Never could understand why someone would want a spreader load.
If one has a SXS that is M/F or F/F and desires to hunt woodcock in leafy or thick woods where the shot opportunity windows are within 20-25 yards and maybe hunt late season dove, spreader loads make the woodcock shots more practical and late season dove hunting with regular ammo without the need for screw-ins. I have some guns with C/F that I use for woodcock. With woodcock, having two open patterns made possible with spreaders in one or more barrels gives a close-in pattern for two shots when the need arises. Spreaders work as intended. For those that handload with the Polywad post, a member of the 16 ga. forum came up with a solution for what he noticed were holes in pattern's center. He loads three fourths of the load under the spreader disk and the balance of the load ahead of the disk with an OSC roll crimped on top of the full load. Gil
