My upcoming experiments...

[jamesgpobog]

I've had a project on Battleship Iowa that has spilled over to my .38/.357 reloading. I've been developing an initiator/primer (read: .38 black powder blank) for possible black powder shoots of a 5 inch gun. I needed a card wad, so I bought a 9mm leather punch that works perfect for an over-powder wad.

That got me thinking about gas checks. I'm going to try a card wad behind lead and hard cast bullets in both .38 and .357 cases to act as a poor-man's gas check. I've looked around, and it's something that's been tried before and some say works pretty darn well.

My powders are Unique (both old and new), W291, Trail Boss, and Tite Group.

Anyone been there yet?

[Johnz]

If this card wad doesn't crimp around the base of the bullet and into the sides like the regular copper ones do, I don't see how it would stay with the bullet on its way down the barrel. Plus, even if it does, seems like the hot gases would incinerate the paper before it got very far.

[jamesgpobog]

If this card wad doesn't crimp around the base of the bullet and into the sides like the regular copper ones do, I don't see how it would stay with the bullet on its way down the barrel. Plus, even if it does, seems like the hot gases would incinerate the paper before it got very far.

Well, people have used paper patched bullets for hundreds of years, the paper doesn't burn. I'm using card .030 thick...

[Pb2au]

You are quite correct about the paper patches. Even though the temperature is intense, it is brief. Thus the paper patch was and still is a viable loading strategy.
There are those that use card wads and the like under lead boolits to a decent level of success. I for one would not discourage you from it.
The number one thing when it comes to loading lead projectiles is getting the size of the projectile correct for the gun in question. The general rule of thumb is about 0.001" over groove diameter of the gun is your target size.
The other thing that would be good to know is the target velocity you are aiming for. More often than not with most handguns is that gas check style bullets are not even needed.

[runfiverun]

you most likely don't need a gas check unless the boolit is designed for it, a plain base will work just fine up to velocity's in the 1600+ fps range in the leverguns.
now if you just wanna do it [use the card] i would suggest something thick and sturdy like the back of a note-pad type stuff or even some pete plastic wads.
make dang sure these wads are held against the base of the boolit at all times because if they are against the powder[or somewhere in between] you will get a ringed chamber.

[mr surveyor]

It may be a dumb idea.... and most likely already tried .... and maybe successful (?) ... but what about using some sort of "stick-um" to fasten the wad to the plain base bullet? If the wad could be "glued" to the bullet base before it's tumble lubed, or to a finished/sized bullet with traditional "caulk lube", would it protect the bullet base enough? "Slower" powders may also be part of the equation.

Just thinking with my typing fingers (all four of them)

JD