Resizing Bullets for Paper Patching

[GregJohn]

I have a 45 calibre underhammer muzzle loader, that I am trying to paper patch and achieve accuracy. Rifle Bore Size is slugged at.4507865 calibre.
The projectile I am casting is .450 and weighs 383 grains
Paul Matthews book "the Paper Jacket" recommends an allowance of .009 for paper patching. Giving a resizing of .4417865, say .442.

This seems a little tight for the paper I intend to use which is the onion paper from old dress patterns.

Does anyone else paper patch and would like to comment or recommend the resizing die I should use.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have a 45 calibre underhammer muzzle loader, that I am trying to paper patch and achieve accuracy. Rifle Bore Size is slugged at.4507865 calibre.
The projectile I am casting is .450 and weighs 383 grains
Paul Matthews book "the Paper Jacket" recommends an allowance of .009 for paper patching. Giving a resizing of .4417865, say .442.

This seems a little tight for the paper I intend to use which is the onion paper from old dress patterns.

Does anyone else paper patch and would like to comment or recommend the resizing die I should use.

So are you planning to size the naked bullet to .442?


I have a couple of .451 Green Mountain barrels. I am using a RCBS 11mm rifle bullet. they coule out of the mould at .446 and weigh 408 to 409 grains. I wrap them with two wraps of 9# onion skin. Then I size them dry to .446 with a push through sizer die. The sizer just presses the paper on. They shoot great out of my guns. What is the rate of twist on your gun? Ron

 

[Zonie]

I suggest you measure the thickness of your paper and then do a little calculating rather than using an arbitrary number picked out of a book.

The dress pattern paper I used measured .0013 thick so two wraps of it adds .0052 to the bullet's diameter.
The pattern was made by "Simplicity" years ago.

I'm using a grooveless paper patched bullet that is .3950 in diameter so the wrapped bullet is close to .4002.

The barrels bore on my Schuetzen is a .400 caliber so in a clean barrel the fit is just about line to line.

Being that paper is slightly compressible the bullet is about as close to a 'line to line' fit as is possible. It rams home easily with a light coating of Vasoline & Bees wax lube.

If your pattern paper is like mine, your bullet should be sized to .4445/.4450.
That would make the wrapped slug .4497-.4502.

If your a bit on the low side by a few thousandths it will probably "bump up" nicely and seal the bore if the bullet is made from pure lead.

 

[GregJohn]

Many thanks for the information on paper patching.
To answer your questions the rifle has a 1:24 twist.
The bullets are 383 grains in pure lead, flat bottomed with no grooves.
The dress pattern paper measures .048mm or .00189 inches.
I shall do the maths and hopefully produce a projectile that is consistently accurate.
Again thank you for the help.