for those who like paper patched bullets

[johnson1942]

just finished my new paperpatched .45 cal. i put a 1-18 twist 35 and 1/2 inch long douglas barrel on a nice renagade i had. i have a .440 swageing die and i swaged a nd wrapped 100 620 grain bullets for it. itloves them. i sighted it in at 100 yards the other day, but get itchy to shoot it so yesterday i got a bunch of small frozen left over pumpkins fromrm my boys pumpkin patch and i lined them up 125 yards out in the field behind our deck. it has been my pleasure to shoot 3 of them with 3 shots yesterday and 3 more to day with 3 shots. i shoot with the gun resting on the deck railing. i am amazed at the consistant accracy of this gun. i have a nice peep on the tang. feels good to have something work so good in stead of being cranky. johnson1942

[smoked turkey]

Boy johnson1942, it sounds like you have taken the old renagade to new levels with that new barrel and boolits. I don't have a muzzy in .45 caliber but I hear good things about them. I may have to look into a barrel for mine. Sounds like you are going to enjoy it. I have one of the TC peep sights mounted on mine, but I have a feeling you are talking about a better set up than that. What rear sight do you have?

[johnson1942]

ordered the barrel directly from douglas barrel. the sight is a cheap but solid import i got 20 years ago from dixie. the gun shoots so dang good i cant leave it alone. if the weather is good every day i want to keep blowing up pumpkins, squash and old one gallon milk jugs, juice jugs or any thing else that size. if you have a renagade go for it. check out idahoron's. easy to shoot and a lot of fun. johnson1942

[451 Pete]

Your choice of the TC Renegade was a very good one for the rifle to use for a PP, fast twist , bullet gun. The flat butt stock will help you manage the greater recoil and the patent breech is a lot stronger to contain the greater pressure produced from use of the larger bullet's. One thing you should keep in mind is that a standard percussion nipple will erode rapidly with the higher back pressures generated using the heavyier bullets and will need replaced a lot sooner than when using the lighter projectiles.

just my thoughts .... Pete

[flounder]

That sounds like a great rifle. What size are them bullets before you swage them?
Keep on having fun.

[johnson1942]

to pete and flounder. i use a mag. spark 209 conversion nipple. your right about the butt plate. i could never shoot a cresent shaped one it would kill me. the shot gun type on the renagade and the way the stock is shaped makes it so i never think about the recoil. i use mainly lead wire to swage from. but i think the next batch will be 550 grain as i can buy pure lead smaller 550 grain bullets then just reswage them. i really believe their are a lot of rebarreled renagades out their. i think they are the perfect over the counter gun to build a custom barreled gun off of. i left the barrel round in shape, it gives the gun a kind of milatary look from those days. johnson1942

[curator]

Johnson1942,
How does the Mag Spark work for you? Are you getting a good gas seal at the primer end? I am considering getting a couple for use where I have formerly used platinum lined percussion nipples and #11 caps. Years ago there was a similar product that used small rifle primers and worked great but they have disappeared.

[idahoron]

Sounds like a dandy. I just bought a new barrel. It is a 1" Stainless Green Mountain 45 with a 1-30 twist. I have one on my Hawken and love it. I am getting this one to put in the back of the gun safe for later. Ron

[idahoron]

I forgot to ask is this one a .451 or a .458? Ron

[johnson1942]

to curator and idaho ron. i am totally spoiled with mag sparks. they seal fine. petersoli has a very good 209 conversion nipple for american made breechplugs also. i use both of them. ron stainless is really a good barrel the one on my boys gun cleans easier than any other barrel ive ever owned. the barrel on my renagade is .458 so it shoots the same as a 45/120 sharps. i love the way it really smacks what ever it hits. real authority. johnson1942

[idahoron]

I have a 45 that is .458 on a renegade.
You bullets are .440 so what paper are you using? If you use 9 # onion skin that will take you to .446 to .448 I bet they go down easy. Ron

[johnson1942]

ron. i use number 9 all wood fiber paper from the paper store put on dry. it seems to be tougher in the dry stage than 25 percent cotton when you twist the tails. i then give them a coat of ballistol and when that dries i give then one coat of rooser paper patch lube. they go down easy without being loose. i also think why they shoot so good is that the swageing die is my own design. the bearing surface is longer and the nose is short and the cupped base is deeper for easy bump up. send me some bullets that will fit and i will reswage them for you and you can try them . the die will do any thing under 620 grains. also im a great expermentor., and you wont believe what else wraps around a bullet and shoots good. wax paper. it is slightly thinner than number 9 and of course is put on dry and is allready lubed. it really does work. i remember lee shaver when he gave me that time said they dont have to go down hard for a paper patch bullet to work because black powder can really bump them up. a cupped base and one or two stiff wads behind the bullet help to. johnson 1942

[roverboy]

Man, that is an awesome set up you got there. Do you plan on hunting with it?

[johnson1942]

roverboy. yes ne. has a month long muzzleloader season in dec. their is a lot of st. and fed. land here plus a old buddy of mine lives in the pines and he lets my boy and i hunt his land. i hope i can find something to line up on. this kind of gun would be easy for anyone to build. johnson1942

[idahoron]

Wax paper. I would not have thought of it. I don't see why not. I like the paper patched bullets to be snug but not hard to go down. Your would go down easily. I hope you have good luck with it on the hunt. I am going to try mine on elk later in the month. Ron

[johnson1942]

idahoron. if you ever try wax paper let us know how it works. it is thinner than number 9 so the end results wont have as big diam. but you may have a sizer to presize the bullet to the right size. wax paper is tough also. the size may not even be that diff. enough to make a diff. good luck on your elk hunt. would like to do that some day. im also working on a solid bullet design that will work in all 1-28 twist barrels .50 cal . im haveing a mould made to my blueprint and if it tests out good i will post that in jan. johnson1942