540 grain Money paper patch bullets

[Pb2au]

This is Buffalo arms mold. My first I might add. Very nice quality on the mold and the bullets just fall like rain.
I'm learning quickly with this mold, and pulling on older lessons learned,
It likes a bit of pressure from the spout, but for the next round I will ladle cast and compare.
Anyway, here is some bullet and mold porn. More reports to follow. Tomorrow I'll make the template and cut patches.

 

[Creeker]

You shoot them in what? Would love to see your set up for cutting patches.

 

[Pb2au]

These are going to be used in a Pederosoli Rolling block Creedmore rifle, chambered in 45/70.
I am still new to the paper patch experience, so I am currently working out the actual cutting of the patches. When I get something workable, for sure I will share.

 

[Ian]

I use a guillotine-type paper cutter to cut my patches.

1. Determine paper "grain" by which way the paper "bows" the most when a SQUARE sheet (cut it to 8.5" square or whatever size it is) is held flat by one edge (pinch one edge down with a ruler on the edge of a table and let the weight curve it down). Orient your patches lengthwise with or across the grain of the paper, depending on what kind of paper, wet or dry patching, how much stretch you want, how strong the paper is wet, etc.

2. Make tick marks along the top and bottom edges of one sheet of paper the width of your patches.

3. Add four more sheets underneath the marked sheet and put a staple in between each pair of tick marks on the top edge only.

4. Cut the strips on the tick marks. You will end up with a bunch of strips stapled together on one end in packs of five.

5. Take a strip of wood about 1/4" thick by 1" wide, long enough to reach across the cutting board diagonally and cut the ends to the angles of the patch, drill and bolt the strip on the cutting board at the angle of the patch end cuts. You want one end of the wood strip to ride almost against the blade and be near the back fence of the cutting board.

6. Mark your patch length by making tick marks on the top strip of paper on each pack of five, starting from the end opposite the staple. Start your measurements from the very corner tip of the strip.

7. Lay the strip on the cutting board against your angled wood strip fence, with the end OPPOSITE the staple toward the blade. Cut the end of the pack off at an angle, starting exactly on the square corner of the end.

8. NOW you're ready to produce patches. Slide the pack of paper along the angled fence to your first patch length tick mark and cut through the pack again. This will produce five individual, parallelogram-shaped patches. Repeat until the pack is exhausted. Your scrap will be the end of the pack with the staple through it and five loose triangular pieces where you cut the first angle on the end of the pack.

9. A hint: Once I get my patch length firmly established by lots of trial and error, I like to make a pattern out of milk jug plastic or flashing tin. I use this pattern to mark the length of the cuts on the packs rather than measure each mark.

 

[Pb2au]

Ian,
Thank you sir, that was a perfect how to. I appreciate it.
I am almost nailed down on the length of the patches. Just as you pointed out, I am learning to work with the grain of the paper and how it makes the patch behaves.
I think when I get the length buttoned up, I will do as you suggest and make a base template out of a sturdy material.
Grazi!

 

[Pb2au]

Never assume anything.....
So I assumed my bore diameter would be at .450-.451" on my rolling block and planned according to that.
Finally got a decent technique for rolling the patches on the bullets.
Rolled 20, let them dry, grabbed the micrometer and measured then the next day. (Today) .445". I figure bump up with the soft allow will get me the rest the way.
Put together first round and checked chambering... Womp womp womp....
No go. Sooted bullet and saw that it was engaging the rifling hard at the patch...
Head scratch....
Slug the barrel and measure the bore...444."
So, now I need to get some slightly thinner paper to sort out the interference. The bare slug drops at .4415 on the money, so I have some wiggle room.

In other news I made and tested a drop tube for the powder, works the trick.
Lube cookie production is almost industrialized.
Case prep looks good, although 95% of my cases are 2.098" right now. I'm. Guessing they will stretch a tiny bit after shooting a couple of times.
So, a minor set back, but definitely interesting and fun.

 

[Pb2au]

Back on track...
I spoke with my dad (being a printer for 45 years, the old man knows some stuff about paper) and asked him for some ideas for a tough, thinnnnn paper. He told me to swing by the shop after work.
So he had what essentially is onion skin paper, 0.0015 thick. Relatively tough, good paper. Took a sample home, cut some me patches, wet, roll and presto.
Finished diameter is at .4445, and that snugged right into the chamber. So I will carry on tomorrow night, make sure everything is skookum and away we go.

 

[Pb2au]

So, this whole adult/work/responsible human being thing really does get in the way of reloading and shooting.
Just finished up a couple of weeks of traveling, but despite that, I am still on track.
I've got 20 PP cartridges ready to go.
I also loaded up a dozen grease groove 405 Lee hollow base to use to roughly verify the tang sight.
I did put a halt to further work in the lab, as the chaos/mess that is the workbench went critical. That is to say, I could move longer see the bench.
I just spent a couple of hours in the workshop making new shelf units, as well as putting in some new lights. In short, I am cleaning up my mess.
Weather is looking decent toward next weekend, so hopefully I can do less talking and more shooting.
Also, my glasses arrived. It is rather nice being able to see.