Author Topic: Building a proper PP "pill" (Read 893 times)

JBMauser · « **on:** August 13, 2003, 05:37:12 AM »

For me to do much more with PP I need to move away from patching my regular cast bullets and work up a plain lead cylinder to patch up to correct size. Without spending a fortune is there any advice to build a pill for .30 and .45 that is properly undersized to add a good cellulose jacket? ...Cast? Draw? Swedge? Buy? Drill out a lee mold? Perhaps this is the business opportunity I have been looking for. "JB mold company" builders of plain round nose pills for your patching enjoyment! What do you all use for your base bullet? JB

olduvai george · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2003, 04:37:59 PM »

jb: examine what you are doing now in patching so that you can determine before and after diameters with 1 wrap, 2 wrap, and 3 wrap patches. you may also use as cast or sized bullets and certainly 9 pound or 16 pound paper. you should also be slugging the bore so as to have a target finished diameter to work toward. many common cast bullets are amenable to patching up to a larger bore size. i guess i do it as another aspect of the hobby, since i haven't experienced any better accuracy with a parched than with a cast, lubed bullet. i have patched cast soft lead .44 bullets up for use in 43 mauser, and .500 minies up for use in 50-90, .30 to 7.65. 7.65 to 8 mm., etc. i have no experience with plain lead or swaged bullets. good luck in your efforts. olduvai george

JBMauser · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2003, 05:01:10 PM »

I too have had best accuracy with cast and lubed bullets for the appropriate cal. Until I got an 8mm mold I patched up unsized 303 cal bullets. I was getting somewhere that but the mold came in and, well now I cast and size and shoot 8mm and I am pleased with the results. I guess I always felt that using a cast smaller cal, like .308 and patching it up to 303 cal. was a kluge. I would rather build a proper undersized pill without lube groves to patch up to each bores specs. JB

Kragman71 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2003, 04:13:26 PM »

JBMauser,
Colonel Harrison wrote,in the AmericanRifleman,that the grooved bullet was superior to the plain sided bullet. (paper patched)
In My experience,the only accuracy that I get in My well worn Springfield Krag,is with grooved bullets that are sized down. Several dozen combinations of two different molds and six different core lengths with smoothe bullets have been far less successful.
On the other hand,I've never tried grooved bullets in My 30/30 because I am completely satisfied wiith the smoothies.
I think that it is possible that the only advantage of the smoothe sided bullet is that it is so much easier to cast perfect ones.
I would welcome any comment,backed by personel experience,that disagrees with this statement. The reason is that I still don't know a heck of a lot about paper bullets.
Frank