Tea as a filler?

[Eutycus]

A little while back the question was brought up about using coffee grounds as a filler. In it the pros and cons were kicked around. I now find myself in a similar situation. Cleaning out the cabinets we came across a box of old Tea bags. Carol said get rid of them so I was saving the paper to make nitrated cartridges. Now I got a cup or two of the dried out tea. Should I just toss it in the compost or would can it be used as a filler?

 

[Eutycus]

Oops, I forgot to add that I have a second use for that tea. If it don't work out as a filler I was going to use it as a stainer. A powder horn that I"m working on could use a little "patina". I figured a cup of tea in a gallon of water just might give it some color. I read somewhere that John Wayne stained his ivory grips with tea.So if it works on ivory it ought to work on norn too.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The tes as dye will add a little bit of color to your horn. Its probably too compressible to use as a filler.

 

[flintlock75]

I always use cornmeal as a filler, a lot less mess than grease.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I've used in shotshells
Ages ago. It works in them but can be blown on the wind back onto the shooters eye!

 

[Treestalker]

Damn it Tommy, lookout!

 

[cositrike]

A little while back the question was brought up about using coffee grounds as a filler. In it the pros and cons were kicked around. I now find myself in a similar situation. Cleaning out the cabinets we came across a box of old Tea bags. Carol said get rid of them so I was saving the paper to make nitrated cartridges. Now I got a cup or two of the dried out tea. Should I just toss it in the compost or would can it be used as a filler?

Most tea bags, especially the older ones, have plastic in them. Wouldn’t think they’d be good for nitrated cartridges

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

No way! Tea tastes to good. Seems a waste?

 

[Eutycus]

Most tea bags, especially the older ones, have plastic in them. Wouldn’t think they’d be good for nitrated cartridges

I was wondering about that plastic content. I don't know that they do have any plastic in them but they just don't feel "right''. Maybe I ought to stick to coffee filter paper.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Tea in bags, savages.

Please explain why you need a filler?

are we loading 45/70 cases with modern powder? Only reason I ever use filler. Powder, veggie wad, dacron pillow filler.

 

[sourdough]

Please explain why you need a filler?

If you know anything about black powder in percussion revolvers, you will recognize the need to compact the powder charge. If using light charges in the chambers, seating the ball without a full charge of BP will create a large space between the center of the ball in the chamber and the barrel forcing cone, which is not conducive to accuracy. In modern terms it is like shooting .38 Special cartridges in a .357 Max firearm.

(I know cartridge firearms are verboten here, and I am just using it as an illustration.)

Are we loading 45/70 cases with modern powder? Only reason I ever use filler. Powder, veggie wad, dacron pillow filler.

You are comparing apples with oranges.

Regards,

Jim

 

[Eutycus]

Tea in bags, savages.

Please explain why you need a filler?

are we loading 45/70 cases with modern powder? Only reason I ever use filler. Powder, veggie wad, dacron pillow filler.

The filler keeps the ball or bullet up near the top of the chamber in a cap and ball revolver. Less jump into the forcing cone. Those of us who use light charges for brass framed revolvers want to keep the ball up near the top.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Dont do revolvers had a bad thing happen with one that was defective from the factory.
Always use full charges, so the only thing I use filler in is straight wall cases.
Sorry for the ignorance.

 

[cositrike]

I was wondering about that plastic content. I don't know that they do have any plastic in them but they just don't feel "right''. Maybe I ought to stick to coffee filter paper.

Most definitely do, though some companies in England are now switching to a plant based bag

 

[toot]

COFFEE, TEA OR TOTO, isn't that what the airline stewardess's say.? BTW, TOTO, is COCCA. not coffee , tea or me.

 

[Eutycus]

These are the Lipton brand, do they contain any plastic?

 

[Robby]

Boiling a horn in tea is an excellent dye, throw in some onion skins to boot!
Robin

 

[cositrike]

These are the Lipton brand, do they contain any plastic?

I believe so. I don’t believe many brands have changed over yet

 

[Eutycus]

Just looked it up most regular Lipton tea bags are a unbleached hemp fiber. Except the pyramid bags, which do contain plastic. Mine are not pyramid.

 

[steg49]

In my Ruger old army I use 25 gr. fff, a wonder wad and a small amount of cornmeal. The corn meal compress easily and the ball site just below the lip of the cylinder. I get good results at 25 yds. steg49