Plugging Your Cartridges Flashhole?

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

I'm searching for a better way of keeping the powder from draining out of the flash holes in loaded Smith cartridges.

I have been buying self-sticking dots for marking file folders at an office supply store, then placing one over the end of each cartridge before charging them with powder. At the range, I usually scrape off the dot while loading, which takes time, but I have seen other folks piercing the dot with a needle in the loading area then shooting right through the puncture.

I've also tried taking the hole punch to a pack of cigarette papers, then dropping a paper dot in the bottom of each cartridge. I'm now shooting black plastic, reduced charge cartridges in my Smith, but I've lined all the flash holes with brass grommets and don't know if the paper dots would lay flat anymore.

If anyone has a better, easier or faster way of doing this, I’d appreciate hearing about it.

[shilohzowie]

Gary, Try hair tape or bandage tape (not band aids) found at your pharmacy. The flash blows through either so their is no need to remove before firing. - Regards.

[Alan Spencer, 7794V]

The tape that Gregg refers to is called trans-pore (Not sure if the is spelled correctly). My father has been shooting his smith with method for 25 years or more with no problem.
Burns threw every time. Good luck

[Dominic Infante, 8359V]

I do not shoot my Smith much anymore; however, the least expensive, easiest, highly effective way that I found for keeping the powder in the Smith case (even when the flashhole had been reinforced with rivets) is by using a small piece of masking tape to cover the flashhole (get the most inexpensive sold by Walmart since it is thin and burns through easily). I would then run a black magic marker over the tape so it would blend in with the color of the case. I do not recall an ignition failure with that system.

[Greg Ogdan, 11444]

Load tubes and place bullet down in an MCM box. From box to cartridge box bullet down. Cartridge is ready to pick and load, no flash hole cover needed.

[J Smith]

Gary,

What Greg meant to say was, put your loaded smith cartridges bullet side down with flash hole up in an MTM Case Plastic 20 guage shotgun box (like this plug I just gave your company, Al?). They come with a flip up lid. No need to put tape over the flash hole. At the local fabric store, buy a piece of foam about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut a piece of foam to fit inside the lid of the box. When you close the lid, the foam covers all of the flash holes, thus no powder may leak out even if you turn the box upside-down. At the range, just open the box, fill your leather cartridge box with flash hole up, and you're good to go. The last time I used the labels over each flash hole was about 25 years ago. I'm still using the same boxes with the same foam once I figured a better way to do it.

Good luck.

[Rick R]

Hey Gary,

I did as the last two posters suggested, just kept them bullet side down, from plastic shotgun box to cartrige box to bore.

I have also used the dots that you are using and never had a problem shooting through them, never wasted any time poking holes in them.

Good luck but not too good, see you on the line soon!

Rick

[Joe]

I use brass cases and what works for me is before loading the case I light a candle, dip a flat bladed screwdriver in the melted wax and cover the flash hole with the melted wax. You can shoot through the wax or pop the wax out before shooting. I have used 1/4 inch wide masking tape also but it takes more time to remove what is left over after shooting through or removing tape before shooting. Hope this helps.
Joe

[Des]

I have used a small piece of toilet paper placed on the inside bottom of the case.

[jed10582]

You can just wipe a little crisco or lube over the hole & burn thru know problem.