wadding for golfballs?

[JADaube2]

Is wadding even necessary for golf ball cannons? What kind of wadding does everyone here use?

 

[Darkgael]

Wadding is not needed. In fact, I believe that it is not even desirable (possibly dangerous?) as it would interfere with the windage (the few thousandths extra width of the bore that permits the ball to be easily seated, even in a fouled bore) that is built into the mortar.
I have two GB mortars and never use wadding.
Pete

 

[crgabel]

I never use any kind of wadding. I do however patch the ball.

Craig

 

[Darkgael]

Just another .02. Patching is not needed either. GB mortars are designed to work with a bare ball in a slightly oversized bore. Since a mortar is designed to fire its projectile in a high arc, the kind of precision that a patched ball will give in a rifle or a smoothbore fowler is not necessary.
Pete

 

[TheDoubleD]

Actually Pete brings up a good point. Why Patch a GB in a mortar?

 

[crgabel]

I do it to just make a nice snug fit. I also retrieve the balls and they stay white because of the patch. I do it on the Baseball,and Softball mortars as well for the same reasons.
I do not do it for any other reason.

Craig

 

[TheDoubleD]

Patching is totally unecessary in a mortar (or cannons larger than 1 inch bore) and actually indesireable as it tends to raise pressure. Try it without the patch. Two differences. Less noise and greater safety.

 

[Wes/Tex]

How about plaid gold knickers??!!!

 

[TheDoubleD]

Knickers tend to raise pressure also especially when they crawl and creep.

 

[Rob Dinwiddie]

While its true that patching and wadding are hardly necessary in a mortar assuming there is not excessive windage, it is possible to depress the bore on a cannon for direct fire so that the ball begins to roll down the bore and becomes a barrel obstruction rather than a projectile. This is as you all know a really bad idea so patching or light wadding is desirable in a cannon that is capable of having its muzzle depressed.

Capn D

 

[TheDoubleD]

That's what sabots are for,to keep the ball from rolling out...

 

[BrownBear]

I bet patches cut from golf shirts would be about right. I hear they're most accurate if you are careful to get the part with the little alligator on it. :wink: