paper patch mold

[hatecrew2006]

Hey everyone

Does anyone know of anyone apart from accuratemolds that can make paper patch molds for a 30 cal rifle specifically a 30-06

If u need more information on the bullet I am trying to create will be willing to give info.

[Rangefinder]

Before going to the expense of a custom, have you tried patching with a standard mold? I do it all the time and have great performance. What exactly are you going after?

[studman5578]

How do you determine what's makes a good PP mold? Does the thickness of the paper make a difference? For the same caliber as in the OP, what would be an appropriate cast diameter?

[hatecrew2006]

basically want to PP a round for 30-06 hunting applications.

The PP mold from accurate in that calibre is 275gr a bit heavy for deer.

[snuffy]

Paper patch molds are straight cylinders, no lube grooves. They are also quite a bit smaller to allow for layers of paper. Since the bore of a 30-06 is .300, and the grooves are .308, you need at least .004 thickness,(half), of paper to keep the lands from touching bare lead.

Paper patched bullets can be run at normal jacketed velocities, resulting in good expansion of soft lead bullets. Trajectories are not as flat, lead bullets don't have sharp points as the copper jacketed bullets.

Normal lubed lead boolits that have sharp points have never been accurate. That's why most have 1-R round or round-flat points.

[Rangefinder]

If you're looking to patch '06, here's the way I'd go (if I were looking for the no-groove mold)--just me.
Get yourself a Lee mold in 7mm that is in the weight neighborhood you're looking for. Lock it into a drill press and bore it out to the front drive band with a 19/64 bit. That will put you at about .297. Then cast a slug, with a 3/8 nut where the sprew plate would normally be so the cavity is filled right up to the top of the nut and it pops out of the mold. Give it a little rub with lapping compound, put it back in the mold, and spin it with a power drill briefly till the cavity is polished and drops about .300 or so. Now you have a .30 cal PP mold without spending $150 on it.

But that's just how I would go about it. I modify my molds regularly, so buying a custom isn't generally my first thought.

[Ideal Tool]

Hello, hatecrew2006. You might give Tom Ballard of Ballard moulds a call..He is in Montana. He makes adjustable P.P. moulds. Richard Hoch makes P.P., I think Fred Leeth at Pioneer Products will make one for you.

[hatecrew2006]

thank's all for your input.

It a bit annoying that, Lyman used to make the mold i am looking for years ago. It's in their cast boolit handbook. I guess back then paper patching bullets was not very popular.

Oh well, definitely give those guys a call

[Unclenick]

Old Lyman molds are sometimes available on eBay. You could search on your number. Also, Lee sells blank mold blocks. If you know someone with a lathe, they may be able to bore one out to your specifications, but that's risky.

If you just want to buy one, NEI has three .301" PP molds standard: 162, 167, and 175 grains. The 162 looks promising for hunting. Slightly flat tip and a crimp groove above the paper. The 175 is pointed for long range shooting. The 167 is inbetween. Their's are $100 for a 2-cavity without handles or top punch. You should be able to patch them as-cast, though and not need the punch. They work with RCBS handles, IIRC, and maybe with the less expensive Lee handles for their 6-cavity molds.

[mehavey]

FWIW: Consider that 0.284 + (4 x 0.007) = .312
(where 0.007" is onionskin)

I generally wet w/ saliva, wrap twice, dry in the oven at 'warm' (shrink-fits very tightly), then size. (Try it w/o sizing first)

After oven-drying/while still warm I spray very lightly w/ Breakfree which quickly permeates the paper and dries

Before loading/firing I rub motor-mica/lithium grease 3:1 (volume) onto the paper.
Grease grooves, if any, should not have a big effect one way or the other at this point.

[Unclenick]

The onion skin that I have is less than half that: closer to 0.0025" (It's 12 or 14 lb IIRC; have to find where I've hidden the box), while typing paper is about .004 (20 lb that I have; one source says 20 lb can be 0.038"-0.048" depending on how densely it was made). Onion skin does come in different weights, compositions (100% cotton rag is usually thought best for PP use), and densities, but I'm wondering if you're remembering what a full turn around the bullet adds to its diameter?

I think the idea behind the .301" bullet is to be sure the lead is fat enough for the rifling to slit the patch, though how it stays sharp enough over time, I don't know. Knives and scissors don't stay sharp cutting a lot of paper.

[mehavey]

I will go check tonight (maybe I can find the pic I sent to the Forum some time back.)

[mehavey]

Correctomundo.... (I hate getting old)

It's 0.002" Onionskin that I found ten years ago and got a full ream of it while I could.
We need a .300/.301 bullet mould for HateCrew's use at that thickness.

[Unclenick]

Yep, they sure do print pretty, and the bore gets nice and smooth after awhile and they are easy to clean up after. And you're right, too. I found my box of onion skin and it's also 9 lb Eaton 25% rag and my note on the side says 0.002" after drying.

I know some guys will take a standard bullet, patch it, then run the patched bullet through a lubrisizer to squeeze it down under the paper. I've never even tried it because I just assumed the bullet distortion would be unhelpful to accuracy, but maybe someone will report success with it. It just seems like an awful lot of squeeze.

I have paper patched a number of .45 pistol bullets I have molds for that I seldom use for pistol anymore, and they make great plinkers in the Marlin 1895. The little round nose RCBS 185 grain mold I have has a lot of bearing surface length, and over 12-15 grains of Universal shoot better than collar button bullets I've tried in that gun with Unique.

[mehavey]

Roger all....