Making Your Own Wads:

[momsworry]

I know I've seen some where, maybe this forum, about using a punch to cut your own wads. I found some info using a search both here and elsewhere. What I'm wanting to know is: What do you use for a punch, for say cutting wads similiar to wonder wads, 12 gauge? Did you make your own punch? I though I read somewhere, where someone sawed off an empty CO2 cartridge, ground it with a dremel and used that. How about gasket punches, will they work, what size? Isn't 12 gauge, equivelent to .750? That would be 3/4" right? That would fit almost perfectly then in a 12 barrel. Would it be better, if cutting felt, like maybe 1/8 thick, to use a punch a tad larger like a 13/16" size? Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[BrownBear]

A friend bought a 12 gauge wad punch something like 20 years ago, and it still works great. To the best of his recollection he got it from Dixie. He uses it for cutting over-shot cards as well as felt wads from some 1/4" thick felt he located somewhere. I'm not prone to endless tinkering, so if it was me I'd look first for a ready made punch.

 

[Riley/MN]

I got a chunk of 12 ga bbl from a gunsmith and sharpened one end. Works for cuttin cards, should work for wads too.

 

[roundball]

I'm not prone to endless tinkering, so if it was me I'd look first for a ready made punch.

Same here, except I'd also take the next step and get ready made wads...you can buy them by the 1000 for not much money at all from places like Circle Fly, etc

 

[BrownBear]

Ya busted me fair and square RB. I'm the same way, and that's why it's my friends punch rather than mine. The idea of the chunk of 12 gauge barrel looks good, if I was so inclined.

BTW- My friend doesn't use a hammer with his punch. Instead he uses and old arbor press from his benchrest days to push the punch through heavy felt or paper. Not as noisy, and a lot easier on the punch.

 

[wild willy]

A 12 gauge is .729 a 3/4 inch arch punch works fine another thing that will work is a 3/4 horn scoop used to dehorn calfs you will have to sharpen them I've been using durafelt
you get around 400 wads for 12 dollars

 

[CoyoteJoe]

A 12 gauge is .729 a 3/4 inch arch punch works fine another thing that will work is a 3/4 horn scoop used to dehorn calfs you will have to sharpen them I've been using durafelt
you get around 400 wads for 12 dollars

You can get 1000 Circle Fly wads for $6.95 from Track-of-The-Wolf or many other retailers. I too have an old 12ga. wad cutter from DGW and if the only wads available were those outrageously expensive Wonder things I too would be cutting my own or using wadded up newspaper, but so long as I can get the excellent Circle-Fly product so inexpensively You won't catch me pounding on a wad cutter. :relax:

 

[wild willy]

I use cicle fly wads in my cylinder bore gun but my one gun is choked a lot easy to use the felt in it

 

[hawk]

I JUST US A PIECE OF 3/4" IRON PIPE(A 6" NIPPLE FOR HOME DEPOT IS ENOUGH), USE A RAT TAIL FILE TO MAKE ONE END SHARP. FOR WAD MATTERIAL I RECYCLE THE OLD FELT LINERS OF MY RUBBER BOOTS (THE TOES WARE OUT FASTER THAN THE TOPS DO)I REPLACE THE LINERS ONCE A YEAR . THE RESULT, WARM, DRY FEET AND SHOTWADS FOR RABIT SEASON.

 

[Rebel]

Why are ya yellin? I am not even fully awake yet. ::

 

[musketman]

I JUST US A PIECE OF 3/4" IRON PIPE(A 6" NIPPLE FOR HOME DEPOT IS ENOUGH), USE A RAT TAIL FILE TO MAKE ONE END SHARP. FOR WAD MATTERIAL I RECYCLE THE OLD FELT LINERS OF MY RUBBER BOOTS (THE TOES WARE OUT FASTER THAN THE TOPS DO)I REPLACE THE LINERS ONCE A YEAR . THE RESULT, WARM, DRY FEET AND SHOTWADS FOR RABIT SEASON.

Typing in all capital letters is considered "yelling" in forum etiquette, just to let you know...

 

[hawk]

sorry fellows,i'm still pretty new at this thing . not for anything but occationally i still get yelled at for havin my hat on in the house and my elbows on the suppertable.(i have a very etiquette mind 4 year old).i will continue to thank both of you for showing me the error of my ways.

 

[RunningBear]

I made my first wads from a old muzzeloader magazine article.You take a 3/4wood drill and bore thru a 1x6 pine board,go slow at the end of your drilling to make a smooth hole.I would then mount the board on top of a another 1x6 pine board with a bolt with lock washers and a wing nut.You then take tolet paper and get it wet,fill the holes to the top.Then set it out to dry,when done you swing the boards apart and push the wads out!They work good for light loads,but they did smolder some after you shoot them.I guess you could try wet news paper.RunningBear.

 

[tg]

Most automotive supply houses sell gasket hole punches in many sizes these work very well.

 

[peashooterJoe]

I bought a Gasket punch set from Harbor Freight for about $15, covers all the way up to a inch. Cheapest fun I ever had making styrofoam overshot wads from meat trays. They stick like glue,just don't move when other barrel is shot. Now if Ole Tom would come a closer.

 

[CrackStock]

Joe,

Was there a good .62 cal/20 gauge punch?

CS

 

A 5/8 punch is just right for a .62 / 20 ga.

 

[WingHunter@Large]

I just bought 6 leather punches from 3/4 down for less then $ 9.00 off Ebay this included shipping.
WingHunter@large

 

[WingHunter@Large]

I also found some cork sheets at wal-mart. Dirt cheep. Should make for some great wad material. I do like to tinker......guess thats what gets me in so much trouble these days. Too pay and not play dosen't make sence. :thumbsup:
WingHunter@Large

 

[WingHunter@Large]

I have a 5/8 arbor punch I will sell for 4.00 plus 3.90 priority mail shipping.
Winghunter@large