Noobie 45 Colt reloading Question

[jaguarxk120]

The wads are just a new twist on the wax wads that were used many years ago.
Sheet wax was pressed over the case mouth and used as extra lube to prevent leading
on high performance loadings.
The wads just take up any extra space in the case over the black powder.

 

[ShotgunDave]

I'm definitely not a tree huger or carbon counter, but I'd rather use a biodegradable filler like the cereal, than add extra unnecessary pollution by either burning or discarding the foam backer rods when there is a simple safe alternative like the cereal. Just my $0.02

Absolutely, to each his own. Whatever what works best for you, is the right way to do it.

 

[DocRock]

I'm definitely not a tree huger or carbon counter, but I'd rather use a biodegradable filler like the cereal, than add extra unnecessary pollution by either burning or discarding the foam backer rods when there is a simple safe alternative like the cereal. Just my $0.02

I use corn meal myself but a case has been made that I cannot utterly disregard that firing an abrasive substance (corn meal or CoW) repeatedly down the barrel may eventually have negative consequences.

 

[Dave T]

Just like the Ordnance Dept in 1874, if the full power 45 Colt round (255 @ 910) is too much for you reduce the bullet to 250 and load 30g of FFg. It should fill the case to the base of the bullet and give you 800-850 fps, depending on barrel length. If that's too much perhaps you should invest in a 38 Special instead of breakfast cereal.

Dave

 

[whughett]

Dave, I would not load LUBED Wonder Wads over black unless you planned on shooting them right away. The lube can leach into the powder and weaken the load as with any contamination. I would recommend unlubed wads for that. Just my 2 cents.

I load 45C with 28 grains of 3F black and a shop made 1/8 felt wad lubed with 50/50 beeswax crisco. For storage I put a card cut from a waxed milk carton over the powder and under the bullet.

Wjen I started this I tried this experiment. I loaded up fifty with the cards and left them sitting on the bench in a garage in South West Florida for the summer. That garage in mid May can get up to 95 degrees. Never been there in June July or August so ...... The following January when we returned the rounds all fired fine.
A couple of points: Beeswax Has a higher melting point than what ever is in wonderwads, and they are thicker than wonder wads, and the garage, hot but probably not as hot as a car or truck cab in mid summer. The cards were cut with the same cutter as the wads.
Some where in these pages a couple of years ago someone mentioned wads sticking to bullet bases which is why I place one under the bullet. I use neither cards if the rounds will be fired in a few weeks time.
Works for me.

 

[DocRock]

Just like the Ordnance Dept in 1874, if the full power 45 Colt round (255 @ 910) is too much for you reduce the bullet to 250 and load 30g of FFg. It should fill the case to the base of the bullet and give you 800-850 fps, depending on barrel length. If that's too much perhaps you should invest in a 38 Special instead of breakfast cereal.

Dave

Absolutely. If, like the Ordnance Dept in 1874 you need a reduced load that will still kill a horse at about 100 yards, this is excellent advice.

 

[arcticap]

Huh...,
So I wonder then, why the manufacturer puts on the label of the lubed wads, that they can be used in black powder cartridges? I know folks that don't make them think they can have problems in cartridges, but why would the manufacturer set themselves up for cartridge degradation or failure?
LD

A person knowledgeable enough to reload cartridges should know that they can put some wax paper under the wad to protect the powder.

One Cabela's reviewer stated that he left his C&B revolver loaded for 6 months without any problem.
Another stated that the wads can dry out if left exposed to the air.
Other reviews indicate that while the wads are moist, they're not overly moist.
The center lube process must help to keep more of the lube in the center of the wad unless it gets squeezed out or fired.
Cabela's description states that they are dry lubed which some users snickered at since they're moist.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

One Cabela's reviewer stated that he left his C&B revolver loaded for 6 months without any problem.
Another stated that the wads can dry out if left exposed to the air.
Other reviews indicate that while the wads are moist, they're not overly moist.
The center lube process must help to keep more of the lube in the center of the wad unless it gets squeezed out or fired

Yes, thank you
My question was in response to the previous comment that my using them, because they were lubed, would contaminate my loads.
I was pointing out in the form of a question, that the company itself says to use them for cartridges (btw the company does not mention wax paper being needed), so there probably isn't a problem with powder degradation over time. I wasn't really curious, but trying to provide an answer a little better than the stock, "It ain't never been bad for me".

LD

 

[arcticap]

I was pointing out in the form of a question, that the company itself says to use them for cartridges (btw the company does not mention wax paper being needed), so there probably isn't a problem with powder degradation over time.

Even though it's insinuated that the wads are safe to use without additional powder protection, the label offically stays neutral on the subject and lets the user decide.
What's the worst that could happen, that a small portion of the powder charge gets contaminated?
They probably don't expect folks to compress enough lube out of their wads to affect their whole powder charge.
For all we know a person could try really hard to get the lube to migrate and only succeed in affecting part of the powder charge, and maybe such a small part that only a chrony could detect how much.
And if the company earns greater profit by the use of multiple lubed wads in each case as opposed to filler, then why should they bother warning the user about the remote possibility, when that just costs them more ink on the label.
And what should they write on the label - "BEWARE OF POWDER CONTAMINATION"????

As far as insurance to protect the powder, the lubed felt wads can be used in combination with filler, dry wool wads, wax paper, over powder cards, or Walters Poly wads which come in 2 thicknesses, .030 & .060.
That's a lot of insurance options against lube migration whether actually necessary or not.

Poly wads: --->>> https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloading-supplies-accessories/wads/poly-wads
Dry felt wads: --->>> https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/174/1

 

[MEHavey]

s far as insurance to protect the powder, the lubed felt wads can be used in combination with filler, dry wool wads, wax paper, over powder cards, or Walters Poly wads which come in 2 thicknesses, .030 or .060.

This is why God made corn meal & Lee dippers.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have seen C&B shooters at CAS with two powder flasks, one for gunpowder, one for filler. Works quite well as long as you remember which one to use first.