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Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 217 Location: Pacific Northwest

Currently, on some loads, I use 28Ga 0.125 cards in the shot cups of certain one piece plastic wads as a filler to build up the wad column and get a good crimp. I know for a fact that this practice has minimal if any effect on pressure curves and is widely accepted as a safe loading practice.

However, I have also considered the use of 16Ga. 0.125 over powder cards under the plastic wad column to achieve the same ends. My only hesitation is that I don't have a good handle on how this will affect the pressure curves. Does anyone have any information on this?

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

I have done this with no ill effects----no pressure tests have been performed--

I have done pressure tests on 28, 24, 20 and 16 Gauge card wads under a 16 Gauge plastic wad, the pressure is not affected.

The real issue is that it takes longer to mess around putting the card wad under the plastic wad. OK on a single stage machine, but when you go to progressive machine it really slows the project down.

If I absolutely have to use a filler, a .125 - 28 ga. nitro card inside the wad cup on the bottom is the easiest, fastest and best way to go, and again there is no ballistic downside to that method. To speed up the process I will put a bunch of this combination together before I start pulling the handle.

It will only bug the guys who believe that any pellets that touch the bore are automatically ruined should the card wad displace a few rows of pellets above the shot cup, untrue but impossible to get the point across.

Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 217 Location: Pacific Northwest

Thanks. That's kind of what I expected but it's good to get confirmation.

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 601 Location: Virginia

I use overshot cards, but the thin .030" ones, not the nitro cards you are using. The thinner cards work just as well, as they prevent the points of the crimp from digging into the shot too far and producing a hole that will leak shot. I've also gotten cheap and taken to cutting heavy bond typing paper into 1/4" squares. It works just as well as store-bought.

Dan

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

YEars ago, I used the nitro cards over powder for same reasoning, as filler to move shot up for good crimp. I have since moved to different loads, that fit without any filler and roll crimp.

Danlee,

It is amazing how such a thin piece of paper can make a concave crimp come out flat. I have used tyvek, the thin stuff that they wrap houses with, as an overshot cover to keep buffer in, and that acted the same way making a nice flat crimp. Precision Reloading used to sell it, they still might under the name Tight Seal. At any rate those things work and they don't bug the pattern like a heavier wad has the tendency to do. Great idea

Joined: 10 Feb 2011 Posts: 217 Location: Pacific Northwest

My original question was about the 1/8" thick over powder cards going under plastic wads. However, I also use the .030" OSCs regularly.

I always have a bag around for loading the RMC hulls and have found that almost anywhere I get an overly deep fold crimp, the one thin OSC will fix the problem. They are very handy when loading the 2-3/4" cheddites which have so much internal volume.

And, contrary to what some have said, I have not noticed any adverse effects of using the thin OSC. If anything the loads where I use them might actually perform better. Probably due to more uniform ignition and more consistent crimp force.

You are probably correct, If the crimp is concave than the load is really not going to be great. A flat crimp means that you are actually putting some pressure on the components and you need that. OSC's have hurt patterns at times, but they certainly don't disrupt every pattern.

If I have to use something, thinner is better.