DIY - Wool Felt Wads for 44 cal Cap & Ball Revolvers

[drobs]

Man that's easy!!!




Banged out some pistol wads last night. Really easy when you have the right tools and materials!

Tools and materials used:
Battery powered electric drill set on lowest speed.

Hollow Punch Set - 7/16 inch bit from Harbor Freight - Item# 67030
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-hollow-punch-set-67030.html

1/8" Off-White Hard Felt material for WADS - Item # FM18H-1
http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html

Cheap cutting board bought at Walmart for this purpose for under $3.00.

As you can see in the 2nd picture, the 7/16 inch punch is perfect for .44 cal Cap & Ball revolvers.

Note I started with another 7/16 inch punch that requires a hammer. The Drill bit type of punch is way easier and way faster.

Next up will be lube. Couldn't find tallow or suet so will try a batch using Crisco, Bees Wax, and Paraffin Wax.

 

[whughett]

And someday when your done roving, a drill press makes it even easier. A 50/50 mix of bees wax and Crisco works well for me. It will develop a slightly rancid smell after a few months in warm temps, at least those stored in my Florida garage over the summer months do.

 

[cowboydave]

I am new to this forum and so glad you posted this. I am getting back into C&B revolvers after being away for 25 or so years and was wanting to try making my own wads.
I just ordered the Pietta 1858 NMA a few days ago which I caught on sale from Cableas. It should be here in a few days. drobs, keep us informed on how you lube the wads and what lube you use. Thanks

 

[rodwha]

You guys are both way off. No drill necessary. You just need the right helper:

<a href='https://postimg.org/image/gv0r6tztn/' target='_blank'><img src='https://s17.postimg.org/ny8mmg59b/IMG_0578.jpg' border='0' alt='IMG_0578'/></a>

I tried the Harbor Freight punches at first but they wouldn't cut through the felt no matter how hard or how many whacks so I bought a custom punch from a retired machinist on a traditional forum (2 actually).

I buy my mutton tallow from Dixie Gun Works. I make a lot at one time and store it in the closet. It's been good for about 5 years now.

*EDIT*
Post Images doesn't seem to work properly with this site.

 

[whughett]

I agree, just gotta have trust in the young one swinging that big old mallet.

Uh, just outta curiosity whos all the young starlets ?? (To see the starlets click first link, 2nd link no starlets.)

 

[drobs]

Rodwha
Looks like you got a real good helper there!


Made a batch of lube. So so results.
Put hand full of beeswax pellets, a chunk of Crisco, and a chunk or 2 of Gulf Wax into a double boiler. Melted it down and added the wads. Scooped the wads out of the mixture onto a cookie sheet. They came out really hard and waxy. I think I need more Crisco or Tallow added to the mixture. Nice thing is I can always remelt everything including the wads and change the mixture.

Test fired 3 cylinders - recovered a bunch of wads under my gong which tells me the wads are sticking to the ball. Not sure if that's good or bad. No grease star at the muzzle.
Neglected to take pictures during the actual cooking process.

Bees Wax & Gulf Wax I bought from Amazon:

Bees Wax:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C34V0B...b42-8913-4a078fb05742&hsa_cr_id=6429825460801

Gulf Wax:
https://www.amazon.com/Gulfwax-Para...=UTF8&qid=1514662858&sr=1-1&keywords=Gulf+Wax

Crisco came from the store. Cheaper to buy these butter style sticks than a large tub.

Ingredients:


Camping Gear pans. Chili with beans for dinner tonight.


Parchment / wax paper.


Could be a sign that I've been stuck in Africa for too long but for some reason, I'm really impressed by the packaging of these Crisco sticks. Each has a tub and a lid and is double packaged.


Mmm mmm


More pics to come.

 

[Noz]

Check the Crisco for salt content. Salt doesn't play well with steel.

 

[drobs]

Check the Crisco for salt content. Salt doesn't play well with steel.

They make 2 types, one has salt added to it.
I bought the unsalted version.

 

[drobs]

No pics of the cooking process but here's completed wads pics.



Hard and Waxy


Loading - not a perfect fit anymore.


Ram that baby in there.


Two chambers capped and loaded, hammer down on empty chamber. Previously fired 3 cylinders.


It's cold out I'm calling it quits. Pic is staged, I move my powder flask away when shooting.

 

[drobs]

And someday when your done roving, a drill press makes it even easier. A 50/50 mix of bees wax and Crisco works well for me. It will develop a slightly rancid smell after a few months in warm temps, at least those stored in my Florida garage over the summer months do.

Going to have to give both of your ideas a try. I do have a bench top drill press out in the cold garage. Think I will add some more Crisco to this mixture. It's way too waxy right now.
I still have a bunch of Bees Wax, Gulf Wax, and Crisco left over - not used.

 

[rodwha]

I agree, just gotta have trust in the young one swinging that big old mallet.

Uh, just outta curiosity whos all the young starlets ?? (To see the starlets click first link, 2nd link no starlets.)

She has whacked me a few times.

Funny. I thought it was felt wads she was helping with. I see, instead, it was cardboard cereal box over powder cards.

I'm at a loss as to the starlets. Never noticed it provides 2 links. I find it strange that this link produces a pic to display on other forums and not a link like here.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The paraffin wax might be making your blend too stiff. Try a 2-1, Crisco to bees wax mix. Plus it being in the teens temp wise could be a factor.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Very cool! I once made similar wads but with lamb's tallow and beeswax. They smelled very... lamby.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I didn't know Harbor Freight sold punches.

 

[drobs]

A friend on another forum pointed out that using a microwave is much easier than double boiling. Makes we wonder if the double boiling idea mentioned in many of the DIY bullet lube threads dates back to the pre-microwave era? I nuked the jar and then added the rest of the Crisco stick and let it cool. Getting a layer of separation maybe need some more beeswax?

 

[rodwha]

A friend on another forum pointed out that using a microwave is much easier than double boiling. Makes we wonder if the double boiling idea mentioned in many of the DIY bullet lube threads dates back to the pre-microwave era? I nuked the jar and then added the rest of the Crisco stick and let it cool. Getting a layer of separation maybe need some more beeswax?

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Hmmmm... Apparently the microwave worked just fine. I have a mason jar with a chip in it I use for double boiling it.

 

[whughett]

Personally I'd stay away from the paraffin.

 

[rodwha]

Paraffin is a part of Gatofeo's lube. It's historical (late 1800's for outside lubricated bullets), though I'm not so sure it's the same thing as back then.

Gatofeo states he tried just about everything anyone mentioned as a lube and found this, using mutton tallow and no other, to work the best for him. Granted I'd assume varying locations may dictate what truly works best.

I have to admit that I've never used anything other than Gatofeo's #1 lube. It works well on wads, revolver bullets, and Lee REALs. According to others it also works well as lube cookies and for patch lube, but I've not tried that.

When I go to the range I typically make a day of it spending hours, if not half a day there shooting my 3 BP guns. Both revolvers just keep going without a degradation of accuracy and are no harder to clean. It works quite well. I have never varied the ratios he gave (1 part mutton tallow, 1 part Gulf Wax, 1/2 part beeswax all by weight).

 

[rodinal220]

Gatofeos #1 lube is the bees knees. He re-popularized an old formula that works great with Holy Black.

http://www.1858remington.com/discuss/index.php?topic=352.0

Mutton Tallow:
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3686&osCsid=os6qellbaf3k8j3buen74p1qe6

 

[J-Bar]

I'm content to just smear some lube over the ball after loading it into the chamber, rather than having to do all of this stuff! If you think you are saving time and mess with all this, I think you are kidding yourselves But if you all enjoy your wad cutting and processing, I'm happy for you!

Here's hoping we all get to burn powder after this cold front moves out. Happy New Year everyone.

 

[rodwha]

I've never smeared lube over the ball, but from what I read of it it does make a mess, though mostly what I read of is using Crisco. And what they say is it gets blown all over everything and leaves very little on the ball after the first shot or two. I'd imagine having Crisco on your finger would be a bit messy or requiring the step of whiling your hands. Guess one could swab it on with something. At the range or in the field wads seem to me to be faster.

Of course that doesn't consider the time it takes to make the lube and to punch the wads, but for some of us that's half the fun of it all just as casting your own projectiles and cutting your own patches, or even making paper cartridges. And maybe for some (not me really) it's a more historical ordeal where bullets are concerned (I don't shoot balls from my revolvers much any more).

 

[J-Bar]

I've never smeared lube over the ball, but from what I read of it it does make a mess,

OK, I'm not arguing here, just passing on my personal experience. I really don't care what others do to have fun because that is the whole point of black powder shooting.

I use 50-50 beeswax / Crisco melted in a Crockpot to lube my bullets for cowboy action shooting. I pour some of it out on an old cookie sheet to make a thin puddle, and after that puddle solidifies I break the puddle into roughly one inch diameter pieces and store them in an empty Altoids tin. At the range I press some of the lube into the chamber over the balls. I push the lube down on the balls and it sits in the chamber below the chamber mouth. I don't get any more lube on my finger than you do when you handle a lubed wad. I do my chamber charging on a piece of sheepskin at the range; what little gets on my finger gets wiped off onto the sheepskin when I'm done. Some of the lube probably does get blown out from neighboring chambers, but I can run revolvers all day this way with no fouling problems, and the barrels are easy to clean when I'm done. This is in all temperatures from freezing to 90 degrees; beyond those limits I'm going to find something else to do.

If I were encountering binding, cleaning problems, or loss of accuracy believe me I would leap at a change. But I'm not.

It's wonderful that we have a pastime that permits so many different ways to success. Truly.

 

[rodwha]

Nice idea with the Altoids tin. I like repurposing things and use small cigar tins to store my paper cartridges.

Absolutely no reason to change something that's not broken.

One thing about wads that I have in mind considering I don't shoot balls much is to try them as filler. My more accurate hunting loads leave my ball length bullets a bit shy of the chamber mouth. I tried what ever cereal product my father gave me but it seems a wad is easier, especially in the field.

Want to talk about tedious (and not as much fun as it was initially) is how I've been living my bullets/REALs. Having had excess lube for wads I poured the remainder into a soap mold. From there I cut it into 6 blocks and used it like a crayon to fill the grooves. After it warms up in your hand your fingers become tacky. Been meaning to try pan lubing but don't have a proper punch for these bullets that I want to modify (new mold) anyway, and a punch wouldn't work for a REAL. But then I don't know much about pan lubing anyway. I've wondered about filling up an empty chapstick tube.

 

[J-Bar]

Why not just wear an insulated glove to prevent heat transfer from your hand to the lube block?

 

[Jim Watson]

I did not need a punch to pan lube .38-55 bullets with SPG.
I just had to learn how much to let the cake cool before thumbing the bullets out with lube in the grooves.