Wad for .537 smoothbore SXS

[peashooterJoe]

Anybody out here got any idea where I can get wads for the SXS shotgun stamped .537 55 gns.on barrels. Also 32 in a diamond made in India, bores look good, nipples ordered and I wanna shoot it :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Circle Fly makes about every size wad there is.

 

[trent/OH]

That'd be a snug 28 gauge. Likely would have to nick the side of the wads to get them down the barrel, but would probably be fine.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I had a machinist friend make me a .54 caliber wad punch for my .54 smoothrifle. I punched out a bunch of 3/8's thick wool felt wads that are .540. I could send you some if your looking for a wad to try. As for making wad cutters, they are easy. All you have to find is a chair that someone is throwing out that has the metal legs with a graduated taper from small to large. That graduated tube has every caliber from .44 to a 4 gauge. You just have to measure and cut, measure and cut, measure and cut, etc. You measure the inner diameter until you arrive at the size you as needing, file the end to a sharp edge, heat it and quench it any oil to harden the edge. I go one step further and hone the edge all the way around on a sharpening stone to get that extra sharp edge that gives nice clean cuts. I just finished making one of those wad cutters from a chair leg that measures .623 for .20 gauge smoothbore wads. I used a rubber dead blow hammer to protect the pounding end of the homemade wad punch. I cut the whole punch about 6 inches long to make it easy to handle.
Ohio Rusty

 

[peashooterJoe]

I tried Circle Fly,they won't be back till next week. I have some 54 wool wads,but I want to use cardboard wads. That's a neat trick about the metal table leg.

 

[Rebel]

The Gun Works in Springfield, Oregon carrys most all ths sizes of Circle Fly wads. You might check out their websight.

 

[peashooterJoe]

No go, they get their wads from Circle Fly. As far as I know Circle fly is the only one making Wads these days since Blue and Gray went out of business.

 

[Rebel]

I know they get then from Circle Fly, but they usually have them in stock all the time. You might check them and see if they have what you need.

 

[roundball]

No go, they get their wads from Circle Fly. As far as I know Circle fly is the only one making Wads these days since Blue and Gray went out of business.

Try these guys...I've bought wads from them a couple times:

Flintlocks, Inc.
John G. Eder (and Mike)
Nineveh, IN, 46164
317-933-3441
Eail = [email protected]

 

[peashooterJoe]

I tried them and no go on wads. This shotgun is not a 32 ga.it is a 30 ga according to bore measurements. This is not a standard american SXS shotgun.

 

[Richard Hare.]

I know this may sound a little 'rustic' but in the days of muzzle-loaders, (The first time around!) more guns were loaded with soft brown paper as wadding, than anything else, tho' paste-board and punches were available.
No real thought was given to a 'cushion' wad, just something that would seal the gasses in.
Tow from an old saddle was used, moss from trees, and my favourite for dry weather,...Ivy leaves!

An old gunsmith reccomended the ivy leaves when i was a kid back in England, and complaining to him about my worry of seting the cornfields (read 'grainfields') alight when shooting pigeons before harvest.
Told me to just use ivy leaves: "... roll 'em up in a ball and stuff 'em down.."
I found more or less any strong leaf will work, just don't leave gun loaded overnight, as powder soaks up the moisture!!
Testing newspaper, brown paper, proper wads, and leaves as wadding, appear in my old guns to produce indistinguishable patterns.
... and the "use what you have" mentality Does give a sense of independence!!........not tied to some wad company to make her 'go bang'!
Any difference in balistics between "proper" wads and leaves, or paper, was completely lost on the ducks or pigeons, they all worked the same.
For over the shot on a single barrel, a bit of grass works, or moss, or paper or a leaf.
for a double, a bit stiffer wad over the shot is required, to stop the second charge from starting down the bore when the first is fired.
Paper works well, just wad it a bit tighter.

When I was a kid, there were still a few old chaps around, that through hard times had to do their shooting with old muzzleloaders,....Couldn't afford a 'new gun'. I don't think any of the ones i knew ever bought wads.
If you try newspaper, just ruckle it up and rub it together like you're washing clothes, and it goes nice and soft.
So, no excuse! go a -shooting!!

Pukka.