paperpatch minnie?

[flounderman]

Has anyone tried paper patching a minnie? I just got a 50 cal, 350 gr mould and the minnie is a loose fit in my 50 cal sizer. If it is patched, the paper would be driven into the cavity and probably stay imbedded, it looks like. I haven't tried the minnie yet without patching but it seems loose.

[longbow]

Well, unfortunately I can't find the website anymore but there was a fellow named Bob Schewe (IIRC) that claimed that he got excellent accuracy by paper patching a .54 cal. Minie.

I cannot recall the details of why he started unless like you he found the Minie was undersized for the bore.

If you decided to paper patch then try just folding the edge of the wrapping over the skirt instead of twisting a tail and tucking it in.

In any case, he claimed it worked well for him.

I would try it first and see how it shoots. If accuracy isn't there and you feel the Minie is undersized then you could try Beagling the mould first a that will get you up to about 0.003" over current casting size. If that doesn't do it then it is easy enough to try paper patching. Nothing lost but a bit of time if it doesn't work.

Longbow

[.22-10-45]

Hello, flounderman..your idea is only 160 years too late! The British .577 Pritchet bullet was a smooth sided hollow-based paper-patched minie, introduced with the 1853 Enfield.

[SwanShot]

whoooee, now that sounds good. Any idea where I might get such a mold?
I'm a newbie, so I don't know my way around yet. In a few weeks time that may sound a silly question, but for now???

[idahoron]

Has anyone tried paper patching a minnie? I just got a 50 cal, 350 gr mould and the minnie is a loose fit in my 50 cal sizer. If it is patched, the paper would be driven into the cavity and probably stay imbedded, it looks like. I haven't tried the minnie yet without patching but it seems loose.

I have been paper patching 45 cal minie bullets for some time and several others. I have paper patched the 45 Lee improved minie with great luck. I sized them to .446 and patched them and sized them again to .446 and shot them.



I wanted a bigger bullet so I went with the RCBS 11mm bullet and it shot so well I didn't look back.



I also have a 54 Minie mould that I plan to try some time if I get some time. It is the lee .533 bullet. This is what it looks like.




I haven't shot a minie in a 50 but I do shoot the Lee 500 S&W bullet paper patched in my ML and they shoot fantastic.



I have been using this bullet for several years on Deer, Elk, and Antelope. This bullet is the best 50 cal bullet I have ever shot. It flat out lays the law down on game, and it is accurate. I get sub 2" groups at 100 yards.






There are a lot of bullets you can load with a paper patch but you will need to do some sizing. Your minie will most likely shoot just fine with paper patch. After wrapping size to .501 and it should be good to go. Ron

[Neo]

I have been paper patching 45 cal minie bullets for some time and several others. I have paper patched the 45 Lee improved minie with great luck. I sized them to .446 and patched them and sized them again to .446 and shot them.



I wanted a bigger bullet so I went with the RCBS 11mm bullet and it shot so well I didn't look back.



I also have a 54 Minie mould that I plan to try some time if I get some time. It is the lee .533 bullet. This is what it looks like.




I haven't shot a minie in a 50 but I do shoot the Lee 500 S&W bullet paper patched in my ML and they shoot fantastic.



I have been using this bullet for several years on Deer, Elk, and Antelope. This bullet is the best 50 cal bullet I have ever shot. It flat out lays the law down on game, and it is accurate. I get sub 2" groups at 100 yards.






There are a lot of bullets you can load with a paper patch but you will need to do some sizing. Your minie will most likely shoot just fine with paper patch. After wrapping size to .501 and it should be good to go. Ron

I have a Zoli Harrpers Ferry 58 Cal flintlock rifle could I use paper patched bullets in it have any suggestions on the size I should use.

[Rattus58]

Hmmm....I can equate that with putting a washing machine motor in a race car!!

Really? Why so?

[idahoron]

Sorry Neo I have never played with the 58. Ron

[Rattus58]

I have a Zoli Harrpers Ferry 58 Cal flintlock rifle could I use paper patched bullets in it have any suggestions on the size I should use.

I've not played with paper patches, so that I am not the authority you seek for this, but I have wrapped Lee new minie with teflon tape to see how it would shoot when it cast undersized and because we had ground down the pin to thicken the base dramatically, was not getting the result I had expected. It was not the most accurate round for me at distance, and that could have been from a number of reasons, but with the teflon it actually cleaned up to a decent group at 80 yards... able to keep a all in a 4" square. This particular bullet did much better naked with 80 grains of Pyrodex P rather than the 60 grains of 2F and RS I started with.

Aloha..

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Using idahoron's approach, I've patched the RCBS 50 caliber minie' for use in the 50-90 Sharps with decent groups to 300 yards.

BvT

[SwanShot]

Ok, what I did was seriously crude, but it worked.
I took some conical cast minies of 577 and wrapped em in 3 wraps of standard printer paper them pushed em through a 580 lube die.
What I ended up with, when i unwrapped em, was a 565 minie.
I then wrapped em back up to 577-578 with lightweight writing paper, dipped em in lube and also filled the cavity with lube.
They loaded a bit tight, but slipped down easy once started. The paper blew to shreds down range. and I shot a 7 inch group at 90 yards with an 1853 Enfield repro.
I can live with that.
I'll definatley be doing that again, and I'll take a camera with me.

[idahoron]

With some tweaking you might be able to shrink that. Try different paper, different hardness of lead, and lube or no lube, Even differnt powder will change things up. Good luck. Ron

[dromia]

I use this mould for PPing for the Snider:

http://www.svartkrutt.net/articles/vis.php?id=15

Seems like he's sold out but as it is a Lee mould it might be worth contacting them on the off chance they my have the design.

Failing that Tom at accurate will make you a suitable mould to your specifications.

[SwanShot]

Ummm,Tom at accurate what? Where? Please

[dromia]

Here;

http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=all

Scroll down, larger calibres to the bottom.

[SwanShot]

Here;

http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=all

Scroll down, larger calibres to the bottom.

Thanks