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Finally gearing up to paper patch the 500 BPE......

4K views 33 replies 5 participants last post by  Grizzley1 
#1 ·
......and I have two questions I would like opinions on. I think I know but as this is a new endeavor I'd like to hear from those who have PP'ed bullets. I'm in a bit of a quandary as to whether to patch to bore or groove diameter or some dimension above or below either. Other than my pat answer of "each rifle is an entity unto itself" what has been the experience of those who PP. The other "?" is what alloy? I believe I've always read/heard/been told soft lead is best for PP. Is that mostly true?

These will be hunting rounds with no intent of target use from my 130 year old double rifle with Henry rifling....which is the cause for all this extra work...:confused:.
 
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#33 ·
....and the saga continues....:D But, maybe not! Yesterday I put together 6 loads the same as before with the exception that I dropped 8 grs. of SR-4759 into the case first followed by 112 grs. of the old GOEX Ctg. Same beeswax over powder wad, grease cookie and .020 card wad on top followed by the Lyman PP'ed bullet. I HAD to watch the British GP at Silverstone this morning before I could shoot the rounds....:D....and as soon as it was over to my range I went. Shots were fired at the same 50 yards and 5 of the 6 rounds, 3 R/L combinations, went into just above 4 inches with the last left opening the group to 6 inches...and I believe I know why. I fouled a patch on the bullet in that cartridge when seating it so held it for last. I wasn't sure but was fairly confident it wouldn't shoot with the others and it didn't. 4 of the six were under 4 inches, not much but they were under. I was a little surprised when the center of the group moved about 3 inches to the left. I did not see that coming. The group is still very much centered vertically and a slight adjustment to the rear sight will remedy the group being to the left. Thankfully it did not move up or down some distance.

That group size is a bit more than 1/3 larger than what NFB loads shoot in the rifle but at least it's a group. I don't know how much farther, if any, I am willing to refine the load. I wouldn't accept a group that size from any of my single shot BPC rifles and especially at only 50 yards. However, as many years as I've been dinking around with this old double and BP loads I might call it good. For any hunting I'm likely to do with that rifle 4 inches at 50 yards, offhand, is good enough.

I'm convinced the paper patching helped the most. From a cold, clean barrel I was a least getting the first R/L into a very decent group. Something I had never before achieved with BP loads. I'm also convinced the following R/L's shooting out of the group was a function of the fouling and a duplex load cleaned up that nicely. I don't know why more lube didn't solve that dilemma. Quite probably, as others suggested, wiping the bores between shots would have served the same function as duplexing. Being the hard headed, stubborn old Prussian I am I did not want to do that....'course it only took me almost 20 years to concede to PP'ed bullets many have told me would work......:rolleyes:

Larry, Griz, thanks for your comments and suggestions, I'm grateful. One never knows what little nugget might trigger an idea or prompt a memory helping something to work. Now to write down the load so I don't forget it, clean up brass and rifle and get better at patching bullets. Before anyone asks, no, I am not going to pursue PP bullets in ANY of my other BPC rifles....greasers work just fine, thank you very much........:D

edit: Sorry for no pictures. Photobucket is still being a......well, not cooperating at all and I haven't pursued a different photo host......yet.
 
#34 ·
There wasn't a whole lot of info I could give you having never attempted to do paper patching, But I'm glad you got the old girl at least into hunting accuracy using BP loads.
 
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