Weather proofing

[docone31]

How does one weather proof a paper jacket? Down here, the humidity is amazing. I have high speed gravers and I can watch them rust before my eyes.
Does the compression of the case resist moisture from entering the case through the paper jacket?

[bcp477]

The lube I use is Lee Liquid Alox, which forms a varnish-like coating on the paper jacket. This is all the weatherproofing needed. If one is really fanatical or OCD about it....then the (paper) jackets could be sealed with any number of products, from nail varnish to polyurethane spray finish. In most cases, however, the bullet lube will do the trick nicely, all by itself.

[docone31]

Thanks for the info. I was gonna try melted lube just for hars. Dip the tip and wipe off. I might try that method, and the other half in Alox just for comparison.
I do want to use the paper to polish the bore. I like em shiney! A little lube on the tip won't hurt though.

[wonderwolf]

I'm using a mix of beeswax and olive oil. seems to work very well and dries if you mix it a bit heavy with the wax. Apply with your fingers softens the fouling as well.

[405]

Yes, I think the basic beeswax + veg oil lube should work for anything except the extreme. Ditto for alox, alox + bw, etc. I just use Rooster liquid on the patch after rolling and drying. After the Rooster dries (overnight or so) the bullet is seated in the case. Then a light coat of modified Felix + carnauba is smeared on the exposed portion of the patch with the fingers.

Quite a few historic examples of very old military paper patched ammo exist where it appears that after seating the bullet in the case, the bullet to about the case mouth was dipped in melted beeswax or bw + oil or something similar. The thinking/guessing now is that the dipping would have protected the patch and weatherproofed the round.

[BrentD]

I have not tried any of the suggested methods listed so far, so I can't say how they work.

What I do not understand is your worry about weather proofing. Are you wanting to weather proof the patch or the cartridge?

If the latter, why? I am assuming that you are shooting black powder, in which case this really isn't an issue unless you are swimming with your cartridges.

If you want to weather proof the patch, you can try this. Find some Blair 105 spray fixative. This is sold in art supply shops. Avoid the Krylon version of spray fixative. Spray enough on a paper towel to soak it and then roll your wrapped bullets on it, stand and dry. This stuff will add a measure of waterproofing that is far from total, but it will help. I quit doing this years ago, but it can help in some cases.

You can then lube your patch with SPG, Black Magic or any lube that will not turn your patch translucent (I suspect that veg oil+ beeswax might).

Dan Theodore dips his paper patches in his own White Lightning lube. I have heard very good and very bad things about this lube. So, your mileage will probably vary. I don't know if it provides much waterproofness.

Some military rounds were dipped in paraffin. You might try that, but don't expect great accuracy.

In the end, no amount of humidity will hurt your cartridges. Free water (rain, dew, sweat, etc) can, but not humidity.

Brent

[docone31]

Brent, it is for smokeless powder.
Down here in the Sunshine state, we have what is called humidity. Massive humidity.
I am patching my .303 British. I was thinking, I could dilute the lube I use for casting with Naptha, and just dip the tips to the patch. My presumption is, the tension of the case neck might prevent wicking of the Naptha/lube mix beyond the neck.
It is just a thought however.
I am worried, that once I do find that sweet load, and I load up a bunch, they will get moisture saturated with time.
Going swimming with patched cartridges is not an issue, nor is casual rain. The range is roofed. I would like to avoid Baggies if I can. Normal neck tension on jacketed bullets is ok for storage. No evidence on any pulled loads that I have found.

[BrentD]

I have lived in the South quite a bit so I understand the humidity issue.

I don't know about smokeless, but bp loads will not be a problem Black is just not hygroscopic - though myths sometimes say otherwise.

http://www.marshallnet.net/~tenx/moist.htm
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jessie/PPB/PPB_files/Page1175.htm

Smokeless maybe another story. I just don't know.

Brent

[mommicked]

I live on the NC coast, the Gulf Stream sweeps very close to us, and humidity, well, sometimes we can barely see the Outer Banks a mile away through the 'whiteout' we get in late summer. You might try axle grease (I'm using a Lubrimatic Marine Grade Trailer Axle Grease) and seating your patch below the case neck, with a very light crimp. (Yeah, I've done the light crimp, so far so good). Not sure if this would solve your problems, but it might bear looking into. I've been doing it on Lee 308/170's that I patch for my .30-30 (smokeless, IMR 3031).....

[DLCTEX]

I know what you mean about high humidity, we're up to 17% today. Seriously, lacquer has been used to seal primers and boolits for about a century, along with asphalt on the bullet end. DALE

[montana_charlie]

I know what you mean about high humidity, we're up to 17% today.
Last time I went out to shoot, I checked the humidity. I normally don't pay much attention, but I needed the number to fill that blank in my shooting notes. It was 13%...about one notch damper than a mummified grasshopper carcass.

I spent almost five years (teaching school) down in Biloxi, Mississippi. Humidity was always so high you could drown from taking a deep breath.
CM

[sundog]

Charlie, humidity thirteen percent, eh?. Sir, if I were not a gentleman, I might tell you to..., ah never mind. I miss the ocean and I miss the mountains. Lived both, loved both, and now I'm in between.

[wonderwolf]

Has anybody tried the lee tuble alox lube? I spread some on my patch material last night and the reverse side seemed dry still (I worry about it soaking through and causing the patch to "glue" itself to the slug)

[rfd]

it's over a decade later for this thread - has anyone come up with a better way to deal with rain and dry wrapped PPBs? i've got some matches that go on rain or shine, with no protection from the rain or high humidity. i've tried rubbing the patches with pure beeswax and that kinda seems to help but i've never done a comparison for POI of waxed or not waxed.

[BrentD]

I find it easier to put a small square of plastic over my ammo and simply reaching under it when I need a round. Otherwise, I would recommend using cooking parchment.

[country gent]

I have tried a 4-1 mix of water lee sizing die water soluble lube. A rub of beeswax and lately have been giving a very light coat of Jojoba oil. Im concerned that some water proofing's may affect patch release.
the lee mix I use and apply when rolling the patches on then let dry. Seems to help but is messier rolling patches on

The rub if beeswax I did with finger tips after bullets were patched. Rubbed it in then removed excess with a soft cloth. Seemed to help but was slow and hard to get even

The Jojoba oil has been easiest. I put a drop on fingers and roll 3-4 bullets lightly coating then remove excess with a cleaning patch. Paper just has a "sheen" to it when done. This seems to work well for me. Ive also cut patches and put in small Tupperware container with 8-10 drops of Jojoba oil and agitate over several days after a week or so the oils is even thru the batch of patches.

[rfd]

i don't like the idea of changing the PPB cartridge formula for either coating the paper or changing it. i'm thinking of testing out adding an umbrella clamp to the line box for cover and see how that goes. matches continue in drizzle but will either time out or cancel if the rain really comes down.