http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=64482
The box is for paper cartridges for black powder cap & ball revolvers, in this case, a .44-caliber. I decided I ought to do a post on how the actual paper cartridge was made!
First a little background. I read an article decades ago, while I was still in college (mid-80’s) on paper cartridges from one of my Dad’s old American Rifleman issues from the 1960’s. I thought it was interesting and not difficult, so I made up a quick jig using a pencil and masking tape. Here is a picture of my original paper cartridge reloading set-up.
Here is a close-up of pencil with masking tape jig:
Remember, I was back in college – the quintessential “poor college kid”. I was lucky to afford the makings for a paper cartridge; a masking tape pencil jig would have to do.
I recently got to talking with a friend of mine and discovered he had a pair of cap & ball revolvers that had belonged to his father. I offered to inspect them, make sure they were safe to use, and clean them up. I did so, and also decided to break out the old jig and make him some paper cartridges.
Well, as they say, one thing leads to another…
First, I decided I needed to make a better jig for the paper cartridge. This one is made of oak:
So now it is part of the kit:
To make a cap & ball paper cartridge, you start by wrapping cigarette paper around the jig like so:
The paper fully wrapped looks like this:
You leave it a bit long on the end, then fold it:
Then you glue the tab. You don’t want to be thick on the bottom, or it will cause a hang-fire (NOT GOOD!), so don’t double up the thickness and the bottom, and no glue there!
The paper cartridge is starting to take shape:
Now you pull the paper cartridge off the jig:
Then measure your powder; in this case, 30 grains of FFFg Goex Powder (this is too stiff a charge for brass-framed .44’s; don’t exceed 25 grains in them):
And you fill the empty the paper cartridge.
Next, you drop in the round ball, and twist the paper:
I then tie it off with some simple thread – the same roll I used 30 years ago!
Once tied, cut the thread:
Then cut the excess thread and paper off the cartridge top:
You’re done!
Here is what a completed black powder cap & ball .44-caliber paper cartridge looks like alongside my new oak cartridge jig:
Here is a close-up of the same:
Like I said, one thing leads to another. This already led to making a new .44-caliber jig, but why not make more?
So I made a jig for the .36-caliber and one for the .31 caliber. Here’s a picture of all three beside loaded paper cartridges (for the .31-caliber, I use half a sheet of the JOB paper):
My nominal loading is 30 grains for the .44, 18 grains for the .36, and 10 grains for the .31.
Now you see why I decided to make a paper cartridge box!
Like I said, one thing leads to another!
