Can't shoot lead balls all the time - what's better than paper wads?

[Alan O]

Where I live I can't shoot lead balls (have to go to a range for that) because the neighbors are too close by. I do sometimes shoot "blanks" (powder with paper wad) but paper just doesn't create a good seal most of the time, and the charge kind of just goes "poof". I like a loud bang with some smoke. Has anyone shot cork or wood balls and, if so, how did that work out? And, for those who've had to use paper, what works best? Mine catches on fire a lot of the time so I have to be careful. Thanks.

 

[SDSmlf]

What caliber you shooting?

 

[Sparkitoff]

I shoot corks all the time. First, I have a lathe and use it to turn wine corns just under bore size. I can push them in. I use a button wad with them and about a half-charge. The cork will go through a paper target at 20 feet. Sometimes it goes through cardboard, sometimes it sticks. There is not a lot of accuracy. You have to soak the bore real good to get the cork shredding out. If you overflow the barrel you'll see some float out. I like to fire two blank loads when I'm done shooting. The reason is I don't want to shove cork filing down into a patent breach or wherever they don't belong. The blank charge helps keep them up or send them out of the barrel. Compressed air is helpful too. The cleaning has to be thought through to get the cork shavings out.

 

[HiDesertHunter]

I use damp toilet paper rolled tightly into a ball and crammed down as tightly as I can get it down the barrel on the 4th, New Year's etc.

Works very well and sounds nearly like loaded with round balls.

 

[Alan O]

I'm shooting 44, 50 and 58. I like to try take a shot or two every day, if I can. Strange obsession this is.

 

[ord sgt]

Have you tried the lubricated felt wads?

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Not sure where you live, but NY law prohibits "discharging a firearm" within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling without the owner/tenant's permission. Not sure if it has to be a live round with a bullet to qualify. I'd hate to find out the hard way. Text: You cannot discharge a firearm within 500 feet, crossbow within 250 feet or longbow within 150 feet of any school, playground, occupied factory or church, dwelling, farm building, or structure unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent. As a habit, I mention that I "sometimes let off my flintlock off the porch on special occasions, always in a safe direction." Never had an objection, so I take that as "consent. It also helps if you invite them to fire it once...

ADK Bigfoot

 

[theoldredneck]

Have played with plastic beads in lubed patches with very light loads. Not very accurate, shooting in back yard, live in country, not in city.

 

[Alan O]

Have you tried the lubricated felt wads?

No but that's worth a try

 

[SDSmlf]

I'm shooting 44, 50 and 58. I like to try take a shot or two every day, if I can. Strange obsession this is.

For the 50 caliber you may want to try hard clay slingshot ammo. I see it available in 12mm and 13mm diameter. Pretty tough stuff. Guys and their kids in a club I belong to go through buckets of it. Folks are taking small game using the stuff with their slingshots, so be careful with it if you try it. Guessing it is considered real ammunition if you load and shoot it in many jurisdictions.
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eB...=178890&pm=1&ds=0&t=1608417481906&cspheader=1https://simple-shot.com/accessories/2y20001x/clay-slingshot-ammo

 

[Davey Boy]

For my cannons I always used flour, it packs tight but the cloud of white can settle and make a mess in the rain.

I get permission to shoot blanks from local police who only stipulate reasonable hours and don't irritated neighbors

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot flour in a rifle because you have to wash it anyway.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I use damp toilet paper rolled tightly into a ball and crammed down as tightly as I can get it down the barrel on the 4th, New Year's etc.

Works very well and sounds nearly like loaded with round balls.

....now I know what I am doing on new years eve....thanks!

 

[SDSmlf]

For the 4th, New Year’s and anytime I want to make noise, I load up a short barreled smoothbore blunderbuss with whatever excess powder I have under a cotton ball. Kids young and old seem to love shooting it. Only complaint I’ve had was from the groundskeeper (aka, the sister in law) not caring for the shredded cotton balls littering her yard.

 

[firestick]

I used to pop off my .45 once in awhile. I used a hunk of wadded up aluminum foil rammed down the barrel tight as I could get it. It would shoot right through a soda can at 20 feet.

 

[appalichian hunter]

What about a patched piece of suitable dowel rod, say cut about 1/2 in. long. Projectile yes but I would wonder how far it would travel. You could paint them that way when someone found one they would wonder now where did this come from.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

The only experience I have had with dowel pieces is with my 1.25" swivel gun. (I use a piece of dowel, cut to .25", to use as a base wad for my 35mm film canisters filled with .50 balls.) Makes a great "grape shot" load with 300 grains of 1F. You would not want to approach my cabin uninvited when the swivel gun is on the ramparts.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[HiDesertHunter]

Oh man ! I just came up with a great idea a few minutes ago when cleaning the lint from my clothes dryer screen.

I balled it up, ran in water and I had a 'lint ball' ! I'll keep 'em handy, and on new year's eve a little water and they will expand and be easy to load! Should work great for 'blank' loads!

 

[wb78963]

It seems tha somewhere there was an article, can't remember where, of "casting" balls with hot glue.
That might work perhaps a YT video?
Just an idea.
Bunk

 

[wb78963]

Not sure where you live, but NY law prohibits "discharging a firearm" within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling without the owner/tenant's permission. Not sure if it has to be a live round with a bullet to qualify. I'd hate to find out the hard way. Text: You cannot discharge a firearm within 500 feet, crossbow within 250 feet or longbow within 150 feet of any school, playground, occupied factory or church, dwelling, farm building, or structure unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent. As a habit, I mention that I "sometimes let off my flintlock off the porch on special occasions, always in a safe direction." Never had an objection, so I take that as "consent. It also helps if you invite them to fire it once...

ADK Bigfoot

fortunately for me here in Texas i go out and shoot in my back yard. I live in a rural area.
Bunk

 

[appalichian hunter]

I have shot wax slugs from unmentionable revolvers, a little messy cleaning the gun.