Using shotgun plastic wads/cup in muzzle loader?

[kennedy759]

Read good and bad about using a standard plastic wad used in reloading shot gun shells, seems the biggest problem is plastic left in the bore and how hard it is to clean out. My question is- what is the difference between a standard shot gun and a muzzle loading shotgun that would cause plastic to be a problem? They both send the plastic wad down the barrel, but not a plastic problem in a standard shot gun. Does black powder burn hotter?

 

[Slow Hand]

It’s been years, but I used to shoot black powder cartridges in cowboy action shooting. When I first started out, I used on hand plastic wads. When it was time to clean, after maybe 20-30 rounds, it would push a ‘sleeve’ of plastic out of the bore. It’s easy to take care of with a breech loader but a muzzle loader could cause issues. As to BP burning hotter, I will say that after blasting 10 rounds of full power .45 Colt out of a levergun, the barrel does heat up much more than smokeless! It was a real issue with shooting an 1860 Henry with no wood fore end to protect your hand!

 

[Creedmoor]

Read good and bad about using a standard plastic wad used in reloading shot gun shells, seems the biggest problem is plastic left in the bore and how hard it is to clean out. My question is- what is the difference between a standard shot gun and a muzzle loading shotgun that would cause plastic to be a problem? They both send the plastic wad down the barrel, but not a plastic problem in a standard shot gun. Does black powder burn hotter?

I've loaded pounds of BP but never with shotshells, Im sure Leadeye will chime in on your thread.
Like lead projectiles, I would think that one would need to lube the wads to keep plastic off the bore but also to keep the BP residue soft as to ease loading the the next round. Thats a new field for me.

 

[Leadeye]

I've never used plastic wads, only cardboard/celotex so I'm not much help. I have to agree with Creedmoor, it would probably need some sort of lube although I've shot my Pedersoli Howda with just celotex wads.

 

[HonkieKowboy]

Read good and bad about using a standard plastic wad used in reloading shot gun shells, seems the biggest problem is plastic left in the bore and how hard it is to clean out. My question is- what is the difference between a standard shot gun and a muzzle loading shotgun that would cause plastic to be a problem? They both send the plastic wad down the barrel, but not a plastic problem in a standard shot gun. Does black powder burn hotter?

I have loaded plastic shotshells with pyrodex on occasion and what I found is that it caused the plastic shotshells to become very stiff and crusty (and drastically reduced the lifespan of the shells)

I also used a muzzleloading 12 ga at one point but that thing was basically impossible to load with plastic claybuster wads.

 

[Creedmoor]

I've never used plastic wads, only cardboard/celotex so I'm not much help. I have to agree with Creedmoor, it would probably need some sort of lube although I've shot my Pedersoli Howda with just celotex wads.

With plastic wads, I would put a SPG cookie under the wad like sometimes I do with the need for more lube to be left in the barrel. I have had to do that with my 34" Creedmoor in 45-90 under the bullet and on top of the wad to get lube to the end of the barrel and leave that star pattern.
More so with shooting bullets with under size grease grooves for the longer barrel.

Thanks for posting.