Carrying Skychief wads

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French Colonial

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For those who use the Skychief system how do you carry the oil-soaked wads in the field?

I am using a small plastic container with all the wads rolling around in the bottom with some extra olive oil, to say that it is messy to load is a given. But the plastic container is a pain as well.

Any suggestions on a better way to carry them? Maybe even something a little HC?

Brockennock posted this some time back....@Brokennock
I soaked a few the other night and it didn't seem to take long before they weren't obviously absorbing more oil. I am now wondering if I got impatient and pulled them too soon.
I would soak them again, but, as part of a test to aid in transporting them, I quickly gave them a thin coat of melted beeswax that I had already melted for another project. Hoping to seal in the oil, without them being so sloppy wet that I need a special container for them.

Did the beeswax coating work?

I think I need to carry a small towel as well to wipe my hands off!
 
I have a heavy plastic zip lock bag , it’s like a very thick vinyl that’s made to be reusable. You will get the oil all over, no way around it!
 
French Colonial said:
For those who use the Skychief system how do you carry the oil-soaked wads in the field?

I am using a small plastic container with all the wads rolling around in the bottom with some extra olive oil, to say that it is messy to load is a given. But the plastic container is a pain as well.

Any suggestions on a better way to carry them? Maybe even something a little HC?

Brockennock posted this some time back....@Brokennock
I soaked a few the other night and it didn't seem to take long before they weren't obviously absorbing more oil. I am now wondering if I got impatient and pulled them too soon.
I would soak them again, but, as part of a test to aid in transporting them, I quickly gave them a thin coat of melted beeswax that I had already melted for another project. Hoping to seal in the oil, without them being so sloppy wet that I need a special container for them.

Did the beeswax coating work?

I think I need to carry a small towel as well to wipe my hands off!
Click to expand...
Yes. The thin wax coating works well for transport. They are still messy to load, nothing is going to stop that. I generally have a bit of rag folded over my belt or hanging from my shot pouch for wiping my hands or the pan, I wrap it around the muzzle when placing the lubed cushion wads in the muzzle.

I just carry them in my divided tin. I use a few cleaning patches to line that section in case of some leakage, and then I don't worry about it, muzzleloading is a messy activity anyway, why make a fuss.
 
Brokennock said:
Yes. The thin wax coating works well for transport. They are still messy to load, nothing is going to stop that. I generally have a bit of rag folded over my belt or hanging from my shot pouch for wiping my hands or the pan, I wrap it around the muzzle when placing the lubed cushion wads in the muzzle.

I just carry them in my divided tin. I use a few cleaning patches to line that section in case of some leakage, and then I don't worry about it, muzzleloading is a messy activity anyway, why make a fuss.
Click to expand...
Pictures of your tin?
 
This is what I use for patches..

75B5139B-378D-4C32-9811-35942336E1EE.jpeg


I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for the wads…
I’ve used an Altoids cans and other small metal cans in the past for wads.

I carry a rag or piece of ticking for any wiping that needs too be done…

Including #2 just in case the toilet paper in the haverbag got wet..😎👍
 
French Colonial said:
Pictures of your tin?
Click to expand...
This is the only pic I have handy. It doesn't show the Skychief cushion wads....
20201217_173303.jpg

When I'm turkey hunting the large side, with the faux-tow, has a few soaked cushion wads.

Tin contents get swapped out depending on what I'm hunting. Not sure what I'd been doing here as I usually only use nitro-cards for the Skychief load. Probably experimenting with different loads at the range.
Usually the two small sections have thin cards (lots of them as I use those the most and they are prone to being dropped) in one, and dry felt wads in the other. Large section alternates between lubed felt wads, lubed cushion wads, and lubed faux-tow balls. Lately though I've been keeping my faux-tow in a small leather bag attached to my shot pouch strap, small enough to tuck into the bag while hunting/trekking but attached so I can let go of it after removing what I need and let it hang while I load. I'm thinking of trying the Skychief wads in that.

Tins are available from SpecialtyBottle online. Hinged like this or round with a slip on top. I added the scrap wood dividers, obviously.
 
Brokennock said:
This is the only pic I have handy. It doesn't show the Skychief cushion wads....
View attachment 365308
When I'm turkey hunting the large side, with the faux-tow, has a few soaked cushion wads.

Tin contents get swapped out depending on what I'm hunting. Not sure what I'd been doing here as I usually only use nitro-cards for the Skychief load. Probably experimenting with different loads at the range.
Usually the two small sections have thin cards (lots of them as I use those the most and they are prone to being dropped) in one, and dry felt wads in the other. Large section alternates between lubed felt wads, lubed cushion wads, and lubed faux-tow balls. Lately though I've been keeping my faux-tow in a small leather bag attached to my shot pouch strap, small enough to tuck into the bag while hunting/trekking but attached so I can let go of it after removing what I need and let it hang while I load. I'm thinking of trying the Skychief wads in that.

Tins are available from SpecialtyBottle online. Hinged like this or round with a slip on top. I added the scrap wood dividers, obviously.
Click to expand...

Thank You!!!
 
For those that use ziploc bags I have a question. Or questions.
What bags are you using? I find the average ziploc too small/fine and a pain to close when trying to manage everything while reloading, especially with cold hands..... or is this just for range use? If using the ones that have the large plastic "zipper tab" are you finding small "snack size" bags with these somewhere? The ones I've seen with these are too big, but, I carry a small traditionalist shot pouch.
 
At the range I have used one of the newer plastic coffee cans while shooting trap with my original William Moore 11Ga. It is rather heavy for carrying for long periods and in great condition so I think I may retire it.

I have a new to me older Pedersoli SXS coming in 12Ga that I want to try to hunt with, so I am still on the fence about using a tin with a friction fit lid or a Ziploc bag inside of maybe a leather pouch. I can see where there are advantages and disadvantages of either system.

Thanks for all the input!
 
I like using old pellet tins. Some are friction fit lids and some are screw top. I just burnished them all over with a propane torch to burn off the screen print and to the color I like. Then rub them back with oil soaked steel wool. Gives them a rustic patina so they don’t look too out of place. They work great for this purpose and don’t take up much room in the bag. I also press the olive oil soaked wads one good time to remove the excess oil before storing them. There’s still plenty in them that will come out and lube the barrel as they are rammed down but it doesn’t leak out of the tins and make a mess in my bag.

IMG_2024-12-07-080352.jpeg
 
Last edited:
French Colonial said:
For those who use the Skychief system how do you carry the oil-soaked wads in the field?

I am using a small plastic container with all the wads rolling around in the bottom with some extra olive oil, to say that it is messy to load is a given. But the plastic container is a pain as well.

Any suggestions on a better way to carry them? Maybe even something a little HC?

Brockennock posted this some time back....@Brokennock
I soaked a few the other night and it didn't seem to take long before they weren't obviously absorbing more oil. I am now wondering if I got impatient and pulled them too soon.
I would soak them again, but, as part of a test to aid in transporting them, I quickly gave them a thin coat of melted beeswax that I had already melted for another project. Hoping to seal in the oil, without them being so sloppy wet that I need a special container for them.

Did the beeswax coating work?

I think I need to carry a small towel as well to wipe my hands off!
Click to expand...
I use an Altoids tin to carry my fibre wads. I have both 10 gauge and 20 gauge smoothbores, both wads fit nicely. I stack the wads inside the tin and then soak with moose milk in the summer, or melted beeswax if it’s going to be subzero in the winter. I can fit more wads than I can shoot in a day of hunting.

I have a length of white fabric that I carry loose, draped through my shooting belt, at my waist, when I’m hunting. When shooting one of my flintlocks, it’s nice to be able to wipe off my hands from time to time, or wipe the frizzen, the pan, etc…my brow, on a hot day in the field.
 
There is vintage band aid tin boxes. They look cool the way they are.

There is also allot of different cigarettes boxes. Metal, leather, plastic.

Coin purse? Small glass jar?
17352089593292235358478141099320.jpg
 

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