Does the paper have to be onionskin???

[no3]

G'day
I was wondering,does the paper for patching have to be"9lb Onionskin"? for I can not find it here in Australia,bloody anywhere.I just get blank stares or silence on the other end of the phone :shock:

I'm using some Imported bank paper and some bond paper at the moment which is pretty tuff,also some newsprint paper,which I thought would break when I wet it but no,it's pretty tuff to.
I have not had a chance to try them yet have made up about 40 rounds with the two different papers,all the same charge and made up the same way,so it will be intresting when I do go out to fire them.
Just the wind is blowing it's tits off at the moment.Even had to tie me dog  down or she would blow away :wink:
I've got this other paper that was given to me,it's 100% cotton paper,has any one had any use with this style of paper?
Do you size your bullets after appling the patch?,I did,hope thats not wrong
Do you size your bullets before applying a patch?,I don't. using .452 dia PP bullet cast.
What about Crimp (45/70)
Any help would be great
no3 (Dale)

[McD]

Hi
Way to new at this to give advice but here is 2 links that might help.
Do a search here on paper will help also...
 http://www.iastate.edu/~codi/PPB/PPB.html
 http://www.rceco.com/techtalk.htm

[Castaway]

I have used onion skin, 16 lb notebook paper, 20 lb and 25 lb paper.  I've even used cigarette papers with good results.  Depends on the bullet and alloy you are using.  I cast a very soft bullet and can't tell the difference in onion skin or the 16 lb notebook paper I use.  When I used 25 lb paper (copy maching) I had to size aferwards to get the bullet to fully chamber.  Lost about half of the patches that way.  Went to 20 lb and sized afterwards and lost about 20%.   With the 16 lb paper, I load and shoot without any sizing.  As far as sizing before patching, it's a matter of bullet diameter after casting.  When I got started in this obscene hobby, I used a Lee 405 grain bullet that dropped around 0.457"  I had to lube, size, remove the lube, patch and size again (25 lb paper).  Seemed like an awful lot of work.  Went to a custom mould that drops at 0.452", cast, patch, lube and shoot.  Saves three steps.

[bfoster]

Under some conditions rice papers can work very well. Large stores specializing in artists supplies often inventory this sort of paper. You might also look carefully at the other papers available.

Bob

[HWooldridge]

Mead tracing paper works well for me and can be had at Walmart.

[tommy4toes]

it's really the width of the paper that counts.........I've shot everything from teflon tape to computer paper. The final resulting diameter is what's important in paper patching.
t4t