paper patching pilgrim

[rfd]

it's been a buncha fun delving into the ppb side of bpcr, but thanx to nobade, randy wrights ppb book, brentd, reading the threads and posts of others in this forum here at cast boolits, after a few months of trial (and error) learning the ropes i finally got to build some ppb rounds and light ten of 'em off this morning @ the 200 yard range.

i cast the slicks - accurate mold 45-505xr - that dropped at .4415" and 487 grains with 1:20 alloy. drop filled 80 grains of swiss 1-1/2f into redding neck sized starline cases that were federal 210 primed. after pushing in a .025" milk carton wad and a pair of .002" newsprint wads, i compressed it all just a bit that allowed a patched bullet to sit in about .187" into the brass. i used papermill onion skin to wrap the bullets dry, twisted the tails and then cut them off and flush with flush cut fretting nippers. pushed the bullets into the brass and ran the resulting cartridges into a lyman neck taper die for just a tad of neck tension.







the resulting ppb cartridges are 3.155" long and require pulling back the roller's hammer in order to get one into the chamber. the paper hits the leade and rifling with about 5/8" or so proud of the chamber mouth and rolling in the breech easily seats the bullet into the bore, no problem, no special seater required. neat.



for a first time out with ppb's, i had hopes of just hitting the 4x4 backstop and not having sideways bullets, but it went a bit better. the first 3 rounds hit low and left (the rifle was set up for greasers), i tweaked the vernier, then the next 2 went almost into one hole at the top of the X ring - just lucky, for sure. the 1st round on the next target was almost off the paper - the added recoil do take me some getting used to! - then i started walking the bullets home. wiped between shots with 1:10 ballistol:distilled water, dry patch for the bore, and then a dry chamber swab.

this is all of the patching confetti that i could find, about ten feet out on the grass. there was no leading of the bore at all, rifle clean up was easy.



this was real fun stuff and now i'm hooked on patching bullets. lots more to experience, and learn, but that's all part of the ppb bpcr fun, eh?

[BrentD]

congratulations! you are now a member of the club!

[Lead pot]

Now eliminate one or two more steps. Cur your patch a little more narrow and use those nippers your using on the twisted tail and use it for trimming toe nails and leave some lead showing in the center of the bullet base and your groups will shrink a little more.
You have a good start.......Kurt

[BrentD]

What Kurt said, plus, pour a few grains more powder and seat your bullet further out of the case if your rifle will allow it. About 0.10" or less in the case is ideal. And, add a second card wad or find one about 2x thicker than you have.

Your paper patches look good, which means the second wad may not matter much, but give it a try.

[rfd]

thanx for the encouragement, fellers - much appreciated.

yep, i'm gonna eliminate the twisting and leave donut hole for the lead base to peep through - was told that before but didn't listen 'cause twisting made for such a nice sharp paper base edge. i can seat the bullet out further with more powder or more/thicker wads, and then there's the compression issue - lots to try. i did punch out some .060" ldpe wads with the cornell die, but they were hard to stuff into the necked down case mouth. maybe .030" will be easier and i can use a pair. so much to mess around with, one thing at a time.

but dang, y'all got me HOOKED GOOD - thanx again!

[Huvius]

Watching your video, it looks like you sight in and then adjust your whole grip to get to the trigger. Why is that?
This may have just been with that particular shot with a very light trigger but if this is the norm, your groups will shrink significantly if you establish your grip first and move only your index finger for the shot.
I know... basic stuff but I thought that shot looked hurried at the end.

[country gent]

A piece of flat leather pad and set bullet on it with a quick light twist does a nice job of forming a tight flat base with out the twist. I wrap witht he "donut hole" base and grpoups got smaller and rounder. Finding the confetti is a big plus it shows you how well the patch is holding up. Play with compression on the powder. seating depths and neck size dia, SOmetimes a little lighter or heavier makes a diffrence.

[Toymaker]

Encouraging, rfd. Thank you.

[mrhunterken]

Looks like the 200 yd. line @ Cherry Ridge, I'm there on most Thursday's. hope to meet you.

[rfd]

yep, cherry ridge, my anjrpc home club - without it, shootin' outdoors 'round north jersey would not be easy, if at all. i only shoot there during the week.