Wasp nest as .."WADS"

[jeffdrown]

How many of you use wasp nest as ..."WADS" for Over Shot in smooth bores ???? How about Over Powder ????? Thanks I never used WASP NEST !

 

[George]

I don't use it regularly, but I have shot some patterns with it just to see how it works. I used it both over powder and over shot, and found that it does a pretty fair job.

I'm still looking for some reference to its use back in the day, haven't found any, so far.

Spence

 

[roundball]

So far, I've experimented with Hornet's Nest material as wadding in my .62cal smoothbore at the range and it did fine.
This is what's left of 2 football size Hornet's Nests...material is 4-5" deep

 

[jeffdrown]

I seen a nest out in woods . I wen't to get it and it was gone.. More scouting !!!!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I used to use it in my Bess. Worked, but the patterns were spotty.

 

[dgold]

I hope you guys checked to see the nest was empty first. :grin:

 

[George]

Don't have to worry about that once cold weather comes. The hornets abandon the nest and all but the fertilized queens die, the queens burrow into the ground or into rotten wood, etc., to survive the winter. The nests are empty.

Spence

 

[robertdale]

this stiff will smolder for a while , so I would not use it in dry conditions. :nono:

 

[robertdale]

this stuff will smolder for a while , so I would not use it in dry conditions. :nono:

 

[roundball]

So far, I've experimented with Hornet's Nest material as wadding in my .62cal smoothbore at the range and it did fine.
This is what's left of 2 football size Hornet's Nests...material is 4-5" deep

I think it's worth mentioning that we have to remember the names of the different nests sometimes get used in place of each other, but the nests appear to be different material. There are "Wasps" nests, and there are "Hornet's Nests".

My photo is of a couple of the very large gray oblong shaped nests built by Hornets, usually found in the woods.
What I call 'Wasps nests' are what I see up under the eaves of my house occasionally, with an open exposed 'comb' showing.

Maybe 'wasp's nests are more prone to burning even after seated/compressed, dunno...but the tightly compressed wads made out of Hornet's Nest become very firm, like a fiber wad from Circle Fly.
When I picked them up off the ground at the range, they showed no signs of burning or even scorching...takes a surprising amount of Hornet's Nest material to end up with a good solid wad and they worked fine when I pattern tested them.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I used to use it in my Bess. Worked, but the patterns were spotty.

Ditto. If you want good consistent patterns you must use components that are exactly the same every time you load.

 

[George]

When I picked them up off the ground at the range, they showed no signs of burning or even scorching...

But the material does burn, just about like paper, which is basically what it is.

Spence

 

[paulvallandigham]

I found that both wasp and hornets nests make a fairly good firewall( if you use enough) when shooting s PRB out of a smooth bore. I would not expect this material, no matter how well compressed, to produce good consistent patterns when used to push a load of shot. :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

When I picked them up off the ground at the range, they showed no signs of burning or even scorching...

But the material does burn, just about like paper, which is basically what it is.

Yes, when held as a thin loose piece of material and a flame applied to it...have done that myself.

I was responding to the comment about being careful not to set something on fire with wads made from it after they were fired...simply described my experience with the material after it was compressed into a firm pellet or wad like a fiber wad...that they showed no signs of even scorching.

 

[George]

My experience with it as wadding is the same, I never found any live embers.

Spence

 

[Mike Brooks]

GREAT shot dispenser Spence. :thumbsup: Green with envy. :bow:

 

[tg]

I have used it with shot and ball and it seems to work about as swell as moss leaves or any other natural material. I think cards may be a bit better with shot but have not done enough shooting for an honest comnparison. What we have here is really Hornedt nests averaging about the size of a basket bal and layerd I pinch a 1 1/2' thick chunk about a quarter inch or whatever thickness I want then work in around in my fingers oinching it into the round size/shape I want. I try to leave it a bit over bore size and use a rammer very close to bore size to ram it down so it does not roll/turn. I tapered one end of my wooded rammer to just fit the bore + and be flat on the end. I have not found any period references for its wasp/hornets nest in guns as wadding though I do think moss and leaves are mentioned in period writings as I recall.Others may have more on this one way or the other.

 

[smo]

I have used wasp nest "the kind in the eaves of your house" both with RB and shot.I mostly use it as a buffer/seal between the ball & powder to keep the powder from burning the patch or gasses blowing by in my rifles. As well as I think it will prevent the patch lube from contaminating the powder charge if left loaded while on an extended hunting trip. In a smoothbore I have used it both over the shot and under the shot. I don't have enough expierience with the smooth bore to really say if it helps or not. :idunno: But in a rifle "I" seem to shoot tighter groups when using wasp nest as a seal between the powder and patched ball. :v

 

[Hawkwood]

When I reinsulated my basement I discovered a large wasp nest in the old glass insulation. I'd read about it being used historically for wadding and tried it in my .62cal trade gun. It did the job over powder and over the ball. Smoothbores are very flexible in their fodder. :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I haven't pitched in before for a couple reasons.
I don't want to mess with wasps or hornets. Where I live, a lot of winters critters don't even seem to know when it is winter. They just don't look at the calenders much.
Nest material, as 'authentic' as it is, is crumbly stuff hard to work with. Not worth the bother, IMHO.
I'm pretty frugal and surely do like saving money but, really, commercial made wads are pretty cheap. The nest thing is an interesting pc experiment but I'll just read y'alls experiences with it.