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Joined: 21 May 2015 Posts: 128

Has anyone made DIY hard card wads?

I've searched and checked McMaster- Carr but can't seem to find a similar material as Ballistic Products.

I have but it is a pain in the butt

Use Circle Fly products

https://circlefly.com/

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1840 Location: Central ND

^^^^^What Mike said^^^^^

Joined: 21 May 2015 Posts: 128

I guess it just the comes down to price & availability vs. effort.

I don't want to be looking at my gun collecting dust in the corner one day because I thought something was a lot of effort.

So, the search goes on...

Thanks,

3ds

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

Precision Reloading has them $5.28 for 250 pcs

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

Seems as though you're determined to be able to make them yourself. And looking closely at some of the commercially available ones they are laminated from thinner stock. So, seems as though you could go to a hobby or paper store or print shop and buy heavy maybe #130lb ~16-20pnt brown card stock (pad backer material) and laminate with wood glue or contact adhesive to get the thickness you're looking for. Some are available in acid free/archival grade so that might be needed for these. If wanting to make them waxed I'd think a dip in hot canning wax would get'er done.

Dyed in the wool black powder shooters generally pride themselves on self-reliance, maybe visit a muzzle loaders forum and see how/if they make their own.

Card stock is tough stuff; do you have a way to cut or punch them?

Joined: 09 Feb 2015 Posts: 818

Just about everything I reload has some component that I produce myself.
I used to make my own shot for a few years. Now I buy from a fellow that makes excellent lead hard shot. Card wads I could run approx. 250 in 5 to seven minutes. Filler wads the same. I usually do it during winter when I'm bored. Flare the powder cup on clatbuster for straight wall hulls during winter also. Powder is the biggest issue. I won't pay hazment fees. Don't really need powder yet but I do buy when it comes my wa. Geeesh I'm retired. What the heck else do I have to do. Shoot trap games when I can. Don't do much hunting anymore. Can't take the cold. Do some checker when I really get bored. Been offered a place to stay in Florida during winter. Can't stand the crowd. Friend of mine bought house last year in Florida. Kept his other house here in Indiana. Said their selling the one in Florida. Hate it down their.
I just don't understand how farting around reloading can be looked at as to much time. Unless your city folk.

I'm not going to proof read this. That's when I get bored by hitting wrong keys on my phone.

Joined: 21 May 2015 Posts: 128

Thanks for the replies.

For the record, I am not adverse to buying the wads.

But, I don't buy and clean out barely available stock as if the end of the world is approaching... other guys like to shoot too.

I'm just preparing for alternatives, because this supply stream alibi doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

Joined: 21 Dec 2020 Posts: 29

Ballistic Products used to make a thin card type wad called Superdisk.
I've searched for something similar, but no luck. All card wads I find are considerably thicker. Your idea of home made sounds interesting. What do you use as a die to punch them out?

Joined: 07 Apr 2014 Posts: 17 Location: Meridian, Idaho

Out in my unused stash of reloading stuff I have two boxes of Alcan hard wads. PM me, I can send pics, 2 boxes of 1000 each.