Egg carton wads?

[kBob]

Recently some one mentioned they were having success in making a substitute for felt wads from paper rag type egg cartons.

At the dump this week I noticed several such cartons in easy reach and considered ripping their tops off to take home.

Then I recalled what the interior of my truck and shop already look like with out someone else's old egg carton lids scattered about, so I left them.

I am interested in thoughts and experiences about using these things.

Do folks cut them out with .45 Colt cases and if so by hammering the case through or mounting the case on a mandrel and using a drill (the way I made wads for .38 SPL/.357 snake shot shells from milk cartons way back)?

Can they be lubed with say the lard, bees wax goo? Should they be lubed?

Anything from experience and well thought out ideas is welcome.

-kBob

 

[Blackpowdershooter44]

You can make them out of egg cartons and punch them with 45 colt cases, I never have but people do. I use wool felt from durofelt and a harbor freight set punch, the set, costing around $10 has punches for .36 and .44 revolvers. That lube mix of tallow/beeswax is what I, and a lot of other folks use. I know some people mount cases to a drill to punch out, would go a lot faster than with a hammer I would imagine.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Just doesn't seem like that thin egg carton would hold the same lube or cushion as well as a proper felty.

 

[jaguarxk120]

The egg carton wads will work just right, enough lube. Cushioning since when, the standard was seating the ball then greasing the chambers.

The grease sealed the chambers from water and lubed the ball as it when out the barrel.

Wads over the chambers are a new invention that came about in the last 20 years or so.

 

[piettakid]

I made some a couple weeks ago and used them over last weekend. Seem to work great. You can get around 150 of them from one carton holding a dozen eggs. I punch them out with a 45 ACP case and they come out as just the right size. Just slightly larger than the chamber ( i have 1858s) which means they don't just fall in and maybe turn sideways. They sit on top of the chamber and i use a 7/16 x 2 inch dowel rod to push them down on the powder.

I soak them in vegetable oil and then press them between paper towels.

Doesn't cost anything really. Maybe a couple teaspoons of veg oil to make a hundred. Maybe ten minutes to punch out the wads and i do that while watching tube.

 

[jaguarxk120]

And I thought the wad went on top of the ball so the lube won't harm the powder.

 

[Noz]

A vegetable oiled wad under the bullet could possibly contaminate the powder. I mix a heavy material such as beeswax with just enough oil to make the lube soft enough to handle. Never have powder contamination problems.
My last batch was made of candle wax from yard sale candles and enough cooking oil salvaged from a fish fry to make themix soft enough to handle.

 

[piettakid]

A vegetable oiled wad under the bullet could possibly contaminate the powder.

That's BS. Anyway i usually shoot the gun right after i load it. If i'm gonna let it sit for hours or weeks or months, i use unlubed wads.

 

[Noz]

That's BS. Anyway i usually shoot the gun right after i load it. If i'm gonna let it sit for hours or weeks or months, i use unlubed wads.

Thank you for your polite opinion.