Muskatoon61
32 Cal
I was wondering if it would be safe to place a felt wad over a Minie" ball or round ball? with the Minies I obviously can't place under because of the hollow base.
Felt Wads Over Bullet
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Muskatoon61
32 Cal
I should specify that this would be in muzzleloading rifle'
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To what end?
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
To help push fouling out with each shot.
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
With the round ball I would be using it in a paper cartridge .
Mad Professor
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I use them on hollow base conicals. Hornady GP and Buffalo Bullets.
What is the problem?
The only time I have done that is with revolvers to prevent chain fires.
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If the minie ball can't push the fouling out there is a definite problem. I lube the minies base and have never had a problem with hard fouling.
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
However, it's would add an extra means of pushing out fouling. The less fouling left in the bore between shots the better. I just want to know if putting the wad over the projectile is a safe procedure.
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
Putting it under will obviously hinder the skirt from expanding.
Mad Professor
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How so? You get a better seal and generate more pressure. I don't have a chrono but you could check velocity with and without a wad.
In almost all cases I've experienced the wad increased accuracy. 50 54 and 58 calibers with hollow base conicals. My avatar is a 5 shot group at 50 yds with 385-gr 50 cal Buffalo Bullets, wonder wad, 80gr FFg, 1-28 GM barrel.
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
My understanding is that the gas from the powder needs to fill the hollow base, and with the wad on the bottom it would hinder that.
It's safe, but what advatntage to be gained? None that I can see.
The lube in the bullet grooves are what that's supposed to do.
Muskatoon61
32 Cal
Pushing out fouling as it travels down the bore. Of course it will push some fouling down the bore as you seat it, but I think it would be beneficial for a snug lubricated felt wad to push out additional fouling as it travels during firing.
I think that's more hypothesis than practical. It's been my observation using all kinds of wads and wad placement that net effect on resulting bore fouling can't be definitively ascribed to one method or another.
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Then fill (or overfill) the hollow base with soft lube to help expand it out and assist in softening fouling.
Mad Professor
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1) Do a search on wonder wads here.
2) Hogdon recommends Hornady GP (hollow base) bullets over a wonder wad with their T7 propellant. Now why would they do that?
T7 is a different critter than real blackpowder. Throw in the observation that Hodgdon recently has not always made the best observations about muzzleloaders and blackpowder and blackpowder substitutes, then ask why they would do that.
If I had to take a stab at it, I would guess that T7’s pressure curve raises hell with hollow base Minies, but honestly haven’t done enough testing to make a definitive observation, I can only say that with limited testing in my guns, T7 and hollow base Minies don’t appear to be a match made in heaven.
Now I have to ask, what is your personal experience with T7 and hollow based Minies? Please share.
Mad Professor
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I've launched thousands of conicals over wads with FFg. A while back I got a lot of 7200 50-cal Buffalo Bullets for $40, shipping was more than that. I still have a few thousand.
The concept is the same with a sub-powder. Have I used t7 , no. Pressure curves, look at FFg vs FFFg
Sorry I only use real black , jack.
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