Felt wads melting

[jtmattison]

I'm alway's trying to make my own shooting supplies whenever possible.
I cut my own patches, make my own lube, cast my own balls and conicals...etc.
I got some felt weatherstripping from the hardware store and punched out a pile of wads for both my .50 and .54 rifles.
I was very surprised that when I use a wad with a conical or even PRB my groups open up drastically instead of improving.
Today I found out why...The felt wads are melting when I fire them and throwing off my rifles accuracy.
I have the wads soaked with lube and they are still melting.
I know a few guys on here cut there own felt wads, do you have a problem with them melting and killing accuracy?
Maybe a vegetable fiber wad would be a better option.

Huntin

 

[roundball]

That commercial "felt" may be synthetic...I doubt real felt would melt

 

[jtmattison]

I just took a dry piece of it and lit it with a match. It melted and got all sticky.
Where can I find real felt sheets?
I've seen felt sheets at the craft store my wife shops at but it is really thin.

Huntin

 

[roundball]

Dunno...although I've worked my self backwards through technology to flintlocks, I like the convenience of using commercially made precut & prelubed wads & patches, it's situations just like the one that you've found yourself in that has made me draw the line on small incidentals like patches, wads, etc.

I've tried a number of various home made hobby related things over the decades intended to save me money but in the end, it almost always ends up costing me more, and worse than that, there are often inconsistencies & reliability problems along the way...good luck

 

[cayugad]

Huntin.. I make my wads out of that felt used for weather stip, and it is real felt. Then I lube it with that homemade lube of pig lard and paraffin wax and I have found them down range and they look like I could shoot them again. I shoot Triple Se7en and Pyrodex under them and so far so good. I have no idea what to tell you.

 

[blckhrn]

OAH. I sent for some free samples from a place I found on the web and who said they would send wool felt. What they sent was a wool polyester blend, the mottled gray stuff that some weather stripping is made from. I don't know what wonder wads are made of but it looks like Nomex (r) felt, the stuff racers underwear is made of and truly fireproof. I've heard that wool is best but wool is hair and hair melts (and burns)if WW's are nomex it could explain the $.07 each price somewhat, the stuff ain't cheap.


I spoke with a guy I used to work with at a place where we diecut this product in 1/4" Thickness to see if he can scrounge some up. Shame is that I had about twenty square feet stashed under my bench when I left the place. I'll let the board know if I have any luck.

 

[blckhrn]

P.S. I just burned the corners of the felt that Co. sent. It burned (barely) but no goo when hot. Might work. The company is Central shipee and if you search that and felt you should get a hit. They sent me about 1/6 sq. ft. of 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 but i recall a 75$ minimum. If memory serves that's something like 10 or 12 sq yds. Oughta last a lifetime and the price of 1,000 WW's if it works.

 

[blckhrn]

http://www.rtwear.com/directory/Textiles/Novelty/more2.html there are a few links here, inc. one for the Co. I mentioned. That one was dead tonight, may be running later. their # 800 631 8968

 

[jrdavis]

here's a tip...go to your local second store ..Goodwill,Salvation Army etc.. buy some old felt hats and punch your wads from them. or you can try the builder board they sell at lowels or what ever home building supply you have( might have to split it after you cut it)