Antique Cartridge Works

The paper patch is not a secondary element of the .577/.450 cartridge — it is the mechanism by which a bullet cast to .458″ achieves the bore diameter of .468″ required for consistent rifling engagement. The patch must be dimensionally precise, strong enough to survive the wrapping process without tearing, and of a composition that will burn cleanly on firing without leaving residue in the bore. These requirements dictated the use of rag paper in the original British military cartridge, and they dictate the same here.

Southworth Parchment Deed paper is a 100% cotton fibre sheet — the same fibre basis as the rag paper of the original era. It is cut using a brass template made to the geometry of the X-Ring Services No. 45-505XR bullet, the same template used in the production of the patched bullets sold separately on this site. The parallelogram shape of the cut patch is not arbitrary; the diagonal grain of the wrap as it is applied to the bullet is what gives the paper patch its strength and prevents it from unwrapping under the stresses of handling and seating.

Patches are applied damp. The patch is dampened evenly, laid flat, and the bullet placed at one corner and rolled forward so the paper wraps tightly in two complete turns around the body. The ends of the patch will extend slightly beyond the base and nose of the bullet; these are trimmed flush once the patch has dried and shrunk firmly onto the lead. The result requires no adhesive — the cotton fibre, having dried under tension, holds the bullet firmly at .468″ diameter and will not shift during seating or handling.

These patches are sold cut and unfolded, ready for dampening and application. No lubrication is applied to the patches themselves; apply lubrication appropriate to your assembly method as part of the cartridge-making process.