After years of PP, I'm done with it.

[45-70 Ranger]

Well folks, I'm through. I've paper patched rounds for many a year, but I'm tired of it. As far as accuracy, my cast greased projectiles are just as accurate as my paper patched rounds. I'm down to only one centerfire rifle now, as I'm retired and always broke.

I sat down last night and was wetting the patches and rolling rounds when it hit me. I have to be soooo careful not to tear the paper. Don't get it too wet. Oh, and don't let the tail be too loose. As I was sitting there I was thinking to myself I'm wasting my time with this. I no longer compete. All my real good bigbores are gone. Just have a short Marlin in 45-70. I shoot hogs at ranges no further than 75 to 100 yards. I don't need to PP anymore. My hands hurt me all the time now and it is getting harder and harder to roll patched rounds. So, I'm done. It actually hurts to do this now.

To those involved with paper patching and are just learning, have fun with it. I've had my fun with this end of our sport, but I'm tired of wearing myself out with the extra details and will no longer continue. A fellow PP'er once said, "Well this is a dying art with obsolete powders and methods. It's no wonder we're old and looked upon as relics." This old relic is going to pasture now from PP rounds.

Later,
Wade

[Bullshop]

Hear hear Long live the grease groove!!! Long live Speed Green! Long live SGC! Long live NASA! Long live Lotak! Lube stars forever!!!

[pdawg_shooter]

Well, I have been patching for better than 40 years now. I still get better accuracy at higher velocity than I have ever achieved without paper. So I guess I will stick with the paper. Works for me.

[45-70 Ranger]

pdawg shooter,

I agree that at higher vel, PP is the way to go. I just shoot now around 1200 fps, and the greased slugs are fine for me there. My hands simply ache after rolling, twisting, and all the fine points need to form good PP rounds. So that's why I quit, just got to be too much for me there....

Wade

[Bullshop]

Higher than what?

[pdawg_shooter]

Higher than I could achieve with lubed bare cast. It allows me to use a softer alloy for hunting while maintaining full velocity. Like just over 3000fps with a 16.0 BHN alloy.

[DIRT Farmer]

I unde stand there are a few things that I enjoyed in the past that because of pain and lack of endurance just aren't fun anymore, but I have just began PP.
Bull shop, I get a lube star on the muzzle of the Savage 2 grouve with dry PP. The powder fouling leaves the same pattern as a GG does in my 03-A3.

[303Guy]

I've been dry patching which requires some serious twisting of the patch with the fingers to get them real tight and yes, it does hurt! I'm now playing with a wet patch that rolls on easy, has no tail and dries tight and smooth. Progress is slow as work keeps interfering!:mrgreen: That and the desire to just hit the sack!:roll:

I still need to pull out my mint bore two-groove and get her shooting with patched boolits. DIRT Farmer has inspired me!:drinks:

[Catch]

I understand how you feel. Sometimes we just have to make a change. Sometimes we figure a better way to do it. I'm old, and sore and retired, but two things I won't give up, are paper patching and sex. I'm not much good at either but I love em both and just do it a little slower.
To each his own. Its good to share how you feel.

[bigted]

LOL!!!!!!! yep i understand the slower thing. let the kids run n spree to their hearts content...we used to do the same ya know...then age...not common sense like folks think...cought up n now the slower is better croud is doing things slightly better and with more finess and the only thing i recon it is is just old age slowness that allows us to catch stuff that a speeding train just runs over n wonders what the comotion is behind them.

keep shooting friend and the pp'ing thing is not the end but just like trying to exit a sports car after driving it wayyyyy too fast....its just gonna take some time to get er done. keep yer chin up and dont feel bad as there are a few both ahead of ya and some behind ya and this is just life bubba.

[DIRT Farmer]

303 Guy you and others walked me through the process, then there are the guys at Friendship who I was able to spend some time with and watch them wrap. I have been close several times over the years but with mentors to keep me on track and not lose sight of where I was headed, man it feels great to know I can wrap a few and expect them to go close to where I want them.