New paper cartridge former

[wiscoaster]

In everyone’s experience, what has been found to be the ideal glue for making paper cartridges?

I like the Gorilla glue stick. Spreads nice and evenly, though maybe a little on the stiff side if you're using fragile paper. If you get Elmer's, DO NOT get the "school glue", nasty stuff. Get the Elmer's "all purpose" glue stick. Much superior. Not sold everywhere, might have to look around for it. But the tubes look identical, so pay attention to the package label.

 

[ernbar]

I use the white Elmers glue sticks, not the purple ones. You guys are so over complicating things. For lead balls there are instructions at CartridgeKits.com to just extend the paper so that it comes up over the sides of the ball. And the Deluxe kit even comes with a loading block, so you can do all of your cartridges first, then get glue on your fingers when you do the balls. The guns of the west system not only uses the top of the forming dowel as a powder measure, he suggests that you rub a little lube on the sides with this ridiculous stick that he sells. He also doesn't give you a punch for your bases. He wants you to buy them from him.

If you shoot those balls without proper lube, you will eventually get chain fires. That is why the Cartridgekits.com kits come with 50/50 lube, and a can in which to heat it and dip your cartridges. You will find that this was not only the original methodology, but it also consistently lubes your cylinder gap so you don't get dry crud buildup. I have seen several people ruin their guns by forcing a cylinder to turn when it was full of dry crud. But with the lube dip method you can shoot all day because the crud drips off with the melted lube.

I did not initially attack the GOTW, because it isn't nice, and Dustin makes a lot of great content to get people into bp shooting. But he really should just do a an affiliate deal with CartridgeKits.com. His kits work, but they are rudimentary. And the most common messages in the inbox at CartridgeKits.com is that they wish they had seen them before wasting money on Dustin's kit.

I use empty brass cases cut down with my Dremel for custom loads as dippers. I do not use the powder measurer in the mandrel. I find TGOTW kits very easy to use. I also use curling papers for the envelopes. The purpose of using lube over the balls is to keep the fauling soft helping to keep accuracy. You have a greater chance of a chain fire coming from a loose or missing cap where a spark can ignite the powder.

 

[Throwdown58]

I like the Gorilla glue stick. If you get Elmer's, DO NOT get the "school glue", get the "all purpose" glue stick.

You know I found that the purple one isn't fatal. Recently I had to make some cartridges and my 3 year old had stolen the cap from my white stick and it dried up. So I was stuck with school glue. It's stringy and nasty but I wouldn't say it sticks less. And on the larger barrel cartridges like the Sharps and 12ga, where you use hair end wraps for the barrel, I think it actually works a little better.

 

[ernbar]

You know I found that the purple one isn't fatal. Recently I had to make some cartridges and my 3 year old had stolen the cap from my white stick and it dried up. So I was stuck with school glue. It's stringy and nasty but I wouldn't say it sticks less. And on the larger barrel cartridges like the Sharps and 12ga, where you use hair end wraps for the barrel, I think it actually works a little better.

Try the Staples stick glue. It’s cheaper than Elmers and works great.

 

[Throwdown58]

I use empty brass cases cut down with my Dremel for custom loads as dippers. I do not use the powder measurer in the mandrel. I find TGOTW kits very easy to use. I also use curling papers for the envelopes. The purpose of using lube over the balls is to keep the fauling soft helping to keep accuracy. You have a greater chance of a chain fire coming from a loose or missing cap where a spark can ignite the powder.

Yea, that's the point. Most people would rather just get a nice powder dipper with the kit, and there are instructions at cartridgekits.com on how to fill the dipper for lighter loads and full snot loads. Most people also don't want to have to make their own lube either, and that TC lube they will get at Cabelas is like lithium grease or something. It's disgusting and does not keep fouling soft.

Cartridgekits.com also have kits specifically for ROA cylinder, as well as Dragoons and Walkers. And they have the 54 sharps, 12ga diablo, and the best answer to quick reloads with a 50 cal inline I have ever used.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I use empty brass cases cut down with my Dremel for custom loads as dippers. I do not use the powder measurer in the mandrel. I find TGOTW kits very easy to use. I also use curling papers for the envelopes. The purpose of using lube over the balls is to keep the fauling soft helping to keep accuracy. You have a greater chance of a chain fire coming from a loose or missing cap where a spark can ignite the powder.

I've done alot of research on the subject and even my own testing enough to say for certain that:
Chain fires don't happen from the rear of the cylinder. Ever.

 

[Throwdown58]

I've done alot of research on the subject and even my own testing enough to say for certain that:
Chain fires don't happen from the rear of the cylinder. Ever.

Thankyou. I was avoiding that argument. I don't know who started the idea that it does, but I have seen it parroted over and over and over, and you just can't explain it to them. The cylinder gap is where all the pressure and fire is concentrated. It's so stupid. No testing was required. Maybe on like a Starr or something that has no walls between you could argue that such a thing is possible, but on a Colt or Remmy there is a thick wall. Even without a cap there is zero chance.

 

[Eutycus]

Why is it that .31 kits are hardly ever mentioned?

 

[Throwdown58]

There is a 31 kit at cartridgekits.com, and it comes in the all caliber kit. I have a video shot on the ballistics, but haven't finished it yet. My methodology is the press the powder down, put a few more grains, then seat the bullet. Still not great ballistics. And I have two 49 pockets that really don't work well. one had the front sight fly off. My mini dragoon works great, but I hate not having a loading lever on it. They don't even give you an external lever like the paterson. So I just use one of my pocket models. Even though it was the best selling Colt of the day, I really don't care for the guns at all.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I have the 1849 pocket colt, Wells Fargo. Couldn't find a loading stand anywhere for 31 so I bought one for 36 and 44 caliber and modified it.

 

[BlazingIron]

A big thanks to everyone for their answers. Always very informative. I have a GOTW kit and recently bought the RIOS kit to see if it is easier for me to produce a consistently uniform cartridge.

 

[Eutycus]

I am kicking the idea around about buying one. So far it's all a maybe. I don't need one but I want one of the 1849 pocket revolvers.

 

[Throwdown58]

I have the 1849 pocket colt, Wells Fargo. Couldn't find a loading stand anywhere for 31 so I bought one for 36 and 44 caliber and modified it.

I designed this but it isn't for sale yet. Got tired of having to use my pocket to load the baby dragoon. This is an old cylinder I had and tried it and it seems to work good.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

I designed this but it isn't for sale yet. Got tired of having to use my pocket to load the baby dragoon. This is an old cylinder I had and tried it and it seems to work good.
View attachment 308989

The modified loading stand works good. I only had to turn down the bullet seater in the lathe.

 

[Throwdown58]

Yea I'm too absent minded and careless to use dangerous machines lol. My father lost a finger with a lathe. 3D printing is more my lane.

 

[wiscoaster]

I've done alot of research on the subject and even my own testing enough to say for certain that:
Chain fires don't happen from the rear of the cylinder. Ever.

Guns of the West disagrees with you:

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

Guns of the West disagrees with you:

That guy didn't show any proof of them starting at the cap end. Because they don't.

 

[Throwdown58]

That guy didn't show any proof of them starting at the cap end. Because they don't.

Dustin is just parroting what a faction of the north south shooters claim. He is not an original thinker. But in his case he has actually led a lot of people into a very dangerous situation. I am sure that many people have had chain Fires at the range and not attributed it to his silly lube stick. They just figure a cap fell off and then tell the story of how a cap fell off and he got a chain fire.