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Corn meal - At our last muzzle loading trap shoot one said he was using corn meal instead of cushion wads. It seemed to work.

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I've used cream of wheat and grits (mostly grits) when loading my .54 longrifle (left handed, of course). I dump the powder charge that has given the best accuracy, then one of those thin wads (w/light lube) designed for BP pistols, and then the grits. The volume of grits is approx. (this is black powder, no need to use calipers or a scale) 1/2 the volume of BP. I've gotten better accuracy (probably not statisticly so...) by using the grits. I believe that the grits seal the bore better than just the cloth patch on the ball. My patches come out looking much better, too. Yes, I do like that cooked grits smell when I fire, especially if there's something brown on the ground after the smoke clears.
 
I've used cream of wheat and grits (mostly grits) when loading my .54 longrifle (left handed, of course). I dump the powder charge that has given the best accuracy, then one of those thin wads (w/light lube) designed for BP pistols, and then the grits. The volume of grits is approx. (this is black powder, no need to use calipers or a scale) 1/2 the volume of BP. I've gotten better accuracy (probably not statisticly so...) by using the grits. I believe that the grits seal the bore better than just the cloth patch on the ball. My patches come out looking much better, too. Yes, I do like that cooked grits smell when I fire, especially if there's something brown on the ground after the smoke clears.

I have used grits in black powder cartridges and prefer them over corn meal.
 
We use to call this kind of thing a fire wall.

In a rifle we a stopping high pressure flame getting past the patch. Some patches and lube combo's cope ok on their own and some benefit from a firewall of talk powder or a type of flour.

In the shotgun though we are trying to negate the effects of high pressure, hi volume flaming jets kicking a solid wad in the a$$ of the delicate shot column just realeased on their short lived perilous flight.
 
Just stick to a volume load with 2 number 1/8 card wads over powder and one number 1/16 card over shot and you cannot go wrong
Feltwad
 
Wouldn't you want something between the shot & the cornmeal/powder column for a gas seal? Something like a thin over shot card on top of the powder/cornmeal? Just asking, as it seems the powder, cornmeal & shot will just comingle when going down the barrel. Or am I missing something??
 
Since you guys are makin cornbread how bout doin something up for breakfast and use some Cream of Wheat
WoW! such a variety of substances to choose...Hmmmm, the Missus has ceased using the baby powder which she formerly appied after shower (the cancer scare y'know). Wonder if those lurking cannisters from johns suns could be sent downrange for our purposes?
 
Wouldn't you want something between the shot & the cornmeal/powder column for a gas seal? Something like a thin over shot card on top of the powder/cornmeal? Just asking, as it seems the powder, cornmeal & shot will just comingle when going down the barrel. Or am I missing something??
Watch the video.

I find that when my Mrs boot and my rear collide there ain't much time to comingle nothing!
 
How will that cornmeal work walking for a couple hours shifting your gun around before firing a shot? Seems to me the corn meal will filter into the powder resulting in poor ignition.
If everything is packed down in order, nothing will move around. If you are worried, put a paper disc down to separate the powder and cornmeal. One thing I found is that you must use the lightest card you can get away with over the shot; a heavy card will create a 'donut' pattern, as the shot goes around the card when the card slows down due to wind resistance. I use cards made from milk cartons; nice and light yet stiff enough to stay in place.
 
Ive never had donut holes in my patterns using a thick felt wad. And shooting at clay and live birds never saw a donut hole problem. Corn meal intrigues me as it would make easier loading after shooting multiple shots and the barrels starting to get gunked up.
 
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