I'm going to try these wad punches.

Well . . . 3/8 inch is .375. I got mine from Haror Freight. I've used it to make wads from scrap leather from my holster making and leatherwork. I punch 'em out and then soak 'em in a hot batch of Crisco/toilet ring wax - simple to do - combine the two in a plastic container and microwave. I melt the two together and stir it - drop in the wads and then use a small cooking strainer to dip them out. Put them on a number of layers of paper towel - let 'e, cool and then store them in old Altoid Mint tins. For me, they seem to work fine. You can do the same with wool felt.
 
Thanks guys, I'm about out of the wonder wads that I stocked up on when I started this venture. So its time to make some up. I want to get a set of punches that way I can make some up for .50, .54, .58. of course 1/2" is .50 cal. What would be close for .54 and .58? Good Grief I have WAY to many of these here smoke pole Calibers. Errrrr on second thought, NO I DON'T!! :D
 
BBB +1

The harbor freight set goes for 9.99.

Three punches in the set will work. 5/16 for .31, 3/8 for .36 and 7/16 for .44, although the 7/16 wads for the .44 are a tiny bit small for the chamber. I never tried the half inch punch but it probably works pretty well in a ROA.

These punches are best used in a drill press but they do work with a mallet.
 
You've probably already run across this info but I'll put it out there anyway, durofelt makes some nice wool felt and the price is not bad at all. I couple of months back I ordered a piece of their FM1824H wool felt and been impressed with the number of wads I'm going to be able to punch out of this one piece. I've punched out 120 or so and have only used a small corner of the sheet of felt, this one piece is gonna last me awhile! :D
I'm basically following gatofeos recipe for felt wads and they do work great for keeping the 58 lubed up enough to keep shooting.
 
I sawed the long shank off with a hacksaw and then drilled and tapped a hole in the exact center so I could screw in a bolt and use a socket in an electric drill to spin the punch while I pushed down on it. Have a piece of scrap wood under the material you are trying to cut.
I find this cuts much faster than trying to hammer the punch through the material and especially works well if you are trying to make precut patches from bulk cloth, which is what I use this 7/8" punch for.

The socket to bolt head works sort of like a driveshaft universal joint, allowing the cutter to stay flat on the material even if the bolt is not on the exact center.

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Well I went cheap and bought the set from Amazon. See the link in the OP.
There is a bunch of sizes, and for the price, what the hey. They are super sharp, we shall see how they hold up soon.
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Yes....

These work good in a drill press but if you are cutting felt, you might want to make sure to saturate it first. That helps to keep the knife edge cool.
 
I highly recommend the Durofelt and a 11mm punch for all of the 44 cal pistols. I soak my wads after punching in home made pearl lube:1 part Soy wax, 1 part toilet ring and 1/2 part vegetable shortening.
 
I use a 3/8" punch for .36 caliber, but found the 7/16" is too small for .44 or .45 caliber.
I purchased a .45-caliber punch from Buffalo Arms some years ago.
I believe I am the first to post the benefits of purchasing from DuroFelt. Shipping is free within the continental U.S., and it offers sheets of hard, 100% pure wool felt in 1/8 and 1/4" thicknesses.
Generally, I use the 1/8" thick felt for most uses, but for reduced loads the 1/4" wads take up more room (and contain more lubricant).

I've experimented with a number of lubricants over the past 40-plus years of shooting cap and ball revolvers. The best I've found is home-made, based on a 19th century recipe for outside lubricated bullets.
I altered the recipe a bit by using very specific ingredients, but I didn't change the ratios. Within a few years of posting it, the improved recipe, others named it after me: Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant.

Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant
1 part canning paraffin
(used to seal jars of preserves. Sold by grocers)

1 part mutton tallow
(sold by Dixie Gun Works)

1/2 part beeswax
(the real deal, not synthetic. Toilet seals are no longer made of real beeswax, but real beeswax can be found at Rendezvous and Renaissance Fairs)

All measurements are by weight, not volume. Measure the ingredients and melt together at low to medium heat. Stir well. Allow to harden at room temperature.
Remelt a bit of lubricant in a clean tuna or pet food can on the stove. Add wads. Stir to ensure wads are all soaked. Remove can from heat. Allow to cool. Snap a plastic pet food cover over the can and use this at the range.
No need to worry about excess lubricant on wads.

Add powder to chamber. Thumb in wad and seat firmly on powder with rammer. Do this with all chambers you plan to load. After all wads are seated firmly on powder, seat ball.
There is no need to put lubricant over the ball if you use a lubricated felt wad between ball and powder.
This combination of hard felt wad and Gatofeo No. 1 lubricant will keep the bore of your cap and ball revolver clean all day. Many other methods will leave the bore clean from breech to within 3 inches of muzzle, but this will keep the entire length of the bore clean.

Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant is also a very good bullet, patch and shotgun wad lubricant. I use it for the patches in my .50-cal Hawken, lead .58-cal Enfield Minie' bullets and occasionally in my Damascus steel shotgun with black powder loads.
 
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