Lubing over powder wads
 

Is it necessary to lube felt over powder wads and if so why? I'm having a discussion with someone who claims dry wad are as effective as lube in preventing gas blow by. I disagree.

I shoot nothing but dry.

can you please provide a reason? It would seem that a lightly lubed wad would provide more protection to the bullet base

I don't attempt to protect the bullet, but rather it helps in obturation.

Clem, I have no information that can confirm one way or the other what is best. I have never fired Lubed wads as I was told years ago that it COULD POSSIBLY contaminate the powder and prevent it from going off. So I never took a chance on using Lubed wads. I know Idaholewis one time squeezed a lubed wad with his fingers and you did not see any lube on his fingers. I can see logic a lubed wad would prevent gas from escaping but have no experience with them. I think I'll order some and when the weather gets warmer, I'll take my chronograph along and see if there is any muzzle velocity difference between the two with weighed charges. But depending on what ML I shoot, I'll use the next larger size wad as I feel that also plays a big factor in sealing the gases behind the wad.

I would think that a wad lubed with a paste type lube (crisco consistency or firmer) would not pose any significant threat to powder contamination. But I can see where a dry wad would have its benefits. The lube on the bullet would help seal the gases and keep the fouling soft and the dry wad could actually remove some on its way out.

I use a dry wad on one of my antique guns because the area of the powder in the breech is eroded and there is "blow-by". Using a dry wad over the powder charge gets the patched round ball above this area and saves the patches from shredding and improves accuracy dramatically in this rifle.

Buy a bag of 54-cal fiber wads for your 50-cal barrel. Try them and see if accuracy remains the same or better, prior to adding lube to the load.

Also, the only time I've used both lube and dry wads was with shooting saboted bullets or Powerbelts. That enables the option to fill the plastic sabot hollow cup-bottom. It may improve accuracy.

I am just unsure if accuracy improvements occur with magnum powder charges of any powder, or with Blackhorn 209 powder, which I do not use.