Paper-patched roundball - can it work?

Gator Weiss said:

Paper patching round ball to achieve a more precise bore-fit. What thoughts on this? Can use multiple layers, etc

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If you mean ramming a ball into the cylinder with paper around it, won't the front of the cylinder cut the paper off? Kinda like a hole punch?

kell said:

If you mean ramming a ball into the cylinder with paper around it, won't the front of the cylinder cut the paper off? Kinda like a hole punch?

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Might be talking about rifles. If you patched them so they are .001” or so under bore you might be ok.

If you could pull it off you have way more nimble fingers than me!
I would say, get a bigger mould.
If your chambers are too small compared to the barrel nothing but reaming the chambers will improve the situation, because the balls come out the size of the chambers. See Mr Jackrabbit or a black powder friendly gunsmith

Why not powder coat them.

troy fairweather said:

Why not powder coat them.

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It won't change anything. The chambers swage the balls to their size. No matter how much bigger you make your bullets, they get sized the same as the chamber.
As in .457 ball goes into a .450 chamber and comes out .450. The chamber sizes dictate what size ball goes down the barrel

If we are talking about revolvers, it's pointless. The paper will be torn off the instant the ball is rammed home.

In rifles, it has some limited application. Conical bullets - as opposed to round balls - sometimes are patched when extreme accuracy is on the menu. These typically are made to fit the bore closely, and fall down under the weight of the loading rod. Care has to be taken that they don't slide back up the bore, so you can't really walk around with the loaded gun. The bore also has to be closely maintained, with wet and dry patches after each shot. In other words, this is pretty specialized stuff with limited application. I suppose the same thing could be done with roundball, but why? The technique is pretty much limited to long range target work, and what lunatic is going to hit the 600 yard line at a competition loaded with round ball?

I think ol’ gator has lost interest…

Paper patched balls in a rifle won't increase accuracy, but won't hurt it near as much as one might think. I hope the question didn't pertain to revolvers...that would make no sense.

4v50 Gary said:

How about no

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How about why? Cloth patching works pretty darn good. My speed loads are paper patched, but "speed" is the reason. They are also a loose fit, might run into problems forcing a tight fitting paper patched ball down the bore. However, they will just stay on a paper plate at 100 yards, and considering they are just meant for close-in work when the wolves attack, (or chasing wounded bears around in the heavy brush) that ain't so bad.

woodnbow said:

I think ol’ gator has lost interest…

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We filled his mouth with cannon balls, and powdered his behind, and when we touched that powder off, the Gator lost his mind!

Paper patched balls in a revolver are a no go. Leave the paper patching for cartridge rifles.

Ugly Sauce said:

However, they will just stay on a paper plate at 100 yards,

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I quote myself!!! I meant 50 yards.

Why do you use cornmeal in a rifle?

Might be hungry, looking to cook breakfast? Never been a big fan of blowing food out of a gun barrel, it's hard to find and it tastes odd.

Well, at least we know it's about rifles and not revolvers. But like Hawg asks, what would be the purpose of a filler or buffer under the ball in a rifle? A "good question" if ever there was one. Gator...you know something we don't???? !!!!

I missed any reference in the beginning of using a combination of paper and cloth patches...that's "interesting" for sure, but for sure I don't see any advantage really, and would be surprised to see any measurable difference in accuracy. It certainly seems like a long, drawn out and complicated loading procedure.

I have been using grocery bag paper cartridges in my rifles and smooth bores for years, (and my Plains Pistol) as "speed loaders". In which case I go for a very loose fit, for repeated shots, and as mentioned I am surprised that they are as accurate as they are, although certainly less accurate than a tight cloth patched ball. They are for close in work, that last ditch stand before Grizz, Cougar, or the wolves get within biting and scratching distance. 20 yards or less, or "bad breath" range.

Okay Gator, you some s'plaining to do!!!

i have used damp bounty for patching on RB,s with a thin over the powder wad, it was fairly accurent at 60-70 yards making a certain hit on rabbit size animals. .50 cal hawken tc rifle.

Gator Weiss said:

Paper patching roundballs works. Load powder down the bore. Load buffer on powder. I use measure of cornmeal over powder. Cloth patch over muzzle, paper over cloth, ball over paper, ball starter, knife, ball starter, rod, prime and shoot. The payoff is the paper allows for minor adjustment in patch thickness, etc. Paper used ranged from onion skin to newsprint to baking parchment to brown-bag. Paper by itself (lubed) heavy brown bag worked well. Newsprint worked well with cotton patch. Experiment showed some types of paper used sensibly, works.

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(Boldface color added)

This is exactly what the late Dutch Schoultz recommended as a way to determine optimal patch thickness for a particular rifle. Best of luck with your testing.

Maybe it's to prevent blown patches, hornet nest material works great for that. A pinch over the powder will stop patches from burning.

Jackrabbit1957 said:

Maybe it's to prevent blown patches, hornet nest material works great for that. A pinch over the powder will stop patches from burning.

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Truth. My Jeager will burn patches, or they will look like they were cut on loading, when using one wad under the ball. Two wads and the patches come out re-usable. (but I don't) With all the hornets and wasps we have around here, I have no idea why I don't use nest.

Just make sure the nest isn't occupied when you come a collecting!

Paper cartridges for roundball loads in smoothbores work great! Besides accuracy equal to cloth patching, they are historically correct, if you care about such things. They're also faster loading for times events, like the Winter primitive snowshoe Muzzleloading Biathlons we run up here in the Northeast.

When Gator asked the question ... it really would have benefited us if he had clarified the use for revolvers, rifles or smoothies ...

The English tied the ball in place where the French typically sealed it with a slight twist above the ball. I lube the ball area by either dipping them in a 50:50 mix of bees wax to olive oil or by smearing on some mink oil from Track of the Wolf.