Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
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- Ysabel Kid
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Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
A few months ago a post started up on cartridge boxes. I was having a heck of a time uploading pictures at the time, but now have resolved that issue (thanks TedH!). One of my “pandemic hobbies” that I did last year was get back into cartridge box making… as well as paper cartridge making to fill the boxes!
So, here are my different creations from 2021:
And now some close ups.
Here is a picture of the front of my cartridge box for .44 Army paper cartridges:
And here is the back of the .44 Army cartridge box:
The front of the .36 Navy cartridge box:
And the back of the same .36 Navy cartridge box:
Here is one for the .31 Pocket models:
And the back of the .31 Pocket paper cartridge box:
All of these molds were made by Lee Precision for Eras Gone By, and are historically accurate molds. I do not have a British Kerr revolver yet, but hope to some day! So I went ahead and got the proper mold, and here’s a picture of the front of that box:
Along with the rear of the same .44 Kerr British Army box:
Here is the “Richmond Laboratories” .36 Navy which I designed for one of the more famous Confederate cap and ball revolvers, the Spiller & Burr:
And, you guessed it, the rear of that box:
Here’s a peek inside. Most are similar – seven holes, holding six rounds and one hole for percussion caps. Except for the .31 caliber; those are six holes total with five for paper cartridges and one for percussion caps.
I also watched a video on how to recreate the proper loading for the .58 Caliber rifled musket. I made period correct paper wrappers for 10 cartridges + a tube of percussion caps, but also created a non-period correct box, being more sturdy, for display:
And what the heck? I might as well create some paper cartridges and a box for my .69 Caliber Tower Pistol reproduction!
For the bullet lube tins I used old Crosman .22-caliber pellet tins. Here is one with the 3:1 beeswax to lamb’s tallow mix:
And one with the 2:1 mix:
Both of those are primarily used for dipping bullets for cap and ball revolvers. For filling lube grooves on cast bullets for the .58-caliber, I use a stiffer mixture of 8:1:
And then I created a Mink Oil Tin for patch lubrication for my flintlock firearms:
And just to prove it was me…
So, here are my different creations from 2021:
And now some close ups.
Here is a picture of the front of my cartridge box for .44 Army paper cartridges:
And here is the back of the .44 Army cartridge box:
The front of the .36 Navy cartridge box:
And the back of the same .36 Navy cartridge box:
Here is one for the .31 Pocket models:
And the back of the .31 Pocket paper cartridge box:
All of these molds were made by Lee Precision for Eras Gone By, and are historically accurate molds. I do not have a British Kerr revolver yet, but hope to some day! So I went ahead and got the proper mold, and here’s a picture of the front of that box:
Along with the rear of the same .44 Kerr British Army box:
Here is the “Richmond Laboratories” .36 Navy which I designed for one of the more famous Confederate cap and ball revolvers, the Spiller & Burr:
And, you guessed it, the rear of that box:
Here’s a peek inside. Most are similar – seven holes, holding six rounds and one hole for percussion caps. Except for the .31 caliber; those are six holes total with five for paper cartridges and one for percussion caps.
I also watched a video on how to recreate the proper loading for the .58 Caliber rifled musket. I made period correct paper wrappers for 10 cartridges + a tube of percussion caps, but also created a non-period correct box, being more sturdy, for display:
And what the heck? I might as well create some paper cartridges and a box for my .69 Caliber Tower Pistol reproduction!
For the bullet lube tins I used old Crosman .22-caliber pellet tins. Here is one with the 3:1 beeswax to lamb’s tallow mix:
And one with the 2:1 mix:
Both of those are primarily used for dipping bullets for cap and ball revolvers. For filling lube grooves on cast bullets for the .58-caliber, I use a stiffer mixture of 8:1:
And then I created a Mink Oil Tin for patch lubrication for my flintlock firearms:
And just to prove it was me…
- ollogger
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Very nice work!
Ollogger
Ollogger
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Very professional Kid! Lots of thought and attention to detail before those pics were taken. Well done.
By the way, I noticed you still have the same slippers....those babies must be close to 20 years old.----006
By the way, I noticed you still have the same slippers....those babies must be close to 20 years old.----006
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
That’s awesome. Vey cool
Kind regards,
Tycer
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- gamekeeper
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
I can see a lot of confused collectors in a hundred years time.... great job Jay I'm impressed, they look spot on...
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.
- GunnyMack
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
How many mink does a guy have to refine to fill a tin ?
Very nice work !
Very nice work !
BROWN LABS MATTER !!
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
The more I read on this site the more it just confirms how little I know! That's some cool stuff, and 100 years from now, somebody finds this stuff, they're gonna be scatching their head!
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life"
"Better drawdown Alvin!"
"If you gotta shoot, shoot don't talk"
Conservative since day one and until the last!
"Better drawdown Alvin!"
"If you gotta shoot, shoot don't talk"
Conservative since day one and until the last!
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Jay, what a great avocation. You do fine work. Where are you finding mutton tallow?
Oh -- and are you so blessed as to own a Kerr???
Oh -- and are you so blessed as to own a Kerr???
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
No Kerr yet, but on my list!Bill in Oregon wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:50 am Jay, what a great avocation. You do fine work. Where are you finding mutton tallow?
Oh -- and are you so blessed as to own a Kerr???
I purchase the mutton tallow from US Wellness Meats. This is the time to get it too, as they process a lot of lamb for Easter. I use it to make my own wads for cap & ball revolvers. I will say that whatever dish you use, it becomes dedicated to that forever. I used my wife's large Pyrex mixing/measure bowl for the first batch, a 3:1 mixture of beeswax and lamb's tallow, and no matter how much I scrubbed it afterwards, it still has a film on it! Ended up buying Mrs. YK a new one as she was less than pleased...
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Fantastic work there. Wish I had some suitable weapons to try your ammo in.
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Those are great, Jay! Are you printing directly on the boxes, or are those labels?
I would love to have some 38-40 boxes like that. I have a good printer, just not the knowledge.
I would love to have some 38-40 boxes like that. I have a good printer, just not the knowledge.
NRA Life Member
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
That be cool, I made boxes for my antique boxes, I have several original boxes for firearm from the 1860's.
Just as a FYI at that time I made them I could go to the store and buy big acid free boxes and cut those to make boxes cheaper than just buying the flat sheets.
I can't remember his name but the guy in the NRA museum showed me how to make boxes for preservation long long ago.
Just as a FYI at that time I made them I could go to the store and buy big acid free boxes and cut those to make boxes cheaper than just buying the flat sheets.
I can't remember his name but the guy in the NRA museum showed me how to make boxes for preservation long long ago.
- marlinman93
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Just curious, but how do six cartridges have 7 #10 percussion caps?
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Mate, hat off to you, a fantastic job on those labels and cartridge boxes. Can I ask, are any of your cartridge boxes made all from cardboard? I had a go at doing this for 44/40 WCF black powder loads and it took a fair bit of trial and error.
Cheers
Cheers
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
darn, forgot the photo!
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- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Hi Ted -
I print them on resume paper. Thick linen stuff. I make the boxes myself from a flat sheet of carboard. The cardboard on a pad of paper works really well. I make the box as a wrapper around the wood cartridge holder (which I also make), and glue the label to the box. The box I use is more of a sleeve, so I don't ruin it opening the box. For the Tower box, it is a box within a box, again so I can access the cartridges without ripping it apart. The lube tins I just glue on.
PM me your e-mail address. I can send you a pattern.
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
I read somewhere years ago that they included an extra cap in case one didn't work or was dropped.marlinman93 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:05 pm Just curious, but how do six cartridges have 7 #10 percussion caps?
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
All of them are. I make a wooden box for the ones for paper cartridges for cap and ball revolvers. Drill out the holes and use heavy linen paper to make the hinge. I made a fully enclosed paper wrapper, period correct, but then realized I would destroy it opening it. So the next one and the ones after that I made a carboard sleeve, adhering the label to it. I can slide it off to access the wooden box and paper cartridges, then slide it back on when I refill the box.
For a box without the wooden holder, such as for the ones for the .58 caliber and the Tower Pistol, I make an open-topped box to hold the cartridges and a mirror image that fits on top of it. The label goes on the lid or top box. I can pull it off to access the cartridges then put it right back on.
Took some trial and error on my part too!
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Thanks for That and once again well done!
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Nice....
and another classic photo from the KID!
and another classic photo from the KID!
LETS GO SHOOT'N BOYS
- marlinman93
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Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
Thanks! Never seen these before, so learned something!Ysabel Kid wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:06 pmI read somewhere years ago that they included an extra cap in case one didn't work or was dropped.marlinman93 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 12:05 pm Just curious, but how do six cartridges have 7 #10 percussion caps?
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
Re: Paper Cartridge Boxes & Bullet Lube Tins
On way to tell fake labels from old boxes is to put them under a black light, new paper since who knows when has a tinkle too it.Ysabel Kid wrote: ↑Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:04 pmHi Ted -
I print them on resume paper. Thick linen stuff. I make the boxes myself from a flat sheet of carboard. The cardboard on a pad of paper works really well. I make the box as a wrapper around the wood cartridge holder (which I also make), and glue the label to the box. The box I use is more of a sleeve, so I don't ruin it opening the box. For the Tower box, it is a box within a box, again so I can access the cartridges without ripping it apart. The lube tins I just glue on.
PM me your e-mail address. I can send you a pattern.
I have a special light for this it "appears" to just be a black light anyhow.
Cardboard boxes can bring over 20G, so people do try...
- Ysabel Kid
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