Fire Retardant Paper Cartridges

[Frankdkk]

I plan to make smoothbore rifle paper cartridges to hunt in deep woods. I’m considering Kraft paper or even ordinary printer paper. But concern is I don’t ever want to start a forest fire when smoldering papers shoot out of my gun.

I saw Borax mentioned for a soaking solution for the paper. Does this adequately retard smoldering paper? Is there any downside to doing this?

I also saw fire retardants in a spray bottle from Amazon. I’m thinking a few squirts on my cartridge papers might be easy before I form them. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks!

 

[Phil Coffins]

How about trying it yourself? Do a test piece then use a match at home to see if it’s worth testing in a firearm.

 

[Frankdkk]

How about trying it yourself? Do a test piece then use a match at home to see if it’s worth testing in a firearm.

I may have to do so.. But this seems too easy so I’m wondering if I’m missing something.
Obvious test is indeed try to light a treated paper sample, and other test might be to determine if it’s corrosive
Thank you for the reply.

 

[Chuck Tiller]

1. Treat several papers at home.
2. From the papers that pass, make BLANK cartridges
3. Take the blanks to a safe area. Load them with some kind of wadding tamped over them. Newsprint or cleaning patches work well. Remember to pickup afterwards.
4. Test for ignition and RECORD your results.
5. Make a report to the curious. Thanks.

 

[wiscoaster]

.....
5. Make a report to the curious. Thanks.

That would be me.

 

[deerstalkert]

how about eliminating smoldering paper? treat your paper with nitrate and have it burn up in the barrel. i have never had nitrated paper leave my pistol barrel to smolder in the grass so i imagine it would be gone by the time it exits a rifle barrel.
I would worry more about a smoldering patch. but i again assume you are using a conical in your cartridge?

 

[FlinterNick]

I plan to make smoothbore rifle paper cartridges to hunt in deep woods. I’m considering Kraft paper or even ordinary printer paper. But concern is I don’t ever want to start a forest fire when smoldering papers shoot out of my gun.

I saw Borax mentioned for a soaking solution for the paper. Does this adequately retard smoldering paper? Is there any downside to doing this?

I also saw fire retardants in a spray bottle from Amazon. I’m thinking a few squirts on my cartridge papers might be easy before I form them. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks!

I use baking parchment to make my cartridges, it doesn’t burn from shooting, also looks authentic. It holds a wax coating nicely too.

 

[wiscoaster]

how about eliminating smoldering paper? treat your paper with nitrate and have it burn up in the barrel. i have never had nitrated paper leave my pistol barrel to smolder in the grass so i imagine it would be gone by the time it exits a rifle barrel.
I would worry more about a smoldering patch. but i again assume you are using a conical in your cartridge?

I don't think OP gave us enough information about his gun; eg is it flint, where his cartridge is rip, pour and stuff as wad, or is it percussion, where it's rammed intact?

 

[ZUG]

If I was concerned about starting fires during my hunt, I would not use any product that may cause that fire in the first place. This statement may not be practical, but I don't see how to get around the OP question. The very nature of shooting a muzzle loading firearm produces burning embers being ejected out of the muzzle every time the gun is fired. If you do solve the burning patch/paper cartridge issue what about the burning embers?