Black powder cartridge question
When loading large black powder cartridges with smockless powder (safe loads of course) what is the best material to use as a filler to take up the excess space between the bullet and the powder? Can you use just an over the powder wad without any other filler? I am loading 50-140-550 cases with cast bullets and IMR 4198 powder. Thanks
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KAPOCK (its like pillow filling / stuffing)
CORN MEAL
we use both as fillers, but CARDBOARD WADs are also a workable alternative...
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I use Dacron fiber pillow stuffing. I also weigh each tuft of dacron so that I know exactly how much weight that I am pushing out of the bore. I know that it is another step,but, well worth it in the long run. Fillers will raise chamber pressure,so you Must work up the load again from scratch useing the filler in all the cartridges. DO NOT just add a filler to an existing load as you don't know where pressures are going to go. I would stay away from corn meal or cream of wheat as fillers. I worked with these 40 to 45 years ago and found them to be messy to work with and to cake up in the cartridge case and the throat of the barrel. Also,they are heavy and powder charges must be drastically scaled back. Fillers work well in straight walled cases like the one that you are useing,but,have caused problems in small bore necked cases. 0 -
I've not used any kapoc or Dacron fillers as I use bulk type powder when substituting for black, and it fills the case to the point where I don't feel the need for a filler. Yeah, in your case you need a filler for sure; my cartridges are smaller. I am also a bit leery of the Kapoc/Dacron stuff; I have read that to prevent barrel ringing you should only use a PURE cotton ball tuft for a filler. Emery
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I have shot several thousand rounds loaded with Dacron as a filler to hold a smokeless powder charge in place in straight walled cases such as the .45-70,.45-90,.50-70 and .50-90 all without problems of any kind. Also,other men that I shoot with use Dacron as a filler as well,again with no problems and no ringed bores. The Dacron is pushed down onto the powder not jammed into a tight mass. The idea is to hold the powder in place and fill the air space,not to see how much Dacron can be forced into the case. In the .45-70,a 3 grain tuft of Dacron is all that is needed over 26 grains of IMR SR 4759 with a 400 grain lead bullet seated to give an overall length of 2.55 inches. This is an excellent load for the Model 1873 Trapdoor and I have fired a great number of them in 1873 carbines and rifles all without harm.
As I said before,the only problems that I know of have occurred in small bore necked cartridges.0 -
I am personnally fond of using cotton balls. I have, like the previous poster, been weighing these fill wads and find that in my Guide Gun, a half cotton ball is usually perfect (I also use 4198 in lots of different 45-70 loads from mild to wild!). After all case prep, I fill with the requisite amount of powder and then use the insert part of a Bic pen to lightly push the ball into place atop the powder column. NEVER pack the charge using the wad (or when you seat the bullet make sure it is not compacting the whole column) as this will cause pressures to skyrocket. I also, as an aside, thry to keep the OAL on my GG rounds at "2.55, and seat my Sharps and Trapdoor cartridges out to at least "2.57, so that confusion is a little easier to avoid!
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