Filler over powder

[Mean Gene]

Hello, I took my Pietta 1860 shooting today and tried a combination of ways of loading, I found placing 25 grains of powder in the chamber topped with corn filler, a wonder wad and a 454 ball worked best.
I also tried a lube I bought on line made with lambs tallow and bees wax, I found it didn't spread very evenly over the chamber mouth like I had expected and it doesn't soften up much at all in heat.
After shooting six rounds I was surprised to see a perfect impression of the lube on my paper target shaped like the chamber opening. It's my first time using this lube combination over ball, does this sound normal? Also when I used it I didn't combine it with a wad under ball.

 

[hawkeye2]

I always use lube over the ball and have never seen a lube impression on the target. You didn't say what distance you were shooting at and than may have something to do with it. I generaly shoot at a minimum of 25 yards. If your lube didn't spread evenly it's possible it's too stiff though it shouldn't soften in the heat at all. It sounds like there's too much bees wax in your mix, you might try adding a little olive oil (not much) to soften it a little. I try to make my lube as stiff as possible and still be able to spread it evenly in the chamber mouth filling it flush with the top. I keep mine in an old musket cap tin and use a little spreader like a butter knife. Actually I think the little thing was for spreading dip at a party but this setup works better for me than the nice brass "cake decorator" that I used to use specially with a stiff lube. In all my years of shooting revolvers I have never used a wad but I do use Cream of Wheat as a filler.

 

[Mean Gene]

Hi Hawkeye, I should have thought to mention bistance, I was shooting from a distance of 15 yards and yes there was the imprint of the of the lube, just like it was in the chamber.
I will try thinning it a little as you suggested with some olive oil and then try it again this weekend.
Thanks for the tip.