On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 21:28:32 GMT, "carl mciver"
wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
| carl mciver wrote:
|
| "Gunner" wrote in message
| ...
| SNIP
| | What's the thing called that's holds shot in a shell? I'm
drawing
| a
| | blank here. They use that to keep the pressure from destroying the
| pumpkin
| | before it can get very far up the barrel.
| |
| | You're looking for the word "wadding".
| |
| | Actually...in this case..its "sabot"
|
| That's it. I was starting to feel stupid there for a minute. Glad
to
| know I wasn't the only one drawing a blank!
|
| Would it not be correctly termed "wadding" if it is behind the pumpkin
| and serves to cushion the accelerating force on the pumpkin, vs. a
| "sabot" that surrounds the pumpkin on the sides as well and serves to
| seal and guide it in the bore?
|
| Pete C.

I'm obviously no expert, but two things: 1) the pumpkin will be
irregular in shape at best and it'll truly difficult to find pumpkins whose
profile will allow a precise fit, so a sabot's function sounds correct. 2)
the pumpkin's acceleration will obviously be so great that the pumpkin won't
stand the acceleration part of its ride before disintegrating, so wadding is
also necessary. The sabot on shotgun shells has a sort of wadding function
built in, so is it called a sabot or wad? Not something I'm gonna get
wrapped up over, that's for sure!

Shotgun shells that fire shot..use shot cups and occasionally wads.
Shotgun shells that fire a solid projectile, a finned slug or dart
acuatlly..use a sabot to hold the projectile..and they fall away once
it clears the barrel.

Wadding seals the bore, but does little to cushion the pumpkin.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner