Felt over powder wads

[northmn]

On another site I visit, a few talk about increased accuracy using flet wads between the patched round ball and the powder charge.  I could see this for a hunting load as there could be some contamination over time from lube into the powder, but they are talking about range shooting.  They are also talking about production rifles.  My own thoughts are that they know something I do not or they may be shooting too thin a patch and the wad prevents burnout.  I have always been able to get very good accuracy with out using any over powder wad but am curious about this issue.  Many of these folks seem to be pretty able shooters except that most use production guns.

DP

[Daryl]

Dave- my .69 is the only gun that did not react adversly to the addition of a wad between powder and patched ball. For hunting purposes, where a rifle will be carried loaded all day or for days, I used a wad as a barrier between the two- but that rifle didn't care.  Since my other guns do care, one must access the difference (if any) through actual testing and make your own decisions.

For an addition wad to improve accuracy, it must be incorrection of a problem, such as too loose a patched ball. Look to the round ball bench rerst shooters - are they using wads between patched ball and powder? If they are, then perhaps we should be as well.  Wads are used in ctg. guns with soft bullets to ensure minimal damage to the base of the bullet, ie: to protect the bullet. Jacketed bullets don't need, nor use wads.  In our round ball guns, I feel the patch is our jacket that is all the protection I need.

 Now, if I want to use a barrier wad for hunting, I must access the damage it does, if any and see if I am comfortable in it's degree.

It would not hurt to try different wads materials - cardboard (or a dry patch), which I used in the 80's for moose hunting, worked just fine. Today, I'd probably use a 14 bore "B" wad from Track. Arch punches are about $20.00 at a hardware store - the material,an empty Cherrios box, is probably in your re-cycle bin.

[alsask]

I started using wasps nest as an OP wad in my flintlock, initialy to prevent any contamination from the patch lube.  Prior to hunting season I tried it out and found it did indeed shrink my groups.

Wasp nest is not the easiest material to measure accuratly when loading [plus it crumbles to dust in your pocket] so I tried using plain old toilet paper and after firing about 30 shots determined that 1/2 square rammed on top the powder charge was optimum.

Whether or not the wad is correcting some deficiancy in my patch/lube combo I could not say but it seems to work!

[roundball]

In running chronograph tests with and without Oxyoke OP wads, an average SD of 25 fps without wads dropped all the way down to only 6 fps with wads.

[alsask]

A deviation of only 6 fps explains it all.  I will have to try the chrono out on my loads.

[Al Lapp]

I would be concerned with any paper type wad over the powder. A buddy and I were out shooting one time, and after he shot we saw something smoldering. It was a fibre type wad that he was using. He does,t use them anymore.   Al

[alsask]

The wasp nest and toilet paper turn to dust upon firing, I have never seen any smoldering pieces.  Hunting season around here there is usually 6" of snow in the ground anyway.

[northmn]

While it would be considerably more paper I talked to a couple of guys that were laughing because they had to put out a stubble field fire in North Dakota hunting sharptails.  They used toilet paper for wadding.  Interesting about the reduction in SD's using a wad.

DP

[alsask]

The local range is paranoid about grass fires and bans muzzleloaders from shooting when it is dry out.  Apparently there have been instances of the patch smoldering and catching fire so the possability must exist.  Generaly most of my patches look good enough to re-use [allthough I don't]

[fdf]

"On another site I visit, a few talk about increased accuracy using felt wads between the patched round ball and the powder charge."

I have read about this numerous times and the reported decrease in S.D. with a chrony, for verification, but I never seen them used in Line Matches at the State or National level in rifle or pistol matches.  These folks are seeking the best in accuracy, how come they are not used?  Just wondering why?

fdf   

[westerner]

One of my picket rifles shoots most accurate when using a lubed felt wad. T Dont think it would be worth using with a round ball.

          Joe.

[Daryl]

The local range is paranoid about grass fires and bans muzzleloaders from shooting when it is dry out.  Apparently there have been instances of the patch smoldering and catching fire so the possability must exist.  Generaly most of my patches look good enough to re-use [allthough I don't]

Oh, the possibility of a fire exists all right. Happened at Hefley - dry conditions, 6% humidity, 100F+ temps, burning patches due to too-thin material being used.

If they aren't good enough to re-lube and shoot again, they aren't substancial enough for me.  Every one of my gun's spent patches, from .32 through to the 20 bore smooth and .69 rifle, is reusable for at least two more & probably more shots than that.  With my 14 bore rifle, & shooting 3 drams of 3F, I've shot a 50yard 2 1/2" offhand group with 5 consecutive shots using the same patch for each shot- merely re-lubing it and loading it each time. It was a challenge with a guy who said it couldn't be done. He got to retrieve the patch after each shot.  When shot off the bench with a rest, 2" for 5 shots is all that load will shoot with a new patch each time.  2f, although slower, is more accurate and what I use for squib loads (close range) now.

Burning patches only happens - can only happen, with too-thin a patch - wet or dry - doesn't matter, as the blowby is like a cutting torch, burning the patch, incinerating it and starting it on fire- all in a micro-second.  Too loose is too loose, no matter how you look at it.

 

[northmn]

A few on that site are admitting that they use the wads more for maxi ball type loads than for rounball but there are those that swear by them for some roundball loads.  One mentioned the use of a rougher bore and wads.  Personally I still think its a patch thickness/easy loading thing.

DP

[hanshi]

Toilet paper turns into snow.  Wasp nest does the same thing.  I've never experienced a smoldering wad though I have seen a smoldering patch once.

[RwBeV]

Smoldering patches are just a fact of life around here, its usually dryer than a Popcorn @$#% around here.  Its just one of those things we watch for as we only have about 3 months of green grass if we are lucky.  I have noticed that the patches that are mostly found burning are greased and not lubed with water or some such lube.  I'm not sure why one would use a wad in a rifle, l use one in my 20ga. but the ball I use is smaller than I like, but its what I have and it shoots well so I leave it alone.

[Leatherbelly]

  I've heard rumors that a felt wad works good in a smoothbore. Just rumor tho.