45-70 filler

[WHITETAIL]

As you guys and girls have read I have a new toy.
A 45-70 Cowboy.
What I am looking for is.
Has any one used pure cotton wads as fillers
in the 45-70 with a 330 gould bullet?:lovebooli

[Parson]

Yes. I do not put in any more than needed to hold powder in place, in other words I dont compress the cotton. I once read an artical by Ross Seyfred where he insisted on "medical" grade cotton. This is cotton balls that you get at the drug store. Right now I do not remember why the medical grade over plain old cotton like used to fill pillows etc.

[GooseGestapo]

I suggest using plain old dacron pillow stuffing. Lyman dosen't recommend cream of weat, or other fllers in their manuals as they can cause buldged chambers and barrels. Sometimes the "un-conumed" filler can be left in the bore and cause an "obstruction".

Dacron is very combustable, and is one of the "binders" used in MFG. of the powders. It however won't significantly raise pressures.

I use an amount analogous to what Lyman recommends. About 1/2-3/4" ball or "tuft", stuffed in the case with a pencil- or wood dowel. Just enough to hold the powder in place over the primer.

I've been working on a "bag" for about 15yrs now. I misplaced it once, and bought another. Now I've got two "lifetimes" supply.

I only use a filler where chrono readings indicate one is necessary. Such as small charges of pistol powders. Anything slower than #2400, probably won't need a filler. However, I've found that with an RCBS 300gr FNGC, with less than 45gr. of H4198, that a filler improves velocity spreads significantly.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I remember the offer printed on the side of Javalina lube boxes. "Send in two different end panels of Javalina and $1 to recieve a quantity of dacron". My buddy did it as did I, I now have a lifetime supply as my buddy quit loading and gave his to me. I think Javalina is still made, don`t know about the offer though. :) Robert

[Jim]

WT,
Yup, I've loaded a many a .45-70 with a reduced powder charge and a cotton ball stuffed inside on top of the powder. Looks kinda funny when you light it off. A puff of white appears out to about 10 feet, settles to the ground and it's gone.