Paper patch a J-bulet?

[Lead melter]

OK, I'm brand new to this specialty, so I know nothing. I do have an idea that I'm trying to see if it may pan out.
I have an H&R Target Classic, 38-55 with the usual oversize bore. I have not slugged it, but can get decent accuracy, 3" groups at 100 yards using issue sights and the Lee .379" boolit as cast [.379-.380"].
I have some Hornady 220 grain FN/SP J-bullets I'd like to try, but the .375 diameter slug is way to small...keyholes at 25 yards. Since I have them, I would like to try them on a deer sized critter.
My question is, is there a way to paper patch this joker, and what would I use? Or is my 'coon dog barking up and empty tree?:???:

[longbow]

From the dimensions you give I don't think you have enough clearance for paper patching - at least from my experience.

The "J" bullets can certainly be paper patched and Ross Seyfreid wrote an article in Guns and Ammo many years ago about paper patching "J" bullets for odd calibers so readily available bullets could be used. It seems to me he even patched 7mm up to .30 cal. using 3 wraps.

I lent the magazine and never got it back so don't have specifics.

What Ross said is to roll the bullet under a file to roughen the surface so the paper would grip. The rest is pretty much standard paper patching.

If you are only trying to fill up the difference between 0.375" and 0.379" though I doubt you you can do it. Normally 2 wraps is used without overlapping at the finish. Even 0.002" is going to give you 0.006" to 0.008" increase. And that with thin fragile paper.

You might try teflon tape again roughening the surface of the bullet first.

Another thought is knurling. I made a grooving tool (sort of annular knurling) which worked for the same sort of problem with a .303 British with a large bore that didn't like standard 0.311" "J" bullets. Knurled they worked fine - it bumped diameter by 0.003" to 0.004" depending on jacket material.

Corbin makes a knurling tool that might work if you have lots of bullets to use or really want to use "J" bullets.

Maybe there is another way of bumping up a "J" bullet by swaging or...?

If not then the teflon tape is cheap and easy to try.

Longbow

[Digital Dan]

There are thinner papers, dress pattern for example. Runs about .0015 or so. Whether it is viable in your gun depends largely on the dimensions, not the bullet material. Slug your bore and get back to us.

[Burrhead51]

CH4D use to make a die to do the "bumping" of bullet diameter I don't know if they still offer these dies but you could check this out on their web site, here's the link
http://www.ch4d.com/
I may have the magazine another member was talking about I know I have read the article and I try and keep all my magazines for references. I'll check. If I have it I'll scan it and post it.

[idahoron]

paper patch it and then resize to what you want. Ron

[Three44s]

Only been reading some on PPing .......... But what about PP a smaller slug into the right dimension?

Maybe a 9.3 mm slug or a .358????

Three 44s

[pdawg_shooter]

Dont worry about the bullet being to big after patching. If it will fit the chamber it will compress after firing. Twenty or so inches and 50,000psi makes a great sizing die!