Poly wads for PP bullets

[JCP]

For those of you who use poly wads with Paper patched bullets, in .45 cal (45-70 in my case) do you use wads close to the .450 bullet dia or .461 or so for groove dia. If .450 do they squish up to groove dia. The .461 are to large I would think.

Thanks

Jack

[ian45662]

Groove diameter wads.

[Tomklinger]

2nd that…
Tom Klinger

[Perentie]

I use the BACO press mounted punch,
With the calipers the punch rod measures .458.5.
I use these wads in the Gibbs muzzle loader the 45-70 PP and 45-90 greaser.

[JCP]

I guess after I get the wad stack in place I could squeeze the neck down above the wads to a closer fit on bullet base.

Thanks for the information

Jack

[opencountry]

I shoot nothing but paper-patch. I've always bought BACO's .060"-thick poly wads. I'm content with these. They're uniformly .461" diameter. The edge of the wads are a little beveled due to their way they're punched, so I put the smaller diameter into the case mouth when loading just to keep things 'uniform'.
Good luck with your load development; I compress the powder with a .030"-thick vegi-fiber wad, add two .060" poly wads, an 1/8" wool-felt wad, size the neck of the case using a special die which has interchangeable collets (I anneal the case mouths a little to 'soften' the brass), and then hand-seat the patched bullet; they're a snug, uniform fit. All of the tools I use are compatible with an RCBS press. I'm really particular in keeping brass sorted; all of my loaded rounds are designated in 'lots'. I've found that brass 'thickens' in the neck area of spent brass after multiple firings, even with pp loads. I keep cases in lots to maintain uniform neck tension on the patched bullets. I've found that this makes a recognizable difference on target. Good luck, and have fun.
I don't know if I'm allowed to say who and where I buy my pre-cut wool felt wads from on this forum, but if you would be interested in trying them I'd be happy to give you their name and phone number. Just PM me. Happy shooting.

[Perentie]

I guess after I get the wad stack in place I could squeeze the neck down above the wads to a closer fit on bullet base.

Thanks for the information

Jack

The less you work the brass the better..
I dont do anything to the fired cases except wash them. I shoot bore diameter PP projectiles that sit in the case about 1/8 inch. The case does not have to be a close fit on the bullet base. Its almost like Breech Seating.
Keith

[JCP]

Thanks for all the information.
Many yrs ago my oldest son and myself used to shoot PP bullets but then he got married, started having kids and we somehow just stopped.
Now I'm blessed that my middle son has gotten interested in BPCR and I'm really only interested in PP and so is he.
Seems you guys have learned a lot and things have changed in the last several yrs. so I'm trying to catch up. Better to ask questions than to wonder around in the dark getting frustrated.

Thanks again

Jack

[opencountry]

Interesting, Kieth.
Robert

[gunlaker]

Years back I bought a set of Cornell wad cutters from Dan Theodore, various sizes from .450" and up. In rifles with his chamber design for bore diameter PP bullets ( fired case only accepts bore diameter bullets ), it was very clear that the biggest diameter wad you could force into the case, the better the rifles shot. I use a BACO one now that makes groove diameter wads and force them into the case.

Chris.

[craneman]

I use wads cut with a Cornell wad punch, .461. After compressing the powder I run the case through a neck size die adjusted so my patched bullet is a snug fit when I screw it into the case.
Todd

[martinibelgian]

Years back I bought a set of Cornell wad cutters from Dan Theodore, various sizes from .450" and up. In rifles with his chamber design for bore diameter PP bullets ( fired case only accepts bore diameter bullets ), it was very clear that the biggest diameter wad you could force into the case, the better the rifles shot. I use a BACO one now that makes groove diameter wads and force them into the case.

Chris.

Ditto here - groove+ diameter wad, especially, with bore diameter bullets. 2 is even better, otherwise you run the risk of some serious gas cutting.

[kwilliams]

Last year I ordered 2 bags of .45 poly .060 wads for my PP loads. About a 1/4 of them where culls, obviously the punch/die had worn out. Many where so large and ragged they where impossible to get into .459 dia. unsized fired cases. First time I ever ran into this problem. Hopefully that was a 1 time ordeal.
kw

[powderburner]

A long time back I got a couple bags from cabellas that fluttered down the case the gun quit shooting until I changed wads.
So it don’t hurt to check them occasionally.

[JCP]

Open country
I PMed you