Paper Cartridges

[Billnpatti]

I don't know anything about the potassium stump remover. You may be able to find the list of ingredients on the label. Or,you can look up the MSDS online by the product name to see if it is the same as salt peter.

 

[rodwha]

Of the two I looked into it seems Spectracide is 100% potassium nitrate.

Were I to want to make 50 cartridges at a time how much of this stuff would I need to make?

Could I just use a small paintbrush and brush it across the majority of the paper so as not to get the gum wet? Or does it literally need to be soaked?

 

[Zonie]

As you found, the stump remover is pure, or almost pure Salt Peter.

You want to make a solution that is supersaturated. That is to say, the water won't hold any more of it so there will be a small amount won't dissolve.

You could "paint" the solution on but that would leave an area of the paper untreated so there would still be a possibility of some smoldering embers left in the chambers after they were fired.

As for the acids, both of them will eat your skin off and dissolve anything made from metal.
Nasty stuff and it can be quite dangerous if you don't know what your doing.

 

[crockett]

The Colt and D.C. Sage boxes (called "Packets") were wrapped in paper and the paper shellaced. As I said there was a pull string to rip open the top area and expose the ammunition.

 

[rodwha]

I use Gatofeo's lube on my bullets, and I wondered if this lube would contaminate my powder when rolled into paper cartridges. They could sit as long as long as 2 months or as little as a day. The same would go with placing a lubed wad between the powder and projectile.

 

[Heelerau]

Gents,
I am having a go at making these fiddly little suckers, without much success , would some one mind posting a picture of the pattern they use to cut the papers ? I am trying to make cartridges for both, Remington .44, 3rd Mod Dragoon, and Navy .36. I am using the extra long rizla cigarette papers. Thanks.


Heelerau

 

[rodwha]

I just cut my paper in half. It's not a tapered cartridge as others mention.

In a reproduction gun a 7/16" dowel will likely need to be sanded a bit to make loading them easier.

 

[Heelerau]

rodwa,
thanks mate, have also been using paint brush handles for mandrils but to much taper, will adjust some dowelling today and see how I go.


Cheers

Heelerau

 

[rodwha]

This is the video I made while at the range. I'm a bit slow at loading as I was paying attention to the phone and what I was doing, and one handed was a little difficult.

 

[Silex]

Hi,

I think, I had posted this already but can't find the post anymore.
This is the way I do it.
The key is to make the end the RB goes in slightly larger for a taper and not glue it all the way up to enable the cartridge to expand a little to take the RB. When you ram the cartridge home the taper of the nipple and the pressure of the rammer will "open" the bottom and you'll have exposed powder for the flash, even though the cap would blast through the paper.
I always check the chambers with a round brush before the next load to prevent build up and glowing embers.


Good luck and happy shooting,
Silex

 

[Heelerau]

Silex,
thanks mate that series of photgraphs answeres a few questions for me.

cheers

gordon

 

[rodwha]

I was unable to post to YouTube so I emailed this video in clips. I've skipped the last clip as it's just me trimming the cartridge.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Hope this helps.

 

[Heelerau]

Rodwa,
thanks, the videos have help me a lot.


Cheers

Heelerau

 

[rodwha]

My cartridges have been leaving shards of paper behind, and eventually shut me down in a chamber or two after several cylinders full.

I finally found the proper stump remover and will be making a solution and finding whether or not brushing this on the remaining cartridges works.

 

[Billnpatti]

On second thought, skip that idea. It is just too unsafe. You have to use concentrated acids and, without proper training in the use and handling of them you could be badly burned. Besides, Adding even a small amount of cellulose nitrate to a black powder charge could result in unknown consequences. So......fagidaboutit!

 

[rodwha]

Is there anything on that to which you can provide a link? I've read several in which this is what has been done. Never had I read of it being dangerous or requiring acids.

 

[Billnpatti]

You might google "nitrocellulose manufacturing" or "gun cotton". Both paper and cotton can be made into an explosive by nitrating with concentrated nitric acid. The concentrated sulphuric acid acts as a catalyst. The process is to soak the paper or cotton in the acid mixture until it has been nitrated. It is then rinsed in plain water until it is rid of the acids. It is then dried at which time, it is an explosive material. The term "gun cotton" refers to the fact that it was used in large bore guns as the propellant. I don't think it is used any more, but I am not sure.

Check this site http://www.instructables.com/id/Nitrocellulose/

 

[Tinker2]

Is there anything on that to which you can provide a link? I've read several in which this is what has been done. Never had I read of it being dangerous or requiring acids.

Look up making magician flash paper on the net. I no longer make my own, I just buy it pre-made, the flash paper that is.




William Alexander

 

[rodwha]

Hmmm”¦. So much of what I've read is that all that is necessary to nitrate paper is to dilute potassium nitrate in water until it is saturated, soak paper, and allow to dry. Done.

Though I did make a solution, soak papers, and dry, I did not get around to using them. I didn't like the crystal mess it left, and certainly didn't want to lick the paper! It became more than what I wanted to deal with and so I bought those rubber-like reusable tubes sold by Dixie.

I don't like the idea of playing with acid.

 

[Zonie]

Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter) is not an acid or a base.
It is pretty much neutral.

In small quantities, it is not poison.
In fact, it is used as one of the preservatives in Corned Beef (it kills botulism) .

It is also used in some toothpastes.