Cap n ball wads

[Don]

For some of you revolver shooters here's a question. I havn't been using the over powder wonder wads when I shoot my revolvers just powder,ball and crisco. I've noticed that this time of year the crisco melts out of the cylinder quickly when shooting and I worry about chain fire risk because of this. I haven't used the wads because my accuracy is pretty good but I would consider using them if they will prevent chain fires. So will they?

Thanks

Don

 

[Zonie]

IMO, the wads do several things.
They take up some space, so if you use light loads, the ball doesn't have to be rammed as far down into the cylinder.
They add about 5 cents to the cost of each shot.

Of course, you can just add some Cream of Wheat or cornmeal over the top of the powder load to take up the extra room from the light powder load for almost no cost at all. It does make loading the cylinder a little more of a hassle.

As for Crisco, I shoot in the low desert area of Arizona and it gets HOT here so yes, the stuff does tend to melt out. Actually, from what I have observed even on a cold day, the first shot blows 90+% of it out of the adjacent cylinder bores.
Even with it melted out or blown out, I have never had a cross fire, and I have shot a lot of Cap and Ball pistols.

I am not saying multiple (or cross) firing doesn't happen, because I know it does but I think if you load with the proper size ball (where a thin ring of lead is sheared off when the ball enters the cylinder) and grease or Crisco over the ball and watch the caps on the back of the cylinder to be sure they have not fallen off the unfired chambers you will be fine even without the extra expense of the Wonder Wads.
(The name Wonder wad comes from the question "Wonder why these Wads cost so much?"). ::

 

[grlmpl]

I use 30 gr powder and 455 circle fly wads in my 1860 with 451 balls. Circle fly wads cost about $7 per 1000, I still have about 2700 left www.circlefly.com

 

[Zonie]

Those wads price looks more practical.
If your using them in your Colt (or Remington etc) I assume you are applying a lube to them?

I don't think they would do much to prevent multiple shots or lube the barrel if they were dry.

 

[2172]

I've had one chain fire in my Ruger Old Army...I don't want another...it was my own fault...I hadn't packed the .454 balls, and decided to use a .44 that I had for my rifle...no ring of lead, and, having read all the magazine articles** on the subject, I knew I didn't need a sealer....today, I get a ring of lead , put in a wad to take up space (made a mess with cream of wheat), and use either water pump grease or a spit product as a sealer..the water pump grease holds up well in hot weather. The smell of Crisco burning makes me hungry...Hank
** the "experts" would explain that chain fires only came from the cap end of the cylinder...I wonder what they were smoking?

 

Don- for many years, Elmer Keith told of the "Proper" method of loading the Cap and Ball revolvers.
_ Full charge of powder, waxed wad- (felt preferred)oversized ball or bullet. There is/was/never intenteded to be any grease or whatever placed over the ball in the chamber mouths. Elmer tired it as that was the favourite method in print in the 70's & he reported decreased accuracy. I do believe his load for the 1860 Army was 30gr. 3F, but it could have been 2F - I don't remember. With oversized balls, .451, .545 or .457, which ever the revolver required, along with the waxed wad prevented chain fires FROM THAT END - according to him.
: Most chain fires were from the nipple end of things, and the recessed nipple seat was Sam Colt's patent to prevent that from happening, when using, proper sized caps, of course. Many revolvers of the period didn't have that 'protection for the nipple, but then, many others got around the patent in various ways. One even had individual spring clips to hold the cap in place, one for every nipple.

 

For what it's worth I've read in many places over the years that the chain fire event is NOT caused by flame from the bullet end of the cylinder, but from flame from the fire exiting the nipple end, bouncing off the recoil sheild and entering one or more other nipple holes. Entering through the nipple holes can be caused by loose fitting nipples, or caps blown off the nipples by shooting the revolver.
Lube over the ball is a good idea to reduce leading.
Crisco works, but in warm weather it melts and gets blown off the balls in adjacent cylinders. I use a Crisco based lube hardened with beeswax.
I also use a felt wad under the ball to take up space so the ball has very little cylinder to "jump" before entering the barrels foring cone.
Wonder wads are expensive, adding about a nickle per shot.
I looked at the circle fly site and they sell the 455 wad in various thicknesses, some you can easily cut in half and get twice the mileage. Lube them if you want, they even sell a lubed wad.
I see no reason you couldn't buy the unlubed veggie fibre wad and soak in melted beeswax. It would not contaminate the powder.
So why don't I use Circle Fly wads? I do in the 12 and .62 bore. I think I'll order some for the .44 right now. ::

 

[shooter575]

Daryl is right on most chain fires coming from nipple end.Make sure you are using proper "tight" fitting nipples.I have seen some like #10,some #11.
In hot weather a higher tempture melting lube is better.Beeswax cut with Crisco,bore butter,olive oil,canola etc. 16/40 is a good place to start.
I make my own wonder wads out of felt weather striping.I melt some lube and dip in felt.Let harden and punch out.2.00 roll of felt gives a lot of wads.

Jim

 

One other wad that shoots well in most guns & splendidly in originals apparently, is the Waters Vegetable fiber wads. They're much cheaper than the OxYoke-type wads. See Track's online catalog.
: These are available in pistol sizes, but I haven't tried them yet.