- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 140
- Reaction score
- 187
I don't mean to antagonize anyone, but I'm going to ask my newbie question now: What, specifically, does the wad do? Hatchet Jack says they increase his accuracy, and I believe him. Idaho Lewis states that he uses them, which leads me to believe I should too, but I've never been one to use "extra" stuff until I know what it does and, in semi-scientific terms, how it does what it does. That's what I'm trying to understand. What difference does the wad make during firing? What is the common understanding as to the wad's behavior in terms of internal ballistics? I realize the answer might be obvious to many, but it's not intuitive to me yet.
In my case, I'm planning to fire a SL ML for the first time once the LGC ranges open up again this spring or summer (or fall...). .50 caliber percussion, and once I've had some fun with PRB I have a bucketful (several hundred) Hornady Great Plains bullets, with the Minie-type bases that are supposed to expand & engage rifling better. I also happen to have a bunch (2,000 or so) of 28 gauge veggie wads left over from my skeet reloading days, and a few hundred wool wads in that diameter as well. I'm certainly willing to try them behind the Great Plains bullets if nobody here offers any good reasons why I shouldn't, and thanks to the consensus here I'll definitely seat them separately before running the bullet down. I'll unwrap my new "virgin" range rod bought for that rifle so I can put distinct new witness marks on it. So even if I don't get a detailed answer about what the wad does during firing, I still would like to thank everyone here in advance for sharing what looks like unanimously agreed-upon advice about loading sequence & technique.
In my case, I'm planning to fire a SL ML for the first time once the LGC ranges open up again this spring or summer (or fall...). .50 caliber percussion, and once I've had some fun with PRB I have a bucketful (several hundred) Hornady Great Plains bullets, with the Minie-type bases that are supposed to expand & engage rifling better. I also happen to have a bunch (2,000 or so) of 28 gauge veggie wads left over from my skeet reloading days, and a few hundred wool wads in that diameter as well. I'm certainly willing to try them behind the Great Plains bullets if nobody here offers any good reasons why I shouldn't, and thanks to the consensus here I'll definitely seat them separately before running the bullet down. I'll unwrap my new "virgin" range rod bought for that rifle so I can put distinct new witness marks on it. So even if I don't get a detailed answer about what the wad does during firing, I still would like to thank everyone here in advance for sharing what looks like unanimously agreed-upon advice about loading sequence & technique.