AaronH
32 Cal
Looking for information on what size to cut my paper for 62cal paper cartridges. I have found a size for the brown bess, should i just trim off some on each side? My research has found me at a dead end. Thank you all.
62cal trade gun paper cartridges
- Thread starter AaronH
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I just use a 5/8” dowel (sanded down to be thinner ... ) to roll them and don’t worry about any angled shape on the paper. For paper I use those note pads from the Dollar Store that have a grey/clay colored ‘math’ paper as we used to call it in grade school … or at least those of my generation did, lol!
Final length can be custom to your load. I cut the paper ‘length’ when rolled, so when glued, twice rolled, the start/end edges line up, so being ‘like a patch’, it’s the same thickness all the way around. Not eccentric, which would mean the ball if OFF center!
There are 2 methods, ‘English’ with the ball tied in place w/ string, and ‘French’ with a fold or twist immediately above the ball. You can look them up online, but the French roll is a lot harder to find info about, but it works.
A trick I do is to do the roll, with the ball in the end, then dip them in 50/50 mix of cooking oil & beeswax (same lube I use for Minies), going to 1/3rd wax to 2/3rds oil if using them in colder temps getting close to freezing. But I don’t use beeswax lubes below freezing! I dip them about 3/8” above the ball height & let ‘almost’ dry, and then give them a quick/careful twist. A simple pinch for a second seals the ball below the powdah chamber.
Then fill with powdah & seal - many methods there too - depending if you’re a reenactor and/or how traditional do you want to be.
[FYI, for hunting, if using a paper cartridge loads where temps will be BELOW freezing, I’ll wipe Track of the Wolf’s mink oil on the ball area.]
For use, open cartridge, load powdah, and then I tear off excess paper (has proved to be more accurate for me), seat and shoot …
Final length can be custom to your load. I cut the paper ‘length’ when rolled, so when glued, twice rolled, the start/end edges line up, so being ‘like a patch’, it’s the same thickness all the way around. Not eccentric, which would mean the ball if OFF center!
There are 2 methods, ‘English’ with the ball tied in place w/ string, and ‘French’ with a fold or twist immediately above the ball. You can look them up online, but the French roll is a lot harder to find info about, but it works.
A trick I do is to do the roll, with the ball in the end, then dip them in 50/50 mix of cooking oil & beeswax (same lube I use for Minies), going to 1/3rd wax to 2/3rds oil if using them in colder temps getting close to freezing. But I don’t use beeswax lubes below freezing! I dip them about 3/8” above the ball height & let ‘almost’ dry, and then give them a quick/careful twist. A simple pinch for a second seals the ball below the powdah chamber.
Then fill with powdah & seal - many methods there too - depending if you’re a reenactor and/or how traditional do you want to be.
[FYI, for hunting, if using a paper cartridge loads where temps will be BELOW freezing, I’ll wipe Track of the Wolf’s mink oil on the ball area.]
For use, open cartridge, load powdah, and then I tear off excess paper (has proved to be more accurate for me), seat and shoot …
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Don't get too worried about the size of the paper. You will be okay with three wraps of the ball, or three wraps of the forming stick as described by @Flint62Smoothie or trim the about 7" dimension of the Brown Bess wrap to 5 5/8". His description of making the cartridge is good. The paper wrap of the ball is a reasonable patch for the ball as well as doing something to lubricate the wrapped ball.
AaronH
32 Cal
Thank you!
AaronH
32 Cal
Thank you!
@AaronH, three wraps or two wraps is less important than having the wrapped ball having a sliding fit of the bore. A 5/8" dowel is 0.625" and two or three wraps may make the cartridge too large for a 20 gauge bore of nominally 0.615". I have run a screw into the center of the dowel end and chucked that up in a hand drill. It doesn't take too long to sand off or file off enough of the dowel so that two or three wraps of paper are a slip fit of the bore.
By using the excess paper as a wad between the powder and the ball, (or for that matter, a shot charge), the wrapped ball will be held in place.
By using the excess paper as a wad between the powder and the ball, (or for that matter, a shot charge), the wrapped ball will be held in place.
I found that a big ball is too tight to load easily and paper two turns is too thick. I normally shoot a .595 or .600 in my .62. But a .575 ball works best in a cartridge. And is still deer hunting accurate at fifty yards.
I don’t hunt with them, only play.
I don’t hunt with them, only play.
Brokennock
Cannon
Hobby Lobby has packages of short dowels that are just about the right diameter. Barely any sanding and they're perfect.
I don’t take measurements on my paper. I take a 5/8 dowel and cut off paper about five inches long. Roll the dowel till it overlaps about 1/4 inch.then from the base to the side draw a line to a point abut an inch away at the top. Unroll cut out and use as a pattern to make a stack. I doubt two batches are the same
But 5” by 2. 1/2” at the base and 3 and 1/2 at the top should be pretty close.
But 5” by 2. 1/2” at the base and 3 and 1/2 at the top should be pretty close.
Belleville
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I am curious what paper you all use for your cartridges I have been using paint masking paper I got before I retired. I’ve tried newsprint but had no luck with it- too flimsy.
I’m also shooting a 62 cal smoothbore, I roll it using a brass rod I turned to .600 I tie the top off and also tie under the ball then add my powder. I use the red and white string that bakers use to tie up their boxes. Its thin fairly strong and gives an excuse to buy some jelly donuts now and again!
Thanks Kevin
I’m also shooting a 62 cal smoothbore, I roll it using a brass rod I turned to .600 I tie the top off and also tie under the ball then add my powder. I use the red and white string that bakers use to tie up their boxes. Its thin fairly strong and gives an excuse to buy some jelly donuts now and again!
Thanks Kevin
Brokennock
Cannon
I use brown paper grocery bag paper mostly. I also have a few rolls of that brown paper sold for wrapping packages, I use it for shot cartridges and patterning paper. I make more shot cartridges than roundball cartridges, but I've had it work for both.
AaronH
32 Cal
How are you making ur shot cartridges?? Same method as ball?
Brokennock
Cannon
This is pinned at the top of the smoothbore section as a locked "sticky"
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/premade-shot-cups-cartridges-how-to.113216/
To many it is an overcomplication.
They might be right.
But, it is an overcomplication for a purpose.
My main purpose in the shape of the paper is to have a single layer of paper where it will get twisted closed, and a double layer around the shot. I often had trouble with a double layer of the paper I use either not twisting closed tight enough or tearing when I tried. That isn't an issue with them made like this. And used as described in the topic linked, I don't get "slugging" either.
To use it for roundball I wrap around my mandrel, slide it up so that the double layer overhangs the end by enough for the .595 ball and a twist, place the ball and twist the top, wrap my heavy thread/light string around below the ball so that it constricts the paperuner the ball slightly (there is obviously a void between the bottom curve of the ball and the end of the mandrel) slide it off and add powder to the empty end and fold it closed. Obviously I leave the single layer end longer when I cut my shap than I do for shot loads, to leave room for the powder.
