Grease vs. Wonder Wads

[RobW]

What do you think is better, grease on top of the balls or wads on top of the powder with a BP revolver?

Are there advantages - disadvantages with both?

As it gets really hot around here (up to 116 F) in the summer, I think grease wouldn't be a good idea but up to now, I don't have any experience with it, I'm just starting.

 

[Gerald McDonald]

As for myself, grease is a better idea but wads are much more convenient to use. Wads take up a little room that could be used by powder.
Gerald

 

[RON in PA]

Wads are the way to go if you are planning to keep your C&B loaded for an extended period of time, ie., a hike in the woods or hunting. They are more convenient to use, but are expensive. Grease is fine for the range. If you use a light charge use a corn meal fill between the powder and the bullet so that the bullet isn't too deep into the chamber.

 

[TaxPhd]

I am too cheap to use wads. Crisco over the balls (on the GUN, oops, I mean WEAPON, er, you know what I mean! ;-D ). Keeps the fouling soft and the gun shooting longer between cleanings.

When it gets hot, Crisco is dripping all over.

Isn't black powder great?

 

[RobW]

Well, I ordered a 1851 Navy and a 1858 New Army today and as I learned from BP enthusiasts, it MUST be great.

I thought that the crisco stuff will be a mess in our temperatures here. As the shooting range doesn't provide shade, the revolver has to be out in the sunshine and, in using crisco, don't forget the eggs to fry on the metal. So I'll give that wonder-wads a try, but they are quiet expensive.

Life is beautiful, but expensive! You can have it cheaper, but then, it isn't that beautiful.

 

[4v50 Gary]

What Ron in PA says. However, I use grease cuz I'm cheap.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Wads are certainly cleaner, esp on a hot day.

 

[444]

Rob, if you use grease, you will have a mess. I live on the other side of the mountain from you and in the summer, that lube melts right out of the holes. I don't think it hurts anything, but it is a mess. Take a rag or some paper towels to wipe off your hands.
I have used both. I prefer the felt wads. I don't shoot my blackpowder revolvers enough to worry about the cost. For me, firing, let's say 30 balls at one session would be about all I might shoot. And, I am not a true blackpowder enthusiest. I enjoy shooting blackpowder, and I own a half dozen or so guns, but I probably only take them each out once a year. Shooting a blackpowder revolver is time consuming. I am not just popping off rounds like I am shooting a .22 so buying the felt wads amounts to a few bucks a year. Certainly less than I spend at the drive though on a single occasion.

 

[mothernatureson]

grease vs wads

you can use white lithuium grease, or wheel bearing grease, that stuff can take very high temps and not much cost. keep an empty chamber under the hammer, and blast away! peace,
mothernatureson

 

[Mike Weber]

I use a 50/50 mix Of beeswax and Crisco during the warmer weather and just plain crisco during the winter. The beeswax can be gotted cheaply from your local hardward store. Those wax ring seals for toilets are made from beeswax and aren't very expensive. The beeswax holds up better to the heat than plain crisco. This combination also makes an excellent bullet lube for black powder cartridge loads. I shoot my BP revolvers a lot of the wads would be a considerable expense for me. I do use the wads for making grease cookies for BP cartridge loads.

 

[TaxPhd]

Are you sure about the beeswax in the toilet rings? There have been a number of discussions on the SASS Wire about this, and they seem to think that there is some petroleum of some sort in there. Causes real problems with black powder.

 

[Mike Weber]

I'm pretty sure that they are beeswax haven't taken them to a lab for analysis buy haven't had any problems with them either. There are other sources foe beezwax as well such as for home canning supplies but it is also much more expensive that those ring seals.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

seeing as i treat all of my guns like they might end up being my carry piece, and the temperatures get rather hot here, as well, i use wonder wads. they're simpler to use, are conducive to holster use, and don't melt.