RSW wrote on Jun 26^th, 2025 at 2:17pm:


I never wipe it off as I figured it's likely burned off well before the bullet exits the barrel. Never tried wiping to see if my groups got smaller either. Maybe I should try and see if I'm missing something?

What you don't want is the overpowder wad sticking to the bullet base which is why I use a very thin typing paper wad over the overpowder wad.

Wayne

RSW wrote on Jun 27^th, 2025 at 12:43am:


The bullets may be breach-seated but I understand an overpowder wad is still used.  The following is from "Story of the Schuetzen rifle"
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In some cases, the competitors go to great lengths in their quest for accuracy, such as pushing the lead bullet into the lands and grooves, for precise engagement. Then the case filled with powder and topped with a wad is loaded into the chamber behind it. Sometimes the case is primed and charged with either loose powder or premeasured paper packets that are dropped in the case mouth. The bullet is then simply inserted inside the mouth of the case prior to chambering.

Fixed ammunition can be used, but the prior methods are believed to offer greater accuracy.
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Wayne

I figure that the wads Texasmac brought up were for shooting full cases of black powder- tho sometimes smokeless shooters also favored it, just as now.
Me, I wipe the bases simply to keep mess down inside the box where they are kept until shooting and mostly to keep from getting a buildup in my bullet seaters that might change depth  or at least smear the stuff inside my shooting gear. Also give a last chance to look over those bullets for flaws or lube voids.

I've never used an over powder wad when breech seating with smokeless powder. Never had so much case fill that I thought I needed a wad to keep the powder from spilling. 
I charge one case at a time as I fire them, so not making up a bunch of charged cases before shooting. Just using the same case over and over again.

THANKS GUYS I appreciate all the feedback. I've routinely wiped lube off bullet bases for years but was wandering if others knew of effects of not wiping away that lube on the bases. I was finishing up my bullet prep for the ISSA Schuetzenfest and it hit me as I was cleaning the bases of all those bullets . . . what if I didn't have to clean off that lube?
My tests with over powder wads or wads against the bullet bases just introduce another variable and neither improve accuracy (straight smokeless loads, breech seated).

Schuetzendave
By the way, that lube I wiped off bullet bases is Alberta Schuetzen lube. Really good stuff. I've been using it on my .32-40 bullets for some years now. I bought a Kilo slab from you at Raton some years back and along with a couple of re-orders have been using it ever since. I still have a Kilo so I'm set for a while plus I have the recipe to make more lube when needed. Only trouble in assembling the components is finding refined bee wax. Seems the only grade of bees wax I can find locally or online is yellow