Making paper cartridges-my solution

[Pete453]

I’m probably one of not many that doesn’t have a Facebook account. No real reason just to lazy!

You're not alone, I have no reason or desire to be on there, curmudgeon here

 

[Pete453]

Blackpowderart,
I looked up the Crossen tools, he has some nice tools on his site. I used to enjoy making stuff like that oak and brass one, I may have a future winter project there.

 

[Paul Nelson]

the only problem I had was getting the conicals to go in without bunching up the paper

 

[Bunk]

For ease of loading balls in the 1851 Navy .36 the sharp edge of the chamber mouth had been chamfered slightly so the ball swedged into the chamber and did not cut the lead ring. It also would not cut the paper on the bullet end on the cartridge and would not load.
I solved the paper cartridge problem with a Krist unmentionable in .38 Colt and shoot C&B with another guns snubbys preferably.
The bore was unchanged and can be shot as a C&B by simply swapping cylinders.
By the time it was finished iI had two guns for the price of three...as usual.
Bunk

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

the only problem I had was getting the conicals to go in without bunching up the paper

Same problem with me. The tape cured it.

 

[Paul Nelson]

Same problem with me. The tape cured it.

I tried that, I guess I didn’t use enough tape

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I tried that, I guess I didn’t use enough tape

One wrap did it for me. Maybe tape thickness is the issue?

 

[springfield art]

I attend auctions, and every now and again there's an old book with laid paper, the real cotton and acid free stuff; if it's not a rare or valuable book, it's possible to use pages for wrapping musket cartridges. I won't use a Bible, of course, but that's sometimes what you see having the right paper. Never use a historical or valuable book, of course. Gotta use judgement on this.

 

[Gus Alexander]

I bought a kit a little while back and have made several hundred of them in .36 and .44 combined. Everything worked well except for putting in the ball. They would always kind of sit on top of the opening and it was a pain. It was made worse when I put some stick glue on the ball first as per instructions. What I did was wrap a piece of blue tape around the post of the former where the "rim" of the cartridge was. It allowed for a wider opening and it worked with the forming block perfectly. Now the ball slips into the cartridge and seats perfectly on the powder. I just got done making 50 cartridges in .36 and only had two of them give me any trouble and even those were easily taken care of. To secure them in the cartridge I used a little elmers glue, the glue stick didn't cooperate for this. This was my solution, your milage may vary. It's a lot more fun to plink with my 1851 and 1858 now.

I roll my papers over a marker. (Cut cigarette paper) I fold over the end, but leave an opening. I used pieces of nitrated paper to cover the end. 15grn. Powder, 15grn. C.O.W., I never added the ball in until this time around. I glued it. I usually just make a charge pscket & pack a lubed ball over it.. I bought that same kit. I'm anxious to try it.. mine take @45mi. To produce 10.. roling the paper is time consuming..

 

[Gus Alexander]

I

How does the painters tape/wax paper, etc. burn up, as well as the "cigarette" papers? Is there more accumulation in the cylinders after firing?
I have read somewhere the original 1860s and 1862s cylinders and frames were actually opened up more with the intention of paper cartridge use...which makes sense. I wonder why the modern replicas dont follow that?
I also read that a trick in old days was to keep a hat pin handy, and after loading the paper cartridge insert the pin through the nipple to open up the cartridge base. I use a large safety pin on a ring, so I dont lose it, It seems to work well, no hangfires/etc. after about a hundred shots with paper cartridges so far.

Shoot cigarette paper, not all of it blows out the barrel, some stays smoldering in the chamber, & the amount of crud is terrible.. I load without any paper cartridge at the range.. paper cartridges & charges are for reloading if I carry 1 hunting...

 

[Plainsman]

It took a few mess ups to get in sync and still have few culls. But over all they come out pretty good. Started with the kit from Guns of the West and the provided papers. Went thru those and picked some Raw cigarette paper and just kept going.

 

[Plainsman]

It took a few mess ups to get in sync and still have few culls. But over all they come out pretty good. Started with the kit from Guns of the West and the provided papers. Went thru those and picked some Raw cigarette paper and just kept going.

 

[Pete453]

Plainsman,
Those are some good looking cartridges too! I need to get on the stick and make some cartridges. I've been making one piece tubes out of hair curler paper and twisting it over the ball. So far It's working pretty good, but I'm not done tinkering yet. Too many irons in the fire.

 

[Gino753]

Im having fun making these things.Great after work activity at 12AM

 

[Paul Nelson]

It took a few mess ups to get in sync and still have few culls. But over all they come out pretty good. Started with the kit from Guns of the West and the provided papers. Went thru those and picked some Raw cigarette paper and just kept going.

I have the Guns of the West kit in .36 cal. The kit works great, although when I ran out of papers, I used Zig Zags natural. They didn’t burn as well.

 

[snakebit]

I bought a kit a little while back and have made several hundred of them in .36 and .44 combined. Everything worked well except for putting in the ball. They would always kind of sit on top of the opening and it was a pain. It was made worse when I put some stick glue on the ball first as per instructions. What I did was wrap a piece of blue tape around the post of the former where the "rim" of the cartridge was. It allowed for a wider opening and it worked with the forming block perfectly. Now the ball slips into the cartridge and seats perfectly on the powder. I just got done making 50 cartridges in .36 and only had two of them give me any trouble and even those were easily taken care of. To secure them in the cartridge I used a little elmers glue, the glue stick didn't cooperate for this. This was my solution, your milage may vary. It's a lot more fun to plink with my 1851 and 1858 now.

Are you running a razor blade around the top of the cone to make it uniform? First few I made I wasn't doing that and was having issues with the ball being kinda wonky. I usually let them dry a few hours too before dipping in the bullet lube.

Only downside of paper cartridges is I shoot them off way quicker than I can make them. I also take a can of period correct compressed air and give all the chambers a shot after a few cylinders to get any paper residue out.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I have the Guns of the West kit in .36 cal. The kit works great, although when I ran out of papers, I used Zig Zags natural. They didn’t burn as well.

You can get a couple refill kits from him.

 

[Gino753]

Also, can someone explain this too me? As far as making combustible paper.So i orderd some Potassium Nitrate, crystals so that i can melt some in water, and soak some curling paper, to make combustible paper

However…it seems that Potassium Nitrate does not burn by itself?? I watched a guy making model rocket engines last night , and made (Suger Rockets) and showed how the potassium nitrate would not ignite by itself.However when you added the suger???

Oh boy

 

[Gino753]

Deleted

 

[maillemaker]

I think I got it.Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter) is a powerful oxidizer, and while it is not flammable in itself.It will promote fire and combustion when involved in a fire.

Therefore since paper is flammable …by soaking this paper in Potassium Nitrate, then lighting the paper on fire.The potassium Nitrate that is imbedded in the paper fibers therefore causes the reaction by oxidation promoting the burning of the paper

Correct...KNO3 is an oxidizer.