Teflon tape as a bullet wrap

[Billnpatti]

On another thread, the subject of Teflon tape as a wrap for conical bullets came up. Since it seemed to be a bit off the subject of that thread, I wanted to explore the subject in a separate thread. It was suggested that conical bullets could be wrapped with Teflon plumbers tape to prevent the bullet from moving off the powder charge. This sounded reasonable but it also raised the question of what kind of lube could this possibly be for conicals. It really peaked my interest as a lube alternative for conicals. For a long time, shooters have used Teflon coated materials for round ball patches with what seem to be very good results. So, why not Teflon tape wrapped conicals? It sounded good to me and I want to give it a try. Then a question arose in my mind that may seem trivial to some and that is.....which way would you wrap the tape around the conical? Clockwise? Counter-clockwise? It may sound like a stupid question until you think about it a bit. If you wrap it clockwise, it will tend to stay in place as you load it but will tend to unwrap in flight. If you wrap it counterclockwise it will try to come unwrapped as you load it but if you got it loaded okay, it would tend to stay wrapped in flight. Or do I have this bassackwards? Does this idea of clockwise VS counterclockwise make any sense or am I just over thinking it? :idunno: Does anyone out there have any experience in this area? Has anyone given this any thought? :hmm: Does anyone even give a rat's patootie? :grin: C'mon, jump in here and say something. :hatsoff:

 

[Snakebite]

Wouldn't it possible tear off and/or leave a melted sticky residue in the barrel?

 

[Billnpatti]

I don't know but Teflon coated round ball patching material seems to work. :idunno:

 

[bpd303]

I have used Teflon tape patched bullets in 45-70 B/P cartridges and it seems to work well. Couldn't tell any difference over paper patching. Haven't tried it with minies in my muzzleloader's though.

 

[BrownBear]

It's my understanding that the tape is used in lieu of lube, and that it doesn't burn. As for direction of wrap, a concern for using it on plumbing, I doubt that it would be an issue in a muzzleloader due to the very slow twist. But I don't know. The bud who does it has never said anything along those lines.

He does say that to "finish" the wrap, you do just as you do with plumbing (or electrical tape for that matter)- just pull and break, rather than cut.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I don't know but Teflon coated round ball patching material seems to work. :idunno:

Not just seems to work but it is the choice of many champions. Teflon is the lube. Webb Terry was the first to come up with the idea. I was there when he first tried it.
As to twist direction :idunno: can't help. Just try and see.

 

[Billnpatti]

Well, Frank, come on down to Georgetown and you can be here when I try Teflon tape on a conical. I'll even provide you a place to rest your head and treat you to a Tex-Mex meal. How 'bout them apples?

 

[nkbj]

Might have to try some tape with the .40 GPR. Can't imagine how it will strip off the bluntical once it leaves the barrel but you never know 'til you try.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Well, Frank, come on down to Georgetown and you can be here when I try Teflon tape on a conical. I'll even provide you a place to rest your head and treat you to a Tex-Mex meal. How 'bout them apples?

Would love to. But my old mans budget tells me my traveling days are over.

 

[Billnpatti]

I fully understand but the latch string is out for you and we will leave a light in the window if you ever find yourself down this way. Oh well, at our ages, we may be shooting together on "The Big Range" before long. Not too soon, though, I just cast up a bunch of new balls for use down here. :haha:

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW I just read a few articles on 'patching' jacketed bullets w/ teflon tape or copper foil tape and all of the articles said the wrap should correspond w/ the twist of the rifle, so that the spin keeps the wrap in place ...

I ordered some foil tape to try ...

 

[Barry Duggan]

Spin of the rifling when fired, which would be against the spin when loading?

 

[nkbj]

With paper the best way is usually to wrap it so the wrap goes away from the path of the fired bullet through the rifle. In theory that makes the friction of the outer layer of paper work to tighten up the paper. However, in a muzzleloader that isn't necessarily what works best. The soft lead expands out to fill the bore and tightening may matter not. Having the twist outside the barrel assist in paper removal may work better for you. It depends on how well the depth of rifling cuts the paper, how strong the powder charge is versus the bullet weight, how tough the paper is.

 

[Billnpatti]

A bullet may shuck the paper wrap in flight but I am not sure about shucking Teflon tape in flight. I think Teflon tape will stick tight enough that it won't come off but I don't want it to partially unwrap and be trailing a piece of the tape in flight. If that happened, I don't know what would happen to accuracy. My thinking right now (Haven't been to the range yet) is that the tape should be wrapped in such a way that it will tend to be kept on by the spinning of the bullet rather than unwrapping. There is testing yet to be done.

 

[BrownBear]

I think Teflon tape will stick tight enough that it won't come off but I don't want it to partially unwrap and be trailing a piece of the tape in flight.

Boy, my mind kinda runs the other way with the stuff after years of using it on threaded pipe. That stuff has to be used right to stick at all, even on rough pipe.

I'm talking out of my hat here in application on conicals because I haven't done it to confirm. But the other night I talked to my bud who has done so much, and he's never seen evidence of a trailing strip. As with pipe, he wraps in the same direction as the rifling twist so it will "tighten" as he starts it, rather than strip off. It's as big a problem to start right in a barrel when it's too loose as it is with pipes.

 

[FishDFly]

Teflon buried in the meat of a deer should be tasty, not much fiber though.

Folks in the past have complained about Teflon coated patches not being PC/HC, how is tape PC/HC wrapped around balls?

How do you measure .010, .015 and .020 thickness on the ball?

 

[BrownBear]

... how is tape PC/HC wrapped around balls?

How do you measure .010, .015 and .020 thickness on the ball?

Ummmmm. He did title the thread "Teflon Tape as a BULLET Wrap" didn't he? :surrender:

 

[FishDFly]

Yep, I stand corrected, now back to PC/HC and Teflon????? Is it PC/HC or not, if not it should not be discussed, should it.

 

[richard.cronkite]

I know this is an old thread, but looking at this as a possible solution for an issue I am having with my Hawkens. The bore is pretty large for a 50 caliber (around .505-.506) and the first shot is off the paper, groups OK once the barrel is fouled. Would wrapping the bullet in teflon tape simulate barrel fouling and allow the first shot to group with subsequent shots?

 

[Zonie]

Seems to me that your cloth patch thickness needs to be worked on.
You didn't say what thickness or type of patch you were using to patch the ball in your post. Perhaps if we knew we could make some recommendations.

In the meantime, I don't think teflon tape would do much to improve matters but you could always give it a try and see what happens.