I use loose powder and seat a ball made of aluminum foil to give the charge a little compression ...no worries about the foil ball starting grass fires like a paper or cloth wadding would .
Reenactors are not allowed to use a ram rod these days ..they had some accidents where the ramrods were forgotten in the bore and shot out , of course if you are just wanting the boom for the 4th , you won`t be shooting in an unsafe direction eaither way .
Another tip if you own a smooth bore ..use it ..it will make the clean up alot easyer ..you wouldn`t beleive how dirty blanks can get a barrel .