Issue 57 March 2024

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Safety Concerns Over Eco Wads

Worries that storage may lead to shot binding.

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Gunsmithing & Technical|January 2021

Is there a problem with some of the new materials being introducd to meet the demand for non-polluting components in shotgun ammunition?

Shoot Straight recently uploaded a short film expressing concerns about the apparent oxidisation of copper coated shot and 'eco wads' in Eley 'Zenith Pro Eco' cartridges.

While the subject requires more scientific testing to establish what the problem is, it is certainly of interest and particularly concerns ammunition stored long-term, as the observations indicate that the problem increases with age.

The danger of shot binding together or sticking to the wad is that the composite becomes a heavier projectile, which acts like a bullet rather than a shot column, with dangerous implications for anyone or anything hit outside the normal range of a shotgun.

Eley has not yet responded to the observations but when they do, we will report on their answers. The materials being created to replace plastic are novel and their properties still relatively untested in the field, we expect modifications over time will be made to overcome these issues but investigating and reporting on them is part of the process of improvement. Well done to Shoot Straight for their work on this.

Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on

Gunsmithing & Technical|January 2021

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