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Thread: Paper patching for the Whitworth rifle.

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Paper patching for the Whitworth rifle.

    Im looking into a Whitworth rifle. I will be casting my own hexagonal boolits, .442 dia. With standard 9# rag paper .002 thick. what do you guys recommend for number of wraps to get it up to .450,.451?
    Last edited by reenactorguy; 10-08-2021 at 10:49 PM.

  2. #2
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    Red River Rick's Avatar
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    Two wraps of 9 lb onion skin paper, roughly 0.002" is what you want.

    Rick
    "I Make the part.............................that makes the parts"

    Looking for Bullet Mould Handles, Heavy Duty Replacement Sprue Plates, Adjustable Paper Patch Bullet Moulds? Check here:http://www.kal.castpics.net/

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  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Yes, a normal patch is two wraps so it adds 4x the thickness of the paper. The only variation on that is if you were using a Chase patch which is one wrap and doesn't overlap but I'd think that would be pretty tough to get to work in a Whitworth.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Lead pot's Avatar
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    For a muzzle loader I would stay slightly under bore diameter patched because of the fouling with repeated shots fired. If you wipe between every shot than patch it to bore.
    The patched bullet .002" under bore diameter will bump up and fill the grooves even using 1/20 alloy.
    You don't want to push a tight PP bullet down the bore, it will tear the patch.
    I use a lubed felt wad under the patched bullet.

    Kurt

  5. #5
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    Reenactorguy:

    Just curious, which mould do you have for your Whitworth?

    Rick

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Red River Rick; 10-09-2021 at 01:45 PM. Reason: Pic added
    "I Make the part.............................that makes the parts"

    Looking for Bullet Mould Handles, Heavy Duty Replacement Sprue Plates, Adjustable Paper Patch Bullet Moulds? Check here:http://www.kal.castpics.net/

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  6. #6
    Boolit Mold
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    looking at one made by Pedisoli that buffalo arms has.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Rick, if that's one of yours that sure is some impressive work. I'll know who to call if I ever find a Whitworth.

  8. #8
    Boolit Mold
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    Didnt see that one on your site.got more info on it.

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    Nobade:

    Yes, it is one of my moulds. I did spent some time machining proto-types (in plastic) on my CNC Mill before I got all the bugs worked out.
    I have a P-H Whitworth and wanted a true "Hexagonal" bullet. A late friend of mine found an original paper wrapped cartridge at a gun show.
    I duplicated it as close as possible, less the shallow "Dished Base".

    Reenactorguy:

    The bullet in the pic weights in at approximately 540 grains (97/1.5/1.5), 1.380" in length and 0.441" across the flats.

    Rick
    "I Make the part.............................that makes the parts"

    Looking for Bullet Mould Handles, Heavy Duty Replacement Sprue Plates, Adjustable Paper Patch Bullet Moulds? Check here:http://www.kal.castpics.net/

    My Feedback!

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Red-River-Rick

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Neat! Now if I ever find my rifle I know who to call.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Very cool Rick, if I ever get a whit then you’re my first call.

    KW

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub
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    Does the patch unwrap in one piece, or does it shred into confetti?

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Watch out for the slight growth in diameter over time.
    It can make your trip to the range a real teeth grinder.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelR View Post
    Does the patch unwrap in one piece, or does it shred into confetti?

    It’s shredded by the rifling as it exits the muzzle should be confetti. Otherwise your paper is too thick and bullet to small, wraps at the muzzle means unequal bullet upset.

    Kenny W.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kenny Wasserburger View Post
    It’s shredded by the rifling as it exits the muzzle should be confetti. Otherwise your paper is too thick and bullet to small, wraps at the muzzle means unequal bullet upset.

    Kenny W.
    I wonder if it will shred with the unique rifling system of the Whitworth, since there are no lands to bite into the patch.

  16. #16
    Boolit Bub
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    Thundermaker

    That’s what I’m wondering about. The Metford pattern rifling also has no sharp edges to cut the patch, so about 2/3rds down the bore there’s a significant change in the rifling pitch that shatters the patch. I don’t think a mechanically fit bullet could be loaded into a muzzle loading rifle that has a gain twist barrel. So I was hoping that someone that actually shoots a Whitworth rifled rifle would answer if the patch is unwrapping or shattering.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have a rifle with Metford segmental rifling, no gain twist, shoots PP just fine... There acually are 2 kinds of Metford rifling, BTW. The segmental rifling is the later type.

  18. #18
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    ............I have the Pedersoli hexagonal mould. Bought it a couple years back. It's a tad too large for my P-H Whitworth. I'd made up several Swage dies to use in my Corbin press. One of the first was for a PP'd dished base cylindrical slug to use in the Whitworth. When the base of the bullet see's the "Big Light", it does a very nice job of assuming the required shape. However if a person favored a hard(er) alloy, a shaped slug might be the ticket.

    I'd posted photos to the board before, but they're all lost now since the building in France where the FotoTime servers were located burned down. I simply haven't had the 'Burn' to set back up and try to redo a portion of what was lost.

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