I have the book, "The Paper Jacket", by Paul Matthews, where he talks about cooking his patched bullets in beeswax, (ala original Martini-Henry bullets), and then covering them in dry graphite for lubrication prior to loading. Does anyone have any other methods to weather-proof paper-patched bullets?

Byron

Byron,

I think you have the answer. I shoot a Lee Minnie ball in my flintlock .54. After I patch the minnie's I let them dry really well and then in a double boiler melt a mix of 50/50 beeswax and Crisco. I soak the patched bullets until the paper turns translucent then I pick them carefully out with a slotted spoon and set them base down on tin-foil to dry/harden. After they are dry I then trim the base off with my fingernail and tie up my paper cartridges which in turn gets the same treatment in the wax only for a sorter dip. Hope this helps....
Crisco and beeswax is my mix
ERic

I have Matthew's book, but I'm not as far along as you are, so this is speculation rather than experience talking.

How about Scotchgard?

http://cms.3m.com/cms/US/en/2-78/icFurFS/view.jhtml

H. C.

Byron,

There are some things you can do. The Beeswax is pretty serious and will probably adversely affect accuracy. Maybe not enough to matter, so you can keep that idea on line. However, for slightly less waterproofness, you can try the following.

Roll the bullets, after they have been wet-wrapped and dried, on a paper towel soaked with Blair spray fixant. This is an aerosol spray that is used to seal charcoal or other drawings and prevent smearing. I believe you need Blair #105 spray, but I could be wrong on the number. You can find this in Art Supply stores and perhaps even WalMart. I buy it at a University Book Store's art department.

Krylon also sells a similar product. I have been told by good sources that you never want to use this stuff. It sticks too well to the bullet.

For what it's worth, I have used Blair and then untreated patches. With a little care and planning you really don't need to treat your bullets. As many as you will carry in the field (6-10 maybe), you will have room to make sturdy cartridge holders (I use PVC pipe sections), to carry your loaded cartridges. My bullets have 0.9" of exposed paper along the shank of the bullet and I have never had a problem. Never.

Brent

The Paper Patch Way

Well Brent, considering that your web page is one of the references I use for patching, I'll give no treatment a shot. I'll treat some of the rounds with the beeswax and graphite this summer to see how it affects accuracy. Do you think the lube on the patch will protect it from the pocket to the breech?
Oct. and Nov. on the northern Oregon coast is extremely wet, and rainy. I'm shooting a Martini chambered for .45-90-2.4", and I only have .2" of patch showing above the case mouth with the 530 gr. cup base, paper-patched bullet seated to an O.A.L. of 3.15", which is the maximum length the Martini will take in a straight wall case, depending on the bullets ogive. With no hammer, and no safety on the rifle, I can't carry a round chambered. The shots can be anywhere from 0 to 150yds across a clear-cut. Heavy brush, and heavy rain.
Thanks for the help.

Byron