and what's up with paper patched bullets?

[battleship gunner]

Hey 5090,
Don't let these guys run you off, they did the same thing to me when I first started posting because I use SMOKELESS in both my Sharps, I was called all kinds of names and was ready to leave but was told to suck it up which I did and after a while they ignored me which is fine with me. I still contribute to the conversation and do get a lot out of most comments. With smokeless I get the same accuracy with the first and last shot with my greasers and NEVER clean the bore during the session, I once fired 82 rounds with my .50-140 and wound up with 1 large hole. So you stick around that way they can rag on you and let some other poor son of a bitch alone, you'll be providing a service to all us outcasts.

Frank

My long distance provider is Sharps.

[brass monkey]

I guess I might as well chime in since everybody else has put in their two cents worth. I have been into BPCR now about 5-years and up until a month ago have been loading greasers only, in several different calibers. About a year back I purchased a couple of 110's -- one in a 32" 1 1/2 heavy barrel C. Sharps 1874 and another in a 26" Shiloh. Well, you can imagine when using 100+ grains of 1f Goex, the Shiloh didn't perform too well. Not that it was a bad load mind you, it was the problem associated with recoil and torque along with the fact it has a military butt plate rather than a shotgun plate. To make a long story somewhat shorter, after several attempts to get the Shiloh to shoot decent groups (thought I would be using it as a hunting rifle here in Eastern Oregon), I sort of gave up and put it back in the safe and went on to getting a good gg load for the C. Sharps. However, a fellow who used to be on this site pretty regularly had been encouraging me to start patching the Shiloh and see if my accuracy might improve. I was astounded by the results, at least my initial result which has been at 100 yards. I m using a .444 bullet and 9 lb onion skin paper and when I do my part, I can put 7-10 shots within an inch consistently, providing I wipe between shots and make sure I don't get the cleaning patch (2" Arsenal patches) too wet to begin with - and use a chamber swab. For me, the recoil and torque has been significantly reduced, or better said: "altered". With the gg bullets the recoil was very sharp and torque was very difficult to control. Shooting pp, the recoil seems to be stretched out over a slightly longer time frame and the torque issue is almost un-noticeable. I am now working on testing the load at 200 yards and beyond. What's more, I find I really enjoy "rolling my own".

[bobw]

Well Brass, one could surmise from reading your post that you found developing a load for ppb's easier and less work than doing the same for greasers. What's your assessment of that?

[brass monkey]

Mr BobW -- you got that right. If I'm not mistaken, many months back when I had a question about bullet run-out with greasers, I believe you were the one who sent me the video of you patching some slicks and finger seating them -- that was your answer to my question about run-out . Along with encouragement from another BPCR guy with a lot of experience in pp, it got me thinking I need to try it. I bought a used (but in good shape) BACO Money bullet mold that drops out at around 543 grains, give or take .003 grains. pp just seems easier than gg because you don't have to mess with pan lubing or a lube sizer nor most of the other steps involved with loading greasers. Yes, I have had to start over to develop a good load but that is going well.

[bobw]

Don't know about sending you the video link Brass, but working a load up with ppb's is about as simple as it gets. I always laugh pretty hard when I read the internet advice from past and present keyboard expert's that give the advice to learn how to load for greasers first before tackling the much more complicated and involved "mystical paper patched bullet". . Good luck in your further endeavors. bobw

[Don McDowell]

Well being one of those "keyboard champions", plus having a medal from the Nationals (shooting paper patched) I freely admit to giving that advice to learn to shoot a greaser with blackpowder cartridge, then move to the paper patch.
But I do that mostly because of accuracy concerns. It's quicker and easier to hit an accurate load in a standard chamber than it is a paper patched load. Lots of things that affect a patched load when searching for xrings or other such small targets... But then if all you need is a half a bullet on steel, or skip a rock in to the target and make the radio ring...

[Wyoming Roughrider]

Oldmac,

It's been a long time since I posted anything on here. Lately just stop in to see what's going on. I started on all this about 10 yrs ago. Loaded only GG for a long time as it was easier for me to get into. After a while, I was given 40 rounds of PP loads by a good guy, just so I could try them out. They shot very well. I can't say that they were any better than my GG; but, that is probably due to the meathead behind the rifle, rather than the loads. After that, I picked up Randolph Wright's book "Loading and shooting Paper Patched Bullets". I still load both GG and PP. I honestly think my GG beat my PP for accuracy; but, not by much. I do prefer the cleanup after a PP shooting session. Much less mess.

I guess, for me, it is just fun to tinker with both. I am not a competitive shooter. Most guys on this forum have burnt way more powder than I have. Experiment and have fun.


Roger T
Rock Springs, WY