Cork wads in a .45 Colt cartridge

[Tangle Eye]

I've been talking with Howdy Doody about using cork wads to take up space in a Ruger Old Army cylinder to use 30 grains of black powder without any problem. The thought occurred to me (dangerous thing) that a cork wad should also work in a .45 Colt case to take up space when using 25 grains of powder or so as a "reduced" load.  I read elsewhere posted by Grapeshot that cork wads were used in the Cavalry version of the .45-70 for carbines so I figured "what's the difference".

My idea is the cork wads would be easier to mess with than grits filler and I wouldn't have to take the cartridge off the press to put the wad in like I now have to do to put in grits.

Any thoughts, opinions, loud peals of laughter, sad shakes of the head or other comments?

[Wes Virginian]

I once tried "cream of wheat" because I read on the wire that someone used it. It was more trouble to me than it was worth, so I just fill mine with powder.

Wes Virginian

[Tangle Eye]

That's always an option ain't it Virginian.  That's why I like the dark stuff.

[Grapeshot]

The US Army, before they went to loading just the short .45 S&W Case, used cork as a filler in the .45 Colt when they reduced the load from 40 to 30 grains of Black Powder.  They also used cork as a filler to load the .45/405/55 Carbine load.  It worked back then and they knew what they were doing.

[Tommy tornado]

Next thing you know Tangle Eye will be talking about corking bats!

[Tangle Eye]

I'm hopin these corked pistol loads will help my score. Do you think the cork will ding the target if the bullet happens to be one of the stealth variety??    And if corkin the pistols don't work, I can always try puttin em on steroids!!  "No sir, Mr. RO - I have no idea how that stuff got into my pistols!!" 

[Jubel]

The best reason for cork wads is to keep the lube pill off'en the powder. If I want to reduce the load in 45 Colt I load a 45 S&W Schofield with 28 grains which is a full load and blast away. The cork spacers keep the black pure and one on top of the lube pill keeps it from sticking to the boolit as it leaves the bbl. 

[Tommy tornado]

, I can always try puttin em on steroids!!  "No sir, Mr. RO - I have no idea how that stuff got into my pistols!!" 

I think Rugers are already on steroids!