Fibre wads: Environmental solution?

["Big Boston" 20]

I came across an interesting article, concerning the use of fibre wads in England. Here is the paragraph I found interesting.

 

"However, unless you have been off the planet in recent years, it’s likely you have heard about the environmental disaster unfolding due to the use of single-use plastics, their devastating effect on the world’s oceans and the subsequent drive to minimise the amount of plastic entering our surroundings. Consequently, the shooting industry has been looking at whether plastic wads are a potential red flag for our industry that could encourage legislators to curtail their use. Many insiders feel that voluntary self-regulation is the preferred course over a ban imposed by government, so questions are being asked regarding a phasing out of plastic in favour of more environmentally friendly alternatives."

 

Link to article: https://www.sportingshooter.co.uk/features/clay-shooting/plastic-vs-fibre-the-great-debate-1-5976018

 

BB

 

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

Need to make plastic wads out of a base material that is eatable.  

[Sedalia Dave 5,261]

One issue I can see is that wads made from other materials could degrade while the shell is sitting on the shelf. This could create a potentially dangerous situation if a shell is fired with a compromised wad.

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L 262]

That'll be tough to do.

Edited October 16 by Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L

[Charlie Plasters, SASS#60943 268]

Anyone thinking that self regulation by switching to fiber or other eco friendly wads will keep politicians from legislating a ban is smoking wacky weed!

[Castalia,SASS#18915 52]

Plastic and lead in shot shells. Loaded for maximum dispersion. Wait till the gov'ment finds out. OH MY.

Edited October 20 by Castalia,SASS#18915

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 5,155]

Smoke and mirrors with a dose of BS..........

Wads are used in reloading other than SG. 

OLG

[Cat Brules 461]

The article’s entire reason for existence is to bring to the attention of the anti-gun crowd and that there is another opportunity to go after gun and ammunition manufacturers.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 5,155]

3 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

One issue I can see is that wads made from other materials could degrade while the shell is sitting on the shelf. This could create a potentially dangerous situation if a shell is fired with a compromised wad.

 

Fiber wads like the ones used in BPCR loading are made from a gasket like material, and does not degrade that I have ever seen.

OLG

[Shotgun Clay 432]

Just gather up and reuse the plastic ones.  A guy I know did this when he was stationed somewhere reloading supplies were hard to come by.  Put them in a mesh bag and tumbled them in a dryer.  Said it did OK.

[Chuck Steak 82]

That article made me feel woke.  It sounds more like another excuse to raise at eyebrow against shooting in the holy name of climate change and environmental hatred.

 

So woke that on my way home today, I am going to stop and buy a six pack of sugary soft drinks in plastic bottles and then throw throw the plastic rings and bottle right in the garbage.

...then I'm going to eat meat, dairy, and gluten for dinner

Edited October 16 by Chuck Steak

[Tyrel Cody 2,984]

5 minutes ago, Chuck Steak said:

That article made me feel woke.  It sounds more like another excuse to raise at eyebrow against shooting in the holy name of climate change and environmental hatred.

 

So woke that on my way home today, I am going to stop and buy a six pack of sugary soft drinks in plastic bottles and then throw throw the plastic rings and bottle right in the garbage.

...then I'm going to eat meat, dairy, and gluten for dinner

 

Please pour the drinks in a Solo cup and use a plastic straw...

[Griff 935]

Here ya go:  biodegradable shotshell wads for reloaders.

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

I wonder how many plastic wads or hulls actually make it to the ocean?  

 

I had the notion that Federal still loads paper hulls to use on ocean liners so not to loose plastic hulls overboard. 

[Lead Monger 322]

Take a walk around any body of water or coast line in the western US and you will find plastic bottles, six pack can holders and shot shell hulls and wads on the shore and waters edge. What’s funny about that?

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 1,681]

18 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Need to make plastic wads out of a base material that is eatable.  

 

Licorice!

 

LL

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

22 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Need to make plastic wads out of a base material that is eatable.  

 

Don't always take what I post as serious. 

 

But I guess it could be possible.  I use U-Haul packing peanuts as filling material because they are made of corn starch and said to be biodegradable and eatable.   

 

But..  if we go back to fiber wads,  they will likely find that an endangered frog swallows them and croak.  

[Son of the Midnight Star 58]

until plastics have a good recycling program in place everywhere we will continue to have plastics in the oceans and land fills. The problem is not the material. It's how it's handled and how it's disposed of. Until that changes nothing is going to happen

We shoot lead bullets and shot out of our guns and Plastic is the problem?? like I said It's not the material it's how it's handled. 

 

Edited October 17 by Son of the Midnight Star

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

There is a push to outlaw drinking straws.  Save mother nature.  But when mother nature slammed the eastern coast line with a hurricane,  some 500 million plastic bottles of water were shipped to the area. 

 

Do away with fast food places would probably cut plastic in half.  We live about 10 miles south of town.  The first mile down the blacktop is always littered with MacDonald trash. 

[Son of the Midnight Star 58]

7 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

There is a push to outlaw drinking straws.  Save mother nature.  But when mother nature slammed the eastern coast line with a hurricane,  some 500 million plastic bottles of water were shipped to the area. 

 

Do away with fast food places would probably cut plastic in half.  We live about 10 miles south of town.  The first mile down the blacktop is always littered with MacDonald trash. 

Yeah there are a lot of so called "do gooders" on this planet that would step on a baby turtle to pick a piece of litter out of the ocean. 
People need to look at the big picture and do better everyday in every aspect of life. Banning straws will have an effect. About .00001% of an effect but an effect none the less.all while we drown in plastic bottles and fast food trash. 

[Son of the Midnight Star 58]

22 hours ago, Charlie Plasters, SASS#60943 said:

Anyone thinking that self regulation by switching to fiber or other eco friendly wads will keep politicians from legislating a ban is smoking wacky weed!

Just like voluntary regulation of anything gun related. the whack job anti gunners and politicians will come after what ever will get them reelected 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 603]

Well, I do use fiber wads in my all brass shotshells...

But I do it for fun.   And I get a lot of fun comments about all the "confetti" that my shotgun spews out as the wads disintegrate after they leave the barrel.  Not to mention "complaint" about how people get the stuff all over themselves if there's a good headwind.  

[Matthew Duncan 622]

I recycle all of our plastics (and other trash) on site, its called a burn pile.

 

When daughter was in junior high she came home from school and told me I was a polluter because I burned our waste!  

 

I asked her if pumping oil out of the ground, shipping the oil in Diesel burning tankers to the plastic garbage bag factory.  Me burning gasoline to drive to town to purchase garbage bags, setting the filled garbage bags at the curb to have a Diesel burning truck pick up the bags.  A Diesel burning excavator digging a hole to dump the garbage into with a Diesel burning bulldozer covering it up.  Is all that cleaner for the environment or me converting the trash directly into a gas that mixes and evaporates into the air?  She gave me a strange look and didn't answer.  I'm sure whatever environmental Teacher that tried to sell her that got a earful from her the next day.

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

Granddaughter wanted us to put solar panels on our roof so we could run the cloths dryer.  We use a clothesline.  

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 636]

On ‎10‎/‎16‎/‎2019 at 4:24 PM, Griff said:

Here ya go:  biodegradable shotshell wads for reloaders.

Can't find a Price on them ........

How many sheckles ?????

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Griff 935]

19 minutes ago, Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 said:

Can't find a Price on them ........

How many sheckles ?????

 

Jabez Cowboy

Graf's & Sons has them listed on their website for $13.99/500, but out of Stock.

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 636]

Thanks Griff ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

[watab kid 246]

is there anything that stays sacred in this world ? obviously not , i dont know why i typed that , one day there will be a rebellion against all this anti-everything we hold dear , till then guess im a nonconformist uncooperative nature has its ways believer , 

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 1,282]

Oppositional defiant

 

Imis

[J-BAR #18287 2,823]

George Carlin puts environmentalism and plastic into proper perspective.  Four minutes:

 

 

 

[Fence Cutter 162]

Would the fiber wads be made outa lettuce and bran?

[Lucky R. K. 22]

A very good material to make shotgun wads with is Masonite siding. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets and can be bought at a Lowes or similar store. It is used as sub-siding for houses and is made from glued up wood fibers. I punch the wads and soak them with homemade lube. You can shoot for the weekend without the gun fouling out.

Hopefully, here is a picture of my punches laying on a piece of the Masonite.

 

[Warden Callaway 2,316]

1 hour ago, Lucky R. K. said:

A very good material to make shotgun wads with is Masonite siding. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets and can be bought at a Lowes or similar store. It is used as sub-siding for houses and is made from glued up wood fibers. I punch the wads and soak them with homemade lube. You can shoot for the weekend without the gun fouling out.

Hopefully, here is a picture of my punches laying on a piece of the Masonite.

 

 

 

Do you hammer the pinch or chuck in a drill press?  Do you flake off the black tar layer?   

 

Any way you slice it, nothing is cheaper or more convenient than plastic wads.