bore wear?

[gungadoug]

OK, just acquired a Belgian Cape in 12 Ga. x 450 BPE. Large bore dia! So, I need at a minimum .463 dia. I can PP a .458 sized down to .450 (which I have on the shelf) and then go to .464", and it works! The question is, disregarding the details, is the PP causing a lot of wear to the bore? Sure leaves it shiney!!

The option is to get a custom GG mould made, and a custom sizer- or bump up .458 cast boolets. Now, the investment in the GG setup is sizable, and being of a cheap nature, I can wrap a lot of PP for near nothing.

So-- opinions? Just how abrasive is the paper ( using printer paper to get the desired dia), am I doing this fine rifle with Henry rifling an injustice ?

Thanks, Doug

[docone31]

Paper patch.
It does a rifle proud. Makes the bore shine.

[geargnasher]

It depends. Lubricating the patch most definitely reduces friction and barrel heat. You might enjoy reading the "Paper 101" sticky in the black powder patching section, the content of certain abrasive substances and what papers contain them is discussed at length.

Softer barrels may actually wear with high-clay papers, but I don't know anyone who's worn out a modern barrel with paper patching. Most of the wear is happening on account of powder anyway due to the way we tend to push them as hard as copper-jacketed bullets. Barrels have a finite lifespan regardless of what you shoot in them, just take it into consideration.

Gear

[I'll Make Mine]

Paper is softer than either lead or gilding metal. The only concern is what might be added to the paper (whiteners of various sorts, specifically). Get paper that's made without that stuff, and it'll be easier on your bore than anything else you can shoot. Buy some scrap newsprint from your local daily paper, maybe -- a hundred pounds is near to a lifetime supply and will cost you $20. No glaze, whiteners, etc. in that stuff, and the thickness is similar to the green bar everyone likes. Green bar used to be in the same class, but I've seen green bar that's hard and bright, like copier paper, more recently than the soft, recycled-looking stuff I used to get at the computer center back around 1980.

[facetious]

I have worked in a news paper press room for over 30 years and i can tell you that newsprint is not the best. If you saw all the filler, clay and what ever thy put in it to keep the ink from bleeding through you wouldn't use it . The stuff is every were , it comes off on its way through the press. It has to be the lowest grade there is, it is made to be as cheep as thy can make it and still run through the press with out braking and last long enough to make into the trash tomorrow . As for wear I saw old letterpress's that had ran for years and if wear was that bad there would be grooves wore in to the former boards and and turner bars, I have never heard of one wearing out, when thy got rid of them those parts looked like thy were new but thy were shiny!! And don't buy the stuff, ask if you could have some blank papers from the trash for your bird cage. The stuff will not last, it will turn yellow get brittle and you will end up putting it in your trash.

[pdawg_shooter]

Yo wont live long enough to shoot out a barrel with paper patch bullets.

[gungadoug]

Guess that kinda answers the question! I've been using printer paper, 20 #, as that gets the boolet up to where it needs to be.
Thanks, Doug

[edwin41]

Yo wont live long enough to shoot out a barrel with paper patch bullets.


i think you are right here pdawg... but im sure gonna try it !

[xs hedspace]

I thought the critical thing was the rag content, so it held together when rolling it damp, and shrinks down when dry. Been using the same 8 lb onionskin pack since 1980. Do they still make typewriter onionskin? It was for carbon copies, for you young folks out there.....

[I'll Make Mine]

There are specialty paper vendors who still carry paper equivalent to onionskin -- same weight, same cotton content, possibly a little softer (these days, it's sold mainly to fountain pen users).

[xs hedspace]

Ahh, fountain pens! Ruined a few good school clothes, as I remember. My school desks still had holes in them for inkwells(40s-50s).

[I'll Make Mine]

Ahh, fountain pens! Ruined a few good school clothes, as I remember. My school desks still had holes in them for inkwells(40s-50s).

I recall ruining at least a couple shirts with ball point pens, too -- at least the school ink I used in my fountain pen was washable. These days, I use "bulletproof" inks -- cellulose reactive dyes that are ineradicable once dry on a cellulose substrate. I've got half a dozen that date from before WWII (including one that belonged to my grandmother before my mother was born), a Parker 51 with a date code from 1945, and a number of modern ones.

[303Guy]

I recall reading about the paper requirements for paper patching and zero clay content was indicated. Being an 'official' requirement I would think it came from the days of 'official' paper patching which would have been in the black powder era with softer barrel steels. Not sure if there's any truth in it.

[pdawg_shooter]

When people say paper will damage a barrel because see how paper will dull a knife tell them to try this. Sharpen your knife and go cut some paper. Say 300 or 400 pieces. See how dull your knife is? Now resharpen that same knife, just as sharp as in the first test, and see how many jacketed bullets you can cut!

[jaysouth]

Pdawg shooter:

Dang it, I just hate it when people resort to common sense and facts. You just ruined a good urban legend.

[Old Coot]

IF you have ever been to an amusement park or anyplace where a LOT of people go through remember what the wooden or even pipe handrails look like. They are finely polished. I do recall that my hands (especially these days) are a lot softer than wood let alone steel.
Brodie

[303Guy]

Do copper jaxketed bullets actually wear a bore? If so then how come it's the muzzle that wears out first? Chopping off the muzzle bit often restores accuracy. Is it not the bullet rubbing over dirt in the bore and powder erosion that wears it?

I've seen a 22lr bore in which the throat area was worn to the extent that there was no visible rifling but very obvious wear. It was a target gun that shot many thousands of rounds. It was also old so likely soft steel.

I've also looked down some pretty old Martini Henry bores and there was no sign of wear. Rust pits yes, but no wear. Then again it's hard to imagine anyone firing thousands of 577-450 rounds through one, even in battle.

[johnson1942]

paperpatching used to be sort of rare but the secret is out and new converts every day are added to the group. it is so easy to do with such great results, thats why it is being revived in a big way. when your standing next to shooters at the range and they are talking about leading problems and shooting alot lighter charges than you and not getting the consistant accracy you are, you will know your on the right track. its easy, fun and it works. i also find you can be quite inventive in paper patching and it still works. keep haveing fun

[pdawg_shooter]

DO NOT display your paper patched rounds at the range! When the other shooters see how well they shoot you will spend all your time answering questions instead of shooting. Believe me, it happens every time.