N.Y. Yankee
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2013
- Messages
- 617
- Reaction score
- 712
H.C. and P.C. aside, do you use wool-felt wads between powder and ball? What has been your experience with them? What advantage do they provide?
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Do You Use "Bore Buttons"?
- Thread starter N.Y. Yankee
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
I’ve used them in revolvers and learned that they some times stick to the ball. To keep that from happening and throwing the shot I now place a card wad over the felt.
Wildrangeringreen
40 Cal
The primary reason they're used is that they protect the base of the bullet while it is being upset into the rifling. It also cushions the impact of the explosion against the base of the bullet, and that can help with accuracy (mostly with bullets though, due to the increased inertia). Some people oil or grease them to provide lubrication, but I can't recommend leaving it loaded for very long like that, especially if you don't use a card underneath to protect the powder.
I don't use them for RB or bullets. In revolvers or ML guns. I use cotton balls in my shotguns, it costs less than wool, and it's not like you're gonna reuse them anyways
I don't use them for RB or bullets. In revolvers or ML guns. I use cotton balls in my shotguns, it costs less than wool, and it's not like you're gonna reuse them anyways
Brokennock
Cannon
I use the softer ones, well lubed in my smoothbores. Usually with a thin card between powder and felt, then the shot or ball, then another card. Mostly in the shot loads I think they just carry lube to keep things clean an slick, might cushion the shot column a bit to minimize deformation. Ball loads pretty much the same. Might, might, help keep the ball centered in the bore a little bit by cupping around the base of the ball while the card maintains gas seal.
yep, use them all the time. Protect the base of the projectile, extra security to cut down on chain fires ( i use lube over the ball as well ). Conicals, especially solid base, accuracy has always increased. REAL bullets, benefit greatly when used with a wad.
BE AWARE …
Background - Last year a greased wad, aka 'lube cookie' worked well for XX to minimize any BP build up when placed over the powder and under his roundball load, allowing multiple shots without cleaning in-between shots.
Problem - This year, XX noticed that the accuracy was off and he restored it by eliminating the wad/cookie. Otherwise, same power, same charge, same lube, same patch material, same roundballs ... , yada yada … and same 'nut' behind the trigger.
Cause - My guess (actually, ‘learned’ knowledge!) … TOO MUCH LUBE in the bore!
Actual Case Study - Before I got into flintlocks, I had a 'Mowrey' box-lock percussion 50-cal target rifle made by Bill Mowrey of Olney, TX. It was an incredibly accurate BP rifle and I once (while benched at 50-yards) put 4-shots into the same hole the size of a dime! My Father was shooting with me and he didn't believe me ... so I held a tad low and that 5th shot hit 1/2" below the rest of the group. Well my Father became a believer in that rifle and load! In me too, haha!
I was using ... hack, ack, ugghhh ... 'bore butter' (BB) as the lube at that time. Next time out ... accuracy wasn't 'as good' and the next time out ... it absolutely SUCKED! Well I did some researching online on these Muzzleloading Forum and then 'StumpKiller' here from NY suggested that TOO MUCH lube was building up in the bore, or being used, and that the patch was no longer effectively grabbing the rifling, that it was just 'sliding' down the barrel.
Now also recall that waaaaay back then, the BB instructions talked about 'seasoning the bore' (well, it ain't no freaking cast iron pan, in that ‘steel’ barrel!) so that even after one had a clean rifle, to generously coat the entire bore with BB, which I did. Well I'd go to the range, run a BB patch down the ‘seasoned’ bore (why????) before shooting and would then load and shoot with MORE BB on the patch. I probably got to the point where I thought that 'more was better'! But read on my friends ...
The cure? - Try this! - Well I cleaned and scrubbed that bore out really, really well using HOT water to dissolve the BB and scrubs with J&B Bore Paste. Once clean, I only stored the bore by using one patch with Birchwood Casey's Shield (now called 'Barricade') protectant on it, a liquid 'wax' that has never given me any issues in any BP arm. Lo' and behold the accuracy was restored! I continued to use that rifle and BB, albeit sparingly, until I bought a flintlock, caught the bug and sold my 'cap' guns.
XX - Guess what? He too cleaned out that rifle's bore out with HOT water and got it squeaky 'as new' clean, then tried his loads again with wad/cookie and lube patch, albeit sparingly applied. It worked, accuracy restored!
Closing Question - Hmmmm ... I wonder how many guys sold off rifles they once thought were 'shot out', but really just due to too much lube build-up or use in the bore?
Background - Last year a greased wad, aka 'lube cookie' worked well for XX to minimize any BP build up when placed over the powder and under his roundball load, allowing multiple shots without cleaning in-between shots.
Problem - This year, XX noticed that the accuracy was off and he restored it by eliminating the wad/cookie. Otherwise, same power, same charge, same lube, same patch material, same roundballs ... , yada yada … and same 'nut' behind the trigger.
Cause - My guess (actually, ‘learned’ knowledge!) … TOO MUCH LUBE in the bore!
Actual Case Study - Before I got into flintlocks, I had a 'Mowrey' box-lock percussion 50-cal target rifle made by Bill Mowrey of Olney, TX. It was an incredibly accurate BP rifle and I once (while benched at 50-yards) put 4-shots into the same hole the size of a dime! My Father was shooting with me and he didn't believe me ... so I held a tad low and that 5th shot hit 1/2" below the rest of the group. Well my Father became a believer in that rifle and load! In me too, haha!
I was using ... hack, ack, ugghhh ... 'bore butter' (BB) as the lube at that time. Next time out ... accuracy wasn't 'as good' and the next time out ... it absolutely SUCKED! Well I did some researching online on these Muzzleloading Forum and then 'StumpKiller' here from NY suggested that TOO MUCH lube was building up in the bore, or being used, and that the patch was no longer effectively grabbing the rifling, that it was just 'sliding' down the barrel.
Now also recall that waaaaay back then, the BB instructions talked about 'seasoning the bore' (well, it ain't no freaking cast iron pan, in that ‘steel’ barrel!) so that even after one had a clean rifle, to generously coat the entire bore with BB, which I did. Well I'd go to the range, run a BB patch down the ‘seasoned’ bore (why????) before shooting and would then load and shoot with MORE BB on the patch. I probably got to the point where I thought that 'more was better'! But read on my friends ...
The cure? - Try this! - Well I cleaned and scrubbed that bore out really, really well using HOT water to dissolve the BB and scrubs with J&B Bore Paste. Once clean, I only stored the bore by using one patch with Birchwood Casey's Shield (now called 'Barricade') protectant on it, a liquid 'wax' that has never given me any issues in any BP arm. Lo' and behold the accuracy was restored! I continued to use that rifle and BB, albeit sparingly, until I bought a flintlock, caught the bug and sold my 'cap' guns.
XX - Guess what? He too cleaned out that rifle's bore out with HOT water and got it squeaky 'as new' clean, then tried his loads again with wad/cookie and lube patch, albeit sparingly applied. It worked, accuracy restored!
Closing Question - Hmmmm ... I wonder how many guys sold off rifles they once thought were 'shot out', but really just due to too much lube build-up or use in the bore?
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2008
- Messages
- 1,939
- Reaction score
- 2,187
I use the prelubed felt wads in my Colt revolver. Accuracy is very good. The wad also cuts down the chance of chain fire by sealing the powder charge.
I use dry wads over the powder and under the lubed patched round ball to prevent patch shredding and to improve accuracy. The rifle I use it in is from 1840, and a load was left in it for over 100 years. Corrosion occurred where the powder column was, so in order to get the the patched ball ball above the corroded area I use a felt wad.
I also use dry wads over the powder in my deer hunting guns that may stay loaded throughout the season. I do this to prevent lube from the patch from contaminating the powder. Doesn't seem to have any effect on accuracy.
I also use dry wads over the powder in my deer hunting guns that may stay loaded throughout the season. I do this to prevent lube from the patch from contaminating the powder. Doesn't seem to have any effect on accuracy.
hanshi
Cannon
I use felt wads in rifles from time to time. They usually help a little bit but so far haven't hurt the shooting. I can actually take 'em or leave 'em.
I have used felt wads under a patched ball in the past. I didn’t experience any issues with accuracy.,plus it seemed the gun shot harder..
Less blow by I assumed..
I use wasp nest during hunting season as a buffer between the powder charge and the olive oil lubed patched ball.
Again, with no issues in accuracy.
Less blow by I assumed..
I use wasp nest during hunting season as a buffer between the powder charge and the olive oil lubed patched ball.
Again, with no issues in accuracy.
I use dry "bore buttons" in my .50 & .54 T/Cs that I shoot a Maxi-Ball in. That way the lube from the bullet doesn't foul the powder while hunting.
I have several .54 longrifles, they seem to group a little better with a dry bore button between the patched round ball and the powder. Another thing, during hunting season I often leave my rifle loaded for weeks or months at a time, I feel the dry bore button keeps the lube from migrating to the powder over time.
Similar threads
