Paper Patch Paper
- Thread starter johnl
- Start date
I use standard Staples brand college-ruled 3-hole punched paper meant for a binder. It's about .003" thick and when wrapped in 2 layers adds about .010" (compresses about .002" total). I cast 400gr .450-.451" smooth-sided bullets and patch them up to .460" for one of my .45-70's. I've been meaning to get around to trying some smokeless loads but so far have only used black powder. I've also got a Martini-Enfield in .303B I want to try PP'ed bullets in and picked up a rolling block in 8x58R Danish (one of the ones TradeEx had) that I'm just waiting on dies for that will likely be eating PP'ed.
The Staples paper I use can tear pretty easily so you need to be very gentle with your rolling. I twist the excess into a tail and snip it off when dry. If you had a hollow base design you could make the patch shorter and fold the paper into the hollow base.
I use a very thin coat of RCBS case lube-2 rubbed onto the paper when seating. It can cause the paper to swell up and tear easily when it soaks in so I apply it immediately before seating. Don't forget you need a very good neck flare and best would be if the brass is already expanded to the bullets diameter (or maybe .0005" under).
For black powder I put a Circle Fly .125" card over the powder, then a .32 ACP case of melted SPG black powder lube, followed by the bullet. For best accuracy I really need to clean between shots. My rifle is an H&R Buffalo Classic. Nothing fancy but I would like to save my shekles up and get one of the Pedersoli sharps rifles eventually; maybe in 45-100 or 45-120 for black powder loads.
I'd recommend "The Paper Jacket" by Paul Mathews if you haven't already read it. Mostly he deals with smokeless loads with PP's but there is some info in there on black powder. It can be pretty expensive on Amazon or other places and I found the cheapest place to be Track of the Wolf in the US. They also sell all the card wads, molds, lubes, expander dies, and everything else you'd need for loading them.
MidwayUSA had a great introductory video to paper patching for a black powder rifle but they've removed all of their tutorial videos from YouTube and even their website; I don't know why.
The Staples paper I use can tear pretty easily so you need to be very gentle with your rolling. I twist the excess into a tail and snip it off when dry. If you had a hollow base design you could make the patch shorter and fold the paper into the hollow base.
I use a very thin coat of RCBS case lube-2 rubbed onto the paper when seating. It can cause the paper to swell up and tear easily when it soaks in so I apply it immediately before seating. Don't forget you need a very good neck flare and best would be if the brass is already expanded to the bullets diameter (or maybe .0005" under).
For black powder I put a Circle Fly .125" card over the powder, then a .32 ACP case of melted SPG black powder lube, followed by the bullet. For best accuracy I really need to clean between shots. My rifle is an H&R Buffalo Classic. Nothing fancy but I would like to save my shekles up and get one of the Pedersoli sharps rifles eventually; maybe in 45-100 or 45-120 for black powder loads.
I'd recommend "The Paper Jacket" by Paul Mathews if you haven't already read it. Mostly he deals with smokeless loads with PP's but there is some info in there on black powder. It can be pretty expensive on Amazon or other places and I found the cheapest place to be Track of the Wolf in the US. They also sell all the card wads, molds, lubes, expander dies, and everything else you'd need for loading them.
MidwayUSA had a great introductory video to paper patching for a black powder rifle but they've removed all of their tutorial videos from YouTube and even their website; I don't know why.
I believe you're talking about over-powder cards/wads? A paper patch is wrapped around a bullet and turns to confetti when it leaves the bore.
Go to Staples and buy this paper.
x2. That's what I use... I also wet it with sprite or mountain dew... Paper doesn't stretch that way... I staple 10 sheets together at a time so I get 10 patches per cut rather than one. Use a guillotine type of paper cutter... DO NOT get a sliding exacto type... They are a PITA as soon as the new edge is off the blade...
If you need some really thin stuff you can also use "McCalls" or Butterick(?) pattern paper. This is the stuff found in fabric stores like "Fabric Land". A long time ago my sisters and mother use to make their own dresses, this is the pattern paper used for that. It's very very thin. Best of luck.
.006" onion skin? That sounds really weird to me...
Regular printer paper (pretty thick) is around .004". Loose-leaf paper for binders is around .003". Most onion skin is .0015" to .0025".
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
How long can you leave a cartridge loaded without lube migration into the powder causing noticable inconsistent burning.
Fingers284, if the ammunition is stored so it doesn't get too hot it should last a long time. I've shot year old paper patched ammunition in my .45-110's and had no issues with accuracy reduction. My lube cookies aren't SPG, but a mixture of beeswax and olive oil. It probably has a lower melting point than SPG.
Chris.
Chris.
Longest I've gone is about 8 months. Not because I'm worried about migration but because I only have 50 cases I use for black powder so I shoot and reload as I go. Been considering adding another set of 50 cases for black since I have about 200 for smokeless.
There was no noticable difference after 8 months but most of that was over the winter and I keep my place kinda cool; usually around 21-22'C.
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Thanks for the info boys
