Shooting Blanks?

[buckskin37]

What is the safest and best way to fire a weapon with no projectile? Do you use a paper wad or nothing at all? I have a pistol and a blunderbuss.

[hurricane]

I either use nothing at all or stuff it with a wad of Wonder Bread, the same size as a ball. Adds some kick and smoke. At night it's a bit of steel wool for the flame and blast.

-- Hurricane

[Kathyrn Ramsey]

We use the paper that the cartridge is made from as the wad, at least for the hand guns. The cannons we use grass wad when able to. Along with the steel wool...

Have fun...

[oderlesseye]

Paper wadding can be a fire hazzard.. We shoot with nothing at all..

Or if live shot is being used I use cotton lightly lubricated patches.

[callenish gunner]

Always remember the phrase POINT BLANK RANGE!!! ....even with just wading a blank load can be fatal if mishandled it is always safest to just use powder only!! unless you have a clear downrange zone for firing :angry:

[Coastie04]

I usually use cotton patches, but then I also haven't done any firing at re-enactments. Usually, the cotton did end up smoldering on the ground about 10-20 feet away, so keep that in mind. I also seem to remember a discussion about this a while back and someone brought up using some sort of magician's paper that burned brightly, but also completely in a short period of time (ie before it hits the ground).

Coastie

[hurricane]

That's the advantage of white bread. We shot off a dozen shots in the back yard yesterday and the bread instantly burns up, creating a wonderful kick and lots of fire and smoke with no residuals. It also keeps the powder in the gun until you're ready to shoot. The gun doesn't foul up much either, certainly not any more than it does with 2f in it.

I've tried wheat, but the cheaper the white stuff, the better (more sugar to burn off). We used hamburger buns yesterday.

-- Hurricane

[Capt Thighbiter]

We try to use nothing , when possible. Lightly tamped ( LIGHTLY) to keep the powder condensed.

If we must use wadding, we use cleaning patches wadded up, for the pistols. Cannon, a wad of dry newspaper or other available pulp product. I might have to try that bread thing, I hear good things about it.