Use of Fillers - Toilet Paper

[robertbank]

Had the following thread sent to me by a friend. Has anyone used this method. Thoughts? I am thinking about trying it in my military cartridges ie LE, M-14, K - 31, SKS and JC.

http://www.reloadammo.com/rel-location.htm

Take Care

Bob

[rollingblock]

I have tried TP and found no advantages although I don't have a cronograph so can't comment on velocity or consictency.
One filler I have tried recently is fine sawdust. I used dry wellseasoned chesnut dust I collected from my saw bench. I was able to shoot the 200gr lee in a 308 over 26 W296 without a gascheck and no leading. Accuracy was promising but not great. (1.5-2 at 50m) Without the sawdust leading was severe and accuracy nonexistant. Adding sawdust had a similar effect to using a GC.
I will continue to experiment with this once I obtain some different powder. (its on the way)
I also wonder about the possibility of some wood produceing corrosive residues, particularly if not totaly dry but so far I have seen no problems.
I just filled the case on top of the powder to the top of the neck so there was some compression when the boolit was seated.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I have been doing this same thing as the link explains. It used to be quite common, but reloading is now much more upscale than TP. Now, no one casts over buffalo chip fires either.

It Works. It's the closest thing you can get to measurable fluff, and frequently does improve a load. A good example would be when you are using IMR stick powder near lower limits with cast, it will usually improve ignition.

I don't think it is useful in BP loads, as in the 43 Mauser, but it sure helps smokeless, in some loads. I stuff a portion in the case, firmly down on the powder.

I'm working on silent loads with 25-20 and boolits, and am down to 1 grain of 700 x but ignition is flawless with 1/8 sheet of Whipple's Favorite Single Layer Extra Gentle Ubscented Economy Pack Load Positioner Paper. It is pretty good with 2400 in the 45-60 too. "Soft, so it never leaves a ring". Had to Say that before the "Ring" warning warden gets here. Good Shooting, BvT

[mooman76]

I've had good luck with drier lint and it's free.

[longbow]

I can't comment on toilet paper but it sounds reasonable to me. As with any changes to loads, don't just go adding toilet paper without being sure you are starting with a low pressure load. Then add the toilet paper and work up powder charge to develop a safe load.

I generally use Cream 'O Wheat in .303 with good success. I am not going to claim bench rest accuracy but I have equaled or exceeded the accuracy I get with gas checks when using plain base boolit or gas check boolit with no gas check over filler. Both of those shoot much better than factory jacketed loads.

I can't see why toilet paper or other such filler wouldn't work but I like the ease of using Lee powder measure scoops to measure out granular filler. I am lazy!

Good info on granular fillers here:

http://www.303british.com/id37.html

and here:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/castfiller/index.asp

Longbow

[mdi]

Is anything used to keep the COW or sawdust separate from the powder? Like a wad? Will the powder and filler mix with handling the rounds (like transporting the ammo to the range, etc.)? I've heard of using Cream o' Wheat to keep from leading bores with cast lead boolits, but haven't tried yet.:castmine:

[robertbank]

I use 1" squares of TP and it seems to be working for me. I tamp the TP down gently with a dowel. It kind of works like a wad if you will. More work needs to be done with my other guns but so far I am pleased.

Take Care

Bob

[mdi]

:hijack:OOPS! Sorry Robertbank. I just realized I hijacked your thread.:groner:

[robertbank]

Naw, all good, just discussing fillers. I am a newb when it comes to using fillers so any info is all new for me.

Take Care

Bob

[longbow]

I have had no problems with COW and powder mixing but I usually put enough filler in to compress a little.

No reason a small amout of TP or other tissue couldn't be used to separate the two though.

Just as a note of warning, and not from personal experience, many people say that you should not leave an air space over the "wad". The theory is that the wad becomes the primary projectile and whacks into the base of the boolit which is effectively a bore obstruction so there is a pressure spike and possible ringing of the chamber.

I have a little trouble understanding how a light wad lightly pressed into the cartridge would allow that much pressure to build but many people here claim to have ringed chambers this way. I would have though the primer blast alone would dislodge it. However, I can't argue the case.

I have used COW and cornmeal with good success in my .303 and I used to use a .410 fiber wad under hot loaded .45-70 rounds with cast boolits. I got leading without them and no leading with them. Never had a pressure problem but again, I worked up loads with the the wads.

Dacron and other poofy fiber materials seem quite popular and Larry Gibson did some extensive testing if memory serves indicating more consistent performance with the dacron filler over others.

If you do a search on fillers there should be lots of reading for you.

The subject of fillers seem to stir things up just a bit.

Longbow

[kbstenberg]

Thank you longbow. I have read other coments pertaining to ringing of chambers. But you are the first to explain what it is an how it happens.