Felt Wads Over Bullet

[Salty]

I have used a lightly lubed felt wad over powder, under patch and ball. I think it definitely removes some of the fouling allowing the bore to be consistent.
Works for me.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

You're not going to hurt anything with a wad on top or a wad under it. Do whatever makes YOUR rifle shoot the best. Accuracy is the final test. Not what us yahoos have to say.

That being said, here is a video that does a good job explaining the differences, and how the Burton-Benton ball became the best performing of them all.



The Burton-Benton ball uses no wad, or anything for that matter, between the powder and slug.

 

[maillemaker]

Grooved expanding ball bullets (commonly called Minié balls) historically had the grooves filled with an anti-fouling agent. While today often referred to as a "lube" or "lubricant", it's actual purpose was to keep the fouling soft to enable continuous firing of the musket in combat. It is actually an anti-fouling agent.

The composition of this agent varied by time and place.

In the United States, in a report in 1856 on Experiments of Small Arms, the grease was composed of 1 part tallow to 3 parts beeswax:

The 1862 US Ordnance manual provided the following instructions for greasing expanding ball bullets with a mixture of 1 part tallow to 8 parts beeswax:

You'll note that it was not desirable to have grease in or on the bottom of the bullet. This is because the bottom of the powder chamber of the paper cartridges would bear against the bottom of the bullet, and it was not desired that the grease leach through the paper and ruin the powder on the other side of the paper bulkhead.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

A properly sized and lubed (none in the base cavity) will clean the bore with each shot due to the scraping grooves of a proper Minnie ball. I have fired seventeen shots in rapid fire and had no reloading issues. I could have continued longer but the barrel got too hot to hold!

Don't over-think this. They had it all figured out by 1865.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I have tried using a lubed felt wad under a patched round ball to seal all the gasses behind the round ball so no gasses would escape around the patch. I don't shoot with a really tight patch to assist with loading. It really didn't give me better accuracy. I also thought it may help remove the bore fouling. I found a couple of the felt wads and they did look like they were somewhat effective and grabbing and removing the fouling. The felt was was fairly tight in the bore below the patched round ball.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[French Colonial]

As I have reported in the past, I tried my standard load with the addition of a lubed felt wad between powder and patched ball and accuracy actually went down. I know Mike in FL has had good luck with it, but I did not.

The wad on top of the patched ball is a new idea to me and it will be interesting to see if anyone has any luck with it.

 

[Mike in FL]

I have used a lightly lubed felt wad over powder, under patch and ball. I think it definitely removes some of the fouling allowing the bore to be consistent.
Works for me.

Me too. I never even considered putting a wad on top of the ball. I get a tad better accuracy with the over powder was. I think it certainly must have a cushion effect on the PRB and may account for a less shredded patch. Never had much use for a bullet even in half stock rifles. Just not period, and why be involved in muzzleloaders and their history if you are going to change a basic component of original loading? Well, maybe for better ballistics if one is simply looking for the most energy legally applied.
We can't show that a patch or wad of some material was NOT used on the frontier.

 

[Mikekj]

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.

Well the British used a hollow based bullet with a wooden plug and a clay plug.
It was to HELP with expansion.
I believe a felt wad would only help, not hinder expansion also.

 

[Mike in FL]

Well the British used a hollow based bullet with a wooden plug and a clay plug.
It was to HELP with expansion.
I believe a felt wad would only help, not hinder expansion also.

 

[smoothshooter]

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.

The wad has no ability to resist combustion gasses in that application. It will collapse into the hollow base of the bullet. Maybe not perfectly centered, but you can experiment to see if it makes any difference.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

....a bullet even in half stock rifles. Just not period, and why be involved in muzzleloaders and their history if you are going to change a basic component of original loading?

You might want to do a little more reading and research on this statement.