Wad use with prb

[stikshooter]

Lot of good responses so far. My thought is wadding will probably neither help or hinder good performance. The added projectile weight will change pressure, felt recoil (very slightly), velocity and point of impact. The best answer to your question can only be found at the range experimenting with a variety of (safe) loads.

Wadding over powder has been proven to increase FPS /accuracy and less strain on a patched ball Try it (I have) and get back to me on your results ,other than a chrono you have everything I have used and with the chrono
( if you have ) don't bother I already know /Ed

 

[Sam squanch]

I use cream of wheat over the powder. It helps!

 

[gunpa]

I've found some of my rifles like a felt wad when using REAL conicals. Just never know until you burn some powder.

 

[brazosland]

A wad of some type, I use wasp nest, protects the patch from burn through and also keeps the patch lube from contaminating the powder if you leave it loaded for a long time during hunting season.

I’ve never seen it decrease accuracy. I have seen it dramatically improve it. A lot.

 

[Mike in FL]

I use a a commercial felt wad, pre-lubed. Every shot. Sighted my 50 flinter in that way. I suspect the lube on a wad reduces fouling. But I don't know for sure. I just figure a wad does not hurt anything, except maybe the lube might spoil some of the powder. But sighting in with a lubed wad, tells you that the particular charge you settle on is the charge the rifle likes. It cost more per shot, but good grief, your budget will never feel that tiny amount of spending. I reckon we are all different in what we think regarding optimum loading. oh, and then there is that extra step thing. If you prepare load columns at home, like using those "gasp" plastic push-through type speed loaders, that extra step does not slow you down at all in the field.

 

[Relic shooter]

I only have one rifle I use Wads in, it's a .75 Jaeger, and due to the large amounts of powder used it prevents the patch from being burned through.

Hi andy52
Would you share a photo & bore info on your Jaeger, is it an original you recently acquired or a newer custom rifle with slower twist rifling.
I've shot mostly original bigger bore Jaegers for many years & the majority have faster twist & deeper rifling in the 1 in 30" twist range & don't require heavy charges to get excellent groups & knock down power.
This .70 cal. Danish jaeger with it's perfect bore was my favorite competition rifle before I had to retire from rifle shooting. With 80 grains 2f it produced tiny groups when I did my part & only required a swipe with a damp patch every three matches.

The patch problem you mentioned could be due to too thin of a patch or store bought patches that don't have a tight enough of a weave density & is not filling depth of the rifling.
Relic shooter

 

[Rudyard]

While I don.t think wads essential they are no detriment generally .I shoot an old 2 grouve belted ball rifle of 24 bore And used a ' 4x2"' cleaning patch rolled up and lightly secured with a cotton thread greased as a 'stopple' as I call it pushed home before the lightly patched belted ball easily rammed home thus on fireing the stopple as I called it falls away unraveled on exit & unlike a hard wad can't push the exiting ball .Of late I found the Lyman short two channelured flat nose with hollow base, pistol ? bullet paper patched works well & loads easy . Though the two winged bullet hollow nose bullet I made mould for never shot particularly well if a' devil stopper' on Deer But we don't have many devils outside of Parliament( This seems a global anti gun theme with them.)
Rudyard

 

[andy52]

I'll post photo's tomorrow I don't have access to them right now. The barrel has Forsyth rifling at a 1-110 twist, it maxi's out at about 200 grs of 2F. the rifle is a custom rifle not an original. With a 200gr powder charge the possibilities of burning out the base of a patch are pretty high thus the wad. This rifle isn't for the faint of heart there aren't many animals of the face of the planet you couldn't take with this rifle.

 

[Rudyard]

I'll post photo's tomorrow I don't have access to them right now. The barrel has Forsyth rifling at a 1-110 twist, it maxi's out at about 200 grs of 2F. the rifle is a custom rifle not an original. With a 200gr powder charge the possibilities of burning out the base of a patch are pretty high thus the wad. This rifle isn't for the faint of heart there aren't many animals of the face of the planet you couldn't take with this rifle.

I bought an old Double 12 bore rifle by Sam'l & Chas Smith in Cawnpore India .24 " Damascus barrel16 sided affair that had Forsythe's plan rifling I got up to a two ounce bullet but it was so worn it wasn't much use in between the key escutions was a silver round inlay (.Only an Indian would see the sense in doing that third eye notion !) I've probably recorded the number if of any interest . Regards Rudyard

 

[Relic shooter]

I've seen lots of variation on "loads". IF you don't have a problem to solve then there's really no point in looking for a solution, right?

I've seen as folks have mentioned, no need for a wad,
I've seen as folks have mentioned, using a wad when a thin patch is used
I've seen folks who inherited a rifle with bad pitting where the ball would sit on the powder when seated, use a wad to hold the seated ball just a tad above that, and solve their accuracy problems.

So you don't know if you don't try it out.

I'll post photo's tomorrow I don't have access to them right now. The barrel has Forsyth rifling at a 1-110 twist, it maxi's out at about 200 grs of 2F. the rifle is a custom rifle not an original. With a 200gr powder charge the possibilities of burning out the base of a patch are pretty high thus the wad. This rifle isn't for the faint of heart there aren't many animals of the face of the planet you couldn't take with this rifle.

Thats way too much gun for me Andy, looking forward to seeing the beast !
Relic shooter

 

[SwanShot]

I used thick felt wads until I discovered corn meal. I experienced a marked improvement in accuracy.
I don't really care why it works for me, I just know it does, and that's enough for me.

 

[Relic shooter]

I used thick felt wads until I discovered corn meal. I experienced a marked improvement in accuracy.
I don't really care why it works for me, I just know it does, and that's enough for me.

Best answer yet

 

[andy52]

Thats way too much gun for me Andy, looking forward to seeing the beast !
Relic shooter

not the best photos I've ever taken but it's the best I can do for now.
The rifle comes in at just over 11 lbs with a 32 inch barrel

 

[roundballman]

I have also found that cream of wheat or corn meal over the powder charge, then a patched round ball increases accuracy for me.

 

[hanshi]

Back when I still hunted for small and large game I always used a felt wad for the first loading. Any reloading dispensed with the wad. In testing a couple of rifles I found the velocity was increased a bit and accuracy was fine as well. At the range I mostly, but not all the time, use an op wad. Even if it doesn't help I've found that with a wad it never hurts anything.

 

[45man]

If a wad is needed to protect a patch, the ball and patch both are wrong.

 

[brazosland]

If a wad is needed to protect a patch, the ball and patch both are wrong.

Very well stated. But, also completely wrong.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I shoot heavy loads in my 50s and 54s and like to put a lubed felt wad under the ball. Seems to reduce the crud ring for easier seating.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I have these 1/4 inch thick felt rounds that I punch my wads from. The smaller holes are the .50 caliber wads and the larger holes are 12 gauge wads.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[bronko220002]

Why not if it gives you better accuracy. Besides providing a better seal it will also protect you patch.