Wad punch / drill

[LME]

I believe the OP is referring to wads, not patches. The difference in diameter from one to the other will be significant. Most of the commercial patches I have now are generic to be used in .45 to .54 so I suppose it won’t matter, I cut my own so I don’t know if someone sells a specific for caliber patch.

He put a patch under his bullet a size larger than his bore? I will check again to be sure

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

He put a patch under his bullet a size larger than his bore? I will check again to be sure

Probably, dunno!! But most of those bullet shooters at long range use a paper patched bullet, which is a whole different monster!!

 

[flconch53]

It's a whole lot easier to buy Walters wads 500 or 1000 at a batch. They come in probably any size you need. My wad punches have gotten real dusty since I started using Walters wads.

Edit: I meant to say both Circle Fly and Walters wads.

If I wanted easy I would stick with a suppository gun

 

[Colonial Boy]

C Boy, what’s your angle here? Diameters of wads produced, easiness of use, durability? I have a punch for my 12 ga and is superb but it was almost $50, I have hole punches for the rest of my ML and have worked fine (or so I think). If you could abound in the difference , it would be appreciated!

Diameter of the wads, hole punches cut on the outside diameter and are for making precise holes, wad punches cut on the inside diameter and produce precise wads, so precise that some are custom made to suite particular guns.

 

[LME]

Probably, dunno!! But most of those bullet shooters at long range use a paper patched bullet, which is a whole different monster!!

I checked and he uses a 1/8" felt patch under his solid base bullets.I get 12 pieces 1/8"X 10"X12" in the hobby aisle at Walmarts. It is all different colors about $3.00 but you get a lot!

 

[edrutecki]

I bought a 45&50 wad punch from Buffalo Arms many years ago. I use them on my drill press and am very happy with my purchase.

 

[Greg Y]

I just made some 9/16" and they seem to be snug....but doable.

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

Diameter of the wads, hole punches cut on the outside diameter and are for making precise holes, wad punches cut on the inside diameter and produce precise wads, so precise that some are custom made to suite particular guns.

Never really thought about it, makes sense! I always cut them and check for fit, as long as they were snug, GTG! I guess this stuff has to be taken more serious! Thank you for the reply!

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

I checked and he uses a 1/8" felt patch under his solid base bullets.I get 12 pieces 1/8"X 10"X12" in the hobby aisle at Walmarts. It is all different colors about $3.00 but you get a lot!

Ok, so for clarity a patch and and a wad are two different things, a patch is commonly used to shoot RB and it normally don’t exceed .030 in thickness; and a wad cans be used also for RB but mostly on pistols to lube and prevent chain fires. A wad is commonly used in rifles with bullets, to protect the base! The term is not interchangeable. I make my own from Duro-Felt that I buy by the yard, 100% wool, and specifically sold for BO shooting. I had bad luck with WhalyWorld “felt” as it turn out to be a blend with synthetics in it.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloading-supplies-accessories/wad-punches.html
Been using them for years. I have one in every caliber.

 

[LME]

Ok, so for clarity a patch and and a wad are two different things, a patch is commonly used to shoot RB and it normally don’t exceed .030 in thickness; and a wad cans be used also for RB but mostly on pistols to lube and prevent chain fires. A wad is commonly used in rifles with bullets, to protect the base! The term is not interchangeable. I make my own from Duro-Felt that I buy by the yard, 100% wool, and specifically sold for BO shooting. I had bad luck with WhalyWorld “felt” as it turn out to be a blend with synthetics in it.

Are you sure it isn't felt? There is no logical reason to say it is felt if it isn't? It was a patch. what else would you call something 1/8" thick? everyone one else calls it a patch? I would sugjest you research his method of shooting.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Rolling our own is part of the smoking experience, no pun intended!!

In 50 years of shooting muzzleloaders I guess I've just gotten lazy. I still "roll my own" though, but I keep confined it to building the guns that I shoot.

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Can't help myself, but no matter what you use, after you pick it up and handle it, isn't it "felt"??

 

[Doc]

A very big problem with pillow ticking, it only comes in one size and the material has a loose weave. Bridgers Best has a tighter weave and multiple sizes at less than $4. a hundred. My Patriot likes .015, my wife’s Patriot wants.010. My .62 tradegun .020. And the TC .50 shoot’s with.015. So for less than $4. a hundred I’m good.
Doc,

 

[TDM]

Ditto on the Harbor Freight set. They're easily sharpened and work well in a drill press.

 

[beardedhorse]

For cap and ball revolvers in .44 (Remington New Model Army) and .45 for Ruger Old Army, what are the best size punches for felt wads? I bought three different brands and they differ a lot. The Cabela's wads ($9.99) were very smelly - like Ben Gay ointment and thicker than the OxYoke ($10.99 for 100). Traditionals brand at Scheel's were $13.00 for only 50 wads. Sportsman Warehouse had only one package for .44 and .45. More economical to buy my own felt and punch my own wads. Bought an arc punch from Dixie in the 1970's and it was very expensive then. The square handled, solid steel arc punches are very strong and not adaptable or practical for using in a drill press for cleaning or shooting patches. I'd still go with an arc punch over a leather punch for felt wads.

 

[flconch53]

For cap and ball revolvers in .44 (Remington New Model Army) and .45 for Ruger Old Army, what are the best size punches for felt wads? I bought three different brands and they differ a lot. The Cabela's wads ($9.99) were very smelly - like Ben Gay ointment and thicker than the OxYoke ($10.99 for 100). Traditionals brand at Scheel's were $13.00 for only 50 wads. Sportsman Warehouse had only one package for .44 and .45. More economical to buy my own felt and punch my own wads. Bought an arc punch from Dixie in the 1970's and it was very expensive then. The square handled, solid steel arc punches are very strong and not adaptable or practical for using in a drill press for cleaning or shooting patches. I'd still go with an arc punch over a leather punch for felt wads.

An arch punch is what I described turning down in a previous post. If I was home I would take a picture and post it

 

[Garbear34]

On modern muzzleloader page. I used these recommendations


https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/home-made-op-wad-making.31294/

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I bought a Kraeuter 9/16's wad punch for my .54 smoothbore off Flea Bay last week. I punched a few out from my thick felt blanks and made a 'test wad' I could push down the barrel and pull back out. The wads aren't overly tight and not loose. They should work well. I just need to punch out some thin card wads to go under the felt wads.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Mogadishu Meanderer]

Are you sure it isn't felt? There is no logical reason to say it is felt if it isn't? It was a patch. what else would you call something 1/8" thick? everyone one else calls it a patch? I would sugjest you research his method of shooting.

I am not getting your angle here and apologize for that. Felt is a generic term nowadays, it was originally made out of 100% wool, now there are synthetic blends that are not necessarily optimal for MLoading, the density of it crucial too. DuroFelt is really good on thickness and density and have marketed it for ML specifically. The gent you are referring could be using patch but I have never seen an 1/8 thick patch, I don’t know anybody that’s call a 1/8 felt wad a patch but is possible that the person you are referring to on your post uses a folded patch under the bullet in lieu of a wad, it is still a folded patch. I have done lots of experimentation with folded patches, wads and paper patches bullets and still want to learn more but have never seen a 1/8 wad called a patch. A patch is a patch and a wad is a wad!