Help Identify Spreader Loads

870 Views 2 Replies 1 Participant Last post by Anonymous, Sep 28, 2003

Discussion Starter · Sep 26, 2003

Greetings everyone,

I work 3 or 4 times a year as a FITASC referee in Houston. At a recent shoot, a friend noticed a fired hull on my parcour and told me that it was a spreader load. This was of interest to me because shells using any type of spreader wad are illegal in FITASC.

The shell I was shown that day was an Orange Activ hull. I know now to look out for that one. My question is, who else makes a spreader load? What does it look like. I know the second question could still make it hard to be sure, as manufacturers will use the same hull for different loads. I would like to at least have an idea what to look for. It does not have to a shell in current manufacture. As the Activ huill we found shows, some people have "stocked up".

Thanks,
Jeff
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Ulysses

· #2 · Sep 26, 2003

I have some Kent spreader loads and on the outside of the hull it says Spreader Sporting. Other than that, there is nothing in the appearance to identify a spreader load from a non spreader load. A spreader load usually has a special wad or a plastic insert in the shot column that causes the shot to spread more than normal. Once the shell is fired, there is no way that I know of to tell if a spreader load was fired from the shell.

Besides, if a person wanted to hide it, it would be almost impossible to detect unless you took all his shells and cut them open before he had a chance to fire them.

In FITASC, reloads are also prohibited, but I've never seen anyone grab someone else's shells out of their vest and cut them open to determine if they have been reloaded. Some reloaders do such a good job that a reload is hard to tell from a factory load even if you examine it closely. I'm not suggesting that anyone should cheat. I just don't think that cheating on the type of load used is going to be of much, if any, help anyway so I don't worry about it.

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Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 28, 2003

Ulysses,

Thanks for your reply. I realize identifying spreader loads before they are fired is not easy.

I must disagree with your statement that cheating with that kind of load will not be of much use. The tournament in question had a three way shootoff, so one bird ended up being very critical to three shooters. The shot the spreader was used on was a close, fast crossing rabbit. The use of a spreader could have been a big help there.

I don't realistically expect to catch evert illegal shell that passes by me, and I am by no means make it my life obsession to rid FITASC of the evil spreader load. I won't go diving into shooter's vests to inspect all their ammo however. However, If I can identify spreaders, it just helps me keep things fair for the shooters who abide by the rules. I know what the Activ spreader looks like now, and I just wondered if there are any others I could be looking for.

Regards,
Jeff

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