Smoldering wad

[Magungo1066]

Love how easy it is to use tow as a wadding but I have gotten some bad smoldering ones. What can I use to prevent this that won't mess with the powder?

 

[Sidney Smith]

A small amount of lube should do the trick. Don't smother it with it, just a small amount.

I had smouldering wadding in my smooth bore using paper for wads. A little lube on the patch closest to the powder stopped it. It wont hurt the powder as long as it's not a real liquid kind of lube.

 

[Magungo1066]

Thank you, so what lubes would you recommend?

 

[tenngun]

I use lard about as much as on a patch, roll it around I my palms.

 

[Cruzatte]

I've had the same experience, too. A little dab of your favorite patch lube should take care of everything. Alternatively, you could use a leather over powder wad, then a ball of tow, your ball and finally another wad of tow on top of the ball.

 

[Brokennock]

I mostly use a blend of beeswax and olive oil or beeswax and coconut oil, in varying consistencies. How stiff a mixture I make and use depends on intended use and season of use. For patch lube or lube that I only intend to use for patches or wads, I will add a bit of Murphy's oil soap.

I can put some in a container and get it to you if you want some.

 

[smoothshooter]

A small amount of lube should do the trick. Don't smother it with it, just a small amount.

I had smouldering wadding in my smooth bore using paper for wads. A little lube on the patch closest to the powder stopped it. It wont hurt the powder as long as it's not a real liquid kind of lube.

I used wadded up waxed paper when I was a kid and teenager. Worked great, and no smoldering.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Grease/lube is a good suggestion. I use green grass or green leaves when it's very dry out and it seems to shoot just as well for me as tow.

 

[Magungo1066]

Would mink oil work? I have been using that as a lube lately. I got it from track of the wolf.

 

[smo]

I use wasp nest... haven’t noticed it smoldering .

 

[Runewolf1973]

Newspaper dipped into boiled water and borax works really well.

 

[rich pierce]

Tow next to the powder is going to smolder. Unless the lube keeps the wadded up tow from opening up when fired, a flammable lube could make it worse. In my experience any wad next to the powder that is not firm enough to retain its shape under the pressure of the exploding powder, will widen patterns.

 

[reloader4410]

moose milk sprayed, i use rope fuzzed up, spray & let dry, fuzz will change color,no smoldering, happy trails

 

[Griz44Mag]

I use wasp nest... haven’t noticed it smoldering .

I have not found enough wasp nest that the wasps were willing to share to furnish me with the amount of wadding I use very month.....
And I am not willing to spend more time hunting wasps than I do shooting my guns....

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I have not found enough wasp nest that the wasps were willing to share to furnish me with the amount of wadding I use very month.....
And I am not willing to spend more time hunting wasps than I do shooting my guns....

Frankly hunting wasps sounds horrible. Those things hurt!!

 

[Leadball loader]

I like the borax soaked paper myself. No soldering and wads are more uniform.
LBL

 

[Rifleman1776]

Whatever is used, extreme caution must be part of the equation. Right now many parts of the country are suffering very dry conditions. Large areas are burning with wildfires. Check your wads and stomp them out after every shot.