Paper cartridges as wadding

[rmills1205]

Has anyone ever tried using these as wadding between the prb and the powder? I figured if hornet nest would work so would the paper.

 

[roundball]

I haven't for two reasons...

1) Wasn't sure how much change in consistency there might be from one shot to the next, just depending on how the wadded up paper actually ended up down on the powder...ie: thinner on one side than the other, etc.

2) I don't believe hornets/wasps nests material catches fire but was afraid paper wadding would and then start a fire after it was shot out of the barrel.

This year I'm actually using paper cartridge sort of carriers...one for powder and a separate one for shot...to try on a dove shoot...would like to trust the paper as an OP wad, but shooing in someone else's cut over dry fields in September just seems too risky.

 

[gmww]

I haven't tried the paper cartridge but I have paper wrapped conicals to see how they would do. Worked pretty good but it's such a hassle to prepare. It has a little twist of paper at the bottom.

 

[rmills1205]

I am using the paper cartridge for the powder and thought it would be easy to just stuff it down the barrel. I don't get to shoot often so my groups aren't consistant enough to see any effect the one time I did try it.

 

[DickS]

British Enfield cartridges used a lubricated part of the paper cartidge as a wrapping on the bullet. The bullet was smooth, no grooves, so was essentially paper patched. Hollow end up; open other end, pour charge, reverse cartridge, insert bullet in lubed paper jacket, tear off rest of paper and ram. I have used paper cartridges for shot and powder in my shotgun. Powder cartridge has filler wad glued to the end. Open cartridge, pour powder, insert cartridge with wad, ram. Open shot cartridge, pour shot, ram paper as top wad. Or, load entire shot cartridge as shot wrapper. I've never noticed a problem with burning paper, but I never used these loads in hot, dry conditions.

 

[roundball]

Powder cartridge has filler wad glued to the end.

That should take care of the consistency.
And I may be being over-cautious about the fire starting potential but it's not my property so I won't risk it in our hot dry drought conditions...wouldn't want anybody to come on my property and do it :wink:
If it had just finished raining and everything was damp I'd try it though

 

[J.D.]

I assume you are talking about wadding in a smoothbore, though I have done the same in a rifle.

Since I use a relatively small ball, I load the ball still wrapped in paper. The paper, kinda sorta, acts like a patch,I usually lick the paper for lubrication before loading the ball, and it works fine, even in a rifle. However, accuracy isn't as fine as when properly loaded with the correct patch, but it works for rapid reloads.

The cautions about possibly setting fields afire are well worth consideration.
J.D.

 

[Russianblood]

I use paper as wadding when loading my Brown Bess. I rip open the cartridge, poor the powder down the bore, then ram the cartridge with the ball inside down the bore. The extra paper where the powder was acts like the wad and the paper around the ball acts like the patch. It is fairly accurate that way at 25yds.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Has anyone ever tried using these as wadding between the prb and the powder? I figured if hornet nest would work so would the paper.

Hi Rich,

I use paper cartridges for our blank rounds in reenactments, and although we are required to throw the paper on the ground at reenactments, I have fired blanks by pouring the powder down and then ramming the paper on top of it. Definitely makes a louder report, but the paper does burn and will sometimes smolder when it hits the ground. The paper usually falls about 10-15 feet in front of you and you'll sometimes have to go step on it it put it out.

So, I wouldn't recommend using paper from cartridges as wadding.

Twisted_1in66:hatsoff:

 

[Russianblood]

On my "live round" cartridges, I dip the ball end in Crisco. Makes for a nice lube and less chance of catching on fire.

 

[rmills1205]

Thanks for all the feedback! I have used the paper cartridges for wadding twice now, in a rifle. I also use a PRB over the paper wadding. The paper has stopped the patches from being blown. But in light of the comments on fires, I will order some wads soon.

 

In smoothbores I was under the impression that the cartridge paper wadding was put in after the ball, not between ball and powder, in order to keep the ball in place. Some folks load powder-wad-ball-wad. Some folks load powder-patched ball. Some folks load powder-ball-wad.

 

[brubincam]

:cursing: :cursing: :cursing: some folks load the ball first :cursing: :cursing: :cursing: