My two wad projects are progressing...

[jamesgpobog]

Project #1, Blank initiators for Battleship Iowa. Got a 9mm hollow punch and it looks like it will be sufficient for our needs, just an over-powder card wad. It seems that the size is close enough to not need any crimp at all.

Project #2, .38 SPL/.357 Mag ammo with wad-as-gas-check. Using same punch. Have not gotten to firing rounds yet as I'm still thinking through wad material. Card from soda pop boxes might be a bit thin. Some boxes of canned cat food have .030-ish cardboard dividers that I'm going to try.

Then I thought of this stuff. What about automotive gasket material? Many different thicknesses and materials. Might a graphite material be good?

[3leggedturtle]

FWIW I was making shotloads for a 44Hotshot Contender. I didn't want to crimp my cases. I spent 30 minutes forming each piece of brass. So they would last a long time without cracking the case mouths, and after I put a cardboard wad on the front I used a Hot Glue gun to keep them in place. After firing there was no glue left anywhere on the cases or in the barrel. 3leg

[jamesgpobog]

FWIW I was making shotloads for a 44Hotshot Contender. I didn't want to crimp my cases. I spent 30 minutes forming each piece of brass. So they would last a long time without cracking the case mouths, and after I put a cardboard wad on the front I used a Hot Glue gun to keep them in place. After firing there was no glue left anywhere on the cases or in the barrel. 3leg

The positive about the Iowa project is that the initiators only need to be made just prior to use. There is no transport/storage issue, just make them, put them in the gun, and shoot. I have thought about sealing the mouth with nail polish too.

[w30wcf]

I have found if I compress the b.p. at least 1/4", no wad is needed. Being compressed it stays in the case for single loading.

w30wcf

[jamesgpobog]

We have to deal with pyro guys, don't think they'll go for open case mouths...

[Griff]

No need to over-think it. Trust me, the following flat works.

When I was competing in cowboy mounted shooting, I made up a bunch of .45Colt blanks for practicing in my pasture. I drilled out the flash hole to 1/8", primed, and dumped in 30 grains of 2F black powder. For an over-powder wad I used the milk cartons of waxed paper punched out with an ½" wad punch. Most ½ gal milk or half-&-half products are still available in this woderful wad material. With the .45Colt, the wad seldom flys beyond 10 feet.

All that's needed is a length of 2x6, brass hammer, the steel punch and a bunch of milk cartons. Midway has them in several calibers @ $29.49... also from from Tandy Leather @ $29.99 (less if you belong to their buying club) and where I bought mine: Buffalo Arms @ $18.

For a higher production rate, you can also get the punch as a press mounted die: 45 Caliber Rifle Press Mounted Wad Punch. I like this as the hammer driven punch is rather labor intensive. But... for my small production needs it was sufficient. I'm still thinking of getting one, as all my BP ammo gets an over-powder wad.

Getting the .460 caliber rifle one, has the added benefit of having some tension on the case... glue not needed. Also, I did add some Elmer's glue to make sure that in transport or in the holstered gun, mounted, the wad stayed in place.