Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Polywad shotshells?

Hello,

First time posting in this section of the Campfire. I wondered if anyone out there had any experience with Polywad brand shotshells? Especially interested in the vintage loads as I recently came across a very nice Winchester Model 12 in 16 gauge with 2 1/2 inch chambers. Polywad makes a "vintage" load in 16 gauge and was thinking of trying them out. Unfortunately they only come by the case, so before I popped for a whole case I wanted to see if anyone had anything good or bad to say about them. Thanks in advance.

If you go to Shootingsportsman.com or Doublegun.com, you'll get a lot more opinions, but as a rule, Polywad makes good stuff. I've never bought shells, but I have bought components. When I called the fellow with questions, he spent way more time with me on the phone than my lousy little purchase warranted, but he wanted to make sure I loaded everything "just right". HTH, Dutch.

Worth the money. I've used the Vintager and the Doublewide (Vintager spreaders) in old 12 ga guns that needed low pressure shells, and was satisfied with them.

They also make a 2.5" 16 spreader shell that isn't low pressure, and packs more power. Since you're shooting a Model 12, that doesn't need low pressure shells, you might like those better. Those are sold by the box.

Finally, Polywad has a new low pressure, non-spreader cartridge that is buffered, with biodegradable wads. Various guages including 16 2.5". And yes, Jay Menafee is a very good man to deal with.

Another source of ammo for your gun is Ballistic Products. They sell Gamebore shells (English I think) including 16 2.5" in one oz #6 or #7 At 1260 fps.

Polywad and Ballistic Products have web sites. BP even sells a pamphlet called "The 16 Gauge Manual" with info including recipes to load 2.5" shells. About $12.

Enjoy your M12. No better pumpster ever made.

Thanks for the help guys, I am glad to know that I can try a box or two before buying a whole case. I want to try the 16 on a couple of Nebraska pheasants before the season closes this year!

I bought a case of Polywad Vintager in 16 ga to use in an old double. I've been very happy with their performance on clays and quail. I think if I had your short chambered Model 12, I would just have the chamber reamed to 2 3/4" (and a long forcing cone) and just forget about what shell to use,

I had thought of that as well but does this affect any potential resale value one way or the other?

There�s a nasty rumor that goes something like this�if you shoot 2 �� shells in a 2 �� chamber, pressure will increase dramatically. This rumor began with W.W. Greener�s outstanding book, The Gun and its Development . There may have been some truth to the rumor back in the days of black powder shells (when the book was written), but with modern loads, Mr. Sherman Bell, in a series of articles in the Double Gun Journal entitled �Finding Out For Myself� has flatly disproved this long standing rumor. Mr. Bell took a good sampling of old doubles with fluid steel and Damascus barrels with chambers from 2� on up to 2 5/8� and shot modern, plastic 2 �� shells while attached to a pizeo-electric strain gauge. The difference in pressure was usually less than 1K psi.

So, with that in mind, since your Model 12 is made with good steel, I see no reason to buy high price specialty shells. The only downside to using 2 �� shells in a 2 � � chamber is at times it can pattern a little looser. In this situation, it�s best to just pattern your gun and see if standard off the shelf 16ga ammo patterns satisfactorily.

I have a Westley Richards double with 2 �� chambers that I routinely shoot 2 �� ammo in�Saves me a lot of money.

Your Model 12 can handle any kind of pressure a factory load is likely to throw at you. Shoot and enjoy.

Short chambered Browning autos don't eject very well unless the ejection port is modified to make room for the extra length of the fired shell. Never tried it on a M12.

May as well try it. Kevin is correct that it won't damage the gun. Take a cleaning rod and some needle nose pliers with you in case extraction is a problem.

When you get her going, shoot something and post a picture. Please?