A question from someone with big hands and stiff fingers. What kind of cigarette roller are you using and will it work well with wet paper? Getting ready to wrap some 30-06 boolits.
A question from someone with big hands and stiff fingers. What kind of cigarette roller are you using and will it work well with wet paper? Getting ready to wrap some 30-06 boolits.
I tried the cigarette rollers and didn't have much luck with them. I use a patching board now that located the patch and bullet and sets it in a vee to roll. My boards arnt caliber specific and can be used for any caliber.
Board is hard maple for strength and tighter grain, Cut and finished with edges square in both planes. I like 3/4X 6" X 8"
A saw cut 3/8" deep parallel to front edge of board 1/2" in from edge. With a file or small plane work edges to 45* angle roughly 1/8" wide.
On left edge a brass rail is glued or screwed to surface 1/16" to 1/8" proud. On the right edge a boss is glued in on center with the saw cut and flush with edge. I use a round dowel 1"-1 1/4" in dia and cut a pocket for it with a fostner bit. A 1/4" hole is drilled thru this 1/4" above the face of the board. This is for length of threaded rod and 2 nuts.
I finish mine with tru oil 3-4 coats.
In use the patch is laid along the left side rail, this squares the patch and aligns it.
Bullet is placed on patch with nose against the threaded rod this sets length and fold under.
Patch ends is rolled up over bullet and then rolled into place. and picked up end can then be folded under and formed.
When I smoked I could not even roll a cigarette with the roller, but I have patched as country gent has and it worked for me. Regards Stephen
2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
~~ WWG1WGA ~~
Restore the Republic!!!
For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.
President Reagan tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MwPgPK7WQ
Phil Robertson explains the Wall: https://youtu.be/f9d1Wof7S4o
JBinMN, I have a hard time posting pictures. I have made a couple for guys here on the site. Its a simple project to make with a radial arm or table saw.
What you can do to get an idea is to make a paper template or copy.
Cut a piece of typing paper 6" X 8" square this is the basic board youll be using
on the front edge draw a line 1/2" in from the edge the full length. This is the saw cut for the bullet vee where the bullet rests.
Fold the left edge up 1/4" at 90* this is the rail that alighns the patch
With a compass or dividers on the right edge draw a 1" circle even with edge and on center with saw cut line this is the boss for the threaded rod that locates the bullet in relation to the rail and patch setting the fold under.
The above will patch bullets very nicely/ In the open area above the saw cut I drill a flat bottomed hole 3/8"-1/2" deep just over wrapped bullet dia. I then glue a thin leather washer in the bottom. I do the fold under and then insert into the hole and give a quick twist to iron the folds down flat. For 30 cal bullets I would probably drill the hole .312 or just a little bigger. If you don't have a flat cutting bit drill hole thru and glue a 1/8- 1/4" piece of wood dowel in
Just above this I cut a 1/2-5/8" deep slot 1/2-3/4" wide just over the patches length. This slot is used to hold patches when rolling. if your wet patching then a small amount of the wetting mix can be poured in the slot and patches absorb it wile your working.
While not necessary I do like to finish the board with a few coats of tru oil or an over night soak in linseed oil To seal wood and make it look nice. Also if wet patching it keeps the water out of the wood. If doing the overnight soak wait to glue the leather disk in until after letting the board cure for a few days so glue can bond better.
The saw cut should be roughly 1/8" wide and the edges beveled out to 45* about 1/8" wide flats on each side with a file or small plane. and then sanded smooth. Last one I did I used a piece of key stock with various grits sand paper wrapped around it doing both edges together. Worked very well and was quick. This groove /vee needs to be smooth and flat as its what controls paper tension when wrapping the bullet.
Country gent,
I understand about not posting pics. It would just help me get a "mental picture".
Thanks very much for taking the time to explain making one. I should have no issues making it, but I am going to have to wait until it warms up here. While I can heat my garage & do the work in there, I have it full of tools right now as I try to get things organized to sell off many of them.
I will try to do this project in a month or so. I will have the room & the temps should cooperate as well.
Thanks again for your help! And I will try to remember to posts pics here, of the one I make when I get it done.
2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
~~ WWG1WGA ~~
Restore the Republic!!!
For the Fudds > "Those who appease a tiger, do so in the hope that the tiger will eat them last." -Winston Churchill.
President Reagan tells it like it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MwPgPK7WQ
Phil Robertson explains the Wall: https://youtu.be/f9d1Wof7S4o
Im in the process of putting up a new building 40 X 50 x10 replacing the old garage also inside will be an enclosed shop room 20 X 30 x 10 so I can tinker and work. My problem with pictures is getting them from my phone to the computer. to here. The above on a piece of paper may help you to "see" it better. Its nice in that everything is aligned when its set down and ready to go. Really sped up my out put and consistency paper patching. I believe there are pics of the patching board in Randolph Wrights book, Loading and Shooting the Paper Patched Bullet A beginners Guide
I have used a cheep Tops roller, it is a little fiddley but I got it to work fairly well with 30 cal. bullets and the paper does need to be wet. Don't ask how I did it because it's been several years and I would have to learn again. Most of the bullets I have patched was on a thick hard rubber pad.
I have no idea how well it works rolling cigarettes, never rolled one or smoked one.
Yeah, 303guy uses a cigarette roller and swears by it but I tried and found it easier to use a board. Go figure! There must be some magical technique that I didn't master with the cigarette roller.
I rolled my own cigarettes for 25 years never tried wrapping bullets but have an old gun i might give it a try on.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...hCekRqaUFjMHJR
I a have used this type of roller and it seems to work well but 30 cal boolits pop out the crossbar .
I want to try this style next
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...hCekRqaUFjMHJR
Any tips on the second style of roller would be appreciated
Country gent, you say to cut a board 6"X8", then cut a groove on the front edge. Which edge is the front edge?
NRA Life
NMLRA Life
F&AM
The edge closest to you. This put its the patch end where you can reach it and see what your doing easier. Im right handed for what its worth. I never tried putting the cut on the far edge but for some it may work.
When Im patching bullets I sit in my easy chair with the board on my lap the patch rail is on left side the grove is next to my belt. I have a tv tray in front of me. On the tv tray ios a few bullet boxes, my supply of parches and the bullets to be patched. In use I put a stack of patches in the slot in the board ( probably between 50 and 100) (I dry patch now) put a patch against the rail overhanging edge 3/8-1/2". Pick up a bullet and set nose against threaded rod /stop ( this sets the patch location and fold under), Roll overhang around bullet and then roll bullet pulling patch around it and smoothing patch. The amount of tension you put on the bullet will tension the paper slightly stretching it and ironing it down. Pick up bullet holding patch captive and between thumb and fingers roll to fold patch under base. Insert in the hole and give 1 to 2 rotations to iron fold under down flat. Bullet will sand up on base square when done. Put bullet in bullet box and start over. In the time it took me to type this I could have patched 10-20 bullets. With the board once youy get going and the movements down it goes fast and is almost brain dead doing it as everything is aligned when set in place.
I patch 38-45 cal rifle bullets, for smaller I might try going down to 10-24 threaded rod though.
I have used cigarette rollers like the one in the picture (Zig Zag). For any thing larger than 30 cal. you need to take a dremell tool and enlongate the slit where the ends of the rollers go into the frame.
To patch a bullet, place the bullet the distance from the left edge of the cloth when the roller is open, base toward the edge of the cloth. Close the roller and introduce the wet patch between the rollers. Turn the tollers away from you rolling them with your fingers. Keep rolling until all the patch has disapeered. Open the rollers and you will find your bullet wrapped with paper.
It is very important to have the width of your patch adjusted properly. Otherwise, the patch may not cover all of the bearing surfaces of the bullet, or it may cover too much of the bullet. Good Luck
Brodie
Ordered one like the zig-zag but for the cost I am still open to more suggestions. Got my brass bullet mould from Tom yesterday and it is nice. Drops WW + 1% tin AC at .3025. Perfect for my .301 size die.
I tended to have issues getting the paper to feed straight in a cig roller.
I have been patching wet in my hands using a case to hold the bullets nose and twisting case while guiding the patch with my fingers and thumb on the other hand.
Helps 300% at least for me.
Not as fast as aboard but works well too if your fingers get sore from rolling bullets.
Your wrist gets sore and your fingers cramp.
Ha!
As I roll my own smokes will cigarette papers work for patches ?
Works for groove diameter if you are looking for that.
30 cal 150-170 cores doable.
I’d personally use a different roller thou.
We wouldn’t like you to be inhaling and ingesting lead particulates as well
They are delicate while. Wet and you will need to double them over.
Dry rock hard.
Abit abrasive and can Give you greif if over lubed.
Last edited by barrabruce; 02-05-2019 at 08:01 PM.
rolling patches onto slicks is easy after a bit of trialing to see what method works best for you. i always use dry patches, to insure they'll leave the slick at the muzzle. rubbing on beeswax to the exposed patching of completed cartridge provides adequate water resistance. i want to patch to the slick's ogive, and leave enuf overhang to wrap perhaps 1/3rd the base area, no more. make up a simple jig that's marked where the bullet ogive starts and then pencil that on the slick - begin the wrap at that mark.
Though meant for black powder PPB cartridges, this PDF article may be of assistance as it goes into detail about wrapping slicks starting on page 6 .... www.bpgang.com/ppb/ppbcartridges.pdf
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 |