revolver paper patch?

[TREERAT]

would it be safe to try this:

ruger blackhawk
.357 mag
158g bb/swc
PAPER PATCHED
start with hodgdons max load of lil'gun for the 180g jacket, which should be close to a start load for 158g?

how will the paper patch respond going from chamber throat to forcing cone? can it handle the transition?

have plenty of experience pp a .358 win, so I have the right sizer and paper, just unsure about doing it in a revolver?

[longbow]

While I have not tried PP in a revovler myself, I have an article in an old magazine (maybe 20 years old) that got me interested in building a paper patch mould for my .44 Marlin. The article was about paper patched boolits for revolver/rifle combos in .44 mag. and .45 Colt.

The author claimed good accuracy from the revolvers. I would have to dig to find the magazine to get specifics.

I can't see any reason it would be unsafe even if it was not successful as long as the final patched boolit suits the barrel dimensions.

Might take a bit of careful measuring or trial and error to make sure the patched boolits fit the cylinder throats. I am thinking the patch should extend into the throat to center things up.

FWIW

Longbow

[lwknight]

I've been patching for my SBH and SRH and so far so good. I had better than ever accuracy with the SBH that never was all that anyway and the SRH was good as usual.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=71210

[HollowPoint]

I've just accumulated the last of the components needed for paper patching for my SBH Hunter revolver.

When I slugged the barrel of this revolver and the Puma M92 in the same caliber that I now shoot the same size cast bullets in, I was amazed at the differences.

The rifle slugged out at .427 bore and .432 groove sizes. The SBH was .417 bore and .429 groove.
I've been shooting the same .431 gas checked cast boolits out of both with excellent accuracy.

If I understand it correctly, on PP bullets, you size to the bore and wrap them to the Groove size of the barrel. Is this correct?
I ask because .427 and .417 is a pretty big difference in bore diameter. I don't know that I'll be able to get away with using the same size for both the BlackHawk and the Puma.

Tell me if I'm wrong on this please.

HollowPoint

[303Guy]

I don't know but I am most interested! I am guessing that it would work pretty good once the optimum 'recipe' has been found and I'm pretty confident there is such a correct recipe - more than one in fact. Safety? I can't see a problem (remembering that you know what you are doing - just the fact that you asked proves that to me!)

I would say "sizing to bore and patching to groove" is a rule of thumb that works most times but the objective is to patch to groove (or a bit larger).

HollowPoint , I would hazard a guess that you would indeed get away with it!

To give some idea of what I get away with, I basically have a three-diameter boolit. The bore ride section, the throat fit section (not groove diam) and the unsized case neck fit section. My PPCBoo's are getting partly sized down at the throat! Just as long as the boolit base comes out square and without rifling or other induced feathering.:Fire:

I can see the potential for a whole lot of fun with this project!:bigsmyl2:

[Bullshop Junior]

I just want to know why? you can't really shoot a 357 pistol at that high of velocity. There really is no reason to do it. Even in my Marlin 94c I see no reason for paper patch. I shoot full power load in it with out leading and good accuracy.

[303Guy]

I just want to know why?It's the fun factor!:mrgreen:

[lwknight]

I just want to know why?

Its the fun of getting soft lead to shoot at jacketed velocities without leading and to perform like high tech factory bullets. If we harden up the lead for higher velocities , we lose expansion. The other option is buying high tech copper jacketed HPs.

[Bullshop Junior]

Its the fun of getting soft lead to shoot at jacketed velocities without leading and to perform like high tech factory bullets. If we harden up the lead for higher velocities , we lose expansion. The other option is buying high tech copper jacketed HPs.
Well, Use Speed green. I don't need no paper, and I have shot soft lead HP out of my Marlin at full power with no leading, and good accuracy.

[303Guy]

Aaaaaah!:groner:

Now you gone done spoiled it!:-(

But could you tell us more about this 'Speed green'?:mrgreen:

[lwknight]

Well.... now what am I going to do with all this sorted paper? Speed Green will not make friends give you with strange looks that you get when they see the odd paper cummerbunds on the ammo.

[303Guy]

Well, I was being too polite to ask directly, but does this Speed Green stuff produce spectacular paper dust when firing into the early morning sun? And does it polish your bore? And as lwknight so rightly points out, no one pay no mind to a lubed boolit on the range, but a paper patched boolit is gonna get some invites to a few BBQ's.;-) Not to mention the funny looks. (And wise cracks!) :mrgreen:

I actually had someone give me a box of J-words to try 'save' me all the trouble of paper patching!:D
Mind you, it was 224 J-words for my hornet so maybe he had a point.:wink:

[runfiverun]

speed green is a lube made from bullplate.
it also has an offshoot for case sizing,and a cousin for blackpowder- nasa lube.
the bullplate lube is excellent for keeping lead from sticking to the top of your mold while casting,and don't leave an ashe or build up.
i'll just keep on with the goofy stuff i do now, and go back to being quiet.

[Digital Dan]

I've just accumulated the last of the components needed for paper patching for my SBH Hunter revolver.

When I slugged the barrel of this revolver and the Puma M92 in the same caliber that I now shoot the same size cast bullets in, I was amazed at the differences.

The rifle slugged out at .427 bore and .432 groove sizes. The SBH was .417 bore and .429 groove.
I've been shooting the same .431 gas checked cast boolits out of both with excellent accuracy.

If I understand it correctly, on PP bullets, you size to the bore and wrap them to the Groove size of the barrel. Is this correct?
I ask because .427 and .417 is a pretty big difference in bore diameter. I don't know that I'll be able to get away with using the same size for both the BlackHawk and the Puma.

Tell me if I'm wrong on this please.

HollowPoint

Would size each to bore and patch as appropriate. I've loaded for a SRH with very excellent results. Pure lead over L'il Gun and no leading issues whatsoever. Same loads and dims used as for the Ruger rifle.

[pdawg_shooter]

I am a big fan of paper patching, for rifles. All my cast loads for rifles are patched. Jacketed performance without the cost. However, I gave up patching for my handguns when I found I could get the same performance with lubed bullets without the patch. I shoot a fairly large volume of handgun rounds each year and patching them would reduce my shooting time!

[rhead]

I have shot paper patched boolits in all the revolvers that I also have rifles for. They all work fine using them. If there is any improvement or degradation of performance it is so small that I have not been able to detect it. The only advantage that I can see is the ability to carry only one load for both guns. The only reason to not try it would be for rifle loads that might exceed safe levels for the revolver. In some revolvers the patch may be damaged by the passage from the cylinder into the barrel. The fact that I have not encountered the problem may be a matter of chance but is easy enough to determine for your own revolver.

[Zeek]

For you who have tried this revolver PPCBoo option, did you wrap the PPatch so that it hung down over the nose? I assume that the patch has to be at least STARTED in the cylinder throat, but did you leave any portion of the CBoo core uncovered by the PPatch, other than the point?
Thanks, Zeek

[rhead]

Yes, I always patch mine to have the leading edge slightly past the oglive. I want undamaged paper inside the rifling.

[pdawg_shooter]

Yes, I always patch mine to have the leading edge slightly past the oglive. I want undamaged paper inside the rifling.

+1 on the patch length.

[Chainsaw2]

I have a M1917 S&W .45 ACP/AR that has a slightly rusted barrel that the Chilian Navy considered to be of no concern. Is it practical to PP a .249 dia. 240 gr. CSWC for firing a heavy but slow slug thru this rough bore. It handles the J-words quite well, but I'm interested in doing some experimenting.

jim

[303Guy]

A slightly rust damaged bore might actually be desireable. You might need to lapp the bore to remove sharp edges that will scrape paper or lead but likely not. I have a rifle with a lightly rusted bore which would not pass a patch undamaged. A little lapping and the patches get through intact. I think I just lapped it using Scotch Brite pads. Those are mildly abrasive. I'm now developing a patched boolit load for a rifle with a seriously rust damaged bore and they too can get through intact. I have now found a load that disintegrates the patch without leading the bore. That same bore could not handle a load that worked well in another rifle with a smooth bore.

[Chainsaw2]

Thanks! I hadn't considered Scotch Brite. I have considered using 0000 steel wool wrapped around a bore brush to clean up the bbl.

Paper patching is an interesting subject, and I might also try it out in my .30-30 which has an excellent bore.

[Fire_stick]

Yes, I always patch mine to have the leading edge slightly past the oglive. I want undamaged paper inside the rifling.

I patach my bullets just short of the crimp groove for 38 spcl, 357 in the GP100, and I have detected no issues yet.