revolver wads

[M. De Land]

Yeah, a pure lead ball obturates when it hits the forcing cone, course it is already expanded some from being pushed in to the chamber mouth and shaving lead off the circumference and now it's being swaged down to groove diameter. That usually is about a ball diameter in forward movement.
If you shoot an undersize ball and it doesn't fill the grooves after transitioning the forcing cone, and gas gets around it, my money would be on there being lead in the bore.
I see this all the time in BP cartridge rifles with my hawkeye bore scope. Usually the owner will swear he has no lead in his bore after cleaning but it very often is there anyway. MD

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I started using white cup grease from the auto supply store.
$2.75 a pound. Doesn't melt or get blown away.
Lines the bore ahead of the ball instead of living on top the leading like wads

 

[Dickydalton]

Maybe so for the first shot,but it softens the manure before the second shot and every shot after.
I can shoot 5 times as many times as when I put grease in front of the ball before cleaning anything in the old days. You do your thing and I'll do mine.

 

[mjulihn]

I also know that I will not change your mind nor will you change mine. Let's just load our revolvers as we please and have fun. :thumbsup:

This is what I have learned reading this string...
:yakyak:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Simple mathematical fact
Capable of being calculated by most junior high school pupils.
Some folks still believe the earth is flat too

 

[Dickydalton]

Getting nasty at the end doesn't make someone right. :blah:

 

[Atlast357]

Oh my, this topic is making my head swim.
I'm going to follow the manufacturer"s instructions,.......
after all he did make the gun I'll be shooting :hmm:

 

[Dickydalton]

Uberti says the powder charge a wonder wad and round ball. I guess they know! :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

I wonder why we can't have a discussion about something as simple as a fiber wad without folks getting into a pi$$ing match?

It's enough to make me think about closing this topic.

 

[Dickydalton]

I apologise to all. :surrender:

 

[M. De Land]

True, there is never any reason to become nasty but I love to hear the opinionated rational for various points of view because I learn so much from them and if better ideas counter my own then so be it for I then have gained,not lost,and that is really the point of the discussion, no? MD

 

[Dickydalton]

I just hate getting talked down to. I don't know everything but nobody else on here does either.
My apology stands and I will never talk down to anyone on this forum.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

(1) I just checked my two Pietta revolver instructions:
no mention of wads, grease over the ball
(2) Checked my Richland Arms revolver instructions:
again, load ball on top of powder then grease over the ball no mention of wads
(3) Checked the Uberti manual that came with my 1862 Police: ball over powder grease over ball, no mention of wads
(4) Checked the Cabelas instruction manual for revolvers, ball over powder, grease over ball, with the added comment that some wads loaded over the powder are used by some shooters.

(Which of the above sells wads? HMMMMM)

 

[Billnpatti]

I just noticed today's quote on the forum and found it to be quite apropos.

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

~ Sir Winston Churchill

 

[zimmerstutzen]

It very much IS fanaticism,,,, for safety.

Much like don't load directly from a flask.

My most recent Pietta, has one chamber that measures .451. It does not shave a ring when loading a .451 ball. Loading a .451 ball could leave a fissure between the ball and the chamber wall. A 1/8 felt wad, being compressed against the powder under the ball, conforms to the curvature of the ball and leaves a ring around the chamber in which the wad does not seal the powder from possible exterior flame. That is not opinion, but an easily verifiable mathematical fact. Reliance on such wads as safety against chain fires is misplaced and dangerous. (I realize that most chain fires seem to occur from the rear of the cylinder)

Especially for newbies who haven't the knowledge to consider otherwise. They blindly follow what they read on-line without realizing the down side of what they are advised.

The second cap and ball revolver I ever saw in my life, was a walker repro with half the cylinder blown off. A spectator received a permanent brain injury when struck by the separated shrapnel. I don't know why it blew. Don't care. Just trying to reduce the possibility that it could happen again.

Maybe I am over cautious. Maybe I just read too many product liability cases.

 

[Dickydalton]

Well Sir, I have never had a single problem and I use wads and like them. I wish you well for the holidays and am glad that I have the right to choose. Good Night.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Like them all you want just don't dangerously mislead newbies into thinking they seal the bore

 

[Billnpatti]

If I remember correctly, I had two posts on the subject of priming from a horn and my second posting, I stated that it is up to the individual whether or not to prime from a horn but to do it away from me. On the other hand, you have a total of 13 postings on this weary subject of revolver wads. Why not let it go? It seems obvious to me that you are not changing any minds. Everyone seems to have their own way of using or not using wads in a revolver. Might we not all agree to disagree and change the subject and move on to more interesting and productive discussions? Over and out.

 

[Dickydalton]

:td:

 

[Dickydalton]

P.S.
RH0450 Uberti Walker Revolver $385.00



Click to enlarge
The Walker revolver is one of the most famous revolvers made by Colt. It consists of a one piece grip and European walnut stock. The frame is steel, color casehardened. Barrel is a .44 caliber, blue 9" octagon to round. Six shot. Features a blued steel backstrap, brass triggerguard, color casehardened loading lever & hammer. "Fighting Dragoons" scene engraved on cylinder. Manufactured by Uberti/Italy. Recommened load is 25 grains of 3F black powder, .454 round ball, and a .44 caliber revolver wad

SS1179 Uberti 1849 Wells Fargo $295.00



Click to enlarge
One piece European walnut grips with satin finish. Steel frame, color casehardened. .31 caliber with 4” blued tapered octagon barrel. Button rifled .011” deep. 1 in 48” twist with 7 lands and 7 grooves. Front sight is a brass bead and rear sight is a V notch in hammer nose. Five shot with a .319 chamber diameter. Features brass backstrap and triggerguard, color casehardened hammer, rectangular cylinder stop notes. Cylinder engraved w/ stagecoach hold up scene. 9” overall and weighs 1 ½ lbs. Recommended load is 12 grains FFFg with a .321 round ball and a .31 revolver wad. Manufactured in Italy by Uberti.

I rest my case! :bow: