Fillers for rifle loads (kapok, etc) in 45-75wcf

[mikeg1005]

Hello everyone,

I'm attempting to load for a Uberti 1876 rifle in 45-75wcf. My old man's had this gun for years worked up a load and it didn't shoot at all. I'm going to give it another try.

I noticed a popular load is using 22-24gr of 2400 powder with a 'kapok' filler. Can someone explain to do you determine how much filler, etc. to place inside a case? Is it to fill right up against the bottom of the bullet? Do you compress the stuff at all or do you just let it sit there so the powder doesn't move? Also, can other things be used in its place? Cotton balls?

My load development in rifle is modern centerfires so this idea of sticking other things in besides powder is kind of foreign haha.

Thanks in advance.

[ReloaderEd]

no problem, go to a fabric store and buy a dracron pad, 3/4 to 1" thick, cut into equal squares. put on top of powder charge and seat bullet. My accurate load for the older 45-70's is 38 grs of 3031 with 300 gr. RCBS Cast fn bullet (pure lead) with gas check and alox bullet lube, sized .458 diameter. It's accurate in all different 45-70's I've tried it in.

[hpbear101]

I use dacron pillow stuffing, I bought a bag at a craft store. I believe most loads use a .5 grain tuft of dacron. I don't have the patience to measure them, I just pull off a small similar sized tuft and stuff it into the case with the eraser end of a pencil. It is some what compressed in there just to fit it all into the case, but you do not need a compressed case full if that makes sense.

Tom

[RedlegEd]

Hello everyone,

I'm attempting to load for a Uberti 1876 rifle in 45-75wcf. My old man's had this gun for years worked up a load and it didn't shoot at all. I'm going to give it another try.

I noticed a popular load is using 22-24gr of 2400 powder with a 'kapok' filler. Can someone explain to do you determine how much filler, etc. to place inside a case? Is it to fill right up against the bottom of the bullet? Do you compress the stuff at all or do you just let it sit there so the powder doesn't move? Also, can other things be used in its place? Cotton balls?

My load development in rifle is modern centerfires so this idea of sticking other things in besides powder is kind of foreign haha.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Mike,
I strongly suggest you read this sticky by Larry Gibson on using fillers. (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?148104-Adendum-to-quot-filler-quot-sticky&p=1642761&viewfull=1#post1642761) It's really important that you do not cram it on top of the powder like a wad, rather, leave it fluffy and there just to keep the powder at the bottom of the case. Good luck.
Ed

[rancher1913]

I was going to send you to larry gibsons threads on this but now I will just second what he said ^^^^^^^^^

[mikeg1005]

Awesome thanks guys for the responses. I missed the sticky thank you.

[veeman]

No need to buy anything as long as you have a cloths dryer. I use towel lint for my 45/75, just a small piece the size of my thumbnail is all you need, push it down into the case with a pen or punch. I don't compress it, just push it in to the powder. Looking forward to your results.

[NorthMoccasin]

Black powder works well also, no fillers needed. Use BP lube though.

[unclemikeinct]

Second on Dryer Lint...

[georgerkahn]

I have had similar want of a filler, mikeg1005, and what I tried, use on occasion, and works -- is a product called Puff-Lon. They have a web-site, http://www.pufflon.com/newfront.html, where you might read about it. In terms of a "quick review", it performs as they claim and advertise. The one and only think I do not care for is after shooting (notably in a Uberti 1866 .44 Rem Mag) there appears teeny tiny flakes of the stuff all over "everything" -- a minor annoyance.260793
geo

[sharps4590]

Open cell foam fillers is all I've used for 20+ years. Cut a cylinder of the foam with a cut off cartridge case of proper diameter in a battery drill, cut to fill the void to the base of the bullet. Powder will not migrate past it. Pressure tests by Sherman Bell with a variety of fillers showed open cell foam ranked in the top 3. Of all things, cotton balls raised pressures the least....whooda thought....dacron second and open cell foam 3rd. Solid fillers, cork wads, corn meal, Cream O' Wheat and the like, were the worst for raising pressures, some dangerously.