Mastered the Art of Paper Patching!

[303Guy]

I think I have finally mastered 'The Art'!

I have taken tips and suggestions and played around a bit and tried to emulate what the masters are doing and I can now wet crimp/twist/fold the patch tail and 'make ends meet' on my tapered two diameter boolits with the 'folded' patch base meeting in the middle of the boolit base. AND my casting speed is getting to worthwhile levels! (Not quite there yet, but getting there).





Am I ready to put them to the test on the range?

(I'm going to test them anyway!)

[clodhopper]

Nice looking boolit.

First trys here with PP have poor accuracy. Getting patch size down, and 'M' die

needed shortened.

Last group fired was .60" @ 25 yards, early attempts were 2-3" at 25 yards.

That would have required a large target @100.

[montana_charlie]

It's not necessary to totally close the hole on the base, but it looks like you have the hang of it.
CM

[1874Sharps]

Wahoo, looks like it will work to me! Let us know how it shoots.

[303Guy]

Here is the loaded round. The neck is sized (unlike previous tests which were loaded into unsized necks) and the powder charge is 45gr AR2209/H4350 and is slightly compressed. The patched boolit is 208gr. (The load is for a 215gr J-word).



I have discovered another, hitherto unmentioned benefit of paper patching - one can write on the patch!

This load seems to me to be ideal in that the boolit fully occupies the neck and the case is completely filled with propellant which should produce an optimum pressure for the rifle and a healthy 2200fps MV with a 'firm' lead, hollow point boolit of substantial sectional density and not too bad a ballistic coefficient (about .35 I think) and the round fits the magazine. (I don't want to test cycle the round right now as I have had one or two beers since loading it and beer and guns stay on a separate page!)

[leftiye]

This guy actually IS smart!

[303Guy]

Right. Tested the loaded round in the mag. Works just fine and chambers without any resistance at all and no rattle in the chamber! (It turns out I didn't need the bolt to test it but no matter, the safe stays locked when the fridge is opened!)

Now to patch up and load a batch for range testing. So If I don't report back, you folks will know it flopped!

Nah. I'll report back anyway!

[Cooleemee Edd]

Please tell me more or provide the reference if you have done so before. I shoot an Enfield .303 and would like to paper-patch. I finally have the hard-cast bullets "on the paper" (close to the center ring) at 100 yards, but I'm shooting reduced-loads to keep the leading down. I would like to push the velocity up to near jacketed speed.

Do you know anyone who makes their own copper jacketed bullets using copper tubing? I read an article about it on the 'web, but can't find it again. Should have tagged it for retrieval!

[Lead pot]

Yup, I make them.

[docone31]

Those are spectacular!
I love it.

[303Guy]

Those are beauties, Lead pot - stunning! I love it! Great pic!

To answer Cooleemee Edd, look up pillardrill's post under Swaging. He makes copper tube bullets buy casting the lead directly into the (preheated) copper tube then cuts to length.

Then of course there are a few 303 Brit paper patchers on this forum. JeffinNZ is shooting some pretty heavy cast boolits with very respectable accuracy in his Lee Enfields and at around 1900fps I think - maybe less but pretty good just the same. I tried a cast boolit of my own creation with very promising results. Mine were around 1900fps with a 225gr boolit.

50yd 'group'. Four other shots were similar.

The loaded boolit.

I didn't pursue plain cast as I got interested in paper patching (with the promise of J-word velocities and a clean and polished bore!) Paper patching turned out to be so much fun I hardly turn on the telly anymore - then work interfered. Damn!

Do have look at the thread; -Your accuracy with PP ! .