Boolit Surface

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
I know Boolits with grooves are best to hold the paper better. In many cases the cast boolits we use have to be sized to the degree that little of the grooves remain. Some boolits have a long borerider portions with no possible groove for almost half the boolit length. Some use home made molds (like 303guy) with no grooves at all. Is there any way to improve the hold of the paper when there is little or nothing for the paper to shrink into? Possibly rolling the boolit on a file to get a better grip. I have thought you could tumble boolits with a handfull of small screws or nuts to texture the slugs . I don't know if either of these can work. Any other ideas?
Thanks
n.h.schmidt

[dnepr]

patching wet I don't have a problem with patch grip on smooth sided boolits but if I did I like the idea of rolling them on a file

[bearcove]

Put them on bench put file on them and roll them. Depending on file and pressure the sky's the limit.

[6.5 mike]

If you roll them lightly on a med double cut file it puts a light knurling on them, this is also a way to increase the size about a 0.001 or so. If your new to pp'ing it's a good way to develope the "feel" for how the paper will act as you roll it. I've used a flat piece of alum on top, adjust your pressure to get the effect you want.

[giz189]

I think you will get some arguments about gg boolits being best for paper patching.

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi guys
Thanks for the replys. It looks like a file may be the way to go ,if needed.
My assertion of grooved boolits being best for the PP boolit was mostly for the higher speed end like 2500 fps or more. It is likely not needed for slower pp boolits. I am getting this from my old and much read NRA Cast Bullet Book. A lot of effort went into developing PP for high speed in this book.
In my attempts in the last couple of months I have used a half dozen paper types.
Some don't shrink much or at all. They would also bunch up and not size when pushed through a sizer. Not a good thing and would probably do the same upon shooting. The worst is a tablet of graff paper claimed to be bond. No shrinkage at all and easy to tear when wet. That bunched up at sizeing until a file pattern was rolled on the boolit surface. I haven't yet shot these boolits.
Best for shrinkage so far have been vellum and plain old copy paper.
Life was easier when I cold still get 16# typewriter bond paper. That served for everything.
n.h.schmidt

[pdawg_shooter]

I have always had better luck with grooved bullets. Over the years I have had and sold half a dozen molds for smooth sided bullets. I like the better grip and grooved bullets hold a bit more lube after the final pas through the die.

[giz189]

Actually, I shoot both, however, Paul Matthews and Randolph Wright recommend "slicks" IIRC. I believe the Sharps Rifle Co. moulds that came with the originals were also smooth. I really cant tell much difference in my shooting with them, although I don't shoot much farther than 150 yds.

[docone31]

I got some "slicks" to try. I wrapped them and I had no idea where they hit.
I went back to my "regular" castings, and went back to hitting the target.
Same load, same paper, same sizeing.
They didn't work for me.
They were the coolest looking castings I had seen though.

[303Guy]

Weren't all the original paper patched boolits smooth sided? I use them but mine are pretty soft so the paper grips them when subject to case neck pressure and forcing cone pressure.

[goodsteel]

I have used the file trick and it worked purdy well. If you use a file, a rough cut bastard works best. Also, be sure to get a peace of semi soft leather to roll on, otherwise the file is laying down the law on one side and the hard work surface is flattening the peaks as you go.

[6.5 mike]

That's why I use the alum, knocks the points down, helps keep from tearing the wet patch, but leaves enough to grip the paper as it dries. Just another way to do it. I place the file down then roll the boolits across it. Seems easier to get the effect I'm looking for.

[303Guy]

When I have done that trick, I have used two files - one to lay the boolit on and the other to roll it with. I use bastard small files. One flat and the other square to get into the irregularities of its shape.