Hello-any of you guys know how to easily cut wads for my 12 gauge muzzleloader? I have come across a lifetime supply of hard and thicker cardboard for over-powder wads, and thinner stuff for over-shot wads. I have cut some out after tracing a pattern and using snips, but takes way too long. What about a hole-saw with the bit removed maybe? Anyone have any ideas?
Arch punch from a tool store. I don't know what size you would need for a twelve gauge, but I guess you do if you've been cutting them by hand. Mike Nesbit featured them in an article one time.
Sooo,3/4" would be too big for 16ga.....Anyone know the closest size for 16ga.?.....My problem is that I have a .69 Charleville smoothbore...When I try to find out what size cards to use for shot,I see both references for 12,and 16 ga...Can anyone clarify this for me?
Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
Here's a place to contact... www.emshootingsupplies.com fax 943-8803 I talked with the president of the CO at a gun show,he said he had wads in all sizes and lots of other shooting supplies.. They have the 10/12/16/20 ga wads and in different materials,and all of the different ones.over/felt...This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walking Crow,
Boartooth, 11/16 is what Mike Nesbitt recommended for 16 gauge. His acquisition of a 16 gauge is why he started punching out his own, if I remember correctly.
boartooth, i'm not sure how good an arch punch (some calls 'em "hole punch") will work on cardboard. i use 'em with heavy blanket wool er, better yet, them old all-wool white army mukluk liners from th' surplus stores. ye hafta punch 'em out agin the end grain of a log er a length o' 4x4, 6x6, er better yet 12x12" timber. that way th' punch can git thru th' wool 'n not flatten th' cutting edge. i use 13/16" fer ten gauge, 3/4" fer 12 and 14 gauge, 11/16" fer 16 (don't have one o' those right now), 5/8" fer 20 gauge, 9/16" fer my 58 cal (24 gauge) trade gun--and i bought me a 1/2" fer my 45 pistols. ye want just a bit bigger'n yer bore. i soak my wads in sodium-free, partly hydrogenated lard frum the mexican-food section of the soopermarket (or yaller lube), squeeze 'em out while they're still warm, and bag 'em in small ziplocks. mostly i don't use an over-powder card; just the wool, but i use thin sheet cork or milk carton fer over-shot cards, punched with the same size punches. most of my guns like 2 to 4 felt er blanket wads; the thinner yer overshot wad is the tighter the pattern. yer results may vary--so pattern yer barrels carefully; no two behave completely alike. mind yer topknot! windy
Posts: 487 | Location: wetside o' washington | Registered: 14 October 2005
When I need wads I get a length of EMT or pipe with the proper inside diameter, or as close as I can get. I grind an edge on it with my bench grinder and finish with a mill file. A 6 inch piece of pipe should last forever.
Posts: 353 | Location: Pocono Mts. in PA | Registered: 12 June 2008
nope; that's wool felt er heavy wool blanket. very heavy pure wool blanket--ye can get it at the surplus stores, if they're outta them white felt mukluk liners, which i prefer. i bought up a bunch of them liners, back when they wuz cheaper. send ye one, if ye'll git me yer address. mind yer topknot! windy
Posts: 487 | Location: wetside o' washington | Registered: 14 October 2005
Originally posted by Zeb: Hello-any of you guys know how to easily cut wads for my 12 gauge muzzleloader? I have come across a lifetime supply of hard and thicker cardboard for over-powder wads, and thinner stuff for over-shot wads. I have cut some out after tracing a pattern and using snips, but takes way too long. What about a hole-saw with the bit removed maybe? Anyone have any ideas?
For what it's worth, I'm going to offer a comment and before I do, I want to make sure its clear I am NOT trying to make it sound like money is no object, or anything like that. My comment simply is that we should be sure we know what something really costs before going to all sorts of lengths trying to make it ourselves, thinking we're saving a lot of money. In this case, buying a bulk bag of several hundred OP Wads / OS cards is basically about like buying a double whopper & fries...and unless you're shooting trap & skeet with your ML, 500 OP wads / OS cards would last a long time for the occasional squirrel or rabbit...just food for thought.
Flintlock Rifles & Smoothbores Hunt Like The Settlers
Posts: 1867 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 28 January 2006
Woodman,have you been able to compare what the patterning is like with loose wool and OP wads?...Roundball,absolutely right,we should never lose sight of the practical in search of historical(semi)authenticity....I have an ulterior motive for wanting to know what the rock-bottom level of tech we need to use to be effective is...I desperately hope it never comes to be,but I can envision a time when political circumstances force us to keep a very low profile.I plan on trying all these methods,if I can,but I also plan on pricing the commercial stuff too,this morning as a matter of fact...Again,thanks guys.
Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
Boar tooth , I have never patterned it on a board, but I hit what I shoot at as a rule. This is a personal believe but in Historical times I think with a trade gun most shooting was with a wad rather than patched. Woodman
Wow,good stuff,guys!I'm gonna have to try the leaves,and the wool,in addition to the commercial stuff,and figure out where the best combo lies.... Woodman,It does seem that the wadding would be the most efficient method,if it works as well,or almost as well as patches.
Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin