wad size

[gtpkeeper]

what wad size do you use in your .44

[Turnup]

Presume you mean .44 revolver?

None.

The only reason to use a wad would be on indoor ranges which do not allow grease over the ball, in the hope that it will prevent ring fire. For that purpose I would use the biggest that will comfortably fit.

[tacfoley]

Presume you mean .44 revolver?

None.

The only reason to use a wad would be on indoor ranges which do not allow grease over the ball, in the hope that it will prevent ring fire. For that purpose I would use the biggest that will comfortably fit.

'Ring fire'? Do you mean 'chain-fire'?

Have a look at the many recent posts here on this BP myth and legend seen by as many as have seen the 'Abdominal' [sic] Snowman. The thread about grease is the one to read....

Most BP .44 cal revolvers take a .451", but some Piettas are happier with a .454". You must not try to load too big a ball for fear of bending the loading lever.

In any case, ALL .44 wads are oversize, deliberately, so that they fit ALL .44cal revolvers.

tac

[gtpkeeper]

Presume you mean .44 revolver?

None.

The only reason to use a wad would be on indoor ranges which do not allow grease over the ball, in the hope that it will prevent ring fire. For that purpose I would use the biggest that will comfortably fit.

i want to use them as a lube to keep the fouling loose. was even thinking of just using a lubed patch ..


ken at kranks measured the barrel and gave/sold me the 451 ball mold,

[Turnup]

Ring fire - chain fire - you know exactly what I mean.

Yes, I have witnessed this event, on the lane next to me. Unknown to me the shooter was using Pyrodex, and no grease or wad. I didn't really notice anything apart from the swearing coming from next door. IIRC it was a .36 open frame. Managed to fire three chambers, one down the barrel and the other two on the RHS of the gun. Gun undamaged, shooter undamaged. No big deal, but could have turned out different. Lesson learned.

[Turnup]

i want to use them as a lube to keep the fouling loose. was even thinking of just using a lubed patch ..

Never seen anyone using lubed patch in a revolver - will necessitate a well undersize ball to accommodate the thickness of the patch, and the patch is unlikely to remain in place during transition from chamber to barrel - really fiddly to load as well I would expect.

All sorts of over-ball lubes seem to work with BP fouling, and much cheaper than wads. Can't comment on lube for BP substitutes though - can't stand the stuff.

[tacfoley]

i want to use them as a lube to keep the fouling loose. was even thinking of just using a lubed patch ..


ken at kranks measured the barrel and gave/sold me the 451 ball mold,

Well, I have total faith in Ken - a man who really does know what BP is about and has been v. helpful to me and many others over the years. As you can read in the grease thread - ANY kind of NON-petroleum-based grease can be used. I use E45 skin cream, and have done for over thirty years, most shooters over in Germany, where I was intruduced to it in the late 70's, do the same.

BP rifles of the older type - percussion and flintlock, use a lubed patch, but revolvers do not. Single-shot target pistols - LePage, Kuchenreuter and so on, use a lubed patch, too. However, life is just too short to use such a thing in a six-shot pistol - the Indians have been and gone long before you've reloaded......

tac

[tacfoley]

All sorts of over-ball lubes seem to work with BP fouling, and much cheaper than wads. Can't comment on lube for BP substitutes though - can't stand the stuff.

No difference in gloop. In Berlin at that time there was positively NO black powder due to the rather odd take on the citizens by the Soviet part of the tri-partite administration, so we all used Pyrodex - the only sub then available in the Rod & Gun club.

Wads here in UK seem to be priced as though each one was hand-cut by a master-tailor in Saville Row.

tac

[Turnup]

....Wads here in UK seem to be priced as though each one was hand-cut by a master-tailor in Saville Row.

tac

I know what you mean. When I was using Pyro I baulked at the outrageous cost of wads and purchased a wad punch in the expectation of making my own - then found that I couldn't source suitable felt......

[gtpkeeper]

then found that I couldn't source suitable felt......

felts http://www.hardy-hanson.co.uk/contact.htm


was going to get crisco ,hard to find ,so which e45 ?? tac

[Turnup]

was going to get crisco ,hard to find ,so which e45 ?? tac

it's a generic skin cream - available in large tubs from your pharmacy and really cheap.

[gtpkeeper]

some is more watery then others e45 ???

[Turnup]

Possibly - it probably doesn't matter very much, but if you prefer a thicker mix just let it dry a little and mix it back in.

[gtpkeeper]

one 350g tub now have,so now ill leave the wads,
bp ,filler, ball, then e45

[tacfoley]

Boots E45 is the stuff.

Crisco is not on most shelves here in UK. We have it on the base in the PX, but it's not kosher, so we don't use it at all, even for shooting.

tac