hulls are not the same volume inside as the Remington Green, Silver, gold hulls. They are very close and we (cas) get away with using the same wads and loading data for our light loads. You can see the difference in the crimp star. It will be tight and straight and the other will have a slight twist or the star will not be as tight. Depends on which hull you originally setup for. The length of the cushion on the wads is determines by the powder density you use. Use use 1 powder with a specific wad and another powder will require a different cushion to get the correct length. This information is found in the powder manufacturer's loading manuals. You look up the gauge and hull you plan to use. The amount of shot you want to use in that hull. Then find the velocity you want to find the powders that will achieve this. There will be a list of wads to pick from. Sometimes there is only one wad to do the job for your shot and powder. Then there is the manufacturer of the wards. 2 companies make the same wad profile. But 1 companies wads will be made of harder plastic than the other keeping the shot in the cup long before the pedals open up. The harder the wads plastic, the more felt recoil you will have as the cushion compresses less. Start with the powder manufacturer's loading manual to find the correct wad for your chosen load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Howdy The WAA12 was/is a very standard 12 gauge wad. I'm betting the AA simply means they go along well with the Winchester AA hull, which was very popular hull for a long time. As the link below states, they were for loads of shot anywhere from 1 ounce to 1 5/8 ounces. The WAA12L and WAA12SL have shorter cups so they will only fit 7/8 to one ounce of shot. All modern shotgun wads are designed so that the top of the shot will be up in contact with the crimp. Longer legs on the wad mean the smaller shot charges will still be in contact with the crimp. https://www.claybusterwads.com/index.php/product-by-style/by-style-winchester Add more shot weight to your loads and recoil will go up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoky Pistols Posted March 13, 2019 Author Share Posted March 13, 2019 Thanks to all for your responses and for the link to claybusters--that was one element I was missing. I was researching load data on the Hodgdon site yesterday, thinking I had a different wad and when I double-checked last night, I panicked a little. Had I thought about it a minute more, I would have thought to check claybusters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Ensure if you are using tapered hulls to use wads for tapered hulls. (learned the hard way on that one) I had been using Federal 12S3 wads and they were working fine in Win AA hulls, but when I ran out, they were no longer available so I ordered the Claybuster replacement... nope! The non-tapered wads leave a bulge in the side of my finished shells and they won't chamber. Get the tapered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Be very carefule deviating from publish load data when loading shotgun shells. The walls of shotgun barrels are not very thick and have very little margin of error for over pressure. Too little powder can be as big a problem as too much depending on the powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G W Wade Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 There is a narrow road to walk down when loading shotshells, both up and down. You need to watch the pressure curve. We are generally loading down so that"s the direction I"ll go. As the shot goes down, you have to add more powder to hold equal PSI for consistent ignition. Below the lower baseline roughly 6500 PSI you can get poor ignition from a various places such the wad not sealing the bore or some loads require more pressure for better burn. I do not use loads from anywhere but reputable sources either the powder or wad manufacturer. GW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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