Wad under 12 ga PRB?

[Ken Morrison]

Gents,
I bought a bag of .690 inch round balls at Dixon's the other day. I'm going to patch them with pillow ticking and shoot them in a Navy Arms/Pietta 12 gauge.
Is there any need to put a wad over the powder or ball?
Thank you for your help.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Years ago I started using a dry patch between my powder charge and the lube patched ball to prevent the patch lube from soaking into the powder charge. I believe it improves accuracy and prevents gass blow by and patch burning with heavier charges. And more consistant velocity with lowwer charges. I would definately not put anything down the mussle after the patched ball!

 

[Rebel]

A wad will give you a better gas seal, a bit more velocity with the same charge, clean the barrel some as it is loaded and keep the patch from burning. Do you need it? No, but i find they help.

 

[rabjr]

I use a half of a fiber wad under my patched .715 ball. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you are going to shoot FFg powder in your 12 gauge, an OP wad will help the powder completely burn, so that residue is no more than you have shooting FFFg. You get more consistent velocity which makes for more predictable and consistent groups.

The OP Wad does act as a fire wall, protecting your patch and ball from hot gases. I am using 76 grains of FFg in my 12 gauge, and that is enough powder to begin burning patches if I don't use the thickest patch I can squeeze down the barrel. Since I don't like to fight to get a ball seated in any smoothbore, I prefer using the OP wad, and a thinner patch to make loading much easier. That .690 ball with a .020" patch works out just about right. The bore measures .729, so there is .040 of patch to fit in .039" of space between the ball and the bore. With a lubed patch, either wet or dry lube, the PRB is easy to load.

The ball will expand on firing to make a good fit in the bore, but the patch will only have two jobs: 1. To center the ball in the barrel, and keep it from touching the walls; and 2. to lube the barrel as the ball is exiting. This keeps the fouling softer.

 

[Many Klatch]

With smoothbores it depends on the gun, some guns shoot just fine without a wad and others will only shoot well with a wad. You will have to experiment both ways to find the answer to your question.

Many Klatch

 

[Ken Morrison]

Thank you for your help.
Shoot safely.