Walters Wads

[Steve in Michigan]

So, does anybody shoot cast bullets in the standard .38, .357, .44, .45 using these little vegetable fiber discs? How well do they control leading with hard bullets in low pressure loads? I've got a bunch of hard bullets that I want to load in my .38 specials at around 800 fps (with TiteGroup Powder). and I'm wonder if they will lead due to gas cutting and if the Walters Wads will prevent that. Those of you that have done this, which thickness do you use? The wax wads sound like they will work too, but it seems easier to just pick up a bag of the Walters.

Thanks,

Steve

[Clodhopper]

Steve, saw that you had mentioned these before, where do you get them?

[Steve in Michigan]

Midway USA and Buffalo Arms has about any caliber you might want and they have them in two thicknesses, .030 and .060. I know they have been used mostly for blackpowder, but after reading the wax gas checks thread, my little mind got to thinking, "hey, I bet these work with smokeless loads as well." It's a pretty easy gas check to use and if they eliminate leading, I'm all for it. I think they would be especially helpful for .45 Colt loads in revolvers with large chamber dimensions, I think, anyway.

Steve

[Clodhopper]

Interesting!  I shoot 45 Colt in my 94 Trapper, cast bullets exclusively.  I'll have to look into these things.

[Steve in Michigan]

I've got a .44 94 Trapper and that would seem like and excellent place for those things. Any comments would be appreciated from anybody who has used these little disks.

Steve

[Sharps-Nut]

I used them in bpcr and John is a real nice guy.  And might be able to answer you question if you called him and asked, maybe someone else is alread doing this.   The wads can be bought directly from him used to be roughly 20.00 a thousand.  My question and its a dumb one is in bpcr the case is near full of powder and you compress the powder with a compression die with the wad being between the powder and die.  With light loads would you size decap charge the case with powder then place the wad over the powder and seat it with a dowel then seat your bullet?  I wonder if doing this would alter the pressure since the charge would be confined to the rear of the case.  I shoot alot of light 44 and 45 lc loads the idea sounds good and if it was a starting load sounds safe.  How about a field report?  The part thats going to suck is the additional .02 cents per shot in wad cost.  Hate to sound cheap but thats a primer for another load.  Figure the cost of shooting the 44 mag with 8-10 grains of unique is .02 to .025 cents per shot, primer .02 per shot, bullet .01 cents in scrap lead and about the same in lube  So 3.00 in components another 1.00 for wads would still make for cheap shooting.  Try it and report back.  I have a thousand or more for 45 cal left from when I shot bpcr may try a few myself.  Sure would like to hear of someone elses results before I tried, seems i am somewhat covered in feathers when it comes to home ballistics work.  SN

[Doctor Sam]

One of the most knowledgeable caster/re-loaders I know uses a home made PVC wad under everything he shoots.  Pistol, big bore rifle, everything.  He loads with a Lee progressive tool and inserts the wad before seating the bullet.  Swears that these work as well as a copper gas check at very little cost.
I have used the Walters wads in my .45 Colt with WW cast bullets and can't tell any difference as to the leading.  You do feel some difference if the wad is seated with a dowel over the powder.  I've used the .030"; don't know about the 0.60".
My Colt New Frontier leads with everything.  None of my RBHs seem to lead with or without the wads.

[Steve in Michigan]

I read somewhere that there seems to be a problem with wads that are seated away from the bullet. I guess the problem is that the space in between the bullet and the wad forms a multiple projectile and can cause barrel ringing. I think I saw that over at the castboolits website (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php). I think I also read that the wax gas checks are okay. This may also be true for the PVC. Any comments/experience on this?

Steve