tuft of dacron over powder

[dh2]

I have seen this talked about on this forum and listed in my Lyman cast bullet manual can some one point me in the right direction to find the dacron that is use to hold the powder in place or take up space in the case.
Where do you get it from? I want to try it for loading my trap door Springfield.
Would a cotton ball make a good substitute?

[frkelly74]

103466


I have some that I offered to sell. A nice big wad for $12.50 postage included

[tazman]

Years ago I used cotton ball in my 45-70 with excellent results.

[Larry Gibson]

You'll find lots of specific information concerning the use of Dacron fillers in; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?109280-The-proper-use-of-fillers

Larry Gibson

[bangerjim]

I bought a big bag of Dacron fluff at WalMart. It is used to stuff toys. Works much better than the sheets of batting. Just pull of a pinch, roll it in a ball (will not stay), and stuff it in the neck with a rod. I use an Allen wrench. Then tamp it down.

Simple and VERY effective!

Someday soon (when the planets align) Larry Gibson and & are going to meet up over at his place and do some testing for pistol carts with Dacron!

banger

[Whitespider]

Any store that deals in sewing supplies should have both the quilt batting (like the picture above) or in the bagged fluff for stuffing pillows and such... Hobby-Lobby comes to mind. While you're there pick a couple yards of 100% knapped cotton for cutting your own cleaning patches... you'll never go back to buying that pre-cut junk hanging on store hooks.

With Dacron filler, less is more.
I don't roll it in a ball or tamp it down... I pull off a pinch, sort'a stretch it out a bit, and feed it in the case neck with the aid of a small diameter wooden dowel. The idea (at least my idea) is to keep it expanded so it fills the case using as little as possible while still holding the powder to the rear. It don't take much to do that... for example, a tuft weighing 'round 1 grain is what I use with 19 grains 2400 in the .30-06.
*

[w5pv]

I used dacron over BlueDot in 45 LC it tighten the group up to about 1.5 inches with the revolver and almost tack driver status in my lever gun.

[Tatume]

There are two primary camps on the use of Dacron. One is correct and the other is not. One is safe, and the other will cause ringed barrels. Both camps claim to be correct and the other not. I remain publically neutral.

[weasel 21]

There are two primary camps on the use of Dacron. One is correct and the other is not. One is safe, and the other will cause ringed barrels. Both camps claim to be correct and the other not. I remain publically neutral.I have the same feeling. Who you gonna believe?

[bangerjim]

I have never heard of Dacron causing damage!!!!!

Do you have a link to this wive's tale?

Thanks! Inquiring minds want to know.

bangerjim

[tazman]

When I was using the cotton balls in my 45-70, the cotton always exited the muzzle, unburnt and landed less than 10 yards downrange. Looked funny having the white puffball leaving the barrel when you shot.

[Pilgrim]

There are two primary camps on the use of Dacron. One is correct and the other is not. One is safe, and the other will cause ringed barrels. Both camps claim to be correct and the other not. I remain publically neutral.
xxxxxxxxx
Ringing can be caused by the "filler" acting like a secondary projectile. Reportedly the "filler" is accelerated in the case and is constricted by the case neck producing a momentary high pressure spike that will produce a "ring". I believe this is more often associated with a "wad". DON'T leave an airspace between your filler and the case neck, and no ringing will occur as there is no room for the "filler" to accelerate in the case. If you use dacron just push it into the case and leave well enuf alone. It will expand to fill the airspace above the powder. Do not try to "pack" it over the powder like a wad. I don't believe this phenomenon will/can occur in a straight walled case. FWIW Pilgrim

[bangerjim]

When I was using the cotton balls in my 45-70, the cotton always exited the muzzle, unburnt and landed less than 10 yards downrange. Looked funny having the white puffball leaving the barrel when you shot.

After seeing flaming cotton fly out of the barrel (!) I stopped using cotton and went to Darcon. 'round here things are VERY dry most of the year and it is easy to start fires in the wild. Dacron is fire retardant/resistant and will not ignite from the powder. Cotton generally will ignite and burn.

Banger

[Smoke4320]

Am I the only one here that uses toilet paper ?
1/4 sheet in a 7.62 x 54R for reduced loads 30 herrett or 357 Herrett for fireforming loads

[bangerjim]

xxxxxxxxx
Ringing can be caused by the "filler" acting like a secondary projectile. Reportedly the "filler" is accelerated in the case and is constricted by the case neck producing a momentary high pressure spike that will produce a "ring". I believe this is more often associated with a "wad". DON'T leave an airspace between your filler and the case neck, and no ringing will occur as there is no room for the "filler" to accelerate in the case. If you use dacron just push it into the case and leave well enuf alone. It will expand to fill the airspace above the powder. Do not try to "pack" it over the powder like a wad. I don't believe this phenomenon will/can occur in a straight walled case. FWIW Pilgrim

Interesting! I use such a small amount of Dacron fluff that if I do not tamp it down a bit, the powder will sift thru! Now that is a "small pinch" of filler! Dacron expands and if you are using so much you have trouble stuffing it in the mouth, that is waaaaay too much! I use ~0.2gn in 223's and ~0.3gn in 30-06. That is NOT much. I do NOT weigh every piece...(OMG).....that weight is only for this discussion. I just pull off a tuft, roll it into kind of a small ball with the thumb and 1st finger of each hand (it will NOT stay compressed like cotton), and stuff it in the mouth with a long Allen wrench.....then tap it down lightly.

It DOES gain some accuracy at the other end.

Works for me! Just sharin' what I have found out.

banger

[bangerjim]

Am I the only one here that uses toilet paper ?
1/4 sheet in a 7.62 x 54R for reduced loads 30 herrett or 357 Herrett for fireforming loads

At least you will be the only one prepared when mother nature calls out on the range!!!!!!! [smilie=w:


HA...........................ha!

It, like cotton is highly flammable, and is probably not recommended in fire-prone areas either.

If you are shootin' in a swamp............go for it! I think I paid $4 for that HUGE bag of Dacron fluff.....more than I would use in a lifetime.

banger

[rbertalotto]

One ply toilet paper.....cut into 3/4" squares.....lay it on top of the case mouth and use a pencil to push it down to hold powder against primer. ...no chance of ringing the chamber.....weights nothing and won't leave melted residue in the barrel.

And costs near nothing!

[GOPHER SLAYER]

A friend of mine ruined a barrel using a synthetic material as a wad, I don't know which one but it melted in the barrel and in trying to get it out he damaged the barrel beyond use. I always use cotton. Where we shoot there is nothing in front of us but dirt. I have never seen the cotton catch fire anyway.

[Bob Maerdian]

Several years ago I used some kapok over powder tufts, about 1/2 grain not tamped over powder. This was meant to hold powder over primer. It did and worked fairly well. I also tried dacron, about the same amount, just to hold powder over primer. It held the powder over the primer OK . THE BAD PART IS THAT, IT RINGED A 30-06 CHAMBER! I did this twice. I have not used anything over the powder since and have not ringed a chamber in 40 years since.

[62chevy]

This catches fire, no it doesn't, that causes ringing, not so. Whats a newbie to think? What about Cream of Wheat (COW)?

[Whitespider]

I'm curious Bob Maerdian... what were you using for powder, charge weight and boolit when you "ringed" those chambers??
The reason I'm asking is because there's been some evidence that certain burn rates are more likely to do this than others (slower rates if I'm remembering correctly).

[Eddie2002]

I've been using a small pinch of cotton, maybe the size of my little fingernail on top of the powder charge for my low velocity light weight plinkers. Never seen any flaming cotton balls fly out of the muzzle, I think the cotton is blown apart by the muzzle blast. The cotton packing does help with the grouping with all the loads I've tried in 30-06 and 7.7 Jap.
From the little I've been able to find out ringing the chamber can occur with lighter loads, under 80% of the recommended load with some slower burning powders while using a filler. There are powders made that can be loaded light without the risk of damaging the rifle so why reinvent the wheel if not needed. I'm new to cast boolits but why risk a rifle with an unknown powder if the correct stuff is out there? Jut my take on it.

[bangerjim]

This catches fire, no it doesn't, that causes ringing, not so. Whats a newbie to think? What about Cream of Wheat (COW)?

Now we are gonna argue about what we had for breakfast?????????????????????????????????????

HA.......ha.

banger

[jimb16]

For those of you who use the dacron fluff, getting it into the case can be made easier with a nail. Grind the point off the nail then file a notch into it! It grabs the fiber and pulls it into the case, but doesn't hold it when you remove the nail. (Provided you took the burrs off the nail before use)

[62chevy]

Now we are gonna argue about what we had for breakfast?????????????????????????????????????

HA.......ha.

banger

If one got stuck at the range one could pull the boolits and have a light snack.

[bangerjim]

If one got stuck at the range one could pull the boolits and have a light snack.

.......and wipe with Smoke4320's TP!


banger

[Smoke4320]

Talk about tactical loading .. you have defense rds , fuel, food and hygiene all in little brass capsules
easily stored and transported .. I like :) :)

[mdi]

Well, I tried Cream of Wheat once. I wondered how the COW would stay separate from the gunpowder. The powder had a finer "grind" than the COW and the two would mix together easily, just from normal handling...

Besides, I can't recall any of my reloading manuals recommending the use of a filler, at least in the cartridges I reload.

[Tatume]

Although I no longer use nor recommend fillers, Cream of Wheat will not mix with gunpowder when compressed, as is correct technique.

[zuke]

Here's a tuft of dacron that was holding down a load of 25gr of 4759 in a 577-450/24gauge hull.
The hammer fell but made no sound at all.No pop of the primer. I removed the case and used the ramrod ro remove the boolit from the bore.

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/577-450_zps77505a00.jpg

[zuke]

oop's!

[Larry Gibson]

Looks like the Dacron was used as a wad ("a tuft of dacron that was holding down") instead of a filler. That is not the proper use for Dacron which should be used as a filler and not a wad. A 1 to 1 1/2 gr Dacron filler would have performed much better.

Larry Gibson

[zuke]

Looks like the Dacron was used as a wad ("a tuft of dacron that was holding down") instead of a filler. That is not the proper use a Dacron which should be used as a filler and not a wad.

Larry Gibson

Explain to me what I did wrong

[Larry Gibson]

Wow, that was a quick response! I was adding what you should have used as you responded. The filler should, while holding the powder back against the primer, fill the entire air space. Have you read my post #4 in the "sticky" on fillers?

Larry Gibson

[zuke]

I cut up a piece of dacron into 1inch square's. I used 2 of these pushed down with a pencil to below the case neck.

No I haven't read it, but I will.

[zuke]

I'll use 3-4 square's this weekend.
Do you have a link to the post you mentioned above?

[Larry Gibson]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?109280-The-proper-use-of-fillers

Also posted it on your other thread. As I mentioned there the key is to use enough Dacron (a little more won't hurt anything) to fill the air space between powder and bullet.

Larry Gibson

[zuke]

OK, Thank's for the advice. I'll use more this weekend.
I also have an old life jacket a friend sent me :drinks:

[singleshot]

I have and still do use COW, coffee grounds (used and dried), and Dacron. The thing about COW and grounds, unlike Dacron, is you must determine and use only compressed loads. One of my favorite loads with COW and grounds is 1.6cc's of H4895 and a 170 grain cast boolit.

[Pinsnscrews]

Since COW has been brought up here, I will add my question:

I have seen several references for using COW for Fire Forming brass. Add powder, top with COW, then use Bar Soap in place of a boolit.

Is this valid? How do you determine the right type of powder?

[303Guy]

Cotton is great stuff but it can burn and cause fires. I wouldn't say it generally burns but it can. I done it but it did take some effort. Others have found the same on the range, having to stamp out small fires started and there are some reports of more serious fires. Just thought I'd mention that.

I've found Dacron to be most suitable for filling cases and as a powder positioner. I do use more than recommended as a filler but never as a wad. I just wanted it to protect the soft boolit base I was using and more worked better.