Rolling Paper Cartridges

[Hal]

I need some pointers on rolling paper cartridges. Im having trouble rolling them to a consistant size. Sometimes, they end up loose on my mandrel and are oversized. My mandrel might be a hair undersized too because sometimes, i will roll one too tight and cannot get a bullet inside.

These are an odd cartridge. They are for a Greene Rifle. I won't go into the details, but it is a combustible cartridge with a bullet in the rear and powder in front. There is a fine line between making it large enough to get the bullet inside and small enough to get the cartridge to chamber. Does anyone have any pointers on keeping the paper consistantly tight around the mandrel while rolling?

Another question. What does a choker cord do that the string you tie it with doesn't do? I've not tried a choker. I have these sitting in a loading block. Remember, the bullet is in the back, so it's on the bottom of the cartridge, then powder, then filler. I'm tying them shut above the powder/filler with dental floss. It's working ok, but it's hard to judge exactly where to cinch them up. Too low, and you have cream of wheat coming out an oversize hole that didnt get cinched down good. Too high and the cartridge is 'soft. Would a choker cord be of any benefit to Me?

Thanks

Hal

[Maillemaker]

Hi Hal,

I'm not familiar with your style of cartridge, but:

When I'm rolling for my Sharps, sometimes they are a bit loose and sometimes they are a bit tight. Better too loose than too tight. :) Practice makes perfect. :)

Another option may be to roll the bullet in the paper.

As for cinching, when I make US style cartridges or Enfields that were choked and tied, the cinch cord is essential for pre-choking the tube end. Then it is easy to tie them off.

Here is the spot in my 1855/1862 video on how I do it:

https://youtu.be/cB3g6inwu8o?t=128

For the US style, I'm choking and tying the bullet nose end. For the Enfield style, I'm choking and tying the bullet tail end. With the Enfield style, you have to trim away the excess once you finish tying off the "flower".

Hope that helps.

Steve

[jim14th]

Hi Hal , good to see someone else shooting Greene Rifle . Acquired mine a few years ago and found it to be very accurate after playing with loads and ammo. I have a method to roiling paper to correct chamber size and allowing the ball , depending what your using , to insert correctly.PM me your contact info , if you want , I'll get some images and dimensions to you...jim



Member Since 73

[efritz]

Hal.
If Jim?s method which I don?t know anything about doesn?t suit you contact me. I have one and shot it in competition. Yes they are accurate.

[Hal]

Thanks Steve. I tried "pre-choked" a few yesterday. I think having something I could pull very hard on was useful, but bear in mind, I'm choking above powder and not a bullet. It's hard to know just where to choke it. While I still get some loosly rolled ones, I have at learned to pay close attention to that early on before having a cartridge that binds up upon clambering.

Jim,

PM sent. Thank you.

Efritz,

I may well take you up on your offer. Thank you.

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

It's been I while since I've made paper cartridges for my .54 Lorenz, but I remember having the the same problems. I solved the problem wrapping problem by mounting an actual bullet on top of a slightly over-sized wooden dowel with a screw, then sanding the dowel down to the right diameter. Also, I tied one end of my string to a screw in the top of my workbench, then wrapped the other end around a pencil so I could cinch as tight as I wanted. If you don't mind cheating, a glue stick helps keep the ends down.
94109411