Home Forums Reloading Shotshells How many petals on wad for long range accuracy

As the topic title implies, I'm curious how you're doing your most accurate long range wads.

I recently bought some unslit wads and while I intend to make some similar to the federal flite control, I'm also curious about trying to cut for a 2 or 3 petal wad.

I'm sure I'm not the first guy to think to try this, so if you already have done this, I'm very interested in hearing what worked best for you.

I'll mostly be using these with #6 shot. Would like to be able to squeeze as much range out of them as I can since I live in the Appalachian mountains and some of the old growth trees are easily 120-150 feet up in the air. So, having a 45 yard shell comes in handy for those early season squirrels and the occasional times when a turkey hangs up and just won't come any closer.

I'll also probably try to use some buffer in the shot too.

So, if any of you folks have some experience with this, I'm interested in hearing any advice that you care to share with me. Thanks in advance.

I think you are chasing swamp gas in trying to get the ideal slot number on a plastic wad.

The wad does three things: 1) Seal against the barrel walls to keep expanding gas from passing the wad, 2) act as a shock absorber in protecting the shot during setback, helping keep the shot pellets round as they begin their trip out of the shotshell, and 3) Protect shot from abrasion and deformation against the barrel wall while traveling down the barrel. Note that two of these three functions are to protect the shot.

To that end, there are a number of high quality shot cup wads on top end shells that vary somewhat. So long as the shot charge fits in the shot cup and stays there until the ejecta leaves the barrel, exact design is quite close to moot. The material of the wad is quite important, so that it obturates to seal the bore in both very hot and bitter cold weather. The cup itself must be tough enough to stay intact until it leaves the bore.

In addition to the design and functions of the wad is the quality of the shot. It must be true to size, round and hard (about 6% antimony, even up to 9% as in Winchester’s new Diamond shot) in order to make the pellets resist deformation, fly true and deliver predicted energy on the target or game. Standardization in manufacture and high quality powder, as well as a good hull, excellent primer and consistently good crimp round out the factors affecting shotshell quality.

How many slits the wad has falls well below all of these things. I’d worry over the other stuff well before the number of slits.

All very good info. And I appreciate your time to explain that, in far better detail than I probably would have.

In regards to taking care of the shot (reducing deformation), buffer helps with that too.

I recall a time when folks would even try to use mylar wrap (similar to the stuff that used to seal packs of cigarettes to keep them fresh and dry) putting the shots inside of it inside of the cup. To me, all that did was generically hold the shot closer together, making it more like a slug until the shot was finally able to tear free from it downrange somewhere. While that would help keep the pattern a little tighter/longer, I was just curious if anyone had tested different wads.

Most commercial wads that I know of are 4 petal wads.

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I've seen some that have 8 petals, which are geared more for short range stuff and clays and some bird hunting.

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The flite control has the 3 small little wings that come out about 3/4 way down the hull. And a bunch of small petals around the basewad. I think it's probably one of the best wads out there for longer range hunting and patterning.

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Which is why I was curious how a 3 petal wad cut would work. Or, even a 2 petal, but splitting a wad in two seems like it would be too erratic.

I have never seen a better long distance wad than what Federal used on extended turkey loads. The wad was like backward, no slit or petals. At 50 yards the wad even hits the target. Best I have ever used or seen.

Is this the one you're referring to? On the bottom of the box.

It's kinda like the gen 2 flite control.

With tungsten shot, the whole picture changes as it is essentially unaffected by setback owing to it’s hardness, nor is the shot going to be seriously deformed traveling through a barrel, even without a shot cup. I suspect the reason for the shot cup in these loads is to protect the barrel not the shot.

Exactly this

I'd imagine federal could make a fortune on their wads. They dont sell em as component, huh?


Probably want to sell em in loaded shells.


Any knock offs?

Not the flite control unfortunately.

Federal protects that patent like hunter protects his crack pipe.

Though, a lot of folks will take a solid wad and make their own slits to loosely mimick them.

Someone did at one time, but I assume Federal probably made them stop.

I ended up with a whole case. Bought from someone, that had bought a BUNCH from the maker. They are for the 3" shells, but I can/have trimmed them down for use in a 2 3/4" shell. I never tested them with lead shot, but got my tightest steel patterns using them. GREAT long range duck loads!!!