Rifle Fillers

[fourfive8]

I prefer Dacron fiber fill material but occasionally use thick wool felt and a couple of types of foam. Thick felt is harder to source. For straight-walled cases, you can use an arch punch of appropriate diameter to make you own filler wads, I have several punches for various case sizes.

The pic below shows a 5/8” punch and a couple of low density closed cell foam filler wads. The 5/8” punch works for 577 sized case bodies.

 

[Rare Breed]

Mr. Wright has some extensive testing with fillers as well as @michael458.
Read every page of this testing.
Very informative..
My limited experience is with 450/400 Nitro, 3 inch and .500 Jeffery.

For the.400 Jeffery, I used 1/2 inch foam backer rod, cut to length so that the powder Relader 15, in this case, a lighter charge than H4831, for less recoil. In other words, .50 diameter foam rod, twisted down to. 40 to fit in the neck of the.450/400 case, just long enough ((.90 inches for my load), to just slightly compress the powder.
Accuracy was more consistent.

In the same method, I used 5/8 inch foam backer rod for a minimal charge of Varget in the .500 Jeffery, to get.500 Nitro ballistics.
In other words, I didn’t want 2400 fps from the.500 Jeffery, just 2150.

Carefully read Mr Wrights data, and pressure tested, as well as @michaal458 post.
Of course, aSafe hand loading procedures for your rifle.

Proper application of fillers work very well.
No residue, consistent velocity.

Very well done!!! Similar experiences

 

[deewayne2003]

Here is a pressure study done by Michael McCourry and Sam Rose using various accepted fillers in a 470 load I believe the foam used was backer rod purchased at a local hardware store

470 Nitro Fillers

470 Nitro Fillers

www.b-mriflesandcartridges.com

Yes, that study is why I stopped using Dacron in my .470 and switched to foam wads.

There is another study that showed Dacron reacting to the powder it was in contact with when rounds were pulled apart.

 

[Backyardsniper]

Yes, that study is why I stopped using Dacron in my .470 and switched to foam wads.

There is another study that showed Dacron reacting to the powder it was in contact with when rounds were pulled apart.

PM me your 3031 load for the 470 when you get a chance. I have a year and some change until my next hunt and I've got a jug of 3031. I'm curious to shoot it side by side with my 4831 load and see if I can tell a difference in the felt recoil.

 

[Rare Breed]

80 grains IMR3031 is what you need for a 470. No question you will feel the difference. but you will use fillers. I just don’t understand people’s fear of them

 

[Backyardsniper]

80 grains IMR3031 is what you need for a 470. No question you will feel the difference. but you will use fillers. I just don’t understand people’s fear of them

Thanks man. I will give it a go!

 

[deewayne2003]

Thanks man. I will give it a go!

@Backyardsniper

My rifle is regulated for….

78.0gr Imr3031, 500gr bullet, foam wad & Win Mag primer.

This load matches Hornady Factory velocity with my 24” barrels, I’ve tested this IMR load side by side with Hornady factory DGX(bonded) and they are spot on.

My foam wads are the Kynoch from TraderKeith

 

[fourfive8]

I don’t know why Dacron would react with smokeless powder any more than some or many types of foam would? Dacron is a fairly inert material that tends to not react nor off gas as would be an indicator of any chemical reaction. Likewise it has an extremely long shelf life. Something that cannot be said of some kinds of foam that do off gas, degrade chemically over time and certainly have a usable shelf life. I have loaded carts with Dacron filler with smokeless powder and left them unfired for years without any change of ballistics nor ignition.

So who knows?