Wonders! That's what a felt wad will do!

[chorizo]

Been having problems with my Navy Arms Zoli Buffalo Hunter. No matter what bullet I use or powder load it has been acting more like a scatter gun than a musket. With an exceptionally large bore ( .581 ) I decided to try the Maxi 580 grain made by October Country.

No success, it shot high..very high and was a 6 inch group at 50 yards......powder up.....powder down..no help...still a shotgun. I changed the front sight from .500 to ,538 to bring the group down and upon conversation with a buddy, decided on using a felt wad.

So I added a 58 cal felt wad...WOW, what a difference. First off I ran out of elevation to adjust it was shooting so low...so I decided to go ahead a group it. Below is a 3 shot clean bore 50 yard group. It is obviously flinging out that 580 grain slug at a much higher velocity.

I came home and changed out front sight for a .450 and will head back to the range tomorrow.

So I am convinced. Felt wad it is for conical, at least in my .58

 

[russellshaffer]

Now that's a group. Your persistance paid off.

 

[burlesontom]

Jonathan Koziol who owns another ML forum and also post here and writes articles in the Backwoodsman magazine is a big promoter of felt wads. Sounds like you found what he has been preaching for a while.

 

[Nazgul58]

I have the same gun and problem. Have not had it very long so still working with it.

Interesting.

Don

 

[kyron4]

Nice. What powder charge was that with ?

 

[stikshooter]

I have the same gun and problem. Have not had it very long so still working with it.

Interesting.

Don

Dura Felt and Harbor Freight are your friends , Make your own felt wads with hole punches (cheap sets $15.00) Ed

 

[Mad Professor]

I've been using lubed wonder wads in all my rifles for quite a while now.

For conicals. A 58 1-48 Lyman and 54 Renegade1-28 (GM barrel) using Hornady GP bullets 525 gr and 425 gr respectively (glad I have a stash of those as 58 + 54 are NLA), and a 50 Renegade 1-28 (GM barrel) using 385gr Buffalo Bullets (also NLA). They all group great using FFg.

Avatar shows 5 shots with the 50 at 50yds, 80gr FFg. Groups good w/90gr too but that makes a much more noticeable kick and it's a "max" load.

I also believe in the wads for PRB, the above 58 and another TC with a 1-66 TC barrel. Protects the patches

 

[chorizo]

Nice. What powder charge was that with ?

100 grains of triple 7 ffg
I am using these wads

Ox-Yoke Originals® Wonder Wads – Pretreated – RMC Ox-Yoke Muzzleloader Supplies

These wads are pre-lubed with our Wonder Lube® 1000 Plus. Wonder Wads are used over the powder and under the patched round ball or conical bullet. They safely seal each chamber and help prevent a chance of chain-fires. Single shot pistol and rifle shooters are using Wonder Wads to improve...

rmcoxyoke.com

 

[SwanShot]

Been having problems with my Navy Arms Zoli Buffalo Hunter. No matter what bullet I use or powder load it has been acting more like a scatter gun than a musket. With an exceptionally large bore ( .581 ) I decided to try the Maxi 580 grain made by October Country.

No success, it shot high..very high and was a 6 inch group at 50 yards......powder up.....powder down..no help...still a shotgun. I changed the front sight from .500 to ,538 to bring the group down and upon conversation with a buddy, decided on using a felt wad.

So I added a 58 cal felt wad...WOW, what a difference. First off I ran out of elevation to adjust it was shooting so low...so I decided to go ahead a group it. Below is a 3 shot clean bore 50 yard group. It is obviously flinging out that 580 grain slug at a much higher velocity.

I came home and changed out front sight for a .450 and will head back to the range tomorrow.

So I am convinced. Felt wad it is for conical, at least in my .58

Yep, i had the same experience with a three band Enfield, put a lube felt wad over the Powder and the group just came together. I don't know why, i don't care, i just know it worked.

 

[chorizo]

Yep, i had the same experience with a three band Enfield, put a lube felt wad over the Powder and the group just came together. I don't know why, i don't care, i just know it worked.

I be thinking that it moderates and reduces the gas leak past the conical, thereby making for a more consistent load.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Makes sense … great shooting!

 

[Urban Coyote]

Impressive group, nice shooting!

 

[TDM]

Well it certainly worked!

 

[nit wit]

Hell of a group!
NW

 

[SciAggie]

Felt wads worked for me in my .72 caliber. Diameter matters. In my gun the ox yoke wads were a bit too small in diameter and didn't shoot much better than without wads. Then I tried wads from Eastern Maine Shooting Supply that were a bit larger - and my groups shrunk down like yours.

Great group and I'm glad you found a solution.

 

[Nazgul58]

Dura Felt and Harbor Freight are your friends , Make your own felt wads with hole punches (cheap sets $15.00) Ed

I have a lifetime supply of durofelt and many different size punches .

Don

 

[hanshi]

I like wads over the powder and use them quite a bit. They will certainly protect a prb in a rifle.

 

[TDM]

I like wads over the powder and use them quite a bit. They will certainly protect a prb in a rifle.

I’ve never used an over powder wad with a prb. But after reading all this, I will certainly start. I’d love to see my groups improve.

 

[hanshi]

I’ve never used an over powder wad with a prb. But after reading all this, I will certainly start. I’d love to see my groups improve.

I've sometimes noticed a slight increase in velocity when an op wad is used. Sometimes it's reported that accuracy will benefit from an op wad. I generally do use op wads out of habit because they've never been detrimental to a load that I could tell.

 

[TDM]

I've sometimes noticed a slight increase in velocity when an op wad is used. Sometimes it's reported that accuracy will benefit from an op wad. I generally do use op wads out of habit because they've never been detrimental to a load that I could tell.

Any lube or just dry felt?