Home made wads

[Wayne/Al]

I have been making card wads for my 12 Ga SxS for years using poster board from a local printing company. Went there yesterday and they no longer carry it. Seems everyone is going to a laminated foam and plastic. I went to Hobby Lobby and found cork sheeting that’s about the right thickness and plan on giving it a try.Just wonder if anyone else has tried cork and if there’s any negatives for using it.

 

[Le Loup]

I have been making card wads for my 12 Ga SxS for years using poster board from a local printing company. Went there yesterday and they no longer carry it. Seems everyone is going to a laminated foam and plastic. I went to Hobby Lobby and found cork sheeting that’s about the right thickness and plan on giving it a try.Just wonder if anyone else has tried cork and if there’s any negatives for using it.

I have been using leather wads for over 30 years, less fire risk using leather.
Keith.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Cork works fine but use at least two.

B.

 

[Maven]

I have been making card wads for my 12 Ga SxS for years using poster board from a local printing company. Went there yesterday and they no longer carry it. Seems everyone is going to a laminated foam and plastic. I went to Hobby Lobby and found cork sheeting that’s about the right thickness and plan on giving it a try.Just wonder if anyone else has tried cork and if there’s any negatives for using it.[/QUOTE)

Try an auto supply store and ask for gasket cork: cheaper and more durable.

 

[dave61965]

I picked up a bag of leather scraps at hobby lobby for like five dollars on sale and there’s a bunch of wads in there to be punched out, some thick and some thin, i like the leather better than the paper with all the dry grass and leaves I have around the place.

 

[Eterry]

I bought 1000 overpowder and 1000 overshot wads for $10.00 a pack. I was going to make my own but for a penny a piece I didn't see the need. I got them from a local vendor who sets up at monthly match. I'll get the name from package as soon as I go to the garage.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I went to Hobby Lobby and found cork sheeting that’s about the right thickness and plan on giving it a try.Just wonder if anyone else has tried cork and if there’s any negatives for using it.

Mike Brooks swears by cork for fowlers.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Normally, I advocate "do it yerself". But, with wads, IMHO, the effort involved is more than what I call fun. Wads can be purchased very reasonably. A box of 500 or a 1000 will last most people a long time. Try Flintlocks, Inc. Good vendors. OTOH, if you really want to make yer own, go to an appliance store and ask for some shipping boxes.They are made of very heavy corrugated cardboard and should make excellent wadding.

 

[Wayne/Al]

Well I went out to my shop and punched out a few cork wads from the Hobby Lobby cork and it didn’t turn out very good . I guess I would use them if I had to but the edges were crumbled and uneven. Maybe the gasket cork would be better quality. Any way thanks for all the replys. I’ll post again when I settle on something. I think leather would be good if I can get it at a good price.

 

[hanshi]

I've always had good luck with wads I punch out of cereal boxes. Very cheap, easy to do and they work very well.

 

[russellshaffer]

Egg cartons. Not the styrofoam kind. I make 44 revolver wads, don't know how it would work for anything larger.

 

[stubshaft]

I use 1/4" cork that I bought in a roll years ago. Works great for me.

 

[Historian]

In all my testing leather wads 1/16 to 1/8 inch worked best. They obturate better. Very easy to make. You can also use them as over shot cards. I only carry two types of wads for my 20's. Leather and 1/2 inch fiber cushion wads soaked in peanut oil. Works like a dream and the patterns I get are incredible.

 

[Huntschool]

I use lubed fiber over powder and either cut cork or card wads over shot, sometimes one sometimes two. I do not shoot bare ball in any way so there is nothing there to offer.... This loading has worked well for me for about 40 years....

 

[RonT]

I make wads with blown in house insulation sprayed with PAM cooking spray, cards from auto store gasket material. Loading sequence is powder/card/insulation/card/patched ball or paper tubed shot.
Cheers,
R

 

[Feltwad]

I make almost 90% of wads that I use in all bore sizes . I get my 1/8 card from builders yards that come on pallet base
Feltwad
Different size wad cutters

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thin card's for me but beer mats work great too.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Any one ever use playing cards for over powder wads. I would think with the plastic coating on the card next to the powder charge then a fiber wad with your choice of lube and another playing card disc on top of that next the shot or ball and finally another playing card disc to hold it all together. As the plastic coating on playing cards is not very heavy this would be a good way to load especially if hunting in rain or damp environment's. I also think the coating would not be a issue in the bore. Will have to get the fowler out and give it a go.

 

[toot]

a really nice lot of gasket punches! now I know why I cant find them. that is where that they have all gone!

 

[Einsiedler]

Anybody else use these? I’ve been using them quite a while. Mine dissipate upon leaving the muzzle l and have never been a fire hazard for me. Work good too.



Now is the time of year I go collecting then.