-Twisted tail, or folded? (-AGAIN now!)

[christian]

Guys...

I read all your words..
-Have to, 'cause I'm a beginner with PP bullets.
__________________________________________________ ____________

Again:

-Should we TWIST or FOLD our paper-tail to help us along to finest accuracy ?!

Chr.

[montana_charlie]

I said this, yesterday...
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...1&postcount=58

You can decide for yourself.
CM

[303Guy]

You could compromise and combine both! This is what it looks like like. I call it 'fold crimping' 'cause it kinda folds and crimps and also twists and is real easy to do (for me).



Smaller 'eye' and no 'eye'.



There's only one 'small problem' - I don't have any bench results to say if it's any good! (Yet).

For now I have opted to trial the very small 'eye'. I have to start somewhere.

[bcp477]

Oh bloody heck. Here we go again.

According to MY experience...... it will not matter. However, my experience is limited to smokeless, medium calibre cartridges. It probably makes no difference whether you are shooting smokeless or BP..... only what dia. the bullets are (and thus, the ease or difficulty of folding the bases).

It is much easier to twist tails on the small to medium calibre bullets...... (.30 cal., 8mm, etc..... and smaller). According to my testing, there is no difference in accuracy between twisted tails (clipped off after drying and flattened)..... and folded tails. Because I have found no difference, I twist mine, then clip them off and flatten them against a flat surface (table top). The ease or difficulty of folding the patch base will vary somewhat, based on the thickness (and relative stiffness) of the patch paper you are using.

If you are shooting a larger calibre, such as .45 or .50, it is easy to fold the patch on the bullet base. For these larger calibres, folding the base is what I would do (and what is recommended by the large calibre shooters here). If you can do a good job of it on the smaller calibres, then I would fold them, too. I can't, so I twist tails (but, as I said, I see no difference in accuracy, either way).

In my opinion, folded bases are probably the better way to go, IF it can be done easily, as this will produce a more consistent patch. However, NO one can prove that one technique or the other will produce more accuracy - many will argue differently - but they cannot PROVE it.

In conclusion, here is what YOU should do. TRY BOTH - AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.

[montana_charlie]

If you are shooting a larger calibre, such as .45 or .50, it is easy to fold the patch on the bullet base. For these larger calibres, folding the base is what I would do (and what is recommended by the large calibre shooters here).

He shoots an A-Square fifty...

303Guy,
Looks like a base fold on a .30 is no problemo for you, Bud.
CM

[303Guy]

I found a simple technique for doing it. I tried to take some pics to show how but I came unstuck due to the lack of three hands!

Basically I roll the skirt with my finger half over the boolit base and press into the foam pad as I roll. This puts a crease over the boolit edge. Next, I use two hands and two fingers to roll and ease the finger overhanging the base to the base itself, now 'crimping' the skirt with the side of my finger.

This is it ready to be flattened and dried. It's pretty flat already.



And dried.



I gave this one a larger 'eye', thinking it would be clearer. The shorter the overhang, the neater the fold/crimp.

This somewhat poor pic shows where the lines and markings come from. This is a 'printed' patch ready on the rolling pad.

[rhead]

Would you rather make me happy or make your rifle happy. It doesn't take long to try both ways. Most of the time it will not matter but sometimes you will find a rifle that will prefer one over the other.