Paper cartridges

[bladeracer]

I ordered two different paper cartridge making kits from the US on March 20th, both arrived today.

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The Guns of the West kit was A$99 including an additional pack of 100 papers and postage.
https://gunsoftheweststore.com/products/paper-cartridge-kit-44-caliber

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The Cartridgekits.com deluxe kit was A$161.53 (US$101.03) delivered.
https://cartridgekits.com/products/44-cal-deluxe-kit

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The GotW kit is more basic in a compact plastic box but I'm sure does the same job. The tools in both are 3D printed so we'll have to see how well they last. They work in the same basic way. Both have a rod you wrap the glued paper around to make the cylinder. You then place a glued circle of the same paper over the die and push the tube (still wrapped around the rod) into the die to glue the base to the cylinder. Then you use the small funnel to drop your powder charge into the tube. Then you drop a ball on top of the glue stick and roll it around to coat it with glue, then drop it onto the top of the paper cylinder and let the glue set - cartridge completed. The GotW kit includes a small stick of bullet lube, the glue stick and enough papers and circles to make 100 cartridges, and stick of lube that I assume will do 100 rounds. Additional packs of 100 papers and circles are A$8. The tube forming rod has a 25gn powder measure in the top - it holds 26.3gn of WANO FFFg scraped off level.

The Cartridgekits.com kit comes in one of Berry's plastic ammo cans and includes the same tools except it has an actual powder dipper, which holds 31gn of WANO FFFg scraped level. This kit also includes a cartridge tray that holds 20 cartridges, a larger glue stick, a lube melting can with lube in it already, a large lube stick, five packets of cigarette papers and a punch for punching the circles out of the papers. They say there are enough papers for 500rds and enough lube for 400rds (with the caveat that you must keep the lube up to temperature to last that long - if you let the lube cool down I think it must leave more on the bullet so it won't last as long). I bought some cigarette papers two weeks ago for this purpose and I think they were 30c for a packet of 60.

I just noticed that Cartridgekits.com also offer a lube warming plate for melting the lube for US$15 - apparently it's a coffee cup warmer, which you can buy online for $5 to $25. That would be handy for loading these at the range if you wanted to.

I'm hoping to get at least a few paper rounds loaded up tomorrow for testing on Sunday.


Both have videos online.
https://youtu.be/3Zx3Ph3xsak
https://cartridgekits.com/pages/instructions

[perentie]

They look useful. I found those videos and more when I was researching the "Paper Cutter Carbine". Mine is 54 cal so I will make up my own kit for now. I will start with the original method that leaves a tail then try the complete cartridge method later.
I thought the ciggie paper might be a bit flimsy to handle so will use the thin paper I use to wrap my paper patch target bullets with. Wrap around a dowel , glue edge with glue stick then use tissue paper for the end the flame goes to. I will try with the circle of tissue over a smaller stick , fold it around the end and push into the tube. Before getting to the end use a cotton bud to smear some white glue inside the tube then push the end cap right up. I think it keeps it neater. Then measure in the powder and glue in the ball or in my case the bullet. I am not sure if the mold I ordered is the glue on the bullet one or the tie on the bullet one with the reduced tail to tie too.
I have an original Colt Army 1860. Made 1862 that I havnt fired yet. I could try the paper cartridges like yours out in it.
Keith

[bladeracer]

They look useful. I found those videos and more when I was researching the "Paper Cutter Carbine". Mine is 54 cal so I will make up my own kit for now. I will start with the original method that leaves a tail then try the complete cartridge method later.
I thought the ciggie paper might be a bit flimsy to handle so will use the thin paper I use to wrap my paper patch target bullets with. Wrap around a dowel ,glue edge with glue stick then use tissue paper for the end the flame goes to. I will try with the circle of tissue over a smaller stick , fold it around the end and push into the tube. Before getting to the end use a cotton bud to smear some white glue inside the tube then push the end cap right up. I think it keeps it neater. Then measure in the powder and glue in the ball or in my case the bullet. I am not sure if the mold I ordered is the glue on the bullet one or the tie on the bullet one with the reduced tail to tie too.
I have an original Colt Army 1860. Made 1862 that I haven't fired yet. I could try the paper cartridges like yours out in it.
Keith

Paper cartridges for the muzzleloader are just a storage sack really. You tear it open and dump the contents down the pipe, then ram the patched ball down over it. Or use the paper still wrapped around the ball as the patch. These paper cartridges you just drop complete into the chambers from the front, ram the balls in to seal the chambers, and the cap blows flame straight through the paper. I was going to make my own as well but Dustin's kit is pretty cheap and means I don't need to find time to make them. Now I have them I can get stuck straight into it

I do have a mild concern about the paper leaving hot embers in the chambers. I've read that you do tend to get some build up of paper residue in there that might need cleaning out after a few dozen shots, but I haven't yet heard of anybody having a burn occur during loading due to it. I was thinking perhaps a quick spray with brake cleaner might clean it out without leaving any wet residue to contaminate the powder?

The cigarette papers I bought measure .0015", which is thinner than the expensive .002" onion skin I bought years ago for paper patching. Tissue paper is an interesting idea, I haven't measured it though.

[bladeracer]

I was very crook yesterday with a cold, and I really don't want to be messing with ammo in that state, but I got bored so I had a play
I only made the one yesterday but I'll make a dozen or three for testing over the next few days.

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First thing I discovered is that my 15gn loads mean I can get six cartridges out of each cigarette paper, without wads. 15gn of FFFg at .44-cal is only about 12mm tall, so I can cut the cigarette paper into thirds longitudinally, and it's long enough to make two .44-cal wraps, so I can cut it into six rectangles. I cannot get a wad into the tube though, the wads are oversize for a tight fit in the chamber and I just can't get them into the paper tube, so it will have to be greased on top of the ball.

It's not particularly difficult to make them, but because the paper is very light and thin, it is a bit like trying to make a hat for a flea out of gossamer, be careful not to breathe too hard

I haven't tried punching the base circles out of papers yet but I did check and it looks like you can get seven circles out of each paper, or 420 out of a 60 pack of papers.

The cost of the papers at 30c for 195-odd cartridges is meaningless, about one-sixth of a cent each. And as it means I can't use the wads that makes it 20c cheaper as well.