Got my Pritchet mold from Noe Bullet Molds!

[Maillemaker]

I got my Pritchet mold from Noe Bullet Molds. It's my first mold from them. I am impressed. It has captive core pins, but they have made a unique way to to it such that you can have a two-cavity mold for a hollow-base bullet. I'm trying to get them to make a Hodgdon style bullet this way.

The mold looks very nice. Excellent machining, including set screw to lock the sprue plate screw. Came with two sets of plugs to make a heavier and lighter bullet.

I'm going to use these to make paper-patched Enfield style cartridges such as the ones manufactured by the British and adopted by the Confederacy.

Steve

[Smosin]

Good to hear your news--my Pritchett mould should be here today from NOE, looking forward to casting this weekend.

[gmkmd]

Quick question; are the Pritchet bullets used without any lube? Or do you load them with a lubed patch?

[Confederate]

Gmkmd. If I recall correctly, when the Enfield cartridges were made, they rolled the round and then dunked the bullet (while inside the cartridge) into the lube, with the intention of the paper patching.

[Smosin]

Quick question; are the Pritchet bullets used without any lube? Or do you load them with a lubed patch?

Rolled into paper cartridges, dipped in lube afterwards, loaded with the lubed paper acting as a "patch"--presenting with a bullet similar in many respects to the paper patched black powder cartridge rifle bullets of the later plains buffalo hunting era. Some shooters simply paper patch the bullet; others, myself included, construct the entire cartridge, which, once you have the simple tools and correct paper, is very quick to make, and even quicker to load and shoot~!


http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/British%20Rifles/Articles/Enfield%20Paper%20Cartridges.html

[Lou Lou Lou]

Just not legal for N-SSA, right?

[Maillemaker]

Correct. At this time, paper-patched Enfield-style cartridges are not allowed in N-SSA competition.

I have also picked up the later-period .550" diameter Pritchet mold. So I can now create early and late-style Enfield cartridges.

I discovered in casting these that you pretty much have to ladle cast them to avoid getting voids. I'm using an RCBS ladle which allows you to start the pour with the mold horizontal and them slowly turn it to vertical. By doing this it seems to avoid voids. At least, the hollow base cavity is pristine.

I have made a web page that details the construction techniques for US Expanding Ball cartridges and British Enfield cartridges here:

http://4thla.weebly.com/paper-cartidge-patterns-and-information.html

Steve

[hwaugh]

I received my Pritchet mould today and found it to be an outstanding piece of excellent workmanship. Along with the mould I ordered the base plug mould and plan to shoot the bullet with a baseplug in the bullet cavity. I am wordering what the best material to use to make the base plug. I was told Bondo works well, but does anyone have experience with making base plugs and what material do you use? Thanks in advance. To save postings...I am not planning to use these in competition just on a private range.

Harry Waugh - 3731V - Terry's Texas Rangers

[BADSHOT]

Bondo may burn quickly?

[Maillemaker]

I have heard Bondo and Miliput.

I am not having much luck making cartridges using the .566 bullets. I am even using thin masking paper .002 thick and the resultant bullet is measuring .578-.580 but won't go into my Pedersoli guns that normally use .578 bullets. Guess I need to get one of Lodgewood's push-through sizing dies to use with my Lee press.

I also got the .550 Pritchet which should be easier.

Steve

[John Holland]

I just looked at my friends original British cartridge pack dated "1860". The bullet diameter is shown on the pack as being ".55".

[Maillemaker]

Yup, in 1859 they switched to a .550 diameter on the advice of Mr. Boxer, of modern primer fame.

Steve

[Smosin]

I have heard Bondo and Miliput.

I am not having much luck making cartridges using the .566 bullets. I am even using thin masking paper .002 thick and the resultant bullet is measuring .578-.580 but won't go into my Pedersoli guns that normally use .578 bullets. Guess I need to get one of Lodgewood's push-through sizing dies to use with my Lee press.

Steve

Steve, I'm sizing the nominal .566" bullets with a push thru sizing die made by Lee, very inexpensive and they make them to order, whatever diameter you desire.
Are you somehow accidentally wrapping the bullet too many times with the outer wrapper? If the orientation of the paper is incorrect, it is possible to do so, also, your lube mix has to be very warm when applied so as to be a thin layer when the cartridge is dipped in it. If you can, get it up to about 210° F. I've also found that gently warming the cartridges with a hair dryer beforehand will enable the lube to apply properly. Iirc, the British warmed completed cartridges in a low temp oven for a while before the lube was applied--!

[Maillemaker]

Steve, I'm sizing the nominal .566" bullets with a push thru sizing die made by Lee, very inexpensive and they make them to order, whatever diameter you desire.
Are you somehow accidentally wrapping the bullet too many times with the outer wrapper? If the orientation of the paper is incorrect, it is possible to do so, also, your lube mix has to be very warm when applied so as to be a thin layer when the cartridge is dipped in it. If you can, get it up to about 210° F. I've also found that gently warming the cartridges with a hair dryer beforehand will enable the lube to apply properly. Iirc, the British warmed completed cartridges in a low temp oven for a while before the lube was applied--!

Yes, I did make the mistake of wrapping them incorrectly once! :)

But the real issue is, I think, that the 1855 pattern outer wrapper is considerably longer than the later ones, resulting in more paper wrapped around the bullet. My Noe bullet is .566 as it is supposed to be, but the period bullets were .568 to start out with! They must have been using a much thinner paper than the .002" I tried.

Here are my first attempts:

http://i.imgur.com/FVpkDwN.jpg

The brown ones are 1855, the white ones 1859.

With the white ones, I was able to get the finished cartridge to be about .578-.579, but they are still too big to fit down the barrel of my Pedersoli Enfields, which like .578 naked bullets.

I have not gotten to lubricating the cartridges yet.

I've never used a push-through sizer. I see Lodgewood has them for like $18. They also sell a tapered sizer that goes in a press for $45. I think the finished cartridges will need to be pushed through a sizer after lubing. I'm not sure if I can do that with a push-through die. Might try it though since they are cheap.

Steve

[Smosin]

I'm using 9-lb 25% cotton rag onion skin paper for the outer wrapper. It measures .002" thick, and am using the NOE .566" bullet and a another bullet which I size to .568", and both have sufficient windage when wrapped, and lubed, with the 1856 pattern to easily enter the bores of both a new Pedersoli 3 band and a PH 3 band. Micrometer readings of wrapped diameters prior to lubing is .574" and .576" respectively. Hot (!) lube properly applied will add no more than .002" to those results, and in any case assist easy loading. Perhaps that paper you have is thicker than you think, or possibly the paper is not wrapped tightly around the bullet?

[Maillemaker]

The brown paper is .002" thick. I have not tried it on the 1859 pattern, but on the 1855 pattern, the wrapped bullet diameter comes out to .575-.578. Which should fit, but the very end of the cartridge where the paper rolls under the bullet is just a bit bigger, about .579.

I bet if I use the .002" paper with the 1859 pattern it will work out better.

Where do you get your onion paper?

Steve

[Smosin]

The brown paper is .002" thick. I have not tried it on the 1859 pattern, but on the 1855 pattern, the wrapped bullet diameter comes out to .575-.578. Which should fit, but the very end of the cartridge where the paper rolls under the bullet is just a bit bigger, about .579.

I bet if I use the .002" paper with the 1859 pattern it will work out better.

Where do you get your onion paper?

Steve

Steve, after wrapping, just touch the bullet end of the paper to a damp sponge, then finish the tuck and turn. This will slow down cartridge making for few hours as the paper dries, but the paper should shrink snugly around the bullet. After drying, and charging, be sure and dip them in "very hot" lube.
I've bought 9# 25% onion skin at better paper supply shops, and even on fleabay, in fact the last ream I bought was from there and is nice stuff, about $20 for a ream, iirc. I only use it for the outer wrapper, and use plain paper for the inner.

[Maillemaker]

Thanks, I ordered some 9# onion skin paper from Amazon and will try that, along with your sponge recommendation.

Steve

[Maillemaker]

I made up some 1855 Enfield cartridges tonight. Just need charging:

http://imgur.com/a/rlhGQ

Steve