Tow Loading?

[Smokey Plainsman]

Does anyone load their pistol with tow? I've made little balls of it and lubed them with mink oil. I want to load powder, put down a ball of tow as an overshot wad, then the ball, then some more tow as an overball card. I don't have any patches thin enough to work at the moment and a bunch of tow and .530 round balls.

This is a SMOOTHBORE pistol, not rifled. Should it work?

-Smokey

 

[George]

It will work. I've shot my 20 gauge smooth flintlock pistol a fair amount wadded with tow. I never lubricated mine. It gives me pretty good patterns.

Tow is porous, gasses can blow through unless you use an adequate amount of tow for the overpowder. I like to use enough so that after I've tamped it down pretty well it is at least 1/2" thick, 3/4" is better. I have also loaded an overshot card between the powder an tow overpowder to good effect.

Spence

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thank you Spence. It's a BEAR to load with 0.10" pads and .530" balls. Always heard tow worked in smoothbore muskets, didn't see why handguns wouldn't work with it.