Felt wads under patch and ball?

[pmccoywss]

I used to use a small felt patch (about 1/2" square), unlubed, under my patched RB in a GRRW .50 because it shredded patches. Patches came out in good shape, and accuracy improved. An "old timer" told me to go to tighter ball/patch combo and leave out the felt wad, and that worked very well but starting the .498 ball with .018 patch was a chore. Accuracy was still good. Another "old timer" told me to try linen for patching (found some old napkins at a garage sale), and that solved the problem. Easier starting with .498 and thinner patch, with accuracy retained. Sold the rifle a couple years ago as part of my "reduction in stuff" to simplify future estate problems for my wife.

 

[Longone]

I too have been playing with felt wads. I purchased some 1/8” felt from Duro Felt and punch them with an inexpensive 1/2” punch. So far I have not put any lube on them and they are working great. I’m using them in a Pedersoli Rocky mountain hawken 48” twist and a Lyman GPR 60” twist. My lube of choice is Dawn and water, no swabbing between shots with accuracy and clean up consistent. Both rifles use the same load and are 50 cal.
The group @ 1:00 was before the sight adjustment and the second group was fired directly after a sight adjustment, all was shot from the bench at 50 yds. Aiming black is 3”.

 

[UndeadPoet]

For those who know of him, IdahoLewis uses an oversized lubed felt wad under bullets and at least a lubed patch under patch and ball, with great success.

 

[UndeadPoet]

In an earlier thread I spoke of my .54 Kibler shredding my patches. I’ve tried buffing with hundreds of strokes with Scotchbrite. Even after firing 300-400 rounds my patches are shredded. Especially in one side. Lately I’ve tried a bit of grits or corn meal over the powder. My accuracy is about the same but the patches look great after being shot.
I may try a felt wad instead of corn meal.
Do y’all have problems getting the wad to go down straight without tipping in its side or bunching up?
I hate adding extra steps to my loading process but if I must I will.

I have not had an issue with loading over-powder felt wads, but will add the caveat to be sure to fully seat an over-powder patch, if you use one. I was loading my fairly tight .45 Pennsylvania rifle, and forget to ram the first patch all the way down. When my patch and ball caught up with the over-powder patch partway down the barrel, they “joined up,” and it was the same as if I had double-patched my round ball. That took some hammering to get down the barrel. It shot out fine, but I don’t really want to have to fight it again.

 

[Relic shooter]

During big game season I've always placed a felt wad under a lubed patched round ball in my rifle & pistol to avoid possibility of any contamination as I left both loaded between hunts & just removed the cap or unprimed my flinters & sealed the nipple or priming hole with a toothpick. Never suffered a miss-fire doing this during 50 or so years of hunting.

 

[Gamechaser]

In an earlier thread I spoke of my .54 Kibler shredding my patches. I’ve tried buffing with hundreds of strokes with Scotchbrite. Even after firing 300-400 rounds my patches are shredded. Especially in one side. Lately I’ve tried a bit of grits or corn meal over the powder. My accuracy is about the same but the patches look great after being shot.
I may try a felt wad instead of corn meal.
Do y’all have problems getting the wad to go down straight without tipping in its side or bunching up?
I hate adding extra steps to my loading process but if I must I will.

No, you put the fiber disc on the muzzle,then patch and ball and home run everything together.

 

[TarponStalker]

No, you put the fiber disc on the muzzle,then patch and ball and home run everything together.

Oh ok. I thought you seated the disc first then the patched ball. Thanks

 

[Henry Miles]

I use the thick veg fiber wads from TOW, moderately lubed with Ballistol, seated on the powder charge in 58cal and larger rifles. I don't clean between shots and have no difficulty loading this way after a dozen or more shots. Accuracy remains constant with this combination and residue is almost non-existent.

 

[jefair1]

I'd like to try that, don't have a punch and cant fond very many sizes locally

Try Harbor Freight

 

[Pilgrim]

The tow takes up the excess lube preventing the powder from being contaminated with lube; I use a pea size amount of lube

Would you help out a pilgrim? Please explain to me what tow is?

Thank you
Terry

 

[colimr]

Would you help out a pilgrim? Please explain to me what tow is?

Thank you
Terry

long fiber strands from the flax plant .go to track of the wolf search Pa-4500. Ebay search " muzzleloader blackpowder Tow " just like shown

 

[Grenadier1758]

As @colimr states, tow is the waste by product when flax is processed into linen fibers and is a very good product. It's tough and I use it to scrub the bore as well as using it as a cushion wad. Tow from flax can be hard to find.

Suitable alternatives can be found that are the fibers created from jute, hemp or manila twine. Sisal can also be frayed into strands, but it's not a s good as jute or hemp fibers.

 

[coupe]

gamechaser a wad larger than the bore, I use 9/16 for my 50 and 5/8" for my 54, pour powder next the wad I do it separately because I have had an occasional wad twist sideways. then the projectile. I looked for a 9/16" punch found none at harbor freight so I had an old worn socket. ground the rest of the serrations on the inner and sharpened the outer to be a make shift punch, worked well enough that I never spent the money on the high buck punch. So a chewed up 5/8" hole saw sharpened does great also.

 

[looney]

In an earlier thread I spoke of my .54 Kibler shredding my patches. I’ve tried buffing with hundreds of strokes with Scotchbrite. Even after firing 300-400 rounds my patches are shredded. Especially in one side. Lately I’ve tried a bit of grits or corn meal over the powder. My accuracy is about the same but the patches look great after being shot.
I may try a felt wad instead of corn meal.
Do y’all have problems getting the wad to go down straight without tipping in its side or bunching up?
I hate adding extra steps to my loading process but if I must I will.

I put a felt wad on top of my over-powder grits. BUT, I made a ball board that can hold the ball, patch, AND the wad. I don't have another loading step this way except when loading the ball board. Another thing about my ball board, I recessed an octagon cutout of my muzzle so that the ball hole lines up with the bore. The board doesn't slide around and no squinting from the side to see if you're over the bore.

 

[UndeadPoet]

I put a felt wad on top of my over-powder grits. BUT, I made a ball board that can hold the ball, patch, AND the wad. I don't have another loading step this way except when loading the ball board. Another thing about my ball board, I recessed an octagon cutout of my muzzle so that the ball hole lines up with the bore. The board doesn't slide around and no squinting from the side to see if you're over the bore.

Nice idea on the ball board.

 

[Garbear34]

I'd like to try that, don't have a punch and cant fond very many sizes locally

Try amazon. 13mm punch is over 50 think its .515.https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/home-made-op-wad-making.31294/ this post 9n this page explains what he uses for felt in his muzzleloader.

 

[cynthialee]

I use a fiber wad over the powder in my rifles. Seems to give me a better group, so I just keep doing it.

 

[Henry Miles]

I use a fiber wad over the powder in my rifles. Seems to give me a better group, so I just keep doing it.

If sized and lubed properly, it cleans the residue from the previous shot very well and shoves it down on top of the new powder charge. Eliminates the need to swab after every shot.

 

[Pilgrim]

long fiber strands from the flax plant .go to track of the wolf search Pa-4500. Ebay search " muzzleloader blackpowder Tow " just like shown

Thank you

 

[Longone]

gamechaser a wad larger than the bore, I use 9/16 for my 50 and 5/8" for my 54, pour powder next the wad I do it separately because I have had an occasional wad twist sideways. then the projectile. I looked for a 9/16" punch found none at harbor freight so I had an old worn socket. ground the rest of the serrations on the inner and sharpened the outer to be a make shift punch, worked well enough that I never spent the money on the high buck punch. So a chewed up 5/8" hole saw sharpened does great also.

Unlike coupe I tried 9/16” wads I punched out to see what a larger tighter wad would do. My results were erratic, 2-3 good shots followed with a wild one. I could only assume the wad was folding or laying over as I was pushing it down the bore.
If you try them and it works excellent, but for me I’ll stick with the 1/2” ones I punch out.