Ed's take on paper patching

1. A New Approach to Paper-Patched Bullets
By Ed Wosika © 2013
As a dedicated cast bullet (CB) shooter since the early 1980’s, searching through
the mysteries of paper-patched cast bullets (PPCBs), as applied to modern rifles,
has proven to be an offshoot of CB shooting that has ended up suggesting all-new
rules, limitations, and possibilities. Assuming that you have some interest in this
arcane art, and that you can cast a decent CB to act as the core for your PPCB, this
article might serve to warn you about PPCB approaches that have worked poorly
for me, to steer you toward a very promising previously unpublished PPCB
approach, and to enable you to create and to shoot your own PPCBs, while keeping
the amount of your time and money invested to a minimum.
What Works and Why
The standard modern-rifle approach is to apply a paper patch to a bullet core of as-cast
or slightly smaller diameter, to dry and lube the patch, then to size the PPCB
to final diameter and work up a load. In my experience, the result of this approach
is this poor accuracy. I know some shooters for whom that approach has worked
very nicely but it never did for me.
After much frustration, it became clear to me that it would be a good idea to try
what had worked so well in the buffalo rifles of the late Nineteenth Century and to
modify that approach as little as necessary to address the facts that:
1) The propellant would be slow-and clean-burning “white” powder, rather
than comparatively quick-burning and heavy-fouling blackpowder; and,
2) The PPCB’s patch could not extend past the leade cone of the throating.
The standard approach used by serious shooters firing the Sharps, and other,
blackpowder cartridge buffalo rifles was to create a bullet core of rather soft alloy
that was considerably smaller than bore diameter of the rifle, then patch that core
up to slightly larger than bore diameter, lube it lightly, then load it seated well out
of the case. With this approach, the patch extended all the way out to the start of
the ogive and the marksman seated the bullet so that much of the patched length
was resting in a well-centered grip between the land tops in the barrel. When the
marksman fired the round pressure rose very quickly, reaching a maximum of
about 17- to 25-Kpsi as the rear of the bullet entered the bore.
Typically, the grooves at that location were nearly filled with powder fouling from
prior shots; so, the bullet could not obturate completely. Instead, it would move
forward a few inches and, upon reaching rifling grooves that were less fouled, it
would continue to expand, filling those. Upon leaving the muzzle, centrifugal force
and wind resistance rapidly stripped the patch from the bullet.

2. What was wrong with this picture, from the perspective of a white-powder rifle,
was two-fold:
1) Modern propellants do not produce powder fouling that takes up almost the
full depth of the rifling grooves in the first few inches of the barrel; and,
2) The bullet is not subjected to the full chamber pressure until its rear end has
traveled around one inch forward of the case mouth.
Therefore, the modern-rifle PPCB needs to have an over-the-patch diameter a bit
larger than groove diameter of the barrel, instead of being just larger than bore
diameter; and, as such, the patched portion cannot extend far forward into the
rifling.
A crucial point, and one that I have not read elsewhere, is that blackpowder-cartridge
PPCBs expanded into the grooves with the paper patch full of air, just as
plain writing paper is full of air (at least 40% of the total volume is just that, air) as
it rests on the table. If that was an important point, then what might have been
wrong with my patch-up-and-then-size-down-to-groove-diameter approach was
that I was removing all the air from the patch as I sized the patched-up bullet
significantly smaller.
After all, the sizing operation is very slow, compared to the few milliseconds
involved in the entire firing sequence. So, during the sizing operation air in the
paper has plenty of time to escape. By comparison, any air that is left in the paper
patch remains trapped there throughout the entire firing sequence — it has
nowhere to escape to in the short time allotted, so it remains in place and tries to
inflate the patch, much like the air in a pneumatic tire remains in place and
supports the vehicle.
This distinction was noted by my friend Mic McPherson’s daughter, Autumn, after
he explained the matter to her in an effort to elicit a lay person’s opinion as to why
the difference in results might exist. Mic said that it took her just seconds to figure
it out! Would that I had been that quick.
Was this an important point? I tested this by starting out with a PPCB core sized
down to a bit larger than bore diameter and then patched up to just larger than
groove diameter. Upon testing these, I found that, for a change, the bullets went
where I pointed the rifle. So, at least from my perspective, the trick to obtaining
good PPCB accuracy in a modern rifle with white-powder loads is to cast (or size
down) the PPCB core small enough that the dried patch will be groove diameter, or
a bit larger. A little bit of sizing-down of the finished patch is okay, as detailed
later on in this discussion, but enough air must be left in the paper for it to function
as a pneumatic (high-pressure-air-filled) blanket around the PPCB core, else
accuracy will be dismal.

3. One possible “why” for this is that, in response to the severe pressure from
obturation of the bullet, trapped very-highly-pressurized air within the patch forces
the patch to conform perfectly to the entire groove surface even if the core does not
(or cannot) do so (this pressurization mirrors maximum obturation pressure and
that will reach almost maximum chamber pressure and then will eventually fall to
exactly bullet strength as the bullet moves toward the muzzle). The result is that,
unlike what happens when we fire CBs and jacketed bullets, there exists no
potential for gas leakage along the following face of each land because the air-pressurized
paper patch expands to fill all available space in each groove.
Likewise, the sudden absence of confining pressure, once the PPCB exits the
muzzle, causes the pressurized patch to spring back out very suddenly. As I see it,
this blows up the patch, causing it to disintegrate and to leave the bullet core both
cleanly and quickly.
Yes, this is just an hypothesis; however, it is clear that the buffalo rifles used this
trapped-high-pressure-air approach and provided stellar performance. In my
experience, this same approach is necessary for providing good PPCB performance
in modern white-powder rifles too.
Mic tells me that, in 1886, a shooter using such loads at one of the big events back
East made an 8½-inch 10-shot group at 1000 yards, a record that was not surpassed
until after World War II. A PPCB in modern white-powder rifle loads cannot be as
well aligned with the bore centerline as can a blackpowder cartridge load that starts
out with much of the length of the bullet pinched between the land tops. However,
the potential for excellent performance still remains. It is up to us to see how far
we can proceed along that path.
Components and Considerations
Hardness versus Pressure — The standard CB alloy of wheelweights enriched
with 1% tin achieves a Brinell hardness of around 13 within a few days after being
air-cooled from the mould. This hardness will provide a sweet spot, for any given
chambering and PPCB bullet weight combination, that is somewhere in the 35-to-
50 Kpsi chamber pressure range. In a gun that will safely handle loads generating
such pressure, the handloader can use QuickLOAD software to obtain the
necessary low and high powder charge (for this pressure range) for a variety of
powders. Subsequent range work will soon sort out the best combination for that
PPCB in your rifle. Hint: the best result often occurs with a load that hits this
sweet-spot pressure for the rifle using a slightly compressed charge.
Using a harder alloy slides this range up to higher pressures, and a softer alloy
slides it down the pressure scale. Still, given any combination of PPCB and
chambering, this rule of thumb helps narrow the range of possibilities. Typical CB

4. loads are in the 14-to-30 Kpsi range, so it is often feasible to get more velocity,
while retaining decent hunting accuracy with a PPCB than one can obtain with a
conventional CB of comparable mass.
Core Diameter Versus Paper and the X-Factor — The first thing to know about
your rifle is the entry diameter of the throat. Here, I am assuming that the rifle in
question is factory chambered, in which case the typical throat will have an entry
diameter around 0.002-inch larger than the nominal groove diameter. If you have
any doubt, such as if the chamber was not factory-cut, make a throating cast,
measure the entry diameter of the throat and note it. The take-away fact, in this, is
that the paper jacket on your PPCB can be no larger in diameter than the entry
diameter of the throat. I will continue this discussion assuming a factory-chambered
barrel.
Given a goal of having an over-the-dried-patch diameter roughly equal to 0.002-
inch larger than the nominal groove diameter of the (factory) rifle, the handloader
determines the correct PPCB core diameter simply by adding 0.002-inch to the
nominal groove diameter of the gun and subtracting the diameter increase that the
patch will add to the core diameter. For a two-times-around (“2X”) patch, that
added diameter will be four times the paper thickness; for a “3X” patch, it will be
six times the paper thickness; and for a “4X” patch, it will be eight times the paper
thickness.
Practical limits force the handloader to choose from a 2X, 3X, or 4X patch, with
the 2X patch being standard, except for a tracing-paper patch, which can often be
useful at 3X or 4X. A second limitation, that I discuss more fully later in this
article, is that the core diameter should not be any smaller than the land-to-land
diameter of the barrel, which one can most easily determine by inserting precision-ground
gage pins in the muzzle.
Paper Options — Whenever measuring paper thickness, use a standard
micrometer that is adjusted to read 0.0000-inch when its two anvil faces meet and
the little spinner-clutch starts slipping. The thickness of the paper, as used in this
article, is the thickness indicated when the paper is pinched between the anvil faces
of the micrometer enough that its spinner-clutch starts slipping.
Starting with the thinnest readily available paper option, the tracing paper I use is
0.0015-inch thick (1.5 thousandths); therefore, it adds 0.003-inch per turn. Tracing
paper is available from on-line drafting supply stores in 12-inch wide rolls. Be
aware that some tracing papers are a bit thicker and that these, too, will work, but
will give a total added thickness (for a given number of turns) that differs from
what I suggest in this article, which is based upon the tracing paper that I use. With
such thin paper, except for small-caliber PPCBs, one uses either a 3X patch (adds
0.009-inch) or a 4X patch (adds 0.012-inch).

5. Next up is 16-pound lined, 3-hole notebook paper, which is 0.0025-inch thick, so
adds 0.005-inch per turn (a 2X patch adds 0.010-inch and a 3X patch adds 0.015-
inch). Standard 20-pound printer paper, which is 0.003-inch thick, adds 0.006-inch
per turn (a standard 2X patch adds 0.012-inch). Twenty-four-pound paper, which is
0.0035-inch thick, adds 0.007-inch per turn (a 2X patch adds 0.014-inch). Twenty-eight
pound paper (rarely needed), which is 0.004-inch thick, adds 0.008-inch per
turn (a 2x patch adds 0.016-inch).
Apply all paper patches wet. The slight shrinking of the around-the-core patch
length, as the paper dries, causes the patch to grip the PPCB core and to “suck
down” (shrink) into any lube grooves in the core. A proper paper patch has a
strong grip on the core — you cannot turn it or pull it off the core without
destroying it.
Example — For a 30-caliber rifle, the target diameter, over the dried
patch, is 0.310-inch (two thousandths larger than nominal groove
diameter of a typical 30-caliber barrel). If we want to end up using a 3X
patch of tracing paper, we will need a core diameter of (0.310-inch –
0.009-inch) = 0.301-inch. The associated table takes these considerations
into account and provides the paper strip width to use, in accordance with
the goals I have herein described. This eliminates the need for anyone
else to do any patch-length calculations or to make and use a patch
pattern — just follow the recommendations.
The trick is two-fold:
1) The diameter of the dried patch must be no larger than the entry diameter of
the throating in the chamber, so that the patch will not catch and tear there,
when you chamber a cartridge; yet,
2) Unless the patch extends all the way into the ogive the core cannot be
smaller in diameter than the land-to-land diameter of the bore, so that the
exposed point (the parallel-sided un-patched portion aft of the bullet point)
can ride the land tops as the fired bullet accelerates and spins up to more
than 100,000 rpm as it passes down the bore.
Core Diameter: As-Cast or via Sizing-Down — Given a desired PPCB core
diameter, we have two ways to go. Either the PPCB-type mould casts the core at
the desired diameter or we process the normal-diameter CB nose-first through a
press-mounted sizer die, so that it emerges from the top of the die at the desired
diameter. Lee Precision makes such die sets and we can order these as a custom
item in any diameter we desire.
However, for reducing bullet diameter more than a few thousandths inch, these
dies will not work well unless we modify the die to include a four-degree basic
angle entry cone that is at least 3/8-inch long.

6. To do this, chuck the die in a lathe and use pieces of cloth-backed shop roll 240-
grit abrasive held in a split-end dowel. Run the lathe at high speed while moving
the abrasive-backed portion of the dowel in-and-out of the die entrance rapidly,
with the stick canted outward at ~four degrees from parallel with the die’s
centerline. Removing material at such a shallow angle creates a gentle entry-cone.
This tasks takes about 10 minutes. Follow this with a light smoothing-in using 400-
grit shop roll applied via the same split-end stick.
Until Lee Precision wakes up to the utility of this beneficial design modification,
which would be extremely easy for it to include in these dies, the only options are
to modify a Lee die or to make your own die.
Given a 2-inch-long piece of 7/8x14-inch all-thread material, suitable twist drills
(one slightly undersize and one oversize, relative to the desired final hole
diameter), a decimal chucking reamer 0.002-inch smaller than desired PPCB core
diameter, a plumber’s hand reamer (four-degree basic angle taper from 17-caliber
to larger than 50-caliber), 240 and 400-grit shop roll abrasive, and a split-tip
dowel, you can make your own push-through die fairly quickly on a lathe, then use
the soft steel die with the bottom punch from a Lee push-through sizer set for that
caliber.
Trick: Before reaming the drilled-through hole, back-drill from the top of the die
to within 0.7-inch of its lower end using a drill that is around 0.020-inch larger
than the reamed diameter of the die. This will let the sized CB escape the
constricting portion of the die before the ram reaches the top of its stroke, thereby
eliminating the tendency for a partially-through CB to hinder the movement of the
next CB.
To process an air-cooled-wheelweight-alloy CB through such a die, smear the CB
lightly with Lee Resizing Lube, place the CB upright on the bottom ram, move
your hand well away from the die, and then cycle the CB up through the die using
a very fast press-handle motion. Doing this stroke slowly can cause the CB to get
stuck, but the way-fast-push-thru approach works great. Using this approach, you
can size 30-caliber bullets as much as 0.011-inch smaller. The job is easiest, for
wheelweight alloy CBs, if done within a few hours after those have air-cooled.
To remove lube residuals, wash the finished batch of sized-down CBs in boiling
water with some liquid detergent added. These PPCB cores, once dry, are ready to
wrap.
Gas checks (GC’s) are optional on GC-type CB cores; if desired, you can place one
on each CB’s GC shank just prior to running the bullet through the sizer die — the
strong resistance to sizing-down holds the GC on dead-flush until it enters the die
and is sized-and-crimped into place. Plain-based CBs work fine too. I have not
tried bevel-based CBs as PPCB cores.

7. Cutting and Wrapping the Patches
The traditional way of preparing a paper patch is to use a trapezoid-shaped metal
pattern of the patch to mark the paper and cut each patch individually. It takes lots
of work to determine and then make the just-right-size-and-angles pattern, while
also keeping opposing sides parallel, and then the patch-marking-and-cutting
procedure is a very slow slog indeed.
I hate it when that happens, so, we will not waste time and effort in that manner.
Instead, we will cut our paper to the correct width of strip such that when we then
cut that strip at a 30-degree angle (from the perpendicular), it will produce a
trapezoid that will go around the core exactly the number of times desired and,
instead of twisting a tail on the patch, which would require yet another step to clip
that tail off, we will fan-fold the patch over the base edge of the bullet and flatten
the resulting pleats. Figure 1 demonstrates the finished product.
The equipment you will need includes:
1) A quality curved-blade-type paper cutter with a finger guard rail running
parallel to the cutting edge and having a blade long enough to cut standard
8.2x11-inch paper sheets lengthwise;
2) A large 30/60/90 triangle shorter than the table of your cutter is wide:
3) A 0.5-mm mechanical pencil to mark paper;
4) A wooden pencil with an unused (squared-ended) eraser;
5) An engineer’s scale (you will use the 10 scale on this);
6) Some clear packaging tape;
7) A standard stapler;
8) A plastic (not cloth) topped computer mouse pad; and,
9) A piece of plastic window screen material at least 12-inches on a side, for
drying finished but still wet PPCBs.
Using the 10-scale, measure and mark proper-width (see table) strip-edge locations
along both ends of a sheet of paper, being sure to start measuring from the same
side on each end. Stack two more sheets of paper behind the marked one to make a
stack of three sheets then put two staples for each strip just inside the two side-marks
on one end of the stack. Make cuts from one mark to the matching mark (on
the other end of the sheet) while holding the sheet down on the paper cutter (see
Figure 2). For each such three-strip-stack you cut, the two end-staples will help
prevent the sheets in the stack from shifting relative to each other during either the
strip-cutting or the subsequent patch-cutting operations. The result will be a set of
prepared stacks of just the right width.

8. Tape the 30/60/90 triangle down onto the paper cutter, as shown in Figure 3, such
that the short side is parallel to the left edge of the cutter table and the 30-degree
angle tip is within 1/8-inch of the cutting blade. This will result in the longest side
of the triangle (the hypotenuse) facing you. A good trick is to fold over the end of
each of the two tape pieces used to hold down the triangle, for a short distance,
thereby creating a easy-to-grip tab that facilitates removal of the triangle for doing
the strip-cutting operations.
With the blade of the cutter fully lifted, put a stapled three-strip-stack edge-on to
the hypotenuse of the triangle, with the stapled end to the left. Slide the strip stack
to the right and up-against the hypotenuse of the triangle until both of the corners
of the stack (on the right end) extend just beyond the blade, as shown in Figure 4.
Cut off both protruding corners.
You are now ready to cut finished trapezoidal strips by the handful. Put a mark on
your wooden pencil a distance from the end of the eraser equal to the desired patch
length on the bullet plus 40% of the bullet diameter, as shown in the left image in
Figure 4. Thus, for a 0.7-inch long patch in 30-caliber, the mark would be 0.712-
inch from the end of the eraser [(0.7+(0.4x0.3) = (0.7+0.012) = 0.712]. The idea is
to have the patch extend beyond the base of the PPCB core enough to not quite
reach the center of the bullet when you fold the extending skirt over the base of the
bullet and apply the pleating.
To measure the width of each stack of three patches, prior to cutting it off, hold the
pencil with the eraser end to the left and up against the fixed edge of the paper
cutter, right where the just-cut end of the stack-of-three is located. Slide the stack-of-
three out until its extending edge meets your reference mark (on the pencil), as
shown in the middle image in Figure 4.
Hold the stack against the exposed edge of the triangle with your other hand. Then
move your hand that is holding the pencil (while still holding the pencil) to the
cutter handle and make the cut. Do this repeatedly until you have used up all your
three-strip-stack. Cut all of your strip-stacks in like manner. Starting with
untouched sheets of paper, you will have made SCADS of perfectly fitting patches
in less than five minutes (see right image in Figure 4).
My friends who are left-handed will likely find that both hands are quite busy, so
the fact that paper cutters are designed for “right-handed” use is not an issue .
Align the edge of the mouse pad with the edge of the table. Wet a patch in a saucer
of water and place it face down on the pad so that the sharp point of the patch
sticks off of the edge of the pad enough so you can grab it and with the long
straight edge of the patch on the right side, perpendicular to the edge of the pad.

9. Place a PPCB core down along the edge of the pad and on top of the patch with the
CB pointing to the right, such that the long right edge of the patch is located at the
correct forward-end-of-patch location on the CB and the CB is (by eyeball)
perpendicular to the edge of the patch, as shown in the left image in Figure 5. Pull
the patch point up-and-over the CB and roll the CB up (away from you) while
pressing down on the patch and pad (middle image in Figure 5). This will generate
a nearly finished PPCB, similar to the one shown in the right-most image in Figure
5.
To fold the tail over, tip the point of the CB upward to the right at a 45-degree
angle on the pad, while holding the CB’s point in your right finger-and-thumb
combination. Now push down gently on the top of the patch with your left-hand
index finger, and roll the assembly away from you while pushing down gently with
your left forefinger (main image in Figure 6), and then, while still rolling the tilted
bullet away from you, bring the bullet up to vertical soon after you have creased
the “skirt” over the edge of the core, all the way around. Stop rolling when the
bullet reaches the vertical, then push down lightly on the PPCB and turn it slightly
in the same direction it was going by turning the bare alloy point of the PPCB
between your index finger and thumb. Never do this final twist while holding the
still-wet paper patch.
Pick the PPCB up and look at the base end. It should exhibit a series of lovely
radially-oriented pleats all flattened-out against the bullet base (see Figure 1).
Place the finished-but-still-wet PPCB base-down on your piece of window screen,
which you should locate on an unused portion of the tabletop (see insert in Figure
6). The screen allows air to reach the base of the PPCB, so that the entire paper
patch can dry at a similar rate.
If all is going well, the exposed edge of each patch will spiral up the side of the
PPCB core parallel to, but not overlapping, the buried starting edge of the patch.
These two edges can be as much as 0.050-inch apart and still function nicely with
little, if any, accuracy degradation; conversely, you should avoid any overlap (use
a slightly narrower strip-stack).
When the jackets of the PPCBs are dry, give these a very light lube coat of either
paste floor wax or Rooster Laboratories’ Rooster Jacket. Once that lube sets, your
PPCBs are ready to load and fire.
Typically, I add a half-teaspoon of motor mica to a zip-lock-bagged batch of about
100 PPCBs. This helps make the PPCBs easier to seat in the case mouths and this
lubricant sticks to, and stays at, the surface of the paper — it does not displace
valuable air within the patch.
The WHY behind being light on the lube coat is that lube that enters the paper
displaces nicely compressible air (within the matrix of the paper). Any non-

10. compressible liquid or solid (lube) so added decreases the spring-back potential of
the patch. The result would be eliminating or decreasing the very quality we are
depending upon, in the patch, to give a reliable seal in the rifling and to provide a
clean breakaway of the patch from the core immediately after the PPCB leaves the
muzzle.
Determining the LOA
The correct length-over-all (LOA) for a cartridge using a PPCB, in a modern rifle,
is the length whereby the PPCB enters the chamber throating and the forward end
of the patch just seats into the leade-cone as we lock the bolt. If you want a shorter
LOA — for example, because the cartridge is too long to function through the
action — then the forward edge of the patch must be located further forward on the
PPCB core. Likewise, for a longer LOA, move the forward end of the patch toward
the bullet’s rear.
It is important to consider this limitation when making a batch of PPCBs. The trick
is to make a trial run PPCB, dry the patch quickly using a hair drier, then test it, as
I describe next, to see if you need to change the LOA produced when the patch of
your test bullet impinges the rifling. Once you have the correct front-of-patch
location on your test PPCB, keep that bullet as a reference (while patching the rest
of the batch), and record the correct LOA for that batch.
The patch-cutting procedure described above automatically adjusts the patch’s as-cut
width (to match the desired front-of-patch location) because that consideration
is built into the reference mark location that you put on the wooden pencil. So, the
only real trick is to keep putting test patches on your trial PPCB until the forward
end of the patch provides the cartridge LOA desired. Then set your reference mark
(on the wooden pencil) accordingly. Given that pre-preparation, patch width will
be exactly right when the front edge is positioned at the correct point on the PPCB
core, and your entire batch of PPCBs will fit just right when you load those to the
pre-established optimal cartridge LOA for your gun — how convenient.
Measuring LOA — In order to determine the LOA that results from a particular
patch-front-edge location on the PPCB core, you will need a three-inch-long
dowel. For 30-caliber, cut one from a 5/16-inch diameter dowel and square up both
ends. You will need a cleaning rod with a jag that has the pricker (the sharp tip that
pricks a hole in the patch) cut off — i.e., the jag has a flat end. Be sure the jag is
screwed into the end of the cleaning rod tightly.
Drop the trial PPCB into the chamber point-first, follow up with the dowel, and
then seat the PPCB home in the throating by moving the bolt forward firmly
against the back of the dowel.

11. Gently insert the flat-faced cleaning rod down the barrel until it touches the bullet
point. Use the mechanical pencil to mark the rod flush with the muzzle by spinning
the rod against the pencil point. Use the rod to knock out the push-dowel and trial
PPCB, then close the action, rest the rod end against the bolt face, and mark the rod
once more.
The distance between the two marks you made on the rod is the cartridge LOA that
will cause the front of the patch on your PPCBs to properly seat against the leade
cone of your rifle as you lock the action, which is ideal for best accuracy.
More Handy Rules of Thumb
Post-Wrap Size-Down — Sometimes, it is necessary to size-down the wrapped-and-
dried patch just a few thousandths inch to allow the PPCB to enter the
chamber throat reliably. Unlike with the PPCB core mega-size-down, you can do
this minor post-wrap size-down using a standard lubrisizer with lube pressure
removed or you can use a modified standard-size Lee push-thru sizer die (e.g.,
0.309-inch or 0.310-inch diameter, for a factory 30-caliber rifle) modified to have
the gentle entry cone, as I described previously. When considering such a patching
option, the question is: How much post-wrap size down is okay and how much size
down is too much?
It is handy to know that you can only size-down about half the added diameter of
the patch before the patch becomes so dense that additional size-down affects only
the PPCB core. Thus, for a patch that adds ten- thousandths-inch to core diameter,
we will run out of patch air if we size down the finished patch by five thousandths
or more.
We want to keep as much air in the patch as possible, so, as a rule of thumb, if
post-patching size-down cannot be avoided, design core diameter and patching
thickness so that necessary size-down is no more than 30 percent of diameter that
the patch added. Thus, a patch that added 0.010-inch to diameter of the PPCB core
could tolerate a post-patching size-down of no more than 0.003-inch. If the
patching option under consideration would require post-patching size-down of
more than this pick another core sizing and patching option.
Patch Thickness Versus Rifling Height — Another good rule of thumb is to
reject any option where the added diameter from the patch is not at least 80% of
the difference between bore and groove diameter of the barrel. Thus, for 30–caliber
barrel, with 0.008-inch diameter difference between nominal land and groove
diameters, we would not consider a 2X tracing paper patch it adds only 0.006-inch
to the PPCB core diameter. However, such a thin 2X tracing paper patch should
work fine for a 22-caliber rifle because 22-caliber barrels have a nominal
difference of only about 0.005-inch between bore and groove diameter.

12. This limitation comes from the problems one can run into if the patch has to stretch
too much where each land meets and adjacent groove. We do not have to solve
problems that we avoid.
Nose Diameter — Running the PPCB through a press-mounted die sizes down the
full length of the core. Thus, both a two-diameter rifle-type CB (having a
cylindrical nose connecting the bands to the point) and a single-diameter CB will
both come out as having the same diameter full length. The trick is to ensure that
the final sized diameter is no smaller than land-to-land (bore) diameter of the barrel
because the bullet nose will not be patched and, so, must have a slip-fit across the
land tops. Thus, for a 30-caliber rifle, 0.301-inch represents the smallest
practicable PPCB core diameter that is apt to result in accurate loads.
Why is this so? In order to avoid having to seat the PPCB entirely too deeply, it is
necessary that part of the nose of the PPCB must be left bare (unpatched), so that it
can extend past the front of the leade cone and into the bore. Ideally, diameter of
that bare nose portion should just fit across the land tops.
As such, the bullet nose will remain centered in the bore during the entire passage
of the bullet through the bore. The base will obturate and will, therefore, be well
centered. As such, the entire bullet will remain well centered and balanced.
Because obturation never extends significantly into the bullet nose, if the nose does
not initially fit the bore, it never will. Therefore, such a bullet can tip in the bore.
Experience has taught us that a bullet that can tip it will tip.
Getting good accuracy with such a bullet used in anything other than unusually
light loads is quite rare. Recovered bullets show why. With normal loads, such
bullets are deformed when leaving the bore. Such bullets are out of balance and
inaccurate.
Along that line, consider how nicely a heavy 45-caliber single-diameter revolver
CB could function as a PPCB core for a 45-caliber rifle. Most such revolver CBs
cast in the range of 0.452-inch to 0.454-inch diameter, so could be sized very
easily to, say, 0.451-inch diameter for use in a 45-70 rifle. A 2X patch of 16#
notebook paper would give a diameter of 0.461-inch. If that would enter the rear of
the leade-cone throating easily, then it would be ready to use, as is. Otherwise, a
slight size-down of the patch would make it fit nicely. Mmmm! So many succulent
options; so little time!
A notable exception to this nose-diameter limitation occurs when loading for a rifle
that uses a straight-sided (no-shoulder) case design. In that instance, the bullet can
be patched with the front end of the patch extending just beyond the start of the
ogive (point cone) because such bullets are normally seated deeply, with the front
of the driving-band section jammed into the leade cone, which is often located just
ahead of the case mouth. Therefore, here we have an instance where the PPCB is

13. patched full-length, so no exposed portion of the nose needs to match the land-to-land
diameter.
Thus, for a 45-70 we could use a 350-grain single-diameter revolver bullet with a
0.452-inch as-cast diameter sized to 0.448-inch (well under bore diameter of the
rifle); add a 2X patch of 16-pound notebook paper full length (hanging over the
point slightly) and end up with a 0.458-inch diameter PPCB. The jam-into-the-leade-
cone LOA of the bullet would result in the patch extending about 0.1-inch
beyond the case mouth, and the LOA would be short enough to function through
any lever action 45-70. Nice!
Moulds — Of course, given a suitable Lee push-through press-mounted sizing die
set (modified to have the gentle four-degree basic entry cone herein described),
you could use moulds you might already own to create CBs that, after a size-down,
will function well as PPCB cores. However, an even easier method is to obtain
moulds that cast cores of the diameter desired.
Lyman used to make these for 30-caliber, but no longer. NEI’s mould offerings
include some PPCB moulds for 30-caliber and 303 rifles. Mountain Moulds and
LBT can make custom moulds that cast bullet body diameters just larger than bore
diameter. These cost only a bit more than standard moulds.
If you will grant yourself $40/hr for your free time, the cost of PPCB core moulds
becomes trivial in light of the amount of time you no longer have to spend sizing
bullets and the money no longer needed for PPCB core-size-down dies. Every
silver lining has a cloud, though. For example, if your neat new PPCB core mould
yields 0.303-inch diameter cores, those might work fine as-cast as PPCB cores for
an SMLE rifle, but would still need a, slight, full-length size-down for use in most
30 caliber rifles. The good news in that is that the small diameter change would be
very easy and fast to accomplish.
Its Not an Ice Cream Cone — “Try it, you’ll lick it!,” applies to ice cream cones,
but not paper patches. It is wise to avoid moistening paper patches in one’s mouth
because modern paper has some fairly gnarly organic chemicals added to improve
its finish and other properties. A safe related trick that makes patch application
easier, though, is to lick your finger and apply the saliva to the upper side of the
triangular tip of the patch (that extends toward you from the edge of the mouse
pad), just prior to beginning the wrap. This helps keep the tip in place, once it
touches the PPCB core, thereby avoiding the occasional loose-wrap.
Use the Table or Wing It
The accompanying table shows the correct paper strip width, total added patch
thickness, the finished over-the-patch diameter, and ready-to-wrap PPCB core
diameter for a wide variety of paper patching options in various calibers.

14. For an option not shown in the table, you can find the necessary paper strip width
very easily using a calculator. Multiply the PPCB core diameter by the number of
times the patch will go around the bullet (i.e., multiply by 2 for a 2X patch), and
then multiply the resulting number by 2.721. This latter number (if you care) is
equal to Pi (approximately 3.14) multiplied by the cosine of 30-degrees (0.866) to
compensate for the 30-degree tilt of the strip on the paper-cutter table.
Enjoy!
Making and shooting PPCB’s in a modern white-powder rifle is a lot of fun and,
after each shot, the small veritable snowstorm of shredded patch paper falling from
the area in front of the muzzle reminds you that you are following a different
drummer; namely, the one who beat the rhythm out for the buffalo hunters. Paper
jackets work great and are worth a try.
Contact Information
Lee Precision, Inc., 4275 Highway U, Hartford, Wisconsin 53027 || 262-673-3075
|| http://leeprecision.com/lee-custom-services/ (custom-diameter push-thru die
order page)
LBT Moulds, 78592 Hwy 2, Moyie Springs, Idaho 83845 || 208-267-3588 ||
LBTisAccuracy@localnet.com || http://www.lbtmoulds.com/index.shtml
Mountain Moulds, 85 Old Homestead Road, Cottonwood, Idaho 83522 ||
http://www.mountainmolds.com/
NEI Hand Tools, P.O. Box 370356, El Paso, Texas 79937-0356 || 915-772-0259 ||
neihandtools@hotmail.com || http://www.neihandtools.com
Rooster Laboratories, P.O. Box 414605, K.C., MO 64141 || 816-474-1622 ||
duane@roosterlabs.com || http://www.roosterlabs.com/
MSC Industrial Supply Co, 75 Maxess Road, Melville, NY 11747-3151 (for 240-
and 400-grit shop-roll abrasive and decimal chucking reamers of any diameter
desired) || 800-645-7270 || http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm (hint: for phone
order, one needs the catalog)
Brownells Inc., 200 South Front Street, Montezuma, Iowa 50171 (for powdered
mica) || 800-741-0015 || http://www.brownells.com/ (hint: for phone order, one
needs the catalog)
Dick Blick Art Supplies, P.O. Box 1267, Galesburg, IL 61402-1267 (for 30/60/90
triangles and rolls of tracing paper) || 800-828-4548 || http://www.dickblick.com/

15. Paper
Number
of
Wraps
Diameter Size-
Down
Strip
Added Core Wrapped Width
inch
25-Caliber: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.259
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.250 0.259 — 2.04
4X 0.012 0.250 0.262 -0.002 2.75
16# 2X 0.010 0.250 0.260 — 1.36
20# 2X 0.012 0.250 0.262 -0.002 1.36
7mm (modern): Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.285
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.277 0.286 — 2.26
16# 2X 0.010 0.277 0.287 -0.001 1.51
7mm (military): Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.290
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.277 0.286 — 2.26
4X 0.012 0.277 0.289 — 3.02
16# 2X 0.010 0.277 0.287 — 1.51
20# 2X 0.012 0.277 0.289 — 1.51
30-Caliber: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.310
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.301 0.310 — 2.46
4X 0.012 0.301 0.313 -0.003 3.28
16# 2X 0.010 0.301 0.311 -0.001 1.64
20# 2X 0.012 0.301 0.313 -0.003 1.64
303 and 7.65mm: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.314
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.303 0.312 — 2.47
4X 0.012 0.303 0.315 -.001 3.29
16# 2X 0.010 0.303 0.313 — 1.65
20# 2X 0.012 0.303 0.315 -0.001 1.65
24# 2X 0.014 0.303 0.317 -0.004 1.65
35-Caliber: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.360
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.352 0.361 -.001 2.87
16# 2X 0.010 0.352 0.362 -0.002 1.92
38-55: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.381
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.371 0.380 — 3.03
4X 0.012 0.371 0.383 -0.002 4.04
16# 2X 0.010 0.371 0.381 — 2.02
20# 2X 0.012 0.371 0.383 -0.002 2.02
24# 2X 0.014 0.371 0.385 -0.004 2.02
44-Caliber: Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.431
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.422 0.431 — 3.44
4X 0.012 0.422 0.434 -0.003 4.59

16. Paper
Number
of
Wraps
Diameter Size-
Down
Strip
Added Core Wrapped Width
inch
16# 2X 0.010 0.422 0.432 -0.001 2.30
20# 2X 0.012 0.422 0.434 -0.003 2.30
45-Caliber (rifle): Maximum Patch Diameter = 0.460
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.451 0.460 — 3.68
4X 0.012 0.451 0.463 -0.003 4.91
16# 2X 0.010 0.451 0.461 -0.001 2.45
20# 2X 0.012 0.451 0.463 -0.003 2.45
45-Caliber Black Powder Rifle (soft core): Maximum Patch Diameter =
0.452
Tracing 3X 0.009 0.443 0.452 — 3.62
4X 0.012 0.440 0.452 — 4.79
16# 2X 0.010 0.442 0.452 — 2.41
20# 2X 0.012 0.440 0.452 — 2.39

17. Figure Captions for Wosika’s Paper Patching Article
Figure Numbers and Captions
Banner: [no-caption image for placement at the head of the article, if desired]
File = “Banner.jpg”
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Caption = “Figure 1 (L~>R): As-cast Paper Patch Cast Bullet (PPCB) core;
sized-down core; finished PPCB, standing and; finished PPCB, showing base fan-fold.”
File = Figure_1.jpg

19. Caption = “Figure 2: Proper-width strip-stack ready to be cut from sheet stack.”
Note staples (see Figure 4 caption). File = Figure_2.jpg

20. Caption = “Figure 3: Strip-stack positioned against hypotenuse of triangle, ready
for first cut that creates proper bias angle on stack end. The square-marked
locations on the triangle show the two locations where triangle is taped to cutting
device.” File = Figure_3.jpg

21. Caption = “Figure 4: (left) pencil marked for proper overhang of the patch;
(middle) pencil in-place against cutting edge of table, with paper strip-stack moved
down (against triangle edge) until right edge of stack matches reference mark on
pencil and; (right) perfect paper patches produced by the handful in just minutes!”
File = Figure_4.jpg
Caption = “Figure 5: (left) Core positioned on wet patch, ready to roll; (center)
rolling and; (right) skirt of patch extends below base of cast bullet, prior to being
fan-folded over the base of cast bullet.” File = Figure_5.jpg

22. Caption = “Figure 6: (main) doing the fan-folded roll-over of the skirt; (inset)
finished Paper Patch Cast Bullet (PPCB) standing on plastic window screen
material to dry sides and bottom. Bullet weight causes fan-folded patch to dry flat
to the bottom of PPCB.” File = Figure_5.jpg