Paper Cartridges

Yes, I've made that style for my Navy Colt:

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As well as older "musket" style period correct cartridges for my U.S. horse pistol:

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Quite interesting and fun experiments. A bit tedious, though. There are simpler but less authentic paper cartridge designs that you can make to save time at the range. For me, though, I don't mind measuring powder and ball as my range is the desert and I've got plenty of time with no interruptions. :)
 
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I, too, have made paper cartridges using rolling papers. I didn't glue my bullets to it though. Mine sat inside the paper with the Gatofeo's lube sticking to the paper. They work quite well.



I cut the little twisted tail shorter than the one on the desk.
 
I have made them but it's too tedious for me. I don't shoot at a range tho. I'm not on a time constraint. I can take as much time loading as I want and when I get tired I just go back in the house.
 
I decided to try paper cartridges as 2 of the 3 friends I took to the range lost interest very quickly with the loading procedure and the time it took. And the concept of quickly loading sounded intriguing as a way to do away with needing a flask and measure while in the woods.

I don't mind loading from a flask and measure either and I'm known to spend half a day at the range anyway.
 
Model12,

Are yours tied off with twine?


Also, I noticed he used a tapered dowel. What's the reason for the taper?
 
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The the way in the video of the first post works well because you don't have to cut paper, with your rammer, at loading,.. because the lead ball contacts the cylinder mouth. Having the paper patch around the bullet makes loading a little tough on a couple of my revolvers.

But I have had paper and glue remain stuck to the ball in flight. And some failure to fire.

Now I use this method and have become pretty good at it. Never a failure to fire.

The taper makes them much easier to load. And I believe that the taper helps to break the cartridge on ramming...thus spilling the powder out of the paper.

I have painted these cartridges with water-glass and was able to drop them in water before loading and still got 100% firing! And his little boxes are really cool too!:D

https://youtu.be/-2HUcfAyaaQ
 
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Model12Win said:
As well as older "musket" style period correct cartridges for my U.S. horse pistol:
Click to expand...

Model12Win is that a percussion converted Harper's Ferry ???? Shame on you for taking a frustrating PIA flintlock and converting it to a reliable percussion !! ;) Seriously that is really cool you shoot PP from your musket. I too am getting ready to experiment with PP loads, but still in learning mode. I also recently purchased a 1874 Sharps 45-70 and that's currently what i'm learning PP with.

Here's my flint duo :

 
Nice Pennsylvania Traditions rifle, those look great.

My pistol is a Pedersoli made Harper's Ferry, .54 caliber smoothbore percussion as offered from the factory. Great gun. The cartridges are period correct for United States cavalry horse pistols. These cartridges are very accurate despite the balls being undersized, and hold the original charge of 50 grains of 2Fg powder.
 
I use my wife's tea bags. Also I use balls, and just twist the excess paper above the ball instead of glue. I pull off the paper (above the ball, not the whole paper) when I seat the ball in the chamber. Always goes boom, have yet to see paper left over in the chamber.
 
I use the largest "ZigZag" papers I can find, rollover a bras tube .44" diamter and "wet" with tongue, to close bottom and side, let sit fro and hour and dry, then use measure for pouring 50grs., of FFgm to make target loads for winter matches.

easy to load, crush with ramrod and the load patched ball.

I saw the video before adn I think the accuracy can be increased if the ball gets "shaved" during ramming into cylinder, as it helps chain-fire from one cylinder flashing over.
 
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