wad or wads?

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kenny s
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Location: Venice FL

wad or wads?

Post by kenny s »

the gun is a Shiloh 40 70 SS and new this year.
the loads being tested are 67 to 74 grains of 1 1/2 OE
the bullets are 360 custom two diameter, .393 at the base, and a custom 415 .393 full length.
the patch is BA 9 pound .010 damp rolled.
very slight compression. 1/8 at max.
wads are plastic.

good groups at 100 while the 415 is easier to load and is more accurate....SO FAR.
the 360 is a new mold and is still being tested.

THE QUESTION....I have heard that using Two wads would increase accuracy . possibly a veggie and then a plastic.
Anyone have any experience with doing this?
thanks...Ken
firefighter1990
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Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:49 am

Re: wad or wads?

Post by firefighter1990 »

Hey Ken, hopefully those bullets I sent you shoot as well for you as they have been for me.
We briefly talked about my wad stacking over emails but it's still a new-to-me-experimental project as well. When I first started paper patching, I started with calibers that were highly documented so I could better track my progress and learn as I go kind of thing. It was a 45 2-1/10"and a 45 2-6/10". I did the normal one wad and I always had better luck with the ldpe than fiber. So as a result; I had a whole bag of fiber wads just sitting. I stumbled upon my now go-to stack of fiber followed by an ldpe by accident. I didn't like compressing my charges with the soft ldpe as they were too soft, so since I had plenty of fiber wads on hand, I went with them to compress and that was the answer to that problem. But I always got better protection from blow-by with the ldpe so I kept using them on top. The combination has always made my groups look better on paper so I don't have scientific proof it's better other than what the rifle prints on paper.

I'm working on a full write-up to post about my recent travels with the 40 2-5/8" bottleneck and the dual diameters I designed and sent to you. Since we last talked, I've tried up to four wads in it with good result. I always try and find my paper, wads, and bullets if I can recover them. Analyzing them is a good way to tell if everything is working as they should. With my 45 2-1/10 and 40 1-11/116" bottleneck, I never saw a need for more than my usual two but when higher heat and pressure come into play, as with my 45 2-6/10" and especially with the 40 2-5/8" bottleneck, more has proven beneficial. Whether your 40 2-1/2" needs more than one will depend on the those sign as well. Do a search for Kenny Wasserburger's stack for his 45 2-7/8". Best wad stack I ever tried in a 45 has been an upside down gas check, then my fiber and ldpe stack.

We really have no way of telling exactly what goes on in the bore when the fire is lit, but I just can't trust accuracy to just one little $0.01 disc of plastic or whatever we all use. It's only a fraction of a second but there's immense heat and pressure placed upon that wad. My faith happens to rides on at least two.
MikeT
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Joined: Sun May 25, 2003 7:48 pm
Location: Saint Cloud, MN

Re: wad or wads?

Post by MikeT »

kenny s,
I switched from gg bullets to PP bullets in my 40-70SS and since I did not need more than 69 grains of 1.5 Swiss, I filled the case to within 0.125" of the top with cork wads.
Then when I wanted a light 340 grain PP bullet load for offhand, I loaded 50 grains of 1.5 Swiss and added a grease cookie to the cork wads to take up the space.

Bottom line is; that what ever works is correct for you.
Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT
Coltsmoke
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Location: GA.

Re: wad or wads?

Post by Coltsmoke »

I've had loads that wanted 2 wads, I've had loads that liked 2 .030 wads better than 1 .060 wad. I've had loads that liked one .060 wad better than 2 or 3 .030 wads. You just have to test and see, it may be more about changing the compression on the powder than about the wads you are using. I have worked up four loads now that shoot lights out with one .030 plastic wad, two of those loads are 82.0 gr. of powder. A single .030 plastic wad is capable of sealing off the gases and shooting without any problems, it does in my rifle anyway. You just have to put in the time and find out what works for you. I start testing any bullet and load with a single .030 wad and go from there. Pick out the best shooting powder charge and then try two .030 wads, if it improves then try a single .060 wad. If it likes that then try a .060 and a .030 wad. Most of the time I can stay with one .030 wad and play with the powder charge or the OAL of the load and get it dialed in. That is one of the things I like about the PP load, if you want more compression on the powder charge, just shorten the OAL and go with it, want less compression, just set it out further, no problem. I've added an extra .030 wad to loads that shot great, and the results were terrible, it wasn't the extra wad going down the barrel that caused the problem, it was the added compression on the powder charge that the load didn't like. Test and then test some more, and you will find your answer.
Normal isn't coming back, but Jesus is.
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kenny s
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Location: Venice FL

Re: wad or wads?

Post by kenny s »

great ideas....and thanks again firefighter.....
I hope you write that 'article' you talked about...well written and full of great info....

Ken
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