Author Topic: Wasp nest wadding (Read 14626 times)

stone knife · « **on:** February 05, 2012, 03:35:06 PM »

This may sound like a foolish question but just exactly what kind of nest is used and what part and also how much. I have on order a .62 cal TVM fowler and would like to gather some up while the weather is cold.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2012, 04:46:25 PM »

I use an like hornets nest.

The other DWS · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2012, 05:33:05 PM »

I have always assumed that the large hanging "paper wasp" nests were what was used when other material was not available.

There was a time when paper was not as commonly available and much more expensive. Perhaps it was an "over-the-mountain, Long-hunter" or native american field expedient thing that has entered into muzzle-loader lore. Id not be surprised to find dried spanish moss or shredded birch bark also used in similar circumstances in different environments.
But I have wondered about the validity of using it when other materials are available. has anyone ever tested it against other materials?

Mad Monk · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2012, 06:23:38 PM »

Quote from: The other DWS on February 05, 2012, 05:33:05 PM

I have always assumed that the large hanging "paper wasp" nests were what was used when other material was not available.

There was a time when paper was not as commonly available and much more expensive. Perhaps it was an "over-the-mountain, Long-hunter" or native american field expedient thing that has entered into muzzle-loader lore. Id not be surprised to find dried spanish moss or shredded birch bark also used in similar circumstances in different environments.
But I have wondered about the validity of using it when other materials are available. has anyone ever tested it against other materials?

The thing about the paper wasp nest material is that when the wasps chew the plant material something in their saliva acts as a flame retardant in the resulting pulp. The paper wasp nest material will survive the firing and not be blown out the muzzle smoldering.

One year at the old Daniel Morgan's Rifle Shoot at Winchester, VA there was a problem with grass fires during the shooting. Some cloth patches would be smoldering when they left the muzzle. Then they would have to stop the shooting and beat out a grass fire. A drought year with dry brown grass. Not a problem with those who were using the wasp nest wadding.

E. Ogre

hanshi · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2012, 11:41:10 PM »

Mad Monk is right on. Nest material could be asbestos considering ow flame proof it is. IMHO you're walking in tall cotton when you happen onto a hornet nest.

The other DWS · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2012, 12:25:45 AM »

thanks thats good to know, am I correct that you are using it for smooth bore over-powder wadding?

northmn · « **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2012, 06:18:49 AM »

They work great but are hard to store in a bag as they do tend to desintegrate. Empty ones with no active wasps are the best.

DP

Daryl · « **Reply #7 on:** February 07, 2012, 06:13:30 PM »

In Wikki, seems wasp and hornet names are used for synominously - however many people consider the Yellow jackets as being hornets and wasps being the longer bodies mud dauber wasps. they are both wasps and it appears, both hornets as well I'm guessing by the descriptors, they are one and the same. The large paper-type nexts here, at least all I've seen have the entrance/exit hole exaclty in the middle bottom of the hive, whereas the pictures on the net have them slightly raised on the front.

I prefer card and fiber wads.

billd · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2012, 03:52:03 AM »

How do you convince the bees to leave and take all their babies with them?

Bill

Roger Fisher · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:01:46 AM »

Quote from: Bill D on February 08, 2012, 03:52:03 AM

How do you convince the bees to leave and take all their babies with them?

Bill

Harvest them in winter...

huckfinn · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2012, 05:18:13 AM »

I use the wasp nest over the powder and then over the shot too. Works good for me. I am shooting a .62 caliber smoothbore with 75 grains of 3f and a similar volume of copper plated #6 shot. I tried using the fiber wads and over shot cards but always got a hole in my pattern. I have no choke on my gun and it is pretty good to about 25 yards. Haven't killed a turkey with it .... yet

.
Try a couple pinches of it and pack it down.

TMerkley · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2012, 05:40:01 PM »

Wasp nests would definately be easier to get a hold of. Hornets nests would be a chanllenge to get down with out a broken neck, a cut down tree, or bullets landing on the neighbors roof. Hope you don't have any neighbors close by!

Vomitus · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2012, 08:46:47 PM »

When I was a younger fella,I found a giant "black jacket" hornet nest. This one was bigger then a beach ball,had to be 3feet long by 2feet thick.I was hunting birds at the time with a buddy. Over/under 12.I told him,LOL,watch this! Put two fingers around the triggers,held at the bottom of the nest and yanked both triggers! Grey matter everywhere and *#)*^~ off hornets! Needless to say,we had a good laugh after a long sprint to the truck.The big black hornets must have followed us for 70 yards!

hanshi · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2012, 08:54:04 PM »

Hornet/wasp nest does disintegrate easily. However scooping up the pieces and wadding them in your palm makes it useful; certainly no more inconvenient than Cream of wheat, etc. The stuff's just too good to waste.

Vomitus · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2012, 09:04:41 PM »

I love killing hornets!

As an off note, the venom from these lil devils sure helps my arthritis, among other things!(libido!)

Greyfeather · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2012, 11:16:11 PM »

They can also shorten your 100 yard dash time significantly.
Greyfeather

Vomitus · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2012, 12:01:23 AM »

Hope you threw the comb away!

Lee Slikkers · « **Reply #17 on:** February 09, 2012, 03:53:22 AM »

This is a very timely thread...was walking the property today and found a honest's nest larger than a soccer ball. Since it's winter up here in MI I guess I'll retrace my steps tomorrow and nick this one for later use.

Learn something new every day...

stone knife · « **Reply #18 on:** February 09, 2012, 05:57:32 AM »

Quote from: Leatherbelly on February 09, 2012, 12:01:23 AM

Hope you threw the comb away!

Why

alsask · « **Reply #19 on:** February 09, 2012, 08:07:42 AM »

I use to use wasp's nest for OP wading but found it crumbled up too much after carring it around in my coat pocket. I switched to using 1/2 square of toilet paper and it seemed to work just as well. I never have seen any smoldering fragments, it just disintegrates. Hunting season here generaly has snow cover so the chance of a fire is extremely remote anyway.

James Rogers · « **Reply #20 on:** February 09, 2012, 04:12:38 PM »

Although I have seen references to wadding with all various sorts of oddities including Spanish moss, I have never found an account of the use of wasp or hornet nest. Still looking. I prefer the paper wasp nests over the bag type as they seem to pack and seal well. They also do not crumble to pieces and carry much better.

Daryl · « **Reply #21 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:04:21 PM »

Oh yes, James - talking about the small nests, holes angling up. I think that's the paper comb LB was talking about. They compress into flat, multilayered paper sheets, easily cut to shape with sissors.

I think a lot of so-called "original methods" were developed by the fertile minds and imaginations of writers in the late 60's and 70's who were new to the game. They were attempting to make names for themselves as black powder shooting authorities through writing books after books, and to do that, takes words. One only gets paid for words. Wasp nest wadding, antigaskets, that sort of thing filled that need for bulk.

hanshi · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2012, 08:57:01 PM »

Quote from: Leatherbelly on February 08, 2012, 09:04:41 PM

I love killing hornets! As an off note, the venom from these lil devils sure helps my arthritis, among other things!(libido!)

So do fire ant stings (found out by accident and it's amazing) but you'll never catch me standing on a mound.

Toilet paper is probably the best all around for both smoothies and rifles. It turns to snow when fired and I've never seen it smolder. This is what I mostly use at the range.

Dogshirt · « **Reply #23 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:09:54 PM »

Quote from: Leatherbelly on February 08, 2012, 09:04:41 PM

I love killing hornets! As an off note, the venom from these lil devils sure helps my arthritis, among other things!(libido!)

Don't know about libido, but I had a boss that said bee and wasp stings helped his arthritis.
I always figured it just gave him a different pain to think about.

northmn · « **Reply #24 on:** February 09, 2012, 11:05:21 PM »

I do not know how much they used but a couple of shooters I knew claimed they set a stubble field on fire sharptail hunting using toilet paper. It was a very dry year. Sometimes I think the commercial wads may be too much of a good thing whcih is why we get holes in the pattern from using them. Some of the lighter weight and more fragiles wads might work better. Just a thought.

DP

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Author Topic: Wasp nest wadding (Read 14626 times)

stone knife

The other DWS

The other DWS

northmn

Daryl

billd

huckfinn

Vomitus

Vomitus

Greyfeather

Vomitus

Lee Slikkers

stone knife

alsask

Daryl

Dogshirt

northmn