Paper patching?

owen219

Paper patching is mentioned in the Shooter movie and in a thread about Tom Selleck and the gun he used in the mpovie Quingly Down Under, what purpose did this serve and how is it done? Thanks, I would imagine that only the old timers can answer this.

ATHOMSON

Paper patching was to cut down on lead foul just like jacketed bullets do now.

AT

HappyNanoq

In the movie "SHOOTER" a used projectile, fired at a can of stew - was paperpatched, and fired once more in a different rifle.

To cloak that it came from another rifle and to frame the guy.

yoshmyster

From what I heard you have to "patch" it the way your boom sticks are rifled (clock or counter clock). Mix and match you loose accracy (in "Quigly" it's for accuracy). Basically you have a square of paper and you roll it (in a certain way) on and around the bullet before seating it in brass. Reminds me of cigar rollers, when done right it's beautiful in excecution and when not it's down right fugly[:D].

jon o

Originally posted by yoshmyster
From what I heard you have to "patch" it the way your boom sticks are rifled (clock or counter clock). Mix and match you loose accracy (in "Quigly" it's for accuracy). Basically you have a square of paper and you roll it (in a certain way) on and around the bullet before seating it in brass. Reminds me of cigar rollers, when done right it's beautiful in excecution and when not it's down right fugly[:D].

After it is rolled, it is treated with waterglass.

yoshmyster

I would've figured (in "Shooter") after the bullet ate the can, few trees and then a rock or two. I would've thought it would be destroyed way before making that extra hole in the archbishop. Also trying to find the bullet with snow and the location I doubt it.

v35

Commercially paper patched bullets look like they have a cardboard sleeve covering the cylindrical part of the bullet.
It's very well attached and may be glued or shrunk on the bullet.

jonk

Parchment isn't needed. 16 lb onionskin paper is very good, even printer paper is ok.

Generally you proceed with the idea that each wrap will add .004" to the diameter of the bullet, though you should verify this. So if you want a .460" bullet you start with a .452" bullet. You double wrap the bullet so that the paper will be caught by the rifling- so going just up onto the taper of the bullet- and with a tail protruding below. I dip the paper in flour/water mix to provide some glue effect, others don't. Wrap tight. A lot of guys cut each end at 45 degrees, but it isn't really needed. It just helps the roll start easily. Finally you feather the 'tail' over onto the base and stand upright to let dry. You may then shoot as is or lightly lube with something like Lee Liquid Alox. Case neck flaring is a must.

Paper patched bullets can be fired at jacketed velocity. They are very accurate, cheap, but slow to make. They aren't for you if you want to spray 1000 rounds out of your AK but for single shot guns or even bolt actions are very good. They also smooth out a rough or fouled bore very well.

I honestly don't play with them much as generally my needs can be met by standard cast lead bullets, but for a few guns I use them, yes.

ATHOMSON

quote:Originally posted by jonk
Parchment isn't needed. 16 lb onionskin paper is very good, even printer paper is ok.

Generally you proceed with the idea that each wrap will add .004" to the diameter of the bullet, though you should verify this. So if you want a .460" bullet you start with a .452" bullet. You double wrap the bullet so that the paper will be caught by the rifling- so going just up onto the taper of the bullet- and with a tail protruding below. I dip the paper in flour/water mix to provide some glue effect, others don't. Wrap tight. A lot of guys cut each end at 45 degrees, but it isn't really needed. It just helps the roll start easily. Finally you feather the 'tail' over onto the base and stand upright to let dry. You may then shoot as is or lightly lube with something like Lee Liquid Alox. Case neck flaring is a must.

Paper patched bullets can be fired at jacketed velocity. They are very accurate, cheap, but slow to make. They aren't for you if you want to spray 1000 rounds out of your AK but for single shot guns or even bolt actions are very good. They also smooth out a rough or fouled bore very well.

I honestly don't play with them much as generally my needs can be met by standard cast lead bullets, but for a few guns I use them, yes.


Jonk, I have never paper patched a breech loader, but learned on a .50 Hawken. We used cotton paper and a 50/50 mix of wax and vaseline for the lube. Do you shoot soft lead or is it alloyed?

AT

jonk

I use wheelweights because they are free, but dead soft lead would work just as well. As does zinc, otherwise useless for bullet casting.

ATHOMSON

quote:Originally posted by jonk
I use wheelweights because they are free, but dead soft lead would work just as well. As does zinc, otherwise useless for bullet casting.


I didn't think wheel weights would be soft enough for the mushroom, but if it works for you. I may break the breech on that old Hawken and play with paper patching again. I do remember it tightening groups and kicking the chrono about another 100 fps.

Thanks for the info Jonk. Something else to play with.

AT

yoshmyster

Onionskin Paper. Man I haven't heard that in years. Can you even find it in this day and age? I mean do they even make type writers[:D]?

jonk

quote:Originally posted by ATHOMSON
quote:Originally posted by jonk
I use wheelweights because they are free, but dead soft lead would work just as well. As does zinc, otherwise useless for bullet casting.


I didn't think wheel weights would be soft enough for the mushroom, but if it works for you. I may break the breech on that old Hawken and play with paper patching again. I do remember it tightening groups and kicking the chrono about another 100 fps.

Thanks for the info Jonk. Something else to play with.

AT

Sure thing. There is no mushroom involved. We're talking smokeless powder, cartridge guns here. The wrapped bullet should be at or 1/1000" over bore groove diameter. So far from mushrooming, we're looking for a swaging effect.

All the Hawkens I know about are frontstuffers. Another animal entirely and with blackpowder you may want to use pure lead, yes. Though I've never heard of paper patching a muzzleloader bullet- either patched cloth for round balls or naked mini/maxi balls, or sabots. Could be though?

ATHOMSON

quote:Originally posted by jonk
quote:Originally posted by ATHOMSON
quote:Originally posted by jonk
I use wheelweights because they are free, but dead soft lead would work just as well. As does zinc, otherwise useless for bullet casting.


I didn't think wheel weights would be soft enough for the mushroom, but if it works for you. I may break the breech on that old Hawken and play with paper patching again. I do remember it tightening groups and kicking the chrono about another 100 fps.

Thanks for the info Jonk. Something else to play with.

AT

Sure thing. There is no mushroom involved. We're talking smokeless powder, cartridge guns here. The wrapped bullet should be at or 1/1000" over bore groove diameter. So far from mushrooming, we're looking for a swaging effect.

All the Hawkens I know about are frontstuffers. Another animal entirely and with blackpowder you may want to use pure lead, yes. Though I've never heard of paper patching a muzzleloader bullet- either patched cloth for round balls or naked mini/maxi balls, or sabots. Could be though?


We were paper patching dead lead mini-balls. It was more my dads doing and I was the apprentice as usual.[V] It is a frontstuffer as you put it. By breaking the breech; I meant that he dry balled it 25 years ago and I am going to have to pull it.

AT

46270

dont you really think a 50 bmg projectile would be destoryed
after hit a skull[:p]