Ignition Delay ----- ???

[Blackpowder Burn]

Plastic wads aren't necessary, but you may have to shoot a heavier load with modern shotgun chambers to reliably take down the knockdowns.  See my load above, which has worked well in all of my shotguns.  It is just much more authoritative in older shotgun chambers.  Plastic wads also leave a coating of melted plastic in the barrels that takes a little more effort to clean.

Ballistic products has everything needed - wads, cushions, tools, brass hulls, etc. (www.ballisticproducts.com)

[Trailrider]

Smokeless, anybody?   

[Coffinmaker]

Trail rider ........

SACRILEGE!!!! 

Coffinmaker

PS:  Trader Dan.  Well you can do that.  It probably won't be a very good outcome.  I would not expect the 1/8 thick over powder card
to remain square and stable.  I think it would tend to turn in the bore before it ever exited the barrel.  Plus, without the cushion wad,
the jolt to your shoulder may be a bit of a whack.  You could delete the fiber or lubed cushion wad if you went with a complete plastic
wad that includes cushion and shot cup.

[Trader Dan]

I have over powder cushion wads.

[Coffinmaker]

Trader Dan,
I see what your using.  I use a Nitro Over Powder card (1/8") and then a lubed Cushion Wad and now a shot cup.  So far, works a
treat.

Coffinmaker

PS:  Cutting down 500 plastic wads to become just a shot cup is BORING!!

[Professor Marvel]

Trader Dan,
I see what your using.  I use a Nitro Over Powder card (1/8") and then a lubed Cushion Wad and now a shot cup.  So far, works a
treat.

Coffinmaker

PS:  Cutting down 500 plastic wads to become just a shot cup is BORING!!

Ah My Dear Lonesome Coffin
If you think that is boring, try sitting around making paper cartridges for the Brown Bess or PAPER SHOT CUPS for the flint fusil....

yhs
prof mumbles

[hellgate]

I frequently use plastic wads in the BP shotgun loads. If I need room for powder & shot I remover the "legs" of the one piece wad. I ALWAYS use the over powder wad to get a better gas seal for the load. To just use a card OP wad in a compression formed case (older AA hulls, and all newer Remington STS/Gun Club/Blue wads) will squeeze the wad down to a smaller diameter and allow gas blow by. You can get about 10% more power using the cupped plastic OP wad for your loads.

[Coffinmaker]

Hellgate,
Thanks for some great tips.  Just one little tiny caveat.  I'm shooting All Brass 12Ga hulls.  The internal diameter is a good bit larger than
a plastic 12Ga hull.  I haven't found a plastic wad that will gas seal in an All Brass hull.

Deciding your going to shoot All Brass hulls requires that you have the patience of Jobe, or just be Stark Raving.  My personal tendency
is on the side of "STARK RAVING."  I have been called "certifiable" in the past.  I resemble that!!  This all goes along with my discovery
that a '97 just wasn't "cowboy," no matter how fast I was with it.  Just didn't look cowboy with a '97.  Then I decided for me, a internal
hammer box lock double wasn't cowboy "enough."  I discovered Hammer Doubles.  Righteous Mule Ear'd Shotguns.  Yum.  I no longer
even own a '97 or box lock.  Lots of Mule Ear Shotguns.  Then, much to my chagrin, I saw a girl, yes, a GIRL of all people with ALL BRASS
shotgun shells.  NIRVANA!!  Yep.  Hooked.  Never mind that loading ALL BRASS hulls is ....... WORK.  It's time consuming.  It is NOT
easy.  But ....... come match day, with those ALL BRASS hulls in my shotgun belt, and sound of em hitting the cement, WONDERMUS.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.  Cutting the base(s) off a real big pile of plastic wads ........

Oh Yea, and ....
Professeur Marvel ........
And I thought I was certifiable.  Ugh.  I think (oh that hurtz) there should be a requirement for copious amounts of "Snake Oil" prior
to visiting the "office."  I've hear tell it eases the pain of boredom.  Some say it even cures constipation.

Coffinmaker

[hellgate]

Coffinmaker,
Card wads in brass hulls are just fine. Get them from Circle Fly via Track of the Wolf (better shipping costs). You need 11ga wads for 12ga brass hulls. Since the brass hulls aren't tapered the card wads do fine in them since they are not getting "squinched" to a smaller diameter when seated. Circle fly makes all kinds of diameter wads. I get the1/2" 45cal shotgun fiber wads, soak them in lube, and split them into twos or threes for revolver wads.