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Show pBy JtM RHODYf-vj jMi Better Shells Paper in today's shotgun shells can withstand far more abuse than those of a decade ago thanks to a World War II discovery revealed today to-day by Western-Winchester officials. A plastic compound, melamine formaldehyde, added to pulp ln the manufacturing process results in a paper that withstands dampness and friction when shells are carried on scores of trips during bad weather in the pocket of a sportsman's coat. High wet-strength paper originally original-ly was used in 40.000,000 wartime maps and as a packaging material. It was developed to meet military demands for a paper retaining maximum strength when wet. Affected Fitting Before this plastic treated paper entered the sporting ammunition picture, scuffing and dampness -5steAMre tJ'0 The abrasion test: After 30 turns on the abrazer, the paper disc is removed. sometimes prevented shell from fitting into the chamber of a gun. A mechanical "hunter's pocket" was devised by Western-Winchester ballisticians to determine the value of high wet-strength paper ln shot-shells shot-shells over previously used shell cases. Both new and old shells were subjected during the experiments to friction and dampness many times more severe than they would receive re-ceive over a long period of time when carried loose by a hunter. After they had been soaked ln warm water for half an hour, both types of shells were given a 15-min-ute drubbing ln the machine. No perceptible damage resulted to shells made with high wet-strength paper. The older types were scuffed so severely that chambering was difficult and often impossible. Used Ornery Wheel Another test made by researchers for the sporting arms and ammunition ammuni-tion concern involved holding ordinary ordi-nary shotshell paper and high wet-strength wet-strength paper to a slowly revolving emery wheel. Where the latter type barely was scratched, the other paper virtually burst apart after 20 revolutions. Search for a "perfect" paper has been a major project of sporting ammunition manufacturers since the advent of paper shotshells half a century ago. Excellent results under un-der normal conditions came when hulls were made of four layers of four-ply paper impregnated with Comparison: A comparison of the two papers after 30 turns on the abrazer shows the surface of the old-type paper (left) has been completely worn away, exposing the white sub-layer. The High Wet Strength paper (right) shows only a small mount of surface wear. paraffin. Because excessive wear and wet weather frequently damaged dam-aged such hulls beyond use, research re-search efforts continued. Wartime developments of high wet-strength paper were viewed as the possible answer to the problem. Sample maps of this iaper did not show "noticeable effects" when they were soaked in water wrung out, smeared with grease, daubed with paint, gasoline and mud, walked over by an entire regiment and, finally, rolled over by a tank. When this paper was made available avail-able for civilian use, Western-Winchester began its tests of the paper for shotshell purposes. These led to adoption of high wet-strength paper in making a tougher, more waterproof water-proof hull. AAA |