Lead wads for steel?

[diananike]

I have been reloading steel shot for clay pigeons but the cost of the wads is prohibitevly high and they also are designed for 1 1/8oz so in order to bring the weight down to 7/8oz I've had to fill the wad with spacers.
So the question is can I use cheap lead trap wads for steel or do the wads have to be specially designed for steel. If so why? Are lead wads dangerous to use with steel???

 

[blargon]

Why not load lead shot for clays?? I wouldn't shoot steel if I didn't have to. I think the steel wads have thicker walls due to the steel shot being harder. Using regular wads may be harder on your barrel.

 

[Jose]

No you can't use lead wads for steel shot. The walls of the lead shot wads are not thick enough or long enough to protect your barrel from the steel shot. Steel shot itself is as hard or harder than your barrel and it will scratch the inside of your barrel.

When reloading steel shot you have to follow the recipe exactly. Do not substitute the components.

 

[ben hunchak]

What Josie said.....Steel shot wads are made out of a much tougher plastic and much thicker to protect barrel....why are you using steel shot for clay targets? It's more expensive by a mile, not as effective, harder on the gun, you got me scratching my head!

 

[diananike]

My girlfriend lives on a Communal farm so the deal is I can shoot skeet as long as its not lead. The problem is steel shot and wads are so much more expensive so I was just trying to come up with cost saving techniques like reduced payloads and cheaper wads. I think I might join the range down the road and just shoot cheap lead loads instead.
Thank you for your help, it makes sense as I noticed the steel wads are ribbed, so I guess thats the reason.

 

[ben hunchak]

I was going to suggest the same thing....the Steel shot route is so expensive and ineffective that if it were me I would do anything to find a place to shoot clays with lead shot rather than go the steel shot route, any gravel pit, crown land, etc. would allow you to setup and shoot clays with lead, if you don't feel comfy in a club setting.