You might look in the sticky paper 101 on the BP patching. I made several posts on the papers I use.
You might look in the sticky paper 101 on the BP patching. I made several posts on the papers I use.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
I enjoyed this thread. It was a good read.
So some of you , if you would, post some pictures of what a finished product is supposed to look like. Does the paper have to extend past the case mouth?
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
Yes, the paper sticks out. How much depends on how your chamber is cut. It needs to fill the throat and start engaging the rifling when the action is closed. I'll try to remember to get some pictures next time I load some up. But yours will be different, it needs to fit the individual rifle.
I didn't do that. I've never tried it before, and the paper is up to the case mouth. If I didn't mark them I probably wouldn't know which ones they are. I don't suppose it will be a problem? The rifle is an NEF 30/30.
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
This looks like a project that's going to take some trial and error, and I will keep my eyes on this thread. It's the first time I've tried it. I hope I don't blow my rifle up!
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
Use appropriate cast or jacketed bullet data and a bullet with patch that equals groove diameter + 2 thousandths and there is no reason to expect weapon damage. You will note that two of 3 bullets I show in my picture are patched shorter, the third one being patched to the edge of the ogive. While mine works ok that way, it works better to make all patches come to the edge of the ogive.
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.
I ran the patched bullets through a Lee .309 sizer. It looked good. And I'm using a moderate load of H380. I'm getting tired of heavy recoiling loads.
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
I shot the PP loads today and wasn't impressed with them. I don't think it was because of the load, but my ignorance in what I was doing. They fired well, but the bore was pretty cruddy after shooting, not at all like the boolits that I had just sized and lubed w/ JPW. The gunsmith took my rifle home with him to re-chamber it to 30/30 A.I. today....so I don't suppose I'll be PP any more boolits......
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
Can I chip in?
I have BP patching down OK but want to patch a .303 BR. I am patching to a slip fit in the case, what does one do with the bottom of the patch. There is no wad for it to press against to hold it folded under. I would think there is a risk of the boolit blowing through leaving the patch behind.
What I've seen is that it is twisted around with pliers and the "tail" trimmed off somewhat. At least that's what I saw Larry Potterfield do in a t.v. show.
Tom
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Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?
This next one stops at the base edge of the boolit - completely tailless.
If there is just a small overhang, this can happen.
The patch overhang gets blown into the gap between the case mouth and start of the leade.
So It should sit flush with the base or wrap over the base as in the first photo.
Notice the knurling on the second boolit - that prevents the patch from slipping.
I size my patched boolits so as to be a firm fit in an unsized case neck. I lube them prior to seating then twist them in as far as they will go with finger pressure then seat them fully in the press. They sit real tight but without expanding the neck. The lube temporarily sits on the surface of the patch then soaks away into the paper. I re-lube the boolit and case after seating. This does two things - it lubes the patch plus it lube the case. Lubing the case is to prevent case elongation.
This is for the Brit of course.
Last edited by 303Guy; 08-13-2018 at 03:07 AM.
Rest In Peace My Son (01/06/1986 - 14/01/2014)
''Assume everything that moves is a human before identifying as otherwise''
Cant quite get the difference between the patch overhang that is bad and the wrapover which is good. They both sound the same.
Otherwise you just leave the end of the patch flush with the base. Is that right.?
I guess with paper patch one does not need a gas check.
I have an old Martini Bonehill conversion I am trying to get to group.
The overhang is loose so gas pressure (or would it be powder kernels?) can flare it open and into the gap, leaving a paper ring. I've had them sitting in the case mouth at an angle. When wrapped around the base the patch gets pressed into the base.
To get that super smooth and even wrap over in the first pic one needs printer paper and a dry wrap. I glue between the wraps on the overhang before working it over. I use a twist and turn with alternating fingers to get it on tight and wrapped around. Notepad paper makes folds.
I'm not sure the paper rings do anything. I just don't like the idea of bits of paper sitting in the bore. So I avoid small overhangs, going for a substantial over hang or no overhang ie flush with the boolit base.
By the way, that photo shows what happens with a oversize soft alloy boolit with filler. Good reason not to let the boolit seat deeper than the shoulder/neck junction. Accuracy wasn't too bad even thought the trailing edge looks a bit dodgy. I changed my loading practice to prevent that base cupping .
Last edited by 303Guy; 08-14-2018 at 02:40 AM.
Rest In Peace My Son (01/06/1986 - 14/01/2014)
''Assume everything that moves is a human before identifying as otherwise''
Could you post a photo of that Martini Bonehill? I have a Martini 303 carbine barrel on a MLE action. It doesn't tighten up but I got another action with tight threads so it should be fine. It shot amazingly well with the barrel loose - like MOA with those old Martini sights. The bore is so worn but not pitted. I have a seriously rusted bore that actually still shoots with paper patched. I did need to shorten the barrel some and then to straighten it without any shine in it at all. But I got it straight.
See what I mean?
Pretty cool! That gun now sports a full over barrel suppressor and gets 2000 fps with 194 grain paper patched boolits!
The scope is just glued on for testing purposes. The idea was to eliminate aiming error. Shot a few turkey with that thing. Turkey are no match for 220 gr lumps of lead.
Rest In Peace My Son (01/06/1986 - 14/01/2014)
''Assume everything that moves is a human before identifying as otherwise''
Ah, you Kiwis and Suppressors. They did not have them when I was a Kiwi. I left in ,67 and they dont trust us with them in OZ.
When paper patching I see no mention of gas checks. Does the PP do this function.?
Some pics of the Martini.
IMG_2270 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/141809689@N05/]
IMG_2269 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/141809689@N05/]
I loaded up a few PP with a cut off twisted tail to see how they go.
This barrel although it was new has large dimensions. I thought it must be worn but a thread on here on Enfield bore dimension tells me otherwise. The throat is .317 and groove about .316. Fired case mouth .314 so it going to be fun to get it going.
IMG_2272 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/141809689@N05/]
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 |