waxed paper cup wads

[CoyoteJoe]

Here's one for those who like to experiment. I eat a lot of Reese's miniature peanut-butter cups or the Walmart generic equivalent. I always thought there should be some use for those little waxed paper cups so I tried one in the muzzle of my cylinder bore 12 gauge. I found that if carefully started with a smooth sided rammer (I actually used an unfired 20 gauge shotshell) it does indeed form a nice paper shotcup about 3/4" deep.
Here's one just started in the muzzle.

and here it is after being started and removed

And best of all, it is a totally authentic 17th century method. :haha:

 

[BrownBear]

Now that's really creative! As if I needed another excuse to eat Reese's! :rotf:

I've been experimenting with good results using roughly the same idea using lubed ticking patches. Ticking don't taste nearly so good. :grin:

 

[roundball]

And best of all, it is a totally authentic 17th century method. :haha:

I love it !!!!!!
:grin:

Have you filled it with shot to see how much it holds?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

No I haven't actually tried it, the weight of shot would probably carry it to the breech and I didn't want to actually load the gun since it's too durn cold to go shooting. But it is about 3/4" deep so I'd guess it would hold one ounce or a bit more. The base diameter is a bit large for a 12 gauge, would be an easier fit in a 10 gauge or a Brown Bess.

 

[BrownBear]

I bet I'll end up doubling them for a little more durability, but that's mostly an excuse for eating more Reese. But push a base wad down a little ways before adding the Reese wrappers, and I bet there's no problem with ruptures when loading.

I just happen to have a Bess that needs a little load development, so all I have to do now is buy some more Reese. Thanks! :grin:

 

[roundball]

And since we're talking about authentic 1700's stuff...another one I've wondered about are the little paper ketchup cups or tiny paper dixie cups.

The excess paper folds sort of wrap themselves around the sides and are apparently only held in place from the pressure during their forming.

I've wondered if a tight fitting dowel could be used to push a precut proper size piece of wet strong paper into a tube and let it dry to create the same effect as one of those little overlapping ketchup or dixie cup designs.

(could even use paper that looked like an oak leaf for purists :v )

 

[texcl]

I like the ketchup cup idea, I bet that would work fine and foul less than plastic.

 

[Old Sarge]

I wonder if the cups from assorted chocolate candy boxes would be the same thickness? Bet they will work too. Gonna try those ketchup cups too.

 

[roundball]

And since we're talking about authentic 1700's stuff...another one I've wondered about are the little paper ketchup cups or tiny paper dixie cups.

The excess paper folds sort of wrap themselves around the sides and are apparently only held in place from the pressure during their forming.

I've wondered if a tight fitting dowel could be used to push a precut proper size piece of wet strong paper into a tube and let it dry to create the same effect as one of those little overlapping ketchup or dixie cup designs.

(could even use paper that looked like an oak leaf for purists :v )

Just to clarify I wasn't actually suggesting using the ketchup cups as they are...pretty sure they'd be too wide and too short.
I was just referencing their design as an example, wondering out loud if a proper size cup let's say for a .20ga, could be made like those little ketchup cups are made.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Usually "she who sleeps at home" doesn't have anything to do with guns. But she has voluntered to empty the peanut butter cup wrappers for you. Just send us the peanut butter cups and she will return the empty wrappers for you to use! :idunno: :idunno:

 

[BrownBear]

Just to clarify I wasn't actually suggesting using the ketchup cups as they are...pretty sure they'd be too wide and too short.
I was just referencing their design as an example, wondering out loud if a proper size cup let's say for a .20ga, could be made like those little ketchup cups are made.

A couple of things to consider. Those cups come in all sorts of sizes, and I bet the tops will "accordion" closed to a degree as you seat them in the bore. We used to use a lot of them in research at my former job, and I have a stack of the 1" (base measure) around here somewhere. When pushed down into a 62 caliber I bet they'd be plenty long and the larger base wouldn't have any trouble squeezing and reshaping into the bore. Most I've seen are plain paper rather than waxed, which is likely a plus.

Now all I gotta do is find my stack so I can verify. Finding them will be the hard part. :rotf: