The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Is it better to put a lubed wad/ disc behind the ball in a bp pistol or the lube in front of the ball to prevent flash over or is the former only for cleaning purposes? Eg u either do one or the other or both ?

Also if I have to stick with lube in front of the ball is there a clean ( ish ) way to apply the lube without it looking like a badly iced bun after !

Apols if a silly question so please be gentle . Still learning thank you

I just seal the chamber mouths with lube and a tight fitting ball, I like to see a ring of lead coming off when I seat the ball that also give slightly more bearing surface. I use my finger to apply the lube, it is only how the target looks that interests me. Never bother with over powder wads in M/L revolvers.

Some people use syringes to apply the lube

a lolly stick and lube the front of the ball , messy but it works.

one of the members of my club decided they knew best and turned up with a syringe and some self concocted super lube , carefully syringed a thin ring of this super lube around the loaded ball , capped up on the firing point cocked his revolver aimed and fired , well there was an unholy boom the revolver flew out of his hand and he looked dazed , I was RCO so I stopped the range and made safe.

he was unhurt thankfully , mainly because when all cylinders discharged due to a flash over the six o'clock cylinder didn't go off which would have been catastrophic !

he changed back to the time proven method after that !

Sounds like I'm doing the right thing by over lube after , I must have sponge fingers , always seems such a mess . I think I'll see if I can get something like the old ice cream spoons u used to get with tubs of Ice cream . Might be a bit neater to apply then . Thanks

I have had good results with Ox-Yoke Wonder Wads under the ball in my .36 calibre BP revolvers. "Wonder Wads are used over the powder and under the patched round ball or conical bullet. They safely seal each chamber and help prevent a chance of chain-fires." They are a heck of a lot cleaner than messing with lube over the ball.

And pricier.

I used a 50ml syringe to put a dollop over each ball of soft lube, even used swarfega before. The 50 ml syringe has a large hole so can deliver big pea size and you just smooth with flat of nozzle. Simples
Plus of course right fitting balls (which we all need) .

I had a few problems with wads that I soaked in mutton tallow, the mixture was too soft. When I compressed the ball is squeezed out and contaminated the powder.

I encountered everything from wads flying out on fire looking like roman candles to "squib" loads where the ball only made it to the end of the 25 yard range, some didn't even make it out of the barrel.

Since speaking to Dromia, I don't use any wads and I shoot fine with my .44.

Found this on a boring night shift :- http://www.geojohn.org/BlackPowder/bps1.html

Regards

Chris

i've read that geojohn article before, found it very informative.

i used balls taht gave a very nice ring of lead behind, rather than getting them to swage in. I used a filler rather than a wad. around 25gr by volume of semilina from a powder flask unto the black powder. then some 'Gunk' from JD reloading around the rim of the cylinder, and press the ball home. no grease over the top, and never had a prob.

if i greased over the balls, and fired off one shot, half the grease is missing off the front of the other cylinders anyway

bradaz11 wrote: if i greased over the balls, and fired off one shot, half the grease is missing off the front of the other cylinders anyway

Sounds like too stiff a grease, never had that problem with mine.