Question

[jednorris]

I have not even tried papering my first bullet, so this may be a stupid question. If you had a template for .45 cal. bullets, would it not work for ALL .45's? Cannot templates of proper Cal. be made and sold to make things easier for beginners?

[35 Rem]

deleted

[rancher1913]

different bullet lengths need different paper sizes, a short 45 would need one length and a long 45 would need more length. its such a nitch market that there is no money in it for a manufacture and couple that with every loader wants to do it a certain way so your left with making your own

[country gent]

Paper thickness, bullet dia, wet or dry wrap tension all affect patch length. Bullet weight ( length), tail or tailless, all affect width. A couple thousandths bullet dia makes a difference in circumference. Wet the paper stretches more than dry. paper thickness increases the circumference over the inner wrap. Paper thickness also changes the radius where the paper wraps over the starting edge making its length change.

Before I made my cutting board I made templates 2 piece the first was the width of the patch and 10" long, this cut the strips of paper to the correct width. the second cut the ends at the desired angles and to length, this one was 1 1/2" wide and to length in a parallelogram. This cut the ends on strips of any width. I had several bullets that a long template would do as they used the same width of patch. same with the length templates.

My paper cutter is all measured and set fence stop. I cut x number sheets from the roll. Then glue one edge of a 5 sheet stack with paper glue. I then set the fence and cut the strips. a triangle is then double faced taped down and the fence set to cut length and angled ends.

I set width so when wrapped at ogive there is a small center of the base showing in the fold under. Length is so that the ends are just short of meeting by 1/32" or so. This way there no high edge from the radius where the paper rides over.

[Don McDowell]

Buffalo Arms sells brass templates

[MichaelR]

Each bullet will need its own template, and each paper will also need its own template. Patch width is controlled by how wide you cut the strips that you use the template to cut to length. I use 3/4” and 7/8” wide strips but I make all of my templates 1” wide as this is as wide as I would ever cut a patch. Wet or dry will also make a difference in your patch template length. Brent Danielson has some videos in YouTube that will be very helpful.

[Lead pot]

It's easy to make your template. Cut a strip of paper you're using for the bullet. Make two wraps and take a sharp knife and make a cut at the base of the bullet through the paper right maybe 1/8" past the bottom starting point of the wrap. You want two cuts on the paper. This will give you the proper length of the two wraps by the second cut through the paper. I like to cut the angle at around 50 degrees for my liking.

To find the with of the patch.
Take the bullet and lay it on the table on it's side and take a sharp knife (dont cut your finger ) and just put slight pressure on the bullet shank, dont roll it over the ogive, And that mark will tell you the length of the shank if yo kept the knife blade straight on the shank.
Add 1/8" to 3/16" to the length of that mark on the bullet, I like 3/16" and this will be a good diameter of the patch. It will give you a 1/16" past the shank on the ogive start and a 1/16" under fold.

If that cut patch fits the way you like on the bullet then take one of the empty ice cream buckets and lay the cut patch on it and cut the template.

If you're going to wet patch you will most likely have to cut the template a little shorter to allow for stretching. You can always adjust the length oof the template on a file of sand paper if it's too long.

Kurt

[Good Cheer]

Over half a century ago I was a draftsman so I draw mine to fit.
And I use scissors.