Wad recovery distance

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kwilliams
Posts: 284
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:42 am
Location: Wyoming

Wad recovery distance

Post by kwilliams »

Mild day here, and no wind. Walking down to check my morning target @200 yds I find one of my ldpe .030 wad that traveled 50yds from the bench. I am very meticulous to wipe ea. bullet base free of lube, and put a newspaper wad over the ldpe one. Seldom ever find a wad to look at where I shoot (wind, weeds etc.) so where do other shooters find there's......closer than 50 yds....more? Had an erratic grouping today so wondering how many road the bullet down range. Shooting a .40 cal 420 gr. GG, 1-14" twist.
thanks
kw
gunlaker
Posts: 2764
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:16 pm

QQu

Post by gunlaker »

In my rifles shooting grease grooved bullets they are usually around 10-15 yards away. For whatever reason, when shooting paper patched bullets, they are only a couple of feet away. Quite a few times I've had the wind catch them and blow them back onto my mat. But only with PP bullets for some reason.

My loading procedure sounds the same as yours.

Chris.
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kenny sd
Posts: 382
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:24 am
Location: florida

Re: Wad recovery distance

Post by kenny sd »

of course you need to wipe the base, but.....you'll need Two paper wads. they separate that way.
one paper will not do it... right under the bullet ....

Ken
Woody
Posts: 6060
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:02 am
Location: Freetown, Indiana

Re: Wad recovery distance

Post by Woody »

I've never put a paper wad between the bullet and whatever other wad I'm using. The wind resistance at the muzzle is way more than sufficient to pull the wad off the bullet at exit. It does not adhere to the bullet base at all. The wad has mass and presents area even on the edges that will allow the air resistance to immediately separate it. Think about it.

These last few months, I've been doing a lot of testing at my local range and since the grass is not growing and I've been setting up at the same bench, the wads have been starting to pile up. I'm the only black powder cartridge shooter at this range, so all those wads are mine. They start at a couple of feet in front of the muzzle and yes a few travel past the 25 yard line. I've recovered hundreds of bullets for examination and remelting over the years. Additionally, while setting targets at numerous silhouette ranges around the country, I have never found a wad on the berms or attached to a spent bullet. It don't happen in my world.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
art ruggiero
Posts: 643
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:00 pm

Re: Wad recovery distance

Post by art ruggiero »

woody; once again common sense will prevail thanks art
Woody
Posts: 6060
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:02 am
Location: Freetown, Indiana

Re: Wad recovery distance

Post by Woody »

Thanks Art.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
TAA
Posts: 333
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:22 am
Location: St. Paul, MN

Re: Wad recovery distance

Post by TAA »

A +1 for Woody's comments.

If you wipe the base of the bullet before loading it, there is not enough adhesion available to convince the wad to hang on for the ride downrange.

I suspect I'm the only one shooting wads in my loads on our club's 200-meter range and if I find any, they are 6-8 feet in front of the shooting bench. I've never seen any at the 200-meter target hanging area, where if a wad was still attached, it might peel off the bullet base as it either tears through the target paper or strikes a chicken steel stilhouette.

But what do I know....

Tom
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