paper patch

[bearbeater]

Hey Veral
I pray you and your family have a very good Christmas and new year. My question is I want to paper patch or at least experiment with it to see what kind of results I get. I started my learning experience with the Internet. The internet GooRoo  said dont do it unless you swedge.?? What do you say and why should I swedge?? I am set up for casting and do you have molds for patchen a 45-70 500 gr range? do you have any books or info to pertaining to this subject?? I just said alot but what do you say??
Bearbeater

[Veral]

  Go down to my post, High velocity cast bullets for head and neck shots, and you'll learn a lot about my method of paper patching,  which I call Glue On Patch.
  It works for grooved bullets from molds cut to proper diameter, which is .012  smaller than bullets will be sized to.  The bullets get some sizing, but can be used without sizing also.  Lubrication is applied in an aluminum cake pan with bullets a bit warmer than the melt point of LBT Commercial lube.  No swaging is involved, though if one has the equipment already, it will tighten up bullet quality somewhat.

  If swaging were required for paper patching the encounters fought while the 45-70 was the military arm could not have been fought as successfully as they were.  Paper patching was mandatory for the Gatling gun to work.  Most of the bullets were patched by women, who stuck the paper on with their own saliva and produced thousands per day, per person.  That and a smear of grease was all the production consisted of, and it works as well today as then.  ---   But putting paper on a smooth bullet with spit isn't easy enough for me to make it work.  I have managed to get a few wraped but it was essentially hopeless till I developed my glue on patching, which anyone can do if they can get a band aid wrapped around their finger.

[bearbeater]

Veral
Thanks for your reply. Paper patch has been around since the dawn for firearms but new to me. I have poured my own bullet for 30 years but just used them for hunting deer size game for muzzle loaders. I am molding the lyman 20 gauge sabot with rifle accuracy. this inspired me to paper patch. I just have 1 more question. If the GOP sticks to the bullet will this effect accuracy, do you lube bullet before applying GOP. Please help my understanding.
Bearbeater

[Veral]

  My original concept was to stick the patches on with diluted wood glue, and it works great, but computer labels are easier to apply and probably a bit better.  Just cut them so the length makes two complete wraps, with square ends, not tapered as with normal patching.  Let any excess hang off the bottom, and trim it after the label glue has time to tighten up well, which will take at least 24 hours in a warm place.  Then apply the lubrication, which soaks into the paper.  No lubrication gets on the bullet, and the paper isn't really bonded to the bullet with enough grip to do anything except make production and handling easy.

  The patches disintegrate when the bullet leaves the barrel, and have no harmful effect on accuracy during flight.  But being 'glued' on, bullets can be sized if desired, and the patches stay where they belong during loading and when handling ammo.  So the concept gives all the benefits of regular patching, while being very easy and quick to apply, inexpensive compared to gas checked bullets, and with far superior performance.  GOP bullets give the lowest chamber pressure of any bullet I've ever shot, and I mean a LOT lower, which means extreme velocity potential, far above jacketed, with stunning accuracy, equal to the best jacketed bullets I've ever used.  Nicest of all is the fact that the barrel never fouls but develops a brilliant shine the more one shoots them.

  When I conceived the idea, I believed the patches would ride all the way to the target, but experience proved me wrong.  Muzzle blast of even a mild load is a vengeful force compared to the strength of paper, especially after the rifling grooves weaken it.

[bearbeater]

Veral
This blows the conventional paper patch theory out of the water. I will try this and see. I believe your way will work very well and I was thinking on the same lines. Do you trim the patch clean with the bottom or do you fold under the bottom of the bullet??
Bearbeater

[Veral]

  I  like your perceptive abilities!

  The extra paper at the base can be rolled in a bit and accuracy will be the same as conventional paper patch.  However,to obtain the ultimate accuracy, trim the extra paper flush with the base using a razor knife, then bump at the bottom of the sizer stroke, against a stop plug that is cupped out in the center, leaving about 1/32 inch of flat faced off around the perimeter.  This narrow flat can be easily printed into the base of the bullet, which makes it perfectly square with the sides.

  I recommend such a stop plug for sizing both gas checked and plain base bullets, for the same reason..

[bearbeater]

Veral
Hope you and your family had a very good Christmas. I have just one more question. I was checking out other post on GOP and you mentioned computer labels and I am confused a bit. Do you mean the kind you peel and stick or lick and stick?? can you clarify?? If it is the lick and stick do they still make them? if it is the peel and stick this would be easy.
Bearbeater

[Veral]

  Thank you.  We had an excellent Christmas.
 
  I mean the currently available peel and stick computer labels.  It IS very easy.  I can even do it myself!

  I have tried various brands of wet application label stock but only had good results with a brand called 'Pancake", which I used to use when we labeled our bullet lubricant, during the years we packed it in plastic tubes.  It was available from print shops on special order.  If you find some, the easiest way to wet the patches is to cut them to size, lay them out on a waterproof table, and spray them with a plastic pump type spray bottle till they are soaked well.  Give them a minute or two to soak through then apply.  One can wet probably at least 30 at a time and have time to apply them before they get too dry to wrap well, and if they do get a bit dry, just fog them again.

  I have had excellent results applying glue to paper with these fog bottles.  Mix carpenters wood glue, like Elmers, and I like the water proof type, from 1 to 1 with water, to 1 part glue to 2 parts water.  Fog the patches well, then apply with them real wet, keeping a bowl of water handy to dip your fingers in as needed so they don't get sticky.  Best paper is 100% cotton, which is available from any office supply in 500 sheet reams for a little more money than standard copy paper.  100% cotton doesn't get soggy and fall apart during application, which is a problem with regular paper.  Cost is almost nothing per bullet with the cotton paper.  Computer label cost is less than gas checks, depending on the size labels required and how many patches can be cut from each.

  With any of the above, lube is melted on all the same way, after the patches are well dried.  The glued patches dry fastest.  Computer labels remain gummy for a couple days, and can slip during sizing.  Sizer dies must be well polished to size patched bullets without tearing or peeling the patches off.