[smokeeater]

Since leather is also a natural product and does not leave a sticky residue when it burns, has anyone tried puching out some wads out of an old shoe, belt, etc. and soaking them in lube and trying them in their blackpowder guns?
If it works, it would be an inexpensive way to produce wads.

[Macmac]

I never have, but I have used wasp nest to build wads.. I use that in muskets.

The last time I found one, I was down hill skiing at Loon in NH off the Kanc, and when I brought it inside the lodge, people acted funny...

I don't beleive you would do more than scortch the leather

[Loyalist Dave]

The idea of the wool-felt (or cork) wad was (and is) that it compressed as it passed the choked muzzle of the barrel on a shotgun, and expanded after it was pushed past, thus maintaining a seal. Leather wasn't used as it doesn't expand near as much, and can be a bit more abrasive on softer steel to boot. If you don't use a felt wad, then just use paper. It works fine for me.

LD

[Pancho]

Dave, I think the purpose of the lubed wad in a round ball pistol differs from that of a shotgun in that it might help as a gas seal but it also acts as a scrubber to try to achieve more shots between swabbing. You know Dave now that you mention it it probably works the same in a shotgun.--------nevermind.
Gatefeo, the man who wrote the very informative stickie at the beginning of this article, wrote me and said that he's tried leather and found two things wrong with it. It didn't absorb enough lube and it was too soft to scrub the rifling. Too bad cause really dense wool felt is $15 per sq. ft.

[Tru Griff]

In the other thread there were some very good tips for wads including the wool. I have to say that the most natural and probable wad would be the wasp nest. It's easily seen why it works with a paper consistancy. It makes you wonder if the idea was used way back when.

I'll stick with store bought for now. :)

[Macmac]

Wool like wasp nest isn't very flamable if either of them are.... Once wool felt was common and nearly free, as wasp nest is still.

Cloth was expensive once, and so only after using evry bit, which came after rag makers used it to make more cloth and finally after paper makers used it to make linen paper like money is, then maybe wad could be made of that....

We don't live in the same world these guns come from...

With wool felt you want to make certain is it real 100% wool felt for the do it yerselfers here... Add polyproplene to the wool in some percentage and it will make life miserable.

A simple burn test will show what's what.

[Misfire99]

It's not that hard to make felt. All you do is get some wool and wet it. Lay it out flat on a hard surface and pound the Bejesus out of it. You can do it with a two by four on concrete. Felt was one of the first "cloths" made by ancient man. They used stones. I bet if someone had a source for wool they could make all the felt they will ever need in about an hour.

[Steve499]

Leather is also heavier than felt. I loaded some full length brass 12 gauge shells with black powder and used leather for wads in a few of them. The recoil was noticeably heavier with the leather wadded shells. Well, DUH, I say to myself, no flippin wonder! It was like loading an extra, extra large shot charge since the laws of physics don't care what you're shooting out of your piece, just how much it all weighs. If it's going downrange, it counts.

Granted, that wouldn't be a factor of any concern in a round ball revolver, might even be a way to adjust your point of impact some. Enough leather behind the ball should start raising the point of impact on target at some point. I'll not be doing it any more in my shotgun, though.