Bore buttons

[nolucklarry]

Was reading the last post on minnies and non patched bullets. I plan on trying some. Question is, what exactly is a bore button. Is it like a wad patch that goes over the powder before the bullet? If so, how do you get it there so it lays flat behind the bullet?

I've seen a few references to these items and have always wondered how to properlly insert them. Thanks.

 

[jimeckersley]

"Bore Buttons" are a lubricated felt over powder wad. Here's what Thompson Center says about theirs:

Center-lubed with Natural Lube 1000 Plus Bore Butter for cleaner shooting and far less fouling. These wads provide uniform cushioning of the bullet when used over the powder charge in front of the bullet. The wad acts as a gasket and improves accuracy.

I don't know if Thompson Center has trademarked the name or not. I make my own felt lubed over powder patches to use with my 1858 Remington revolver. Using these lubricated felt patches has eliminated my need to use any kind of grease over the balls.

 

[roundball]

Was reading the last post on minnies and non patched bullets. I plan on trying some. Question is, what exactly is a bore button. Is it like a wad patch that goes over the powder before the bullet? If so, how do you get it there so it lays flat behind the bullet?

I've seen a few references to these items and have always wondered how to properlly insert them. Thanks.

Bore button is a slang term for a "Wonderwad"...OxYoke invented a wool like over powder wad that was/is pressure injected with OxYoke's "Wonderlube", hence the name Wonderwad. (they're also available dry).
OxYoke then also sold them to several vendors for re-sale under their own labels...ie: TC, Traditions, Remington, CVA, etc.

They are made to caliber sizes, ie: a .50cal wonderwad is simply laid flat into a .50cal muzzle and it has enough friction fit against the lands to hold itself flat while you seat it down on the powder.

I use them on all full powder hunting loads where they do serve as a firewall to protect the patch and/or base of a conical which reduces/eliminates blowby and lead melting;

Accuracy & group size does improve, I assume from the increased shot-to-shot consistency from improved gas sealing and no patch failure;

It is also advertised that velocity increases from the improved gas sealing although I haven't personally checked that on a chronograph.

And they put more Natural Lube 1000 into the bore which reduces fouling/keeps fouling soft;

They're a little pricey but the good news is they're usually not needed for light & moderate powder charges...all I use them for is to sight in a hunting load, then for the occasional shot during hunting season, so a bag or two lasts me quite a while.

I've never heard of a way to make them at home so the wads are internally saturated with NL1000 (like OxYoke pressure injects them) yet still feel almost dry to the touch on their surfaces.

 

[ResearchPress]

Was reading the last post on minnies and non patched bullets. .... a wad patch that goes over the powder before the bullet?

I'd be wary of using an over powder wad with a hollow based Minie bullet. Isn't there the danger of the wad cupping into the base, causing deflection of the bullet as it exits the barrel. The Minie bullet was designed to be used without a wad and use of such may also affect the expansion of the bullet?

David

 

[jimeckersley]

Right. There's a good chance accuracy could suffer if using one under a hollow base conical.

Most of the posts have been regarding wonder wads (or similar) and round balls.

 

[Swampman]

They aren't really necessary. I use the same modest loads for paper and hunting. I've known dozens of excellent shots and not one of them used "bore buttons."

 

[LittleMoe430]

I make mine using a homemade 50-cal punch (7mm mag case resized on a .5" drill shank) to cut the wads from strips of 3/16" felt insulation. I soak the roll of insulation in melted beeswax/crisco bullet lube, letting it drain and cool before cutting wads. For my rifle, these wads are necessary to shoot 250-grain Lee REAL's. I can't get a decent group without them. But they don't seem to do any good when using roundballs.

 

[roundball]

Was reading the last post on minnies and non patched bullets. .... a wad patch that goes over the powder before the bullet?

I'd be wary of using an over powder wad with a hollow based Minie bullet. Isn't there the danger of the wad cupping into the base, causing deflection of the bullet as it exits the barrel. The Minie bullet was designed to be used without a wad and use of such may also affect the expansion of the bullet?

David

FWIW, I've seen that caution from time to time over the years.....and maybe Hornady's hollow base design is enough different from the base of a minnie so it's not a problem.....but as a piece of information, the Hornady .45cal/285grn Great Plains HP conicals have always given me consistent accuracy using wonderwads.

 

[ResearchPress]

I'm not familiar with the bullet you are referring to, although note it is .45 cal. I am thinking of the .577 cal Minie bullets, some of which have deep base cavities.

David

 

[Runner]

I think most of the people that use them under minnies also fill the base of the bullet with lube to prevent the problem you asked about. The base being full of lube is also supposed to push the skirt out into the grooves quicker. I tried them years ago and decided they were not worth the price. Back then I could buy a box of balls for about the same price that they wanted for the wads. Revolver folks used them to provide a seal for the chambers that went under the ball and wasn't messy.

 

[LittleMoe430]

...But they don't seem to do any good when using roundballs.

Scratch that. I went out this afternoon and loaded two of the buttons under my home-cast PRB and shot my best group yet...5 shots into less than two inches at 50 yds while sitting on a bucket and resting my elbows on my knees. Maybe it's a fluke. More experimenting is definitely called for...