Cartridge Case Fillers ?

[Harve Curry]

Cartridge Case Fillers, info requested?

What is the latest data and type of cartridge case fillers?
What loads if any do you use?

1). corn meal

2). cream of wheat

3). Poly fiber fill ( kapok)

4). PTFE/teflon powder

5). shot buffer (granulated plastic)

The advantages I have found were velocity variation of only 10fps or less,
and excellent accuracy, and keep pressure down.

The only 2 fillers I've used are poly fiber fill and corn meal in 45-70,
and 50-70, and 45lc cases. Not in any bottle neck type cases.

Cases with corn meal I always ad the weight of the corn meal to the bullet weight in consideration of the powder charge.
The corn meal is compressed on top of the powder charge, it has to be.

In poly fiber fill I use enough to be slightly packed but still "airy". The accuracy improvement will be several inches smaller groups.
With poly fiber fill I believe I have avoided the "ringed chamber or barrel" because I keep the pff compact and didn't carry them around bullet nose down to where powder would sift into the pff and create a secondary detonation and hence a ringed chamber.

 

[BluesBear]

I have used poly fiber for reduced loads in large straight walled cases. However I only use then in conjunction with an over powder wad to prevent the powder from slipping by and causeing erratic ignition.

Corn meal works good as well and has such a nice popped corn aroma.
Cream of wheat also works good. As soes oatmeal.

A seond powder measure can be set up to throw a certain weight charge of filler. Use of a long drop tube such as is used with black powder really helps in keeping the filler weights consistent.


I would NEVER use a granulated plastic unless I was using an over powder wad. Melted plastic is not condusive to achieving the best accuracy.

I would have the same reservations about the PTFE stuff.


Exercize EXTREME caution to ensure you don't end up with multiple powder charges in one case.

Personally I have achieved better accuracy by using a heavier/bulkier powder charge and less filler.
While you can save money by going to a smaller charge with more filler, in my experience, results are not as good.

Also the larger the powder charge the less chance of a double charge going unnoticed.