lubed or non-lubed felt wads?

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

Maybe Roundball can respond to this one for me. I am ordering 58 cal. felt wads today. Should I use the lubed or the non-lubed wads?
Jim in Idaho

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I use a non-lubed felt wad myself, but place a small drop of Go-Jo atop, run down atop powder charge, then lubed PRB. When I reload after taking a shot when hunting ( I hunt only deer with my .50) I just run a lubed PRB from loading block ( holds 3 PRB) down atop powder dumped from cork plugged 300 mag case for second shot. Have never had to use 2nd shot though but always quickly reload after shot in case of :hmm: .

 

[roundball]

Maybe Roundball can respond to this one for me. I am ordering 58 cal. felt wads today. Should I use the lubed or the non-lubed wads?
Jim in Idaho

I always use the prelubed wonderwads...I want that extra lube squished out into the bore under the heat & pressure of the powder charge.

And just as food for thought, I actually use the next larger size wad...IE: I use a .62cal wad in a .58cal rifle, and so on...simply on the belief that it'll fit even tighter and seal even better...when I pick them up off the range, the edges have tiny gear teeth marks indicating that the pressure has squeezed the oversize out into the grooves...absolutey no science that it offers additional benefits, just speculation that it most likely has to.

 

[Goldhunter]

I use the lubed wonder wads in my .54 hunting load. Then a PRB lubed with moose snot.

 

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

Thanks Roundball for answering my question. I have been inactive on the forum since late January and this is my first time logging on since. Just been busy with non-shooting stuff and am now getting ready for the Nov. 21, opening for elk here in Idaho. You have helped me a lot in past and I appreciate it. Still have not shot my new T/C Renegade Fox Ridge Custom 58. I had a peep sight put on it at the custom shop as well. I will heed your advice and try the .62 lubed wads. Midsouth does not seem to carry the 62 cal wads...they go from 58 to 12ga. in their catalog.
Thanks again,
Jim

 

[roundball]

Thanks Roundball for answering my question. I have been inactive on the forum since late January and this is my first time logging on since. Just been busy with non-shooting stuff and am now getting ready for the Nov. 21, opening for elk here in Idaho. You have helped me a lot in past and I appreciate it. Still have not shot my new T/C Renegade Fox Ridge Custom 58. I had a peep sight put on it at the custom shop as well. I will heed your advice and try the .62 lubed wads. Midsouth does not seem to carry the 62 cal wads...they go from 58 to 12ga. in their catalog.
Thanks again,
Jim

Well, if you can't easily get the .62cal wads, I wouldn't consider it a showstopper...if the .58's are handy, just grab a bag of those

 

[Flintleather]

Track of the Wolf has 20ga lubed wonder wads.I just ordered a bag for the quail opener for my fowler.They sure are pricey but well worth it!

 

[Greycat]

If I'm mistaken, please forgive me, but are you guys talking about using a felt wad under the patched roundball in a rifle?

If so, why? I mean, what's the purpose of the wad? Doesn't the patched RB make it's own seal? Or is this some hunting secret I'm not familiar with?

I'm asking because if I can ever get my lock back, and working again, I may try to take out my flinter later in the deer season. I had been planning on just using the patched RB, but now you've got me wondering if I would need a wad too.....


Greycat

 

[roundball]

If I'm mistaken, please forgive me, but are you guys talking about using a felt wad under the patched roundball in a rifle?

If so, why? I mean, what's the purpose of the wad? Doesn't the patched RB make it's own seal? Or is this some hunting secret I'm not familiar with?

I'm asking because if I can ever get my lock back, and working again, I may try to take out my flinter later in the deer season. I had been planning on just using the patched RB, but now you've got me wondering if I would need a wad too.....
Greycat

Yes, the wad goes over the powder and acts as a firewall to protect a patch which might otherwise burn/fail with large powder charges for hunting loads. (not necessary for light target loads)...sort of like the use of "wasp's nest material" that was used back in the old days

The prelubed wads put more lube into the bore which gets squeezed out under heat & pressure, and that helps keep fouling soft for loading the next shot;

In addition, Oxyoke advertises that the increased 'sealing' effect results in a velocity increase with the same powder charge...and...the inceased sealing effect improves shot-to-shot consistency which promotes better accuracy, tighter groups, etc.

The only thing I can't personally attest to is whether or not there's an increase in velocity as I haven't tested it over a chronograph, but it certainly makes sense that there would be...but I have experienced all the other benefits, and use Oxyoke wonderwads with all my hunting loads.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Ditto that RB, target practice using a felt wad under PRB produced noticeably tighter groups, and I was charging my 24" 1-48 twist barreled .50 with my hunting powder charge - a 300 win. mag. casefull of 3f- slightly over 70 gr.
at the range or plinking I always dry patch after every shot anyway so didn't notice whether it reduced fouling, but for sure did not add to it.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Both my brother and I have tested the wads in rifles and smoothbores, over chronographs, and there is a definite increase in velocity, and a lower Standard Deviation in Velocity when you use the over powder wads. They do protect the patches from gase cutting, and burning in heavy loads, and the wad does seem to help scrape crud out of the barrel, too.

I got the same effect using corn meal as a filler on top ofthe powder, although I didn't get quite the same velocity increase with it. Perhaps I need to use more corn meal to account for the compression of the CM behind the PRB when the powder fires. I have been using a 20 grain volume drop tube to measure the corn meal. It seems to be very close in my .50 cal. to wads, but I am going to have to switch to a 50 grain tube for use with my 20 Ga. fowler.

 

[Greycat]

Well, I guess ya learn something new every day. I'll have to see if I can't pick up some lubed felt wads if/when I get my flinter working again, and see how they do.


Greycat