Paper Cartridge Dangers?

Guys I’ve taken to rolling paper cartridges for my .44 Remy, but Imhave a question on the possible hazards.

Say the paper leaves a smouldering ember in the cylinders, well what would happen during reloading another paper cartridge in there? Couldn’t it ignite as you ram the new cartridge? Wouldn’t the pressure push the lever back up, possibly destroying your hand?

What would happen?

Yes that could happen and it's possible the cartridge could go off just as you inserted it in the chamber giving you a nasty burn. It could also smolder and then go off after you have turned the cylinder to ram another ball. Inspection of the chambers and wiping with a damp patch or bore swab would eliminate the problem. I'm reasonably confident it isn't a big issue but it pays to be safe. The N-SSA doesn't allow paper cartridges in any muzzleloader in any matches for this reason. Breach loading carbines like the Sharps are excepted.

I don't know if it would destroy your hand or not but it sure would spoil you day. Since you would be looking directly at the chamber you were loading think about what might happen to your eyes if you wern't wearing safety glasses.

I like to make paper cartridges for my cap and ball revolvers, too. Like any BP gun, you need to make sure the barrel/chamber is clear of burning embers before you load the next batch of powder.

What are the stats on this actually happening?
Is not driving to the range or anywhere more of a risk?
A hole host of errors while driving are possible but one only has to check ones cylinder prior to loading.....no?

Not asking how likely, just wondering what happens when it does.

The simple answer is, badly burned fingers. Bad enough that the skin and nails might fall off. Adding insult to injury, black powder often contaminates the only lightly burned skin too and after the damage is healed, black areas can still be seen.

I guess in these modern times when everyone is getting tattoo's maybe the black skin will fit right in with the rest of the people?
Fact is, powder burned skin goes back to the time that black powder was invented so it most definitely is "traditional". Not only that but, you can say to those who ask about it, "I done it myself".

Zonie said:

The simple answer is, badly burned fingers. Bad enough that the skin and nails might fall off. Adding insult to injury, black powder often contaminates the only lightly burned skin too and after the damage is healed, black areas can still be seen.

I guess in these modern times when everyone is getting tattoo's maybe the black skin will fit right in with the rest of the people?
Fact is, powder burned skin goes back to the time that black powder was invented so it most definitely is "traditional". Not only that but, you can say to those who ask about it, "I done it myself".

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That's one part of history I wouldn't want to reenact!

I've had a bad lot of "unmentionable " cartridges give me a case head failure in a rifle, shooting is inherently prone to some element of failure.

I also drive 65 mph every day passing by other people doing 65-80mph in the opposite direction, hoping that a painted line will keep them on their side of the road.

I for one, load up what's basically a downsized musket cartridge for my cap and ball revolvers, pouring the powder and removing the ball to ram down. I don't have hostiles riding at me so a few extra seconds doesn't matter. Plus these are a historically correct variant of revolver cartridges. I have no need to mess with nitrated paper.

I have good luck using tea bags, so far, no residue.

snubnose57 said:

I have good luck using tea bags, so far, no residue.

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How many grains of tea do you get out of a tea bag? What size groups?

Yes, I assumed that the tea was replaced by black powder.

If the light is good it is easy to check the chambers for left overs. I do keep a penlight for when it is hard to see the bottom. A dental pick works fine to clean out the occasional debris. I use the hair curler papers and don't nitrate them. They almost never leave anything behind.

I'm with Brit, and would add, what is even the possibility of an "ember" burning for that long? It would be in the last chamber fired, and the last one loaded. At best. I would say zero stats, and would be extremely dubious of any claim of it happening. However, I may be wrong so educate me if you will. And "I heard from my brother's sister's cousin's friend, that it happened to a friend of his brother's uncle's sister's mother in law" does not count.

Again, I'd be sincerely interested if there is a documented case of this happening. And keep in mind, negligence with firearms/firearm "accidents" are often covered up with such wild explanations.

Flame suit on, ready to stand corrected.

I certainly take some precautions when loading cartridges but that said, I think the dangers are overrated. I have a homemade matchlock that has given me fits at times trying to get it to fire. Just a few little ash fibers falling off of the match is enough insulation to keep the glowing coal from lighting the pan. I can keep squeezing the lever and banging the match on the powder and nothing happens - that can make a guy nervous about what to do next with a loaded and primed musket with ashes on the pan. It's not the powder - it's nice fresh Goex that lights instantly when I do things right. I don't think that a small piece of glowing tissue paper would burn through a cartridge and light the powder no matter how hard you try. Now, a loose powder charge dumped in there might be a whole different story. But after saying this, I still always look into the chambers before loading. Just because I don't think a paper coal could ignite a cartridge doesn't mean I'm going to actually try it.. Be safe everyone.

I've been making combustible revolver cartridges for over 40 years and have never experienced such a 'burning ember' situation described. This is only an issue with those who don't understand how they are made and correctly used. Basically much ado about nothing. It's like the N-SSA ban on paper cartridges like the Pritchett citing a fear of fire down range. This shows that whoever made that rule hasn't a clue how the round operates.

Most problems with paper cartridges start with too many wraps of paper or the wrong type of paper. There are many references on the North-South skirmish board about guys using hair curling papers that they get at local beauty supply houses. They claim that the paper burns fast and leaves very little residue plus the curling paper is cheap. The idea apparently is to have the paper cut to size so that it doesn't wrap around itself too many times. Mark at Eras Gone is what I would consider to be an expert on the paper cartridge topic. Maybe he will weigh in at some point.

Re the N-SSA and combustable cartridges. They are not allowed in any muzzleloaders in any match, this includes revolvers and pistols. They can be used in breech loading carbines like the Sharps and hair curler paper is often used there where they work well. Just to clarify.

Good point.

hawkeye2 said:

Re the N-SSA and combustable cartridges. They are not allowed in any muzzleloaders in any match, this includes revolvers and pistols. They can be used in breech loading carbines like the Sharps and hair curler paper is often used there where they work well. Just to clarify.

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Good for them, but I’m not in the NSSA.

The Hubbs cartridges are period, and he does amazing work for the hobby, with many good videos on YouTube for their manufacture.

Yet, those cartridges, while historically accurate and fine in detail, are exceptionally tedious to produce. There are less authentic methods that are much quicker to make. I just finished making a tapered dowel former and I await some hairs curlings papers from eBay. I’d like to try this man’s method:



Seems very, very quick. I’d like to utilize a dipped lube method using paraffin and lard, demonstrated as effective in Mark Hubb’s videos, and would be using roundies instead of conester bullets because Imdont cast and just buy the roundies from the store.

Smokey Plainsman said:

Good for them, but I’m not in the NSSA.

The Hubbs cartridges are period, and he does amazing work for the hobby, with many good videos on YouTube for their manufacture.

Yet, those cartridges, while historically accurate and fine in detail, are exceptionally tedious to produce. There are less authentic methods that are much quicker to make. I just finished making a tapered dowel former and I await some hairs curlings papers from eBay. I’d like to try this man’s method:



Seems very, very quick. I’d like to utilize a dipped lube method using paraffin and lard, demonstrated as effective in Mark Hubb’s videos, and would be using roundies instead of conester bullets because Imdont cast and just buy the roundies from the store.

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That's almost what I do to make mine, except I don't worry about the homemade wad/lube/ball cookie process. I make the cone with True Wave End Papers and a glue stick on a tapered dowel, drop in a charge of powder, use the end of the dowel (sticky with a bit of Wonderlube 1000 plus) to put a lubed Wonder Wad on top of the powder, drop in the ball on top of that, twist top of cartridge closed.

The cartridges are faster to load, but unless you enjoy the process like I do, it's not much of a time saver overall.

I have seen paper cartridges "cook off" with live rounds.
BUT it was in a musket barrel, where the air flow is rather restricted, not the relatively shallow chambers of a cap and ball revolver.
It also included very rapid loading and firing in a "speed shooting match", where the barrels were building up layer after layer of ash that could and did help to "bank" the smoldering embers that were the culprits.
I don't think your revolver is going to encounter such rapid firing and reloading. A single shot pistol just might be a bit different, but I doubt it.

LD