Patches VS Wads

[bigdogralph]

I've seen and heard of people shoot round balls through their Rifled and Smooth Bore ML with both Pillow Ticking Patches and Wool Wads (Wonder Wads Type).

What would they have used in the 'Old Frontier'?

What are the Pros and Cons, if any?

AND

Is one better than the other?
OR
Is it just a matter of preference?

Just curious... Your thoughts....

 

[bpd303]

The old timers would use wads made from wasp's nests. Some I know still do. I have used Kapok, Dacron, Felt and just about anything on hand for wads. To me wads seal the bore better.

 

[rodwha]

The way I'm reading the question is using a wad instead of a patch, which wouldn't work unless you were to hammer an oversized ball down the barrel.

Wads seem to be used mostly to help keep the powder charge from burning the patch. But I also see that some conicals need a wad. Why, I'm not sure.

 

[nchawkeye]

I use a greased patch around the ball, to engage the rifling...

I use a wad (prefer wasp nesting material) only when shooting heavy loads so that the patch is burning through from using so much powder...

For most shooting, I use a patched ball only, not a wad and patch...

Loading a rifle without patching the ball leads to rapid residue buildup as the powder doesn't fully burn...In fact, with a rifle I don't know why you would not use a patch as that is why you shoot a rifle, for accuracy.....

 

[daniel collums]

how do you use the wasp nest? do you wad it up in a ball and smash it or just tear off some thats a little bigger than the muzzle hole.

 

[Billnpatti]

You just tear off a piece bigger than the bore and poke it down the bore. No special technique involved.

 

[Wes/Tex]

I think you're asking about both patching and wadding. Balls have been patched with many types of cloth and leather. Wadding could have been anything from wasp nest, as mentioned, heavy leather, thick paper of many types, even grass & leaves, etc. I've read accounts of many types of materials used through the history of muzzleloaders.

 

[Zonie]

The only times I've read contemporary writings about using leaves, wasp nests or other fibers for loading a muzzleloader was when they were loading a shot load.

In those cases they used these things for both over powder and over shot charges.

Just thought I'd mention it because I've not read of them using these things in conjunction with patched balls.

 

[hanshi]

Don't really know but I get good smoothbore accuracy with a felt op wad and patched ball. Even with a bare ball and op and top wads, accuracy is not that bad at 40 to 50 yards.

 

[bpd303]

Don't really know but I get good smoothbore accuracy with a felt op wad and patched ball. Even with a bare ball and op and top wads, accuracy is not that bad at 40 to 50 yards.

Same here, I was taught this over 50 years ago by an old man who was 92 at the time and his father taught him so I guess this method goes back a long way.

 

[JohnN]

In the "Old frontier" they would have patched their rifle (unless shooting in a real hurry)and used a wad of some sort in a smoothbore. I may be mistaken but I never heard of people patching smoothbores in the "Old frontier".

 

[Egibbs111]

Don't forget about using Tow. (flax fibers)

 

[BrownBear]

I may be mistaken but I never heard of people patching smoothbores in the "Old frontier".

I can't dredge up the source at the moment, but I recall reading a first-hand account of a battle with Indians in which "the air was filled with pieces of blanket wadding" or words to that effect.

Anyone recall that source? It was a good read and really gave the feel for the battle.

 

[JohnN]

I use scrap wool for my wadding. Punch them out a little bigger than the bore and then soak them in wax.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

In the "Old frontier" they would have patched their rifle (unless shooting in a real hurry)and used a wad of some sort in a smoothbore. I may be mistaken but I never heard of people patching smoothbores in the "Old frontier".

:thumbsup:

 

[bpd303]

On another thread there is a newspaper ad from 1859. In that add it lists "gun Wadding". http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...279768/post/1277390/hl//fromsearch/1/#1277390