Masking Tape Paper Patch Bullets

[Sharps40]

Masking tape Paperpatching lead bullets in the 38-55 for a Win Legendary Frontiersman is easy.

WORKS GREAT AND DON'T LET ANYONE CONVINCE YA THAT A SINGLE WRAP OF MASKING TAPE ON A LEAD BULLET DOES ANYTHING LESS THAN SHOOT FANTASTIC!

Now I've shouted it out...Over 100 rounds fired from 25 to 150 meters. When I do my part the 15" 150 meter gong rings every time.

Load is a .376 Meister 245g flat point with a single wrap of masking tape to bring the diameter to .381". Lubricated with RCBS case lube, base of patch twisted and clipped, top of patch cut off even with the crimping groove to assure slick loading in the Winchester 94. A charge of IMR 4895 for an estimated over 1600 FPS in that long barrel. (This one holds 10!)

Off hand accuracy at 25 yards was as good or better than jacketed or lead loads. The 50 meter, 100 meter and 150 meter gongs range from 10" to 15" diameter and didn't stand a chance.

And....NO LEADING at nearly jacketed bullet velocity.

Don't know if the masking tape patch rides the bullet all the way or falls off at the muzzle but I don't care. I will never be one to argue with results.

More experimentation is indicated and some pics of my patching board and the process soon. For now, gotta work on cabinets and John Lee.

What a lovely day to shoot leveractions. Buffalo Bill resurected (3030) even got a workout.

Here is my simple patching board. Set up is for masking tape patching .376" lead bullets to .381" diameter to use in Legendary Frontiersman. Patching rate is currently about 40+ keeper bullets per hour.

This is the basic set up. The opening for cutting the tape patch is 1 3/16" allowing for slight stretch of the patch, mateing up the cut ends butt to butt. Note, I don't bother to remove hard lube from the bullets. A simple wipe with a paper towel to clean grit and lube from the driving bands. Patching tape is 1" wide allowing a tail to be clipped and eventual trimming of the forward end of the patch in the crimping groove....good for cycleing thru a Win 94, no torn or wrinkled patches, no grit imbedded in the patch.

Here the tape is laid out for a straight butt end cut and slightly stretched. Nice clean ends that butt up neatly around the circumference of the patched bullet.

And then positioning the cut tape on the bullet for rolling into place and then cutting the tail and (after loading with a crip) trimming off the exposed patching material.

The initial wrap standing up with a second bullet positioned for a patch.

Here you see, on the left, a bullet ready to have its tail clipped and the patch smoothed down tight to the driving bands. On the right is a completed bullet as it would look when loaded, patch is smoothed down, ends butted, base is clipped and smushed into place and after seating the patch it is cut off into the crimped case using the case as a guide. Here I've simply trimmed the front of the patch to show you that the leading edge of the patch will be protected by the case mouth crimp and slide neatly into the rifling leading edges on firing...again, no torn or wrinkled patches...

I'll load some, maybe today, detail the loading process and then hopefully soon, have some nice targets to show. I can tell ya, 100 rounds fired to date, not a spec of leading and plenty good accuracy. I have data indicating I could go to about 1800-2000+ fps in the Mod 94 (24" barrel) with this 245g bullet at the appropriate pressures for the gun. We'll see, some pressure series testing is indicated...woo is me, wish my Chrono still worked but it got soaked in a flood in GA and pretty much is on da fritz!

Somewhere down the road this summer I intend to make up an old school copper tubing jacket bullet mold. .375 is a good size, tubing is already available in that diameter.

Taking my time. 30 minutes at the patching board this morning.

 

[Sharps40]

A couple of key issues. A good bell on the case mouth to start the patched bullet w/o tearing the patch. Required for even a traditional paper patch. A bit of lube on the patch, something that won't soak thru the patch. RCBS case lube is fine, its wax based, a little dab will do. The primary purpose of the lube is to ease insertion of the patched bullet into the case (not to lube the bore) so the patch stays on the bullet without movement or wrinkling/tearing.

Here is a seated bullet (left), Seated and Crimped (Middle), Crimped and trimmed (Right). Note the patch is fully protected.

Here is three in a row crimped. Simply roll the case on the bench with a razor blade pressed gently into the crimping groove, patch slices nicely and comes off clean. All of the patch is tucked under the upper edge of the crimp groove just under the Ogive allowing entry of the patch into the rifling lead w/o tearing.

Overall time investment is considerably less than firing up a lead pot, casting, quenching, sizeing/lubing and then loading. I'll keep shooting them to work up a load. Perhaps a hunt this fall.

 

[cmshoot]

Very neat! Great idea.

 

[Sharps40]

Been playing with it for a few months. Slugged the bore and found it .375/.376 on the bore, .379/.380 in the groove. That Win shoots 220g hornadys (.375") perfect but keyholes with .376" lead. Havn't tried .380" lead yet but so far this offers fine accuracy and no casting sessions required. I need to get on the range for some 25 thru 100 yard accuracy sessions. But the off hand 25 yard groups are great with the bench work at 25 yards all staying in the 10 and X rings. The 15" 150 meter steel takes a beating from the bench if I do my part.

 

[Old Texan]

Does the glue on the tape foul the barrel any or is it, being on the bullet side not leaving any residue?

 

[Sharps40]

I noted no undue fouling when cleaning after the latest 70 round string of fire. (Unless I count the absence of lead fouling!)... So far so good, I suppose an oleo wad or similar greese cookie could be placed under the bullet if its a concern. I'll keep shootin and let yall know.

 

[Sharps40]

In case you have any concerns for the condition of the patch once seated. Here is a bullet seated then pulled with an impact puller. The patch survived the seatin and pulling nicely. The leading edge of the patch neatly tucked into the crimping groove by the mouth of the case and cleanly trimmed by the razor. When the bullet jumps crimp, no damage to the lightly lubed patch and it'll ride the bullet down bore w/o issue. As to whether the patch rides the bullet to the target or not, who knows. I'm not finding tape on the ground yet and the accuracy is so far fine. So, it either stays on or comes off evenly enough to keep the load accurate enough to hit 15" steel at 150 meters on a regular basis.

 

[Sharps40]

A range update. The load is Starline brass, 31.8g IMR 4895, Win LRM primer and that Meister .376" 243g lead bullet patched with a single wrap of masking tape to .381" diameter. Loaded w/o further sizing and a touch of RCBS water soluable case lube on the patch, light roll crimp and the jackets trimmed into the crimping groove. Rifle is a Win 94 Legendary Frontiersman caliber 38-55.

First target is 4 shots bench, 6 oclock hold (I need to reset the sights left and down but plenty good to bang up the 100 meter steels this afternoon.). Pretty good accuracy for a rough sight in .

Next target is about as good as I can do with iron sights and a center hold on a black bull at 50 meters. I need that big orange bull. Also benched and quite high, will zero the gun 1/2" low and center at 25 meters next trip. Busy range today, forgot the spotting scope and very few chances to walk down range, view and adjust fire.

This is quite a few shots, off hand at 25 meters. About a 6 oclock hold and given the bench performance on the 12" 100 meter steel, I am overall very pleased with the patching method. Once sighted, it'll be time to start fine tuneing the loads.