I just read about paper patched cast bullets in HANDLOADER MAG.. I was wondering if any of You ,use them. Did it make a difference for you. Thanks Jeff

Also, it was interesting to see how you can use a smaller dia. bullet and paper patch it like a sabot. NEW THINGS ARE REALLY OLD!!!!! HUM.

Have used it, and it works, but not with vastly undersized bullets. Nor to it than just wrapping the bullet, the bullet inside the paper has to be "almost" large enough (close to the land-to-land diameter) for it to work well.

Is a type of sabot more than a jacket, but the bullet still has to be supported by the bore.

Have used it, and it works, but not with vastly undersized bullets. Nor to it than just wrapping the bullet, the bullet inside the paper has to be "almost" large enough (close to the land-to-land diameter) for it to work well.

Is a type of sabot more than a jacket, but the bullet still has to be supported by the bore.


Read PAPER PATCHED BULLETS by Ross Seyfried
in Dec, 2002 No. 220 Handloader

He rolls till he gets bore dia. then they are applied with Rooster Jacket lub. , Jeff

HAve read it...have tried it...not getting the results he is. If I start with a bullet that just rides the top of the lands or even one that slides down the bore by it's own weight, but doesn't rattle, then paper patch it, get accuracy as good or better than with any other loading style. IF I start with a bullet too small and patch it, accuracy isn't as good.

Lets say it's a 50cal with a .502" land-to-land measure and a .514" groove to groove (and I have a 50-70 that pretty well matches this). IF I start with a .501-.503" bullet for patching, accuracy is fine (once I get all the other variables worked out).

Try a .496" bullet (with a third wrap, it comes out the same diameter over the paper) and accuracy is poosr no matter how I juggle the varibles.

Am sure the results in the Rifle article are real,,,just that they don't work for the rifles I use have nearly as well as they did for him.

I bet ,seating them without upsetting the paper is tough?

Seating hasn't been a big problem so loand as the bullets aren't patched to a size much larger than an equivenent cast bullet would be. Shooting BP usually means some neck tension fiddling reguardless of the type of bullet used, but single shots usually live fine with no crimp once you get neck tension right.

Usually load so that the paper patch is a tight fit to the rifling and no crimp but the belled case neck turned back to nearly straight.

Works out of a magazine, too, if you have enuf neck tension. ribbonstone is right; I've made the mistake of trying to compensate for insufficient neck tension by crimping - just cut the paper off.

Just bell the case with a Lyman M die.

It works best if the bullet is .0005" to .001" bigger than the bore diameter. The paper patch should build it up to .001" to .002" over groove diameter.

I'll recommend Paul Mathews' book "The Paper Jacket." That's where I got most of my info.

Paper patching SOUNDS like a lot of work but, with Mr. Mathews' recommended setup (paper cutter & patching board) I find it quicker and easier than hand-lubing cast. And, even with fifty-year-old hands and eyes, I can still patch for my 6.5 mm but I don't want to go smaller than that.

91

I have shot paper patched 45 cal bullets from several rifles. Look at the Lee dies for a given caliber. The expander die must have a gentle angle to avoid tearing the patch. I modified one of my RCBS expander dies to the diagram in Paul Matthews book about paper patching. Found the inexpensive Lee dies now have the correct gentle taper needed.

Have used pure lead for 45-70 and hardened for the 458 Win Mag. The 458 drives a 540gr hardened Paper Patch at almost 2000fps. Would like to shoot an Elephant someday with it, in my dreams.

Get a Lee sizing die in your caliber and run the bullets through it after patching and lubing. Heat the die with a heat gun or hairdrier to a hot to touch temp. It really tightens the patch.

Get the Matthews book about patching. It is full of suggestions. A friend, new to paper patching, just verified the proper taper on the new Lee dies.

Thanks ,Guy's

Whats the best belling die for bottleneck Cal.????

Thanks ,Guy's

Whats the best belling die for bottleneck Cal.????
The Lyman 'M' die is all that you really need. If you are experimenting with an over sized diameter bullet,use a larger caliber expander very sparingly.
I.myself,have never had any good luck with oversized bullets.
Frank