Overpowder wad - how thick ??

[WARD O]

I am currently playing with some lever rifles in both 38-40 and 44-40 and am looking for accuracy at 100 yards or more.

How thick does the wad need to be to be effective with soft lead boolits and black powder charges of 33-38 grains?

I have the punches and plan to cut my own wads from whatever I find around the house (or need to purchase.) I know you can purchase precut wads but we all need to play with something....

Thanks
Ward

[oldracer]

Hummmm, when I asked this a couple years ago when I started down the road to black powder bliss, I was told "experiment to see what works best in YOUR gun and with your powder load and your bullet". Doug Knoel suggested "milk carton" wads as he used them with a news paper wad on top. A couple of other local shooters suggested no wads, a couple suggested Walters wads or other premade ones. I tried them all and ended up with the carton wads and a newspaper wad on top. Seemed to be the best.

I also tried the punch but tired very quickly of that and bought a press mounted punch which is a lot easier to use I feel. Seems to also give a better and more constant diameter wad which may or may not be important.

As for thickness, most seem to be around .060 or so but I compress the powder so I get the OAL I want so wad thickness does not have a huge part in the issue.

[Don McDowell]

I am currently playing with some lever rifles in both 38-40 and 44-40 and am looking for accuracy at 100 yards or more.

How thick does the wad need to be to be effective with soft lead boolits and black powder charges of 33-38 grains?

I have the punches and plan to cut my own wads from whatever I find around the house (or need to purchase.) I know you can purchase precut wads but we all need to play with something....

Thanks
Ward

I've had pretty good luck in those wcf's and the 45 colt with a .030 wad. Could probably use something thinner and get along just fine.

[WARD O]

What do you think about using magazine cover material? There always seems to be plenty of that stuff around.

[Grapeshot]

I use wads punched from soda can cartons and from toothpaste tube boxes. You can also use frozen food cardboard packaging. The thing is to experiment and see what works for you. The soda can cartons and frozen food packages are water resistant and will not let lube to migrate into in powder charge. Others will dispute that a wad isn't needed. Try them all and see what works for your gun.

[Don McDowell]

Ward that paper probably work , best thing is to try it.

[SharpsShooter]

I use a .030" wad with my 45 colt loads of 35gr of swiss behind a 260gr Keith SWC (40:1) with no complaints.

SS

[nwellons]

I use glossy thin boxes from household products but am looking for some old playing cards I have around here. Sounds like a good idea.

If you do a lot, consider a press mounted cutter. They are great.

[WARD O]

Playing cards is an interesting idea - if you get around any of the casinos, they frequently sell used card decks very cheaply. Anyone tried playing cards?