[rhoggman]

I'm sure anyone not doing this for the first time understands, but holy cow. Nobody carries this stuff anymore. Bass Pro had spaces for .451 round ball, but it all gone. People kind of look at you weird when you ask for anything related to black powder.

I ended up picking up a few things and ordered the rest online.

I live in the Hampton Roads are of Virginia and think I have basically been everywhere. Round balls in .454 or .451 were impossible to locate.

Still trying to figure out a way to make wads without buying a punch.

[4v50 Gary]

Track of the Wolf
Log Cabin Shop
Dixie Gun Works

There are plenty of vendors for the holy black. You just have to go online or make your own.

[SteveDS]

Hollow punch sets are very inexpensive. Got a set locally for less than $10. Harbor Freight has them for $6 - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3838

[bigbadgun]

I got my hollow punches from Harbor freight. $6 and they work just fine.

[Marlin 45 carbine]

if I'm allowed can I say 'muzzleloading forum'?
lots of good info there and some of the members are here also.:D

[4v50 Gary]

Why Marlin 45 carbine, yes you are allowed to say Muzzleloading Forum. I used to frequent it quite a bit myself. It's not like THR and MF are competing against one another and we've got blood rivalries between us.

[Snaggletooth]

I would like to suggest that you find a smelter and some molds and start pouring your own. If you find a good buy somewhere pick them up also. Wads. I pour my own with a cup of bees wax or toilet bowl ring, Parafin, and beef tallow from over the kidneys and punch them out with a spent .45 cartridge that I cut the end from Dont take long and requires no talent or I couldnt do it. Several of the Forum Members have written "how to"s on the process.

[zimmerstutzen]

In the overall scheme of things, buying a mold and molding yer own pays for itself in about 3 boxes of balls. I can easy shoot 100 shots in an afternoon at the range. as for wads, I don't use them in a cap and ball gun. I do use them in BPCR loads,

[arcticap]

Check out the prices on the cast round balls, pistol conicals and wads that this small Wisconsin outfitter has to offer along with flat rate shipping.

http://www.bpstuffllc.com/index.htm

Read the owner's "About Me" page:

http://www.bpstuffllc.com/about.htm

He states:

About our balls: What makes our .380", .454", and .457" balls different from the competition is that they are cast from soft lead, and then ball milled for 24 hours to eliminate the mold lines, minimize the sprue, and ensure optimum roundness. No price increase!

Who else will cast round balls and then mill them for 24 hours? :)

[madcratebuilder]

These folks well have all you need, order the catalog.

http://www.thegunworks.com/

[qajaq59]

Rhoggman, I know just how you feel. Unless you order on line and pay the heavy delivery charges you're pretty much out of luck. At least in our small town.

[oldpuppymax]

If you're looking for anything black powder/muzzle loading, go to the Possible Shop site. I've made a number of purchases and each item has been high quality. Some of the pistol/rifle prices are higher than you'll find elsewhere, but for everything from ball to powder to bore butter to "you name it", you are likely to find it there.

[Fat Jimbo]

I got my hollow punches from Harbor freight. $6 and they work just fine.

Bigbadgun,
Which punch are you using for .44 wads. It seems the 7/16" would be too small and the 1/2" would be a tad to large? I'm ready to start punching my own instead of paying a fortune for the Ox Yoke ones. I looked at TOW at a .45 cal punch and they want twenty bucks or more plus shipping. A little too rich for my blood for a wad punch.

[scrat]

The possible shop are good people. I agree with the others though. In a jif i can dump in 10lbs of lead in my casting pot and start casting. In about an hour i can cast about 250 in about an hour. give me a good saturday and i will have 1000 ready to go. i usually spend 2 weekends a year casting. i will cast everything i need and go through about 50-60lbs of lead. However that usually will keep me good for the year. You just have to dedicate the time to do it.

[Cosmoline]

These folks well have all you need, order the catalog.

Second that. I visited their shop in Springfield and they were very helpful. I asked for a pretty obscure part on the off-chance they might have one. The fellow goes into the back and has it in hand. They're affiliated with Oregon Barrel Company and market some truly impressive big and mega-bore smoke poles.

[bigbadgun]

Jimbo I use the 1/2 inch a little to big aint bad it dont hurt nothin.

[wittzo]

You can get a .45" wad punch from Track of the Wolf. 7/16" is for .44. If you make paper cartridges and want to use felt wads, the .44 will load easier, but won't scrape fouling like .45".

[rhoggman]

Thanks for all the links. I did buy the punches from Harbor Freight. I'll probably have to buy the wool online as well. The lady at the fabric store looked at me like I was from planet Zanzabaar when I asked if they 100% wool felt.

[scrat]

check this link there is a place where a lot of people buy felt from.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=123266

[qajaq59]

The lady at the fabric store looked at me like I was from planet Zanzabaar when I asked if they 100% wool felt. I walked into the cloth store recently and asked if they had any muslin? This little grey haired lady said, "Is it for a muzzle loader? If it is, this is the best one." I just about fell down from surprise. ha ha

[Fat Jimbo]

Bigbadgun said Jimbo I use the 1/2 inch a little to big aint bad it dont hurt nothin.

Thanks Bigbadgun. I'm off to Harbor Freight. Now to order some felt for some punchin.
FJ

[Fingers McGee]

Buffalo arms has precut lubed and dry wads a lot cheaper than buying wonder wads and a lot easier than trying to do it yourself.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,249.html

$19.99/1000 for dry wads &
$14.95/1000 for lubed wads

Lubed wads for $1.50/hd instead of $6 or $7 /hd for wonder wads.

FM

[wittzo]

For wads, you want the 1/8" thick hard felt the sell here. http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html She even mentions blackpowder specifically, because so many of us have ordered from her.