Heat abators, vegetable base wads, cork wads, & styrofoam wads.

[Ak-one-shot]

Back in the 1950s both of my grandfathers shot plane base bullets with a wad over the powder. Both shot .38-55s (one also shot .45-70) and explained the wads a bit differently. One Scottish and one German decent. Both used that new strofoam stuff from the grocery store that meat came on/in.

Shooting smokeless powder loads, using a wad cut from styrofoam was supposed to cushon the base of a soft cast slug, keep the heat off of it, and allow it to be driven faster without leading.

Is there any validity to this today? I have seen local boys here at the range using vegetable base wads, and cork wads shooting black powder cartridges, but none use styrofoam with black powder, and none shoot smokeless.

Is there an experimentor here that has used styrofoam wads, or would like to offer an opinion?

Thank you.

Ak-one-shot

[BAGTIC]

Not necessary. Try sticking a piece of adhesive label on a bullet base and firing it where it can be retrieved. You might be surprised how well it survives.

[Ak-one-shot]

Thank you BAGTIC, I might give that a try one day soon.
I just got a .357 280 gr. plain base mold for my .357 Maximum single shot rifle. It resembles my grandfathers .38-55 cartridges a lot. At this point in time I do not intend to drive these bullets fast, but I was thinking of the East Coast deer hunting cartridges both grandfathers loaded.

Ak-one-shot

[Bret4207]

I believe the wads functioned as much as seals as to block heat from the base or as a cushion. Some guns seem to want them, others don't. They are a tool worth remembering, but not a must have for most guns.

[dnotarianni]

Shooting smokeless powder loads, using a wad cut from styrofoam was supposed to cushon the base of a soft cast slug, keep the heat off of it, and allow it to be driven faster without leading.



Ak-one-shot

I would wonder about the styrofoam melting in the barrel. I use a 1/2' cork disk followed by felt wads when I need to use a filler on my 500 mag.

[captaint]

Ak - Welcome. I have a 38-55 that I loaded up a LBT 250 gr plain base boolit for. Accuracy was terrific at lower velocities. First test load, so I was happy. I may try using a Dacron filler down the road but not sure I want to play with wads. Just me. Maybe I'll have to when I crank up the velocity. We shall see. Great caliber though... enjoy Mike

[BAGTIC]

no metrics????

8mm and 35mm film, liter beverages, liter engines, cocaine and marijuans by the kilo, 5.56 and 7.62 mm firearms (the military has millions of them), medicines, and I believe most vehicles military and civilian have been metric for some time now and of course our money.