Homemade OP Cards

[ApprenticeBuilder]

You can get custom diameter punches from Ohio Ramrod here on the forum, the op is using one, just wish he would post some pictures of the punch so us mere mortals could get a peak at it.

 

[burch]

here ya go : This is Ohio Ramrod`s punch. The kit contains the punch, dowl rod for pushing out the material, cutting block. The sharpened edge is coated with wax to protect it. I just use a wooden mallet but he told me a lot of folks use it a drill press ( not spinning ) and just press in down on the material.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Excellent,

thanks for posting the picture, when I get my trade gun up and running I'll be looking him up.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Thanks for the information and the pictures guys. Much appreciated.

Regards,

Dave

 

[jethro224]

I punch my own cards from empty cereal boxes. One card for OS, 4 cards for OP. Works for me in several smoothbores. No need to carry 2 different thicknesses of cards this way.
A lubed patch on a jag used to seat the load keeps the bore lubed, fouling soft, and even gave me a better pattern than using lubed fiber wads in my load column. You can also dab a bit of grease lube in between a couple of the OP cards if you like.

 

[Billnpatti]

Jethro224 suggested using cerial boxes and they will work just fine as long as you have the size right. I use posterboard that I buy from Wal-Mart. You can get a LOT of OP cards out of one sheet of posterboard. Buy your punch from Ohio Ramrod. Just carefully measure your bore to the nearest thousandth of an inch and send him that measurement and he will make the correct size punch for you. If you need OS wad material, look online for a place called Duro Felt. They make a pure wool felt specifically for OS wads. When you first look at the price, it may look high but then when you figure how many OS wads you will get out of one piece of felt, the wads are much cheaper than they would be if you bought a bag of wads.