Shooting wads with a patched roundball

[chironomidkraut]

Just wondering if would make my .50 cal hawken more accurate

 

[cynthialee]

does with mine
tightens the group right up

 

[tenngun]

lots of folks swear by it, has not helped me. You got nothing to lose in the trying.

 

[will5a1]

In some rifles it really helps, at least that has been my experience. In one of rifles, a Lyman GPR in .54, wads are essential, I can't get the thing to shoot well without them, with them it will shoot cloverleafs at 50 yards (off the bench).

 

[Vaino]

If one of my MLers req'd an OP wad w/ a PRB to make it accurate, I'd get rid of the rifle. I use my MLers for hunting and having to load a PRB over a wad is just one more thing to carry and fool with. Just like to keep things on the simple side......Fred

 

[George]

I can only think of two possible reasons there would be any effect on accuracy by using a wad. If the patch material is not able to stand the heat and burns through, accuracy can be damaged, and a wad could prevent that. If a good seal isn't being created by the patched ball, either because the combination is too loose or the rifling grooves too deep, inconsistent blow-by can effect accuracy. If a wad helps create a better seal in that case, it could help accuracy.

With a good tight fit of the PRB and a proper patch material, there should be no need for them.

Spence

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

In general terms, I concur with your analysis. Also note that the condition of the rifling itself & how sharp it is has lots to do with how tight of a patch one can use w/o having spent patches fly-out on fire & smokin' on the ground in front of you.... Some folks use a thinner patch to avoid the tearing on the way down the muzzle & use a lubed wad or OP card to compensate for the blow-by condition created by the thinner patch material.

When everything is in "perfect harmony" bore-wise, one usually can STOP using a wad to protect the patch from burnin'-up on the way out. Sometimes new bores need "shot-in" with a box or two of balls before they calm-down & settle-in to card-cutting capability. In adverse cases they may need lapped to allow the tighter patching w/o tearing. I always tell friends to use a little more Bore Butter on their pre-lubed patches for just this reason. Sometimes a nice, WET .018 pillow-ticking patch does the job in place of an out-of-the-foil "lubed" .015 w/o any additional Bore Butter applied... Tighter groups, NO smoldering patches & winning matches proved it to me!

Dave

 

[Clovis]

I have found it helps to use one or two in mine. To clarify, all of mine are either T/C side locks or a D/P side lock and all have 1 in 48 twist. I have never tried it in a custom rifle or a 1 in 66 twist, so I can't say. I would certainly encourage you to try in yours and see what you think.

 

[Mad Mucus]

OK..... newby question time.

What are the wads made outa and what size for my .54 GPR?

MM

 

[Many Klatch]

Your .54 is a 28 gauge. You can find a stirrup punch the same size and make your own. Over shot wads can be made from Manila Folders or card stock cardboard. Over shot wads can be made from three ring binder covers (the cardboard kind). Cushion wads can be made from 1/2" wood fiber board used in home construction. In the US it is often called Celotex board, I see you live in OZ so I don't know what it would be called down under.

Just measure your bore and find a stirrup punch of the correct size. Wads can be made from old leather saddles, boots, cardboard and anything else that won't melt or catch fire.

Have fun.

 

[bpd303]

OK..... newby question time.

What are the wads made outa and what size for my .54 GPR?

MM

Wads can be made out of just about anything. I make mine from the blue shop towels that come on a roll. I just tear off a chunk that will be snug when balled up and pushed down the bore. Here is a picture of patches without the wad & with one.

 

[nchawkeye]

Depends, usually wads have to be used because there are other problems...So you are compensating for something else instead of fixing the true reason for inaccuracy...

I've always been a problem solver so I fix the problem instead of covering it up...

 

[dikman]

I've been having a devil of a time trying to get my Pedersoli Frontier to shoot consistently. I've tried all sorts of combinations of patch thickness, patch material, wet patches, dry patches, wax lube, soluble oil lube all to no avail. After reading about using over-powder wads on here I decided to give it a try. I punched some out of some compressed cardboard that was used as packing in something I bought (I was going to use it to start my wood fire). I soaked them in melted patch lube wax and tried a few a couple of days ago.
First time I've gotten anything remotely like a group! Still got some work to do, but it looks promising. I used a .018 canvas patch, wax lubed, and .490 ball so it wasn't too tight to get down. I picked up a couple of the spent patches and they looked good, no cutting/tearing/blow-by.

The big test is whether I can replicate my results next time out.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Depends, usually wads have to be used because there are other problems...So you are compensating for something else instead of fixing the true reason for inaccuracy...

I've always been a problem solver so I fix the problem instead of covering it up...

Your comment won't be very popular, especially with those who contend that a wad makes them a better marksman.

Nevertheless, I agree with you.

 

[Clovis]

That's interesting. I first tried wads under a patched ball in my .45 Blue Ridge (Frontier, I think). Turned to the wads to help from something I read by Paul Vallandigham here and thought he was making sense. I tried to use hornet nesting material, but could never get it consistent and would not find consistent shooting either. Wads were much better. Glad to see they are helping you.

 

[Mad Mucus]

Thanks MK & BPD..... what is the 28gauge punch diameter?

Don't know if I'll need wads, clover leafing at 25yds off bench, but who knows when I move out 50-100yds.

MM :hatsoff:

 

[garra]

The bore size on a 28 gauge is .550. About the same as a 54 caliber.

 

[Mad Mucus]

Thanks garra for the confirmation..... looked it up on the Circle Fly site.

 

[Billnpatti]

In most instances, wads will improve accuracy. They do so by forming a tighter seal. This tighter seal results in a more consistant breach pressure, making the muzzle velocities more consistant. More consistant muzzle velocities mean tighter groups. I punch my own wads from DuroFelt
( http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html ) using a punch made by Ohio Ramrod ( [email protected] ). I take a sheet of felt and spread my lube on it like buttering toast. I then put it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt the lube into the felt. When it cools, I start punching my wads. MUCH cheaper than buying wads and I think they are superior to purchased wads.

 

[irishtoo]

i use 1/2inch fiber wads from TOW. soaked in olive oil. all calibers. i think it give me better groups. if i want i can shoot 20 to 30 shots without wiping. i think they help clean the gun. irishtoo