Leather as wad material?

[J.J. Ferrett]

Just wondering, has anyone any experience with using leather as a wad? I was looking at my pile of scraps and then found myself busy punching loads of 7/16" holes out. The 'wads' fit nicely in 45 brass and in 44 cap and ball chambers.
I was thinking of soaking some in lube to see how they act.

[Arcey]

One way ta find out...............

Seems it could get a l'il 'spensive affer while though...........

[J.J. Ferrett]

I am using scraps that I would otherwise discard. Its only my time and the lube.

[Arcey]

Go for it!

[Judge Lead]

I have had a number of wads puched out at 7/8" (just about 12g size) and soaked them in olive oil. These were then used in s/gun and did not seem to cause any damage. I see no reason not to as they are really no different to any other, maybe a little harder than felt.

If it is scrap, and is of a size that makes it useless for anything else, go for it. It would only be thrown out otherwise, so why waste it ?.

Regards

[Tommy tornado]

Sounds like you are a child of the recycle and reuse era.  Go for it because I can do the same thing, so I would like to know how it turns out.

[Delmonico]

Don't forget, the recycle and reuse wasn't an invention of the 60's generation, although they like to claim it.

[Tommy tornado]

I was born in the late 70's and did most of my schooling in the 80's.  I remember sitting through many recycle and reuse lectures, videos, film reels, etc.

[J.J. Ferrett]

Recycle and reuse has been around about as long as man, in different guises.
I hate wasting material, so, after cutting holsters, etc, I save all my scraps. Heck, I even have a bag or two of 'string leather' and 'mini patches' from finishing the edges and punching holes.
Tonight I am lubing the leather, and, if i can ever find where I put the big box'o'primers, getting some loads made up for rifle and pistol for testing tomorrow. Either way, I will be shooting some 'c&b' loads tomorrow with the leather wads. Will keep updating.

[J.J. Ferrett]

I am not really that impressed with the first round of 'leather wads'.
Dipping the leather into the hot wax hardened it far too much for use as a wad. What lube did soak up then hardened and wasnt really useful for 'lube'ing'.
I am gonna give this another try or two and see if anything improves.

Note.... I recovered a couple of 'used' wads after they had gone down range. A lube soaked wad 7/16 diam, 9oz leather, went through a 1/8" ply sheet.
These wouldnt be the best to use whilst engaging one of those nasty 'paper targets' as you will prob get more holes in the target than times you pulled the trigger. It was really a little disconcerting to see 16 holes when i new I shot 10 times, and it was a new target face.
If used against steel, i could see these little buggers bouncing off in all directions.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho the fire,

Try soakin' 'em leather patches in shoe oil.  That stuff is made to soften leather.  Ballistol may also work.

DD-DLoS

[J.J. Ferrett]

Doh.... Great idea there..... It its probably the LUBE thats the problem, not the leather. The lube that i have mixed is high in Beeswax (over 50%), and was 'designed' to be used a cookies.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

It should work fine.  Leather's been used occasionally for decades.  (Maybe centuries!)