DaveCourington...It does smash them up to insert in the tube. It works really well. I have used them in tubes with one shot for an entire day...That one filling will outlast your tube 90% of the time. It seems to me that a jar lasts me much longer than putting 1 or 2 on a hook at a time...And the thing looks like it is not very durable, but man will you be surprised. I cannot ever see the need to replace it.