Shiloh Rifle Forums

I have an open question, but mainly directed at Kenny W.
Ken, I saw in the new BP News that you use a two wad system with a FELT 1/4 inch wad too.
I tried , only five hastily loaded round just before the range trip today.
and had some success.

My 40 70 SS load is 63 Swiss 1 1/2, an 060 card over the powder, an 030 plastic wad next then the felt 1/4 inch wad.

How do you load yours? and what advice can you impart, because I know you know what the heck you're doing.

Ken

I use the 3 wad stack in my 45-110.

.060 veggie fiber to compress powder, then .060 Poly or .060 HDPE wad then 1/8 inch felt wad in that order with the DDEPP set snug onto the felt.

Kenny Wasserburger.

As to me knowing what I am doing? But thanks for that vote of confidence.


KW
The Lunger
President of the FGR club.

Let us know how that wad stack works for you.

I have used it in the bigger cartridges like .45-2.4", 2.6", 2-7/8". The more powder under that wad stack, the happier the load was. It didn't work in my .45-70. I think it cushioned the blow from the powder charge enough that it didn't fully upset the bullet. It sure shines in the .45-2-7/8" case.

Chris.

Thanks Kenny, I'll give it a try.
one more question. what felt wad do you use.
I found that the revolver wads, 44 to 45 size, fits into the 40 shell,
I thought I could buy a .40 felt wad, but I don't see any.
and I meant that about you being an expert. I see your name mentioned a lot.....well earned...

Ken

The wads I get are from Sagebrush Products. As for use in a 40, two cork wads from roll material act much the same as the felt. Something to think about in a 40 cal.

Thanks for the kind remarks.

Kenny Wasserburger

I have about 2 tho rounds through my 40 using an 1/8 inch wad and have had real consistent results. results.
I just got some 40L wads from John walters and they are way flatter than what I was using.
This is with a DD PP bullet.

thanks Dean, I've just ordered 300 1/8 felt wads from Tompson, so I'll give them a try.
Kenny's comments got me thinking about trying this.
Do you use any other wads with the felt?
Kenny uses both types in his load.

I think what this may do, it to get the bullet further out into the bore, always a good thing.
I use a 63 grain Swiss 1 1/2 load, and a 395 BA round nose mold. 1 in 16.
My sharps 74 Shiloh is 1 in 16 twist. 100 yard groups are in the under 2 inch range.

I've also found that a very tight hold on the forearm tightens groups from the wood bench sticks I'm using.
SO. I'm going to try the heavy cast iron rest next time.
Ken

I use stiffer wads but I also use a grease cookie. And a wad on top. Without the grease I get terrible stretching. I blowtube only so the grease helps me there as well.

I went through cork, felt and several other types and the only benefit I see using felt of cork is taking up powder room in a large capacity case for reducing recoil.
If a gas seal is your concern use a proper diameter wad and adjust the alloy for a good obturation of the bullet.

Kenny W. helped me 'advance' my thinking on loading the 45-110. I'd been using a 1/8" cork wad under my 540 gr. pp money bullet, 16-1, and was pleased with this. He introduced me to the 1/8" Sagebrush wool felt wad under the bullet, still using Swiss 1F powder (111.0 grains), and it really helped accuracy.
This is my load:
Norma brass,
Win LRP,
drop-tube 111 gns. Swiss 1F,
add (1) .030" vegi-fiber wad,
compress .209",
add (1) .060" poly wad,
add (1) 1/8" .45 cal. Sagebrush wool felt wad.
I swage my .444" cast bullets to .443" in a Lee sizing die, and dry-wrap with 9# 100% cotton paper. This patched bullet dia. fits my three Shilohs' bore snugly ( I use an oak dowel to fully seat the loaded round into the bore),
BTW, I anneal the last 1/4 - 1/2"" of the case necks. I use a 'discontinued' case neck sizing die (w/sizing buttons) that brings the neck down just enough to hold the patched ball snugly in the case mouth. I like it. And, it performs.
I wrap my patching paper a full 1/8"+ forward on the bullet ahead of the junction where the ogive begins, to virtually eliminate ANY leading of the bore. I get no leading. And, I have never experienced a 'slipped' patch.
My wad stack is a little different with my Goex load simply because the Goex requires more compression; I use three more poly wads with my 111.0 gr. Goex Fg load than I do with my Swiss load.

Robert

Kenny
Are you shootings bore diameter or groove diameter bullets? I have two.40-2 1/2 SS rifles and I’m using almost 20 grains more powder than you are using. Most PP shooters are seating the bullets only 1/10 to 1/8” in the case mouth. Only holding the bullet enough to be able to load it into the chamber. If you are using bore diameter bullets, try drop tubing the case nearly full of powder, put in a wad and compressing just enough to be able to seat the bullet in the case mouth. Taper crimp just enough to allow loading the cartridge into the chamber without falling out.

I'm using GG, 395 grain BA cast at 1 in 16 mix.
they are dual diameter, with the front bore and the rear section groove diameter.
I'm thinking that seating them further out will be a way to go, and the felt wad may help there...

good advice all and thanks. Ken

If I were trying to shoot bug holes at 100 yards, I wouldn’t be trying to do it with a bullet designed for shooting 600 yards or more. Too unstable at short distances. I would call Steve Brooks and have him make me one of his flat nosed bullet molds, .408 dia with 4 grease grooves, and weighing 330 grains. This is the correct bullet weight for the.40-2 1/2 Sharps for short range shooting. I think a few people shoot similar bullets at the chickens in silhouettes. Maybe they can chime in.

I WIN THE IDIOT OF THE MONTH AWARD.
So......I was thinking of taking the advice about my 40 70 SS and ordering (another mold) this time a 330 grain GG in .410 base and .408 bore diameter.

just and I mean JUST before I called BA this morning and spent $200 more, I looked in my old mold box.

and there it was. A CUSTOM MOLD, .40, 410 base, .408 body, , 330 GRAIN BROOKS MOLD.
I must have ordered it years ago (I've had the gun 5 years) and never used it........or not much at all.

Casted a bunch this AM, and will try it later this week.
63, 1 1/2 Swiss, one card and one poly both .060

Dumb as dumb is I guess....Ken

Kenny,

Forgetting a mould is understandable. Most of us have to many
But what is bad is, when you have two shiloh's of the same caliber and you forget you have a second, now that is bad......