Going old school...

[greyhunter]

I use the old sorel felt boot liners for wads also. Punch them out with a punch made from a spent CO2 cylinder. Thanks Captchee for the tip. Also punch out cardboard wads with the CO2 punch. Soak felt wads in olive oil, then squeeze out. Make sure to use a waxed card over powder, then felt wad,bare ball, wasp nest over ball or another waxed card.  

[rickevans]

The goal here, for me anyway, is to do some research on general methods of loading the smoothbore as was done in the 18th century (1750-1790) with period correct accouterments.

Wads from old felted hats? Sure. The fear-naught, or shepherd's cloth that Mario's citation references is "A stout kind of woolen cloth, used chiefly on board ship in the form of outside clothing in the most inclement weather,..." A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles: Founded Mainly ..., Volume 4, page 116
So, heavy woolen patches? OK. Tow, moss, leaves, bracken fern (here in northern Michigan...) all good. Even paper folded up and lubed(?).

Speaking with a friend on the phone about this yesterday, I would shoot the fusil with a good, tight, properly lubed patched RB to see just how accurate the weapon could be, then use various PC/HC methods to see how accuracy changed.  Remember, the goal is to take a fat deer this fall, in conditions and with tools common to that time frame.

More to come.

[rickevans]

Mario...
Do I understand this quote accurately in that in this instance, the men were to load from pouch and horn, and NOT use their stash of made up paper cartridges? Also, the fact that the Generals orders are to have wadding above and below the ball might indicate that such was not always the common practice?  

"It is the General's orders, that none of the men load with cartridges upon their regimental
parades but from these powder horns; AND TO HAVE WADDING ABOVE AND BELOW THE BALL, TO KEEP BOTH POWDER AND BALL FIRM IN THEIR PIECES." [emphasis mine]

John Knox, 1759 (Knox, pg 259)