Paper Cartridges for modern inline Muzzleloaders?

[ithaca49]

Ok here goes my theory:

I have recently purchased a .45 cal bolt action inline muzzleloader. I have also been reading about muzzle-loading in general, and how to make your own paper cartridges like were used in the civil war. I know that they now sell speedloaders (which i do own a few) that carry the bullet and powder for one complete round. But why not try rolling your own cartridges. Say with two 50 grain pellets and a powerbelt. You would just bite off the end, dump the powder and bullet, chuck the paper, and ram it home. Then you don't need to mess with loosing the expensive plastic speedloaders.

Anybody see any drawbacks to this? Maybe i'm missing something, but I think I am on to something here....

Thanks

 

[jmstevens2]

You still gotta put them in something. Seems the lighting of the powder could be less reliable too, never tried it.

 

[Jaymo]

I guess you could use waxed paper. Tear off the end, dump the pellets or powder down the bore, ram the powerbelt down the bore, stick the paper in yer pocket, and you're ready to shoot.

 

[Rem.222]

Should work well. Show us pic of a finished case and how it worked. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Here is a link to how to roll the cartridges. This will work if you simply want to pour a premeasured load.

You can add a bullet into the closed end first if you want an all-n-one cartridge, but you will need to get tubes sized to your bore for this to work, even if you are not ramming down the paper tube with the powder.

If you need to prep the rolling dowel for your rifle for fitted tubes, you start by getting a wooden dowel that is smaller than the bore, and take some of the paper that you would use for the final product. Wrap the paper twice around the dowel and see if the paper wrapped dowel just fits down the bore without creasing, bunching, or damaging the paper. If it's too lose get a bigger dowel, and try again.

IF the dowel wrapped with paper won't fit... take sandpaper and reduce the dowel size until a double paper wrap will just fit down your bore....that way your bullets for an all-in-one cartridge will "just fit" inside the tubes when they are completed. The dowel can then be used to adjust the size of the papers you are using to make the cartridges.

Then at that point make the cartridge tubes, and dip them in wax or Thompson's Water Seal, or melted bullet lube, or what have you. Starting with waxed paper doesn't seem to give you a tight tube, and I think it's because the fibers of the paper have reduced friction on each other when pre-waxed. I like to use good bond paper, so I go to the library and find a hardback book that they are selling for a couple of dollars, and use the paper in the book.

Paper Cartridges Part One

Paper Cartridges Part Two

LD

 

[longrifle346]

LOL, Good Lord man! With an inline you gotta drop a couple of pre-measured pellets, slide a saboted bullet down, and slip on a 209 primer! Is it that tough? You ain't doing drugs are ya...?

Get a speedloader....or an AK. How'bout a gunbearer?

Sorry, Ithica, I'm just pickin' on ya, but I get pure tickled when folks want to even further simplify/modernize something that was never meant to be modernized. Primitive weapon season, whose initial objective was to provide a more challeging hunt oddly enough, has now evolved? into an arguement of semantics by lawyers and lobbyists, vague similarities, pellets, smokeless powder, and shotgun primers.......whodathunkit....

 

[Jaymo]

Hell. Just use flash paper for the cartridges. That way, you just ram the whole thing down the barrel and shoot.

 

[ithaca49]

I think that I will try to make an Enfield style paper cartridge. That way no paper goes down the barrel. I will load them with 90 grains of triple 777 loose powder and a 200 grain buffalo bullet ball-et. I think that will be a great target/ hunting load.

I still need to order the bullets, as there are no places by me that carry them. It may be a while before i get to it, but i think i will try it.

I'll keep you posted!

 

[ithaca49]

Well, i found these which seem like a much better option, and a lot less work. I just didn't like how the other speed loaders worked. I will throw a bag of these on my order from there and I can do a review on them. I do still plan on trying to make paper cartridges though with pyrodex pellets, which i might try out this weekend then.