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Thread: Filler...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    Tunbridge Wells
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    392

    Filler...

    Pistol is a Ruger Old Army, so far I've tried:

    semolina - tends to clog up in the flask/nozzle on even slightly damp days

    cous-cous - perhaps too granular, doesn't clog but difficult to "throw" a consistent amount, also compresses quite alot when the ball is rammed home

    what else have you tried that works?

    Does it come down to the brand - is Waitrose semolina superior to the Tesco product ?

    regards
    Nigel

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
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    I've settled on cous-cous.

    I'll explain why,
    Its granular so there is no fine powder to make a mess. Yes it compresses easily wheras something finer does not, this is a good thing, I top up with filler to 10mm below the face of the cylinder and my .44 ball would sit proud if I could not compress the filler a certain ammount so it's more tollerent of slightly too much filler. I've seen others using semolina and the stuff would not give a tiny bit so they have had to pull the ball and start again which is not good either in the heat of competition or looking "cool" with your loading.

    The science of it, black powder "needs" a little compression to work properly, I use 777 which works best with no air gap so either way cous-cous fits the criteria.

    The down side is the it does not flow well enough to use a powder flask as a dispenser and I have to use phials or a dipper. I'm seeking a fresh suppy of phials, smaller ones that could fit a 44magnum ammo box so I could pre fill 25 phials with powder and 25 with filler.
    “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?” :- Prince Philip said after Dunblane

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Leyland in darkest Lancashire. HERE BE DRAGONS
    Posts
    4,825

    Wads

    Quote Originally Posted by fcat View Post
    Pistol is a Ruger Old Army, so far I've tried:

    semolina - tends to clog up in the flask/nozzle on even slightly damp days

    cous-cous - perhaps too granular, doesn't clog but difficult to "throw" a consistent amount, also compresses quite alot when the ball is rammed home

    what else have you tried that works?

    Does it come down to the brand - is Waitrose semolina superior to the Tesco product ?

    regards
    Nigel
    Semi greased felt wads work in my Pietta Nigel.
    The biggest problem facing this country today is not the terrorist. It's the politician.

    The Bosun's Watch

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
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    793
    I don't know how many times this has come up in my club!!! I even had a converstaion with a guy who was using an inert filler over his powder, the ball and then tallow over the chamber mouth as he was confusd as to why he couldn't get decent accuracy!! Did he ever stop to think how much crap, before and after the ball he was shoving down the barrel...?!

    I've ben shooting BP revolvers even before they took my cartridge pistols off me. I've experimented with all sorts of fillers, powders, wads, ball and conical andcome to a firm conclusion.

    Don't use an inert filler. So many conditions, as mentioned above, affect a filler. Moisture, density and quality from batch to batch all destroy the main factor for accuracy..... consistancy.

    I simply use now, Triple 7, an Ox-Yoke wad and a ball, in six different revolvers in .36, .44 and .45.

    Some will say that a filler has to be used to seat the ball as close to the chamber mouth as possible....... again, I say no. In the experiments I did using differnt seating depths, it made no difference. The ball still travels down the "tube" of the chamber whether a tenth or a quarter of an inch. It has to cross the cylinder gap and then enter the forcing cone. The forcing cone is what aligns the ball down the barrel not the seating depth. As long as your revolver is timed correctly there's no problem.

    Seating depth in revolvers is aptly demonstrated with the .38spl or .357 revolver. Generally, the most accurate round in these revolvers is the 140 wad cutter. That bullet is loaded level with the case mouth! How much chamber does that travel before entering the forcing cone?

    Use an accurate flask/spout or indivdually weigh your charges. If using cast balls with a nib from the sprue plate, orientate the nib so it's at the front. Use a felt wad between the ball and powder and remeber the ignition time for BP and it's substitutes is slower than cartridges, so concentrate on correct hold, sight picture, trigger press and follow through. Your results will be shown on your target.....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Tenterden
    Posts
    612
    I do agree that fillers, particularly semolina, are a pain and seem to make a real mess when you are shooting. I've also been using a wonder wad behind the bullet recently. The ROA has big chambers however and with the bullet seated down as far as the rammer will go, you still do need about 25 grains of black powder to fill the remaining space in the chamber, so that should be the minimum load

    Steve.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Huntingdon
    Posts
    9,253
    I've been shooting a ROA since 1979, and the one I have right now since 1986.

    25gr of Pyrodex P, then the ball or conical, then fill the remaining small space with E45 ahnd cream from Boots.

    That's all I have ever done and it gets me 2" group at 20 yards, one handed, left or right.

    Semolina is something I've never tried, but my wife has let me have a can of Ambrosia Creamed Rice to try.

    Will that do?

    tac

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    grantham
    Posts
    1,507
    Semolina for me. Have used it in my Rogers and Spencer for about 8 years and now use it the Ruger old army as well. A full 7cc scoop on top of the powder in the Rogers and 2 leval scoops in the Ruger bring the ball to where i want it and top it off with a coating of wonder lube. The 7cc lee scoop is just the right size for getting the stuff in the chamber without loosing too much but i have also used a small vile cut down to size to give the right measure which was fine till the handle broke off for the 3rd time. The lee scoops are cheap, very strong and dont clog up like a flask.
    Theres lots of scope for personal preference when loading muzzle loaders and im sure there probably is a definative way of doing it, i just like the way i do it. I dont care about the cleaning or a few particles of spilt filler. The wonderlube keeps the fouling soft till i clean my guns, our range is not the sort of place where you nead to worry about a bit of spilt filler and i like the smell of burning semolina. Tim

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Warfield, Berkshire U.K.
    Posts
    4,502
    Quote Originally Posted by Simon G View Post
    I don't know how many times this has come up in my club!!! .

    I've ben shooting BP revolvers even before they took my cartridge pistols off me. I've experimented with all sorts of fillers, powders, wads, ball and conical andcome to a firm conclusion.

    Don't use an inert filler. So many conditions, as mentioned above, affect a filler. Moisture, density and quality from batch to batch all destroy the main factor for accuracy..... consistancy.



    Some will say that a filler has to be used to seat the ball as close to the chamber mouth as possible....... again, I say no. In the experiments I did using differnt seating depths, it made no difference. The ball still travels down the "tube" of the chamber whether a tenth or a quarter of an inch. It has to cross the cylinder gap and then enter the forcing cone. The forcing cone is what aligns the ball down the barrel not the seating depth. As long as your revolver is timed correctly there's no problem.

    Seating depth in revolvers is aptly demonstrated with the .38spl or .357 revolver. Generally, the most accurate round in these revolvers is the 140 wad cutter. That bullet is loaded level with the case mouth! How much chamber does that travel before entering the forcing cone?

    Use an accurate flask/spout or indivdually weigh your charges. If using cast balls with a nib from the sprue plate, orientate the nib so it's at the front. Use a felt wad between the ball and powder and remeber the ignition time for BP and it's substitutes is slower than cartridges, so concentrate on correct hold, sight picture, trigger press and follow through. Your results will be shown on your target.....
    I totally agree with Simon on this one - and I also have lost count of how many times this has come up both at my clubs & on various forums.

    1. Why would you want to add to your loading process.
    2. Why would you want to have to carry yet something else to the range with you
    3. Why would you have to bring in yet another inconsistent factor
    4. ...... and in these days when prices for shooting are skyrocketing ......WHY would you want to add in another cost .....very

    Why take 2 bottles into the shower ..... when you can just Wash N Go !


    ....and as Simon says - concentrate on your shooting/hold/follow through as we did in pistol shooting years back & spend the 'semolina' money on powder ball & caps.


    Like TAC - I do use a lube on top of the ball - but this is to prevent leading (if anyone wants pictures of a 'leaded' gun - PM your email to me as I don't have a file host)


    ATB

    Roy

    .
    Last edited by harricook; 19-03-2009 at 05:03 PM.

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