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Thread: wet or dry?

  1. #1
    Boolit Man Claudius's Avatar
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    wet or dry?

    I'm undecided: wet or dry patch for my 45/70 DDEPP bullets? the opinions are different on this argument, a wet patch shrinks and adhere more firmly to the bullet, someone says that this is good for target shooting. I tried several papers: the Onion Skin from Buffaloarms, the Seth Cole 55W and 55Y, I like the last two very much. Some people don't like the wet paper because the risk of the paper to remain sticked on the bullet after shooting, but never happened to me. In my experience wetting the patches is boring, but I like a well adherent paper on the bullet. However the diameter of the bullet remain subastantially the same, I can't see any difference from wet and dry patches bullets.
    What's your opinions?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Let your rifle tell you which is best, mine tell me it's wet patched they prefer.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    I find it easier apply the paper when wet (lightly dampened), but I know that a lot of shooters prefer dry.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Question; How do you get the dry to stay rolled against the bullet? I have to dampen the paper to make it hold together. I let the bullet / paper dry before loading.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    midnight's Avatar
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    I have never done this but my brother dampens patches & rolls them on & lets them dry. He then melts beeswax in a pan and stands the bullets up in the melted beeswax & waits until the lead is heated to the temperature of the wax. He then removes them & stands them on a paper towel until they cool. Excess beeswax on the noses is wiped off & they are loaded. Any comments on this method?

    Bob
    Si hostes visibilis, etiam tu

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Randy Bohannon's Avatar
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    Dry wrapped,the bullet is seated in the charged case when it’s finished being wrapped. Wet wrapped has been better on the target than dry in my rifles.
    Last edited by Randy Bohannon; 05-28-2021 at 08:21 AM.

  7. #7
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    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    I patch dry. When I dampened the papers, I’d find paper stuck to the ends of the dirt diggers around the target.

    Maybe some of the sizing in the paper gets sticky when wet. Some people warm the wet patched boolits on a coffee warming plate and dry them that way, reporting no problems with sticking patches.

    I generally don’t roll the patches and put them into the cases directly. I go through the trash cans at the pistol range and look for those plastic trays that come in the ammo boxes. 45 Auto trays hold the paper on .45 and .44 boolits, .40S&W works for .40 calibers, .357 trays work for .38 calibers, and so on. After a while, the paper takes a set, and I can pick them out and pop them into the shells after the charging, wads, compression and all that other stuff is done. Now and again I need to retighten a patch, but it’s no big problem.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Several little things. You may need to modify your template for damp wet patches as there will be more stretch. I have wrapped both dry and damp. saucer with water and a thin sponge in it. set 5-6 patches on the sponge. You will see them curl up and then uncurl replace as you wrap patch for patch. Another way is a ziplock bag with patches and add X number of drops of water and let sit over night sealed before use.

    I have found a good tight under fold goes farther to lock the patch in place, as long as its a good wrap

    I use patch board for wrapping and this helps me get the tight dry wrap and then the well creased under fold.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Wet patch here as Did Sharps.

    Kenny

  10. #10
    Boolit Man Claudius's Avatar
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    I like the wet patching, it's a bit boring because I have to let the bullets dry, but definitely it seems more consistent to me.
    Last edited by Claudius; 05-30-2021 at 04:25 AM.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Distant Thunder's Avatar
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    I've been dry patching now longer than I can remember, but both methods work. I just prefer dry patching and the accuracy has been good.

    I do run all my patched bullets through a sizing die after the patch is applied. This irons out the paper and makes for a very uniform fit in the bore and I like mine to fit snug. Once the bullets are run through the sizer the paper stays on very well, but I usually finger seat them as they are patched and sized and then just lightly close up the case mouth in a tapered neck sizing die to help keep the bullets in place. I put that round in the ammo box and repeat for the next cartridge.
    Jim Kluskens
    aka Distant Thunder

    Black powder paper patching is a journey, enjoy the ride!

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by Distant Thunder View Post
    I've been dry patching now longer than I can remember, but both methods work. I just prefer dry patching and the accuracy has been good.

    I do run all my patched bullets through a sizing die after the patch is applied. This irons out the paper and makes for a very uniform fit in the bore and I like mine to fit snug. Once the bullets are run through the sizer the paper stays on very well, but I usually finger seat them as they are patched and sized and then just lightly close up the case mouth in a tapered neck sizing die to help keep the bullets in place. I put that round in the ammo box and repeat for the next cartridge.
    I learned paper patching from Jim. When I expressed interest he went all out to help me. He said it was so easy that he was surprised more people didn’t do it.
    My process mirrors his. I dry patch using only my fingers. No patch board. After putting the patch on the bullet, I push it through a Lee .451 sizer. I can then finger seat it into a charged case and bump it into a 45 Colt die to tighten the case to the bullet.
    JKR
    This has worked extremely well in my Shiloh rifle.

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
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    I haven't been paper patching that long but my process mirrors that of distant thunder.
    Any thing to reducing time. I wrap by hand put thru sizing die it seems to iron on the paper. Seat by hand and run thru seating die just enough to close the bell and hold bullet in place. Then finish by using a lee factory crimp die. Works very well in my marlin cb 38-55 with IMR 3031.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    idahoron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKR View Post
    I learned paper patching from Jim. When I expressed interest he went all out to help me. He said it was so easy that he was surprised more people didn’t do it.
    My process mirrors his. I dry patch using only my fingers. No patch board. After putting the patch on the bullet, I push it through a Lee .451 sizer. I can then finger seat it into a charged case and bump it into a 45 Colt die to tighten the case to the bullet.
    JKR
    This has worked extremely well in my Shiloh rifle.

    That's how I roll my Muzzleloader bullets. I roll the paper on with fingers, size and they are ready to go.

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnight View Post
    I have never done this but my brother dampens patches & rolls them on & lets them dry. He then melts beeswax in a pan and stands the bullets up in the melted beeswax & waits until the lead is heated to the temperature of the wax. He then removes them & stands them on a paper towel until they cool. Excess beeswax on the noses is wiped off & they are loaded. Any comments on this method?

    Bob
    Why does he put the PP bullets into wax?
    I wrap wet; started that way and have never tried any other method.

    Keep on hav'n fun!
    MikeT

  16. #16
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    ..............When I paper patch, I pull the patch across a wet sponge that's in a saucer of water. The patch is dampened but not soaked. It retains the strength to be stretched without tearing, as it's wrapped around the bullet. When the patch dries it shrinks and becomes just like it was painted on. If you want it off you almost have to score it with a razor blade. When dry they're boxed. Before loading they get a sparse lube (finger wiped on) of Lanolin.

    ..............Buckshot
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  17. #17
    Boolit Man Claudius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckshot View Post
    ..............When I paper patch, I pull the patch across a wet sponge that's in a saucer of water. The patch is dampened but not soaked. It retains the strength to be stretched without tearing, as it's wrapped around the bullet. When the patch dries it shrinks and becomes just like it was painted on. If you want it off you almost have to score it with a razor blade. When dry they're boxed. Before loading they get a sparse lube (finger wiped on) of Lanolin.

    ..............Buckshot
    I'm using olive oil and it works well for my muzzleloader rifle and PP bullets. What's the advantage using the Lanolin?

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy Gobeyond's Avatar
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    When you use a dry patch and then seating what do you do with the tail on the bottom of the boo lit?

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gobeyond View Post
    When you use a dry patch and then seating what do you do with the tail on the bottom of the boo lit?
    Search YouTube for Brent Danielson rolling a bullet.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Some clip the tail off before loading with nail clippers.

    I wrap tailless leaving a small opening in the base fold under. Wrapped tight and when the fold under if creased it helps lock the patch in place with out punning the patch down like the twisted tail. I also give the wrap a very light coat of Jo Jobba Oil to water proof and lube the patch before loading. By light coat a drop of oil on finger will do 3-5 bullet depending on caliber.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check