Wads

[Don McDowell]

Following up on a discussion that got to rolling in another venue. Thought I'ld bring it out here to see what folks think.
We've all heard/read/thought about a wad sticking to the base of a bullet and messing with accuracy. But does it really? Such a lightweight and flexible thing could it really being plastered solidly to the base of the bullet disturb the bullets flight? What about when the wad seperates would that disrupt the bullets flight?
Ok let the discussion take off, just keep it nice and happy.

[Don McDowell]

I'm going to say I don't really know as the wad sticking to the base of the bullet is that much of a detrement. I've found wads sticking into a cardboard box when all that had been shot into that box was a single group that at 200 yds was hovering around moa.
I've also found wads several hundred yards down range at the splatter line of a gong.
Now with hollow based bullets I can see where if something got wedged in there it might tend to throw the bullet out of balance.

[Kurt]

Now with hollow based bullets I can see where if something got wedged in there it might tend to throw the bullet out of balance.

That is why I went with the dish base bullets Don. The deeper cup based bullets seem to give me a more accuracy problems I think from having the base get distorted and also getting pushed up and wrinkling the shank just above the bullet base do to the deep cup.

A friend sent me some bullets to recover from a snow bank he did not have to use where we lived.
Here are some .494 diameter PP bullets cast with a alloy at 7.4 BN with a deep .082 cup and a pretty thin .072 skirt I was sent to find out why these bullets were developing fliers for him.
At .494" in diameter they are a fairly tight fit patched to a .500 bore so they should stay put with out getting dragged back when the soft bullet bumps up with a 118 to 120 grain load of powder he said he used at that time.
The wad stack behind that bullet was a .060 fiber wad under the bullet that is fairly hard and I think that is what pushed that base up and wrinkled the base portion of the bullet shank and ironed the patch onto the shank therefore letting it ride down range still attached to the base throwing off the accuracy.
I can see this happening with a cut based PP bullet but I think the chances are slim using a flat base of shallow dish base bullet for this to happen but a GG bullet even with it glued to the base with lube or drafting behind it in the wash are slim to effect accuracy in my opinion.
I have left lube on the base on purpose so the wad sticks to the bullet base and found them on the target backer down range and all of the bullets stayed in a group.
But still it is in the back of my mind that it can cause a problem so I take precautions to keep this from happening.

Kurt

[Don McDowell]

Kurt with the tank buster bullet and the base it originally had, I would recover those once in awhile that had the paper and or wad jammed up into that deep cup, much like those bullets you have in your picture.
One thing that keeps me wondering tho about wads, at Alliance on days with the wind out of the south, like in those pictures you posted on the other thread, it's not unusual to either get dinked by a wad coming back from the firing line or find them laying on the ground in back of the firing line. So I have to wonder that wad was pretty well mashed into the bullet base when it left the muzzle, but did the seperation cause a miss or a hit? And alot of those wads looked as tho they could be used again, especially the ldp's.

[Kurt]

A wad that is the proper diameter with just the land cuts on it's side should look like it can be used again.
The targets at Alliance are a 3 MOA target. Any miss on them is most likely from fat fingering the trigger, shooting in the dark (eyes shut ) or a wind call miss.

[Brownie Nash]

Guys

Shooting GG Bullets I use a Vegi. Fiber wad usually .060 with a wax paper between wad and bullet. I find most of the wads and wax paper within 25 yds of firing line. But once and a while I find them as far as 100 yds. from firing line. Does that hurt accuracy. Not sure but I have to have something to blame misses on. The wax paper wads were pretty well indented on both sides. Wondering if 2 wax paper wads might eliminate main wad from sticking to base of bullet. Am trying that but have not shot enough to be sure if this helps. Sometimes I think we sholdn't sweat the small stuff.

[Brownie Nash]

While on the subject of wads, on another forum it was posted that in order for a wad to protect the bullet base it must be at least .060 thick. Any thoughts ???? Also which is prefered Vegi. or Poly. Wads and why.

Regards

Brownie

[Don McDowell]

Brownie wax paper wads by themselves have worked well for some folks. I think they do the most good in between fiber wads and a grease cookie. If a bullet base is clean and free of lube there shouldn't be any problem with a wad sticking to it, except if maybe the hollow base.

[Kurt]

The wad stack I use for a PP match load consists of a .023 OJ wad over the powder a .025 lube wad then a .060 cork and a .012 poster board under the bullet.
This wad stack does the best job sealing the gas from getting by the bullet before the bullet has a chance to bump up and seal the bore. I get the lowest ES and SD using this wad combination and I think that the cork is what is holding the consistent spread because it seals as soon as the pressure builds up on ignition by expanding before the lead bullet does.
A wad does more then protect the bullet base. It also acts like piston rings in a engine and also helps scrape fouling with the use of a good lube.

For the GG bullet that is already at or above groove diameter a OJ wad with a paper wad under the bullet is enough.

Kurt