Going Paper Crazy.

[GregLaROCHE]

I have been patching with tracing paper, but I think I can find something better. I’ve read through the sticky on paper, very interesting, but it makes it even more complicated.

I started to look on Amazon. First paper. All sorts of stuff,but nothing right. Then rag paper, but too much to choose from. I also tried onion, linen, Cotten, and more. What to get?

I’m open to trying several different ones just to be sure, but can’t figure out which. Can anyone help me by looking on Amazon and trying to point out the right stuff?

Thanks.

[Edward]

Google B.AC.O and buy there ,lots of thickness and just know what you need/Ed

[GregLaROCHE]

I thought I once saw some paper for sale at BACO, but yesterday I couldn’t find a thing searching paper, patching paper and a lot more. Their sight doesn’t seem to be the easiest to use and since I use a tablet much of the right side is cut off. I contacted them and they said that was normal with a tablet and there was nothing I could do.

[Gunlaker]

I use a lot of Seth Cole 55W. It is quite thin at around 0.0016". This paper is still being produced. The other paper I use is Esleeck onionskin. This stuff was discontinued some time ago but you can occasionally find some on the internet. It is about 0.002" think which is as thick as I'd consider using.

Chris.

[GregLaROCHE]

Well I found paper on BACO site. Only one type. I guess it will have to do.

If someone else is searching for it on their sight, you must search PPPAPER to find it.

[Mr_Sheesh]

https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloadin...sheets-pppaper Onion Skin

[country gent]

I am currently using the seth cole 55w paper for patching mines running about .0018 thick. I have used various tracing papers from office max and business supply stores. A pad isn't expensive but the problem is if it works and you go back for more the same brand and # may not be the same as it was. Once you find what works buy a big supply.

[rfd]

fidelity onion skin ....

https://www.thepapermillstore.com/fi...ml?query=onion

[GregLaROCHE]

fidelity onion skin ....

https://www.thepapermillstore.com/fi...ml?query=onion

I just ordered from BACO. Is it the same stuff? Next time I’ll give the other a try. Do any of them have a rag content?

Thanks

[Don Purcell]

I bought some from Office Max that comes on a roll. Its very thin and works well but needs care when rolled damp, dry is no problem.

[BrentD]

Good sources of paper include:
Amazon "Tracing Paper". There are many varieties that are very good. Many of them come in rolls. They are, most frequently, 8 lb papers and a little thinner than the next source

Ebay often has different varieties of "Onionskin paper" for sale. These are usually obsolete and generally 9 lbs in weight so a very small amount thicker than the papers above. They often have a a "cockle" finish. some of the sellers want obscene amounts of money for a few sheets of paper, so shop around and make sure they haven't exceeded your personal definition of obscenely expensive.

Neither of these types of papers are likely to be 100% cotton. Many are 25% which is just fine and dandy. 100% cotton won't buy you a single point in any match. No cotton may work fine but I tend to tear it accidentally more often when wrapping, so I like the 25% stuff.

Brent

[GregLaROCHE]

One question. Is onionskin paper and tracing paper the same thing? Does one have 25% cotton in it and the other not?

[Dan Cash]

One question. Is onionskin paper and tracing paper the same thing? Does one have 25% cotton in it and the other not?

They are not necessarily the same. I would not worry about finding "rag" content as it does not seem to make any difference in my opinion. I have been using Pacon Corp Artist, Mead Academie and Darcie Studio 71 tracing papers with great and equal success. They are all a nominal .002 thick, fairly uniform across the sheet and between brands. Only thing to note is the direction of stretch or damp curl is different between brands; not a big issue. As noted, when you find something that works satisfactorily, buy a bunch.

[BrentD]

One question. Is onionskin paper and tracing paper the same thing? Does one have 25% cotton in it and the other not?

They are more or less the same thing. Just a marketing terminology I suppose. Both can have 25% cotton. They are just good terms to use in search engines that have provided me with lots of options.

[Gunlaker]

The only thing I'd add is that if you can find a brand with a known thickness then it's best to go with that. I've seen a few tracing paper pads that had paper that was too thick to be useful. One had the thickness right but a weird finish that made the paper extremely tough and caused it to stick like glue when patched wet.

I bought the Esleeck onionskin paper because this is the same as what BACO used to sell and it worked quite well. A couple of years ago someone on this site posted a link to a company called BeeCrafty that had some for sale. I bought some 100% cotton and some 25%.

The Seth Cole 55W seems to be the easiest to find and works well wet or dry patched. I'm still undecided as to whether I like this thinner paper more than the 0.002" thick Esleeck onionskin. Of course it depends on your bullet diameter.

Chris.

[Gunlaker]

Oh this might be useful. This thread contains a list of various types of paper, just scroll down a bit:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ion-Skin-paper

[GregLaROCHE]

There seems to be a lot to figuring out what paper to get and where. I just ordered from BACO, but I am not sure it is the same paper they sold before. Nothing said about any cotton in it.

I saw coffee filters mentioned. Has anyone tried them ? I would think they would tend to be a bit thick. What about old dictionary pages?

Thanks for all the help and info I’m getting.

[BrentD]

If you want to try something different - super tough and slippery and weatherproof, try cooking parchment paper.

There are probably lots of tracing papers but the ones that come up easily in Amazon, like Bee, or Staedtler have worked very well for me. They are also quite cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Bee-Paper-Ske...ing+paper+roll

https://www.amazon.com/Sketch-Paper-...+tracing+paper

Bienfang also makes a great quality paper. I have NOT tried their tracing paper, but have used some heavier stuff when I want a fatter bullet. Great paper as well.

There are so many papers out there that work well. None of them, however, are magic. What matters is a good fit to your bore with a given bullet. I recommend buy the paper first, then a mould to match. That said, you can fine tune, especially with downsizing using push through sizing dies from Lee to get it just right.

A lot of new paper patch shooters WAY over think things like paper rag content, while missing out on more critical details like bore fit, nose profile, and alloy or seating depth.

This is really too much fun to spoil it by making it hard or complicated.

[GregLaROCHE]

You’re right. This has to stay fun.

I’ve paper patched for my Marlin .45-70 with smokeless and it worked fine. Now I want to start using BP. My Marlin I am using as a test platform, is just to get things sorted out with BP and paper patching. I plan to buy a gun that is much better suited for this in the future. I’m not even sure what I will buy, but as I experiment I am learning a lot about what to buy. Therefore, the mold etc, I prefer to wait on.

[BrentD]

I too shoot a marlin, several of them. But I haven't shot them with paper patches. Black, yes. Paper no. I know it can be done. Paul Matthews did quite a bit of it for his book "The Paper Jacket".

But it will be VERY different than the paper patching that most people here do for their single shots. For your Marlin, your OAL is very limited by the loading gate and the cartridge carrier. For these reasons, you will be better off with large diameter bullets that are, essentially, the same diameter as smokeless, or grease groove bullets. And they will be seated deeply in the case. This is completely opposite of what we do with single shots for maximum accuracy (land diameter seated far out of the case).

Just for comparison, the OAL of my singleshot ammo is 3.5". You can't get that into your gun, and you won't get it back out if you did. So, very different world. You will need a different type of mould for the Marlin.