Storing PaperPatched Bullets

[Themoose]

I spent some time yesterday casting a couple hundred bullets for my .45ML. My question is about storage of the bullets... I have several of the plastic containers that will hold 50 bullets and have them sorted by weight into each labeled container... can I patch and size them now or should I wait until just prior to shooting? I have only dry patched with onion skin paper before sizing..I don't wet patch or use any adhesives. I do not have a clue what time and humidity may do to the patching. I'm sure some of you veterans have an opinion on the subject so I thought I would ask.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kindest regards,

TheMoose

[Mike Malat]

While still a noob myself, what I do is patch when I have the time and store them in the plastic/styrofoam handgun trays you get with factory ammo. Dumpster dive for those at the local range. :-) . 40 S&W works well for my 40 cal BPCR boolits and 45 ACP containers work for the 45 Cal. Stack them on the shelf and when I'm ready to load, pull a tray down and ready to go. Basement is dry so no issues with humidity on the paper.

[johnson1942]

i patch ahead of time and put them in a box together. if i use alox or a good floor wax that dries very well and doesnt soak the paper i lube right away and the paper isnt hurt. i tried a oil lube once and the paper was ruined after a couple of weeks. im starting to switch all my paperpatching to the chase single wrap system and that is just putting the patch on as you load. i find it such a reliable simple system and i pretty much got enough reduceing dies so i can switch all my guns to that method.

[mikeym1a]

I'm still learning to patch, but use the traditional 2 wrap method. I use LLA, and after the patch is dry, I apply a coating of LLA to the patch, and then push it through one of the Lee style sizers I have, to make it the right size. After it comes out, I use the alox on my fingers to make sure that there is a coating of it on the patch. Due to mistakes I have made, I have had to take the patch off a bunch of these boolits. the alox never penetrates past the first layer. The second layer, next to the boolit, is just paper. Some of my patched boolits look really dried out after 6 months, but, the paper is still firm and tight. Hope this helps. mikey

[country gent]

I have heard of original PP bullets being found in buildings and shot 100 years later with acceptable results. All you can do is test. Patch 100 up using your technique and set them back shoot 10 at 1 month and see how they perform to the contorl groups, then every month shoot 10 shots to see how the compare. 100 rounds will give 10 months of data. Sometimes the actual paper used lube or lack of can make a diffrence.

[idahoron]

I normally have a couple hundred poured up. When I made yours I made up 400 if I remember right. I keep most in a plastic bottle that is marked and the weight range listed on it. I leave them in the bottle until I need bullets and I wrap 50 or 100 depending on what I think I need. I have around 100 of each bullet at all times paper patched and sized and ready to go. I live in a dry area in Idaho and I have never seen a problem with the paper degrading with moisture in the air. I have used some lube that will ruin paper. Patch some up leave them in a box like I sent you and you should be fine. Ron

[Themoose]

Thanks folks for your replies. I appreciate the help. Mike

[zuke]

You can also get nice styrofoam tray's from the place's that do bloodwork. Just ask, I picked up a couple dozen that way.

[deep creek]

i go to the dollar store and buy those little gift boxes .Ive had pp boolits in them for two years no problem.