Using Cream of wheat or cornmeal as filler in handgun caliber cartridges??

[Schwing]

I have read some conflicting stories about people using either cream of wheat or corn meal as a filler in their cases. The story is that you can put in your powder charge first, then fill the case to the top with c.o.w. and seat the bullet. They claim it "Cleans the lead out of the barrel."

Have any of you tried this?

Does it increase pressure to the point of being unsafe? Should this only be done in light loads (or not at all)?

Does it mix with the powder and cause problems or does it stay put?

If this is true, I would be interested in using this for some of my handgun loads. I am already aware that proper sizing and lubing can help prevent leading but, my experience so far has been that you still get small amounts of it anyway.

 

[Rule3]

Well if you are old enough you will remember the Puffed Wheat cereal commercials. Shot from Guns!

I have read many threads on the subject but not for barrel cleaning but to prevent powder shifting or something along those lines.

Not something I do or will do. Never seen in any manual to add x amount of corn meal??

 

[gamestalker]

I've used Dacron, like the stuff some pillows are filled with. 45 LC that was giving me problems with position sensitive loads, worked like a charm.

GS

 

[Rule3]

Want to add, after pondering this a bit.

I would think that something like cornmeal which is fairly dense would use up available volume/space inside the case.?? This I would think would increase pressure, which would not be a good thing. I'm sure someone will come along to verify or not. I have heard of the Dacron stuffing but that is fluffy and airy and would probably instantly melt

 

[ljnowell]

The only time I could see filling up the case with cream of wheat is if you were reloading black powder. In that case you dont want any air gap at all, it must be compressed.

 

[bluetopper]

Do it and tell us how it worked out for you......ain't no way I'm doing it.

 

[rcmodel]

NOT necessary, or Desirable!

rc

 

[RustyFN]

I have read some conflicting stories about people using either cream of wheat or corn meal as a filler in their cases. The story is that you can put in your powder charge first, then fill the case to the top with c.o.w. and seat the bullet. They claim it "Cleans the lead out of the barrel."

If you size the bullets right and use good lube you won't get any leading.

 

[Sam1911]

So weird. I'd never heard anyone make that claim and now it's come up twice in a month's time!

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=731449&

 

[TenDriver]

That will increase pressures in ways that cannot be measured. Sounds like bad advice to me.

 

[gacajun]

I shoot in CAS competition and sometimes compete in the Frontier Cartridge category. I load Hodgdon Triple Seven and use filler to get the level in the brass up to the bottom of the bullet. When I started I used grits.....others have used corn meal and other organic type fillers.

An experienced black powder told me that the organic filler, over time, will absorb whatever moisture that is in the black powder...this causes the filler to swell and it can increase your pressure way beyond what you had planned on. He gave me some good advice about fillers which I now using in my black powder reloads. Use old tumbler media as filler...it will not absorb the moisture. Also it will allow you to store your reloads for a long time before shooting them.

As how to use filler you'll need to put the powder in first and then the filler up to the level desired. If you filled the case completely there will be a very minimal mixing of the powder and filler. The powder goes in first because the primer explosion will set off the powder....not so much for grits or cornmeal or cream o wheat.

Now about using filler with smokeless powder....why would you want to do that. The smokeless powder loads for pistol caliber cartridge have been carefully developed by the powder manufacturers and have a specified pressure. If you use filler the pressures change and I don't think I'd want to shoot those. As to cleaning out your barrel...that's just not true. The filler is burned at the same time as the smokeless powder...you'll still have to clean your barrel just the same.

 

[lonniemike]

cream o wheat, cornmeal, others are/can be used to reform(fireforming) brass. Bullets probably wouldn't work out to well on top of most packing materials.

 

[gamestalker]

I got the Dacron filler information from my Speer #10, which is why I used it in the 45LC when I experienced powder position issues, it worked great. I have no idea about leading problems, I don't load or shoot lead.

GS

 

[LeftyTSGC]

Depending on your need, just buy a powder that fills your cases better. I have been using Trailboss without any problems for .45LC. It fills your case. Yes, it is limited in what it can provide. But i have filled a .45LC with a 250gr LRNFP MB and get around 800fps. Has been used to Hunt Deer, Boar, Rabbit

 

[Uncle Richard]

fire-form

Ive heard of using cornmeal to help fire-form wildcat cartridge cases, but never used to fill void space in a loaded round.

Sounds dangerous.

 

[gamestalker]

Since those days of Dacron, I no longer use powders that create this problem, no more Dacron for me. But since the OP asked, I thought I would share my positive experiences with this method.

GS

 

[plmitch]

For fire forming-yes, as just a filler-no.

 

[verb0s]

I haven't given it much thought until recently, I think it's worth a try as long as you can figure out some way to make the filler stay put. if it mixed with the powder i think it'll cause all sorts of problems including dangerous pressure. if the filler just sits between bullet and powder I don't see any harm in it, just account for the loss of case capacity.

I don't see how it'll reduce lead fouling though, wouldn't the filler just burn up and leave a bigger mess in the bore?