cutting wads

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  • Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,101
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    I have done some playing around and likes using the Durofelt punched to 9/16" lubed in beeswax and deer lard mixed 50/50. The gas seal has given me consistance flight with the lee REAL 250's. What I did not like what using a hammer punch to cut the 9/16" wads.

    Anyone familiar with a disc cutter I could use in the drill press or drill driver to cut these discs out. Once I cut a few the wood under it gets dented and these it doesn't cut all over. Looking for a better solution for cutting wads without buying reloading press!! Next was buying a 9/16" hole saw and filing the teeth off and the inside to leave the outside as a cutting knife. It seems an extreme measure from something that might already be made.

    An ideas?
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,321
    Harford County
    I really hate to suggest going the not-DIY route :o but...
    I made a hammer driven punch to cut wads for .45-70 out of notepad backing cardboard. It "worked," but was a pain (similar to your experiences, I'm sure) keeping it sharp, keeping an even "anvil" of sacrificial wood under it, picking apart the wads that were cut 358 degrees around...
    I broke down and bought 1000 "Walter's Wads" for $20, and I don't regret it one bit.
    https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloading-supplies-accessories/wads/vegetable-fiber-wads
    It will be a while before I shoot 1000rnds. I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to cut 1000 wads...and Walter's are perfectly round, flat, even, with no "hairiness" on the edges.

    I know that is not the answer nor the type of wad you are looking for :shrug: but I'd bet there is something comparable to what you want that you could buy.

    Good luck.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,284

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,101
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    I have not tried a wooden plug cutter, I am figuring at some point it will find a disc cutter or make the cut off hole saw.

    I assume you didn't read the first post as I underlined how I didn't want to buy a reloading press. I no intentions of getting another hobby I won't be able to find time for.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,932
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Just do what I do. Put a show on TV and sit on a comfortable pillow on the basement floor with your 1 pound hammer, felt sheet and punch laying on a piece of 3/4 inch plywood. Whack away while sort of paying attention to the TV and pretty soon you have a thousand of them. The trick is to keep your punch sharp and let it load up with about 8 wads before pushing them out. I buy my felt from a family that first started selling on the castboolits forums. They know just the right texture for muzzleloaders.

    That said, I shoot a couple thousand rounds a year out of my muzzleloading revolvers or I wouldn't go through the trouble. ;)
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    Do you fiddle with reloading to save money, or because you enjoy it?

    If it is to save money, suffer through with the punch and hammer.

    If it is for enjoyment, and the punch and hammer are ruining your enjoyment, then purchasing 1000 wads is a cheap price to pay to maintain the enjoyment.



    All that said, the press mounted punches are easier to use, more consistent, and will help maintain some level of enjoyment in the process.
     

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