MWAG
Member
i'm about to load some small volume loads in 38 spl, .3cc of titegroup. any opinions about using cotton over the powder to keep it on the primer?
cotton over powder
- Thread starter MWAG
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Just remember that the cotton acts as part of the ejcta, meaning that it'll raise pressures some. Nothing too much to worry about if you are using low pressure rounds like target loads. Sometimes it helps with accuracy, sometimes it makes it worse. You just have to try it and see. They make a couple of products just for what you are trying to do, that work much better than cotton. One is called puff-lon, and I can't recall the others right off the top of my head.
Just remember that when you do stuff like this, you are moving outside of normally printed reloading data, so you are kinda wingin' it. That is, unless you are using a source that is recommending you try this for your load. Good luck!
Just remember that when you do stuff like this, you are moving outside of normally printed reloading data, so you are kinda wingin' it. That is, unless you are using a source that is recommending you try this for your load. Good luck!
oldRoger
US Veteran
If you are talking about a cotton ball, like cotton batting, I would not do it (see above comments). If you must, you need some thing like fluff, (see Puff-Lon).Maybe clothes drier fluff?
People use cream-of-wheat and Puff-Lon for filler, but these are mostly very advanced rifle reloaders, weighing everything and with very clear goals in mind.
Do you have a purpose in mind?
People use cream-of-wheat and Puff-Lon for filler, but these are mostly very advanced rifle reloaders, weighing everything and with very clear goals in mind.
Do you have a purpose in mind?
Years ago there was an article in a magazine and they cut 1 inch squares of toilet paper. That was tamped in place with a pencil.
magnum12pm
Member
I have shot many K of 3.9 titegroup under 125grn. Berry's copper plated bullets, don't waste your time, no filler is needed for this load.
Marksman
Member
Years ago I shot my .44 Magnum on an indoor range where Magnum loads were not allowed. My load consisted of 3.5gr. of Bullseye under a 240gr.SWC in a .44 magnum case. The guys that suggested that load also suggested adding some case filler, being a relatively new reloader at the time I asked how much filler. I was told to add 1gr. of Dacron or Kapok so I carefully weighed out 1gr. and added it to my loads. I think the guys set me up cause when the range officer gave the commence fire command it looked like we were having a pillow fight from all the unburned Kapok in the air. Needless to say I adjusted the amount of Kapok in my next batch of reloads to a dab about the size of a pea and seated it and the powder with the eraser end of a pencil. No more pillow fights!
I would have liked to seen that!We have a few Kapok trees growing around where I live. Used to use it for life jackets. When the seed pods burst the stuff floats around kinda like Cottonwood trees up North.
I think I'll collect it and sell it on Flea Bay.
Get your cartridge filler fluff here!
Beauetienne
Member
Same here. Use it mostly in my rifle loads. Still using the same batch I bought in the early 90's. A little goes a long way.
magnum12pm
Member
I'm still trying to figure out what this filler is supposed to do and what benefit would justify the time and bother. I have fired a primer with no bullet or powder and the flame comes out of a four inch barrel. Therefore the flame would ignite powder in a casing no matter where it was located
canoe on the yukon
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i'm still trying to figure out what this filler is supposed to do and what benefit would justify the time and bother. I have fired a primer with no bullet or powder and the flame comes out of a four inch barrel. Therefore the flame would ignite powder in a casing no matter where it was located
ditto!!!!!!!!
I use it for squib loads in rifles. Like the .22 Hornet with .2 or .3 grains of bullseye under a .22 cal pellet, it helps keep the powder out of the hollow pellet. And with the .303 Brit using 3-5 grains of Bullseye under a .311 round ball, I just want the powder to stay together.
Personally, I've never used it in handguns, yet. But if I ever see a need for it I wouldn't hesitate.
scattershot
Member
I once tried it in a .45 Colt with a fairly mild load, 6.5 grains of Unique, as I recall. The load wasn't any more accurate, and it flattened primers slightly, so I quit using it. I think the Dacron filler has a place, in lightly loaded rifle ammo, but it's a waste of time in a pistol.
Just my .02
Just my .02
Isn't filling the cartridge case to almost full capacity the whole "sales pitch" for? Trail Boss powder? It's light and fluffy so you buy a lot of "air" just to fill the case up and spend more for powder.
lafayne
Member
About 30 years ago I used kapok as a filler in my low velocity loads in the 38-55. I don't do that now. With the current powders available IMO it is a waste of time in a handgun.
In its original Handloading Guide published back in the 60's, the NRA recommended Dacron filler for reduced loads in rifles. I tried it and it worked fine. As I remember I bought it at Sears where it was being sold as pillow stuffing. I never used a filler in any handgun load.
