Jump to content
Practically Shooting

Petals not separating on Helarco VP-60 - effects?


wwillson

Recommended Posts

All,

I picked up seven of these Helarco VP-60 wads that I had just shot at the club this weekend. There was a fresh layer of snow and I was the first shooter, so I know they were my wads. I was surprised to see that four of the seven had petals that had not separated.

This has to be very detrimental to the shot pattern. I imagine that the wad would immediately yaw in the direction of the separated petals? Would this have an effect of scattering the shot? Maybe that's why I had such a hard time (12 broken targets out of 25) at 27 yards?

These are the same wads that were pierced in this post. Nothing like having about everything working again you!

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update:

I called Ballistic Products, who is the exclusive domestic distributor for Helarco. They said that the slitter sometimes just doesn't cut completely. Their ballistician said that he didn't think the petals not opening would effect the pattern much.

The think and much parts worry me.

Am I over analyzing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to agree with you Wayne. If one side opens and the other does not you are going to have an affect. The drag on one side will be far greater than the other causing an immediate spinning of the shot/wad package. "that much" is relative.. If you shoot a 24 you ALMOST shot a 25.

Sounds like Helarco needs to get their slitter working properly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

I finally did a test to see if stuck petals would make any difference in shot pattern. I found five VP-60 wads that had two petals firmly stuck together and loaded them as-is. I fired them at cardboard to see if the pattern was off center from normal. I found two wads and confirmed that their petals were still stuck together. The pattern was slightly scattered to one side, but it wasn't dramatic at 15 yards. At the break point of 35 yards it could make a much larger difference, but I'll have to test that theory later. I'd show you the pattern, but someone threw them out...

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...