Dacron filler.

[lreed]

Hello everyone; I have always heard " What you don't know won't hurt you,but what you know that ain't true will" so it is with me and dacron wads. I've used dacron on occasion,but now realize how very little I actually know concerning what powder,load density, case size will benifit from their use and just about everything concerning the proper use of dacron fillers. Would someone who knows from experience please enlighten me. Thanks. lreed

[Calamity Jake]

Go to the search function at the top right of the page, type in fillers or dacron fillers, both will give you enough reading to last you a day or two.

[Larry Gibson]

After reading all that from the search if you have specific questions ask and we'll be happy to answer. You use both "wad" and "filler" in your post. I do not use "wads" as such anymore. I do use the dacron filler extensively in rifle cases with the slow "fast burning pistol/shotgun powders up through the slow burning rifle powders when loading desity is about 80% or less or the bullet sticks down into the case below the neck. Again, do a little reseach as there is a lot of info already posted and if you've any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Larry Gibson

[jonk]

It's a question about position sensitivity. As Larry suggests, some powders, especially medium to slow powders, require a certain load density to ignite and burn reliably and properly. With a lesser load density, you get hangfires, radical velocity variation, and in the worst case, detonation as opposed to ignition.

The use of fillers situates the powder reliably in a column above the primer, negating these issues. There is still a limit; for instance you couldn't use 10 gr of 4350 with filler and expect performance, but within reason- say loads 2/3 of published loads- fillers help, of which dacron is one option.

[KennethF]

I cannot find dacron fiber anywhere, but I do find pollyester everywhere. They must be the same material. Is this correct?

[atr]

I just did a comparison using my .308 with 170 gr boolit
the powder charge was 20 gr of 2400
10 rounds I used dacron filler
10 rounds I did not use any filler

very little difference in the target grouping when I compared....actually the 10 rounds without the filler were just a bit tighter.

my suggestion would be to take note of the excellent wealth of information that is posted, but then go and do some testing for yourself.

[Larry Gibson]

I cannot find dacron fiber anywhere, but I do find pollyester everywhere. They must be the same material. Is this correct?

That is correct. I believe "dacron" was the original "trade" name for it.

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

I just did a comparison using my .308 with 170 gr boolit
the powder charge was 20 gr of 2400
10 rounds I used dacron filler
10 rounds I did not use any filler

very little difference in the target grouping when I compared....actually the 10 rounds without the filler were just a bit tighter.

my suggestion would be to take note of the excellent wealth of information that is posted, but then go and do some testing for yourself.

That's a top end load with 2400. The dacron probably put your load "over the top" so to speak. The use of the dacron increases the ignition efficiency and general gives higher velocities. This is an excellent example of why my advise is always to drop the charge and work back up when using dacron or when changing any componant. That's also what the big boys who right the manuals say. Must be a reason for it.

Also, 2400 is not a powder that I recommend the use of dacron fillers with, especially the top end loads as it is alread buring efficiently. I recommend a dacron filler with the slower of the "fast" pistol/shotgun powders (4227, 4759, 5744 and 4198). 2400 is the top end of the powder burning range where I find no need for a filler.

Try your test with 4895 or 3031 or 4831 or 4350, etc.

Larry Gibson

[atr]

Larry makes a good point about my 2400 load,,,,,burn rate / filler etc.

I also tried the same comparison using 10.5 Grains of Unique...10 rounds with filler and 10 rounds without : again the point of impact at 50 yards was unchanged and the grouping was not substantially different. I think experimentation along with discussion can teach a person alot.....

[lreed]

Hello again Thanks for redirecting me to the information already posted,I do use this search function almost daily,although I am sometimes mistified by the sometime lack of agreement on some subjects such as fillers. I do have one filler guestion that concerns me, is the dacron-polyester tuft pushed against the powder,or rather pushed into the cartridge neck leaving it just below the bullet? I am tinkering with some of the slower powders in 8mm and the 30 cal after years of useing pistol@shotgun powders causeing my guestions on fillers,sorry for calling them wads. As always thanks lreed

[twotrees]

against the powder. Your trying to hold the powder in place in the back of the case.

I use a pencil to push mine down into the case, works for me.

Good Shooting,

[Larry Gibson]

Ireed

I use enough dacron so that I know it will fill the space between the powder and base of the bullet. I then push it into the case just far enough so that it all is in. I then let the bullet push the dacron down the rest of the way on top of the powder or "lightly pressed" as previously stated.

I use a .22 cal cleaning rod section (M16) for most bottle neck cases from 6.5 through .375. A piece of coat hanger is used for .22 cal cases and the pencil works great for 45-70 cases.

Larry Gibson

[mooman76]

I have two old 7mm mausers that wouldn't shoot well. One would rarely hit paper at 25y. The other I got on paper but that's about it. They both had oversized bores. I added the filler and shot both again. The one still shot very bad and the other was shooting 1" groups at 25y. I think it sort of acted like a gas check. Probubly wouldn't help a gun that is already shooting good but may help a bad shooter shoot better in some cases.

[jonk]

2400 burns fast enough that it is not position sensitive. 5744 is bulky enough that for most applications I find it isn't needed. But for slow to medium burn powders, even fast rifle powders like 4198, it does often help.