Shotgun wads

[Plains99]

I use standard Federal 12 gauge cushion fiber was over powder and split them in half with my thumb for an overshot card. Effective, easy to manage and inexpensive.

 

[hardykev]

A few questions for those that shoot shotguns:

What thickness and what diameter cardboard do you use for 12 guage overpowder and overshot wads?

What commonly found material do you use to make them?

Do you use a special tool/punch to cut them?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I buy everything from Circle Fly ( http://www.circlefly.com/ ), but . . .

Overshot is thin cardboard (0.025" to 0.030"), like a manila binder, cereal box or 3" x 5" card (poke a pin hole in it and it won't 'pop' back off the shot from the compressed air).

Overpowder is 1/8", like a heavy sign-board.

Cushions are 1/2" and can be cut fron Celotex insulation board (or unfinished ceiling sound insulation tiles). Wool felt or blanket material will work, too. I roll mine in a thin puddle of melted beeswax/Crisco/tallow mix in an old cake pan to lubricate the bore. When shoot the oils squeeze out like a sponge. Dipping them makes them soak up too much.

I would often just use the 1/8" cards for everything with larger shot sizes. Two for overpowder and one for overshot.

I just visited Circle Fly and it looks like they don't sell retail anymore. Try Dixie or Track of the Wolf. Don't know when that happened. A 1000 of each size lasts a looooong time.

Oh, and 12 gauge takes a 0.740" dia. wad.

 

[roundball]

Another source is:
Flintlocks, Inc.
John G. Eder, Nineveh, IN, 46164
317-933-3441;

They sell "Hunter Packs" of 100 "sets of wads" in each pack consisting of:
100 - 1/8" over powder cards
100 - .5" pre-lubed cushion wads (vegetable oil)
100 - .030" over shot cards

A "Hunter Pack" costs $6.00

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Wonder wads are realy nice to use, two over the power one over the shot,nothing else to carry. But they are expense compared to other options. Rocky

 

[TwoShadows]

Kev, I have experimented quite a bit with different loading tecniques trying for the best pattern I can get with a smoothbore. So far I have come to the conclusion that using an OVERPOWDER wad...then shot cushion....then a very thin overshot wad produces the best patterns with seldom any holes in the pattern. Shortcuts and variations have never been sucessful for me. As long as I stick to the same regimen, I find that I can be fairly sure of consistant patterns.

 

[hardykev]

Two Shadows,

Do you use any lubricant on the cushion?

My local ML shop had 12 guage wads, overpowder and overshot 100 each in one bag for $4.25 and shot cushion wads lubed with wonderlube for $4.25.

If these work well (I am testing more for size and loading), the Circle Fly overpowder and overshot wads can be had for $7.75/1000 and the cushions for $7.75/500. I was going to soak the cushions in moose's milk.

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Kevin:
Do you use any lubricant on the cushion?I soaked my fiber cushions in #13 or moose milk for an hour, then it's on a wire rack to drip dry...

 

[TwoShadows]

Sounds like you are using the package put out by J. Eder and his son....it should work well. I usually put my cushion wads in a collander and pour cooking oil over them...then let them drain a couple days. Someone else said they rolled them in a thin coat of the same general oil back in the post...probably cleaner and simpler than my method. Circle Fly products are good too.

If you are a do-it-youselfer you could obtain a suitable card punch and get a sheet of celotex fiberboard for the cushions. Plastic or waxed milk carton works well for overshot wads. Something about twice or three times as thick as the milk carton would suffice for the overpowder wad.

I was not getting the power and pattern i should have been getting until I went to using an overpowder wad....too much blowby onto the cushion wad. Found a great difference when i went to the system I mentioned in the previous post.