Making Pritchett Plugs the Easy Way!

[@Frank-bc8gg]

I got a cheapo spainish 'buffalo hunter' that has that notorious shallow rifling and I'll try this before I retire it to a wallhanger!

[@flyingarrow6672]

In Russia, I was charged with two felonies for my fascination with firearms. Here, people freely discuss how to make ammunition. You live in a free country. Appreciate that, Americans.

[@robertrobert7924]

I use 3/8 " hardwood plugs bought at a hardware store to plug the hollow base of a .585 minie ball when loading 24 ga. trimmed brass for my Snider breech loading Rifle. They work really good.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Awesome. Love quick, simple, time efficient, and affordable solutions to problems like this. Turning wood, or metal, or firing clay is simply not an option for many people. Thanks.

[@matteoorlandi856]

i'm embarassed to say it, but i badly needed it. thank you.

[@warwolf416]

Always like how nerdy these videos can get. Really makes me want to find a P53 for myself and try this out!

[@Music_with_Lucas]

I got so excited that you posted a video, I did a little dance!

[@papercartridges6705]

Get ready to do more dancing… I have more projects done that I just need to finish editing!

[@gussie88bunny]

Terrific! I will get my fiddle warmed up ...... coz I think a bunch of us have been hanging for your next uploads. That docco you did on the Austro-Prussian & Bavarian war was phenomenal.

[@Shadowmourne07]

I use Sculpey III Oven-Bake Clay and NOE's plug molds. It works really well and you get the flat top done in about 10 minutes of toaster oven curing.

[@ufc990]

How long for my air fryer? 🤔

[@JCDenton3]

Much better process than what I had originally tried when I discovered your method, which was to lay out a sheet of milliput and "stamp" it with a bullet. This required way more cleaning and fitting afterwards that basically made them all hand carved - way too much! This however is perfect! I'll still be buying plenty of stuff from your store though, that's for sure! Thank you sir!

[@awsomehobbies]

Finally got a chance to use those maynard primer tapes i bought from you last month. They worked great in my remington maynard conversion. Luckily i bought 8 strips so i have a few stocked up but definitely coming back again to pick up some more someday!

[@papercartridges6705]

Glad to hear they worked great for you! Let me know when you’re ready for more.

[@awsomehobbies]

@ will do sir

[@thinkfocus]

Cool! I was just planning to make a custom pencil sharpener and cutter to make plugs from dowel, so this is a great help!

[@SnakebitSTI]

Gloves are a good idea when handling any sort of epoxy. The odds aren't terribly high, but touching epoxy risks developing an allergy to it, and if that happens you'll have an allergic reaction on contact with even small amounts.

[@SilntObsvr]

This is truth, and it's no joke. People who work with epoxy without protective equipment (gloves, in some cases full face protection and respirators, for spraying full body "bunny suits) can become so sensitized they can't even be in the same building with uncured resin (though once fully cured the stuff doesn't outgas or transfer the allergen by contact). The general recommendation is to avoid skin contact or inhalation with any uncured epoxy product or component. That said, few who work with the stuff occasionally are likely to develop a severe sensitivity -- but they should be aware that if they start to develop skin allergy symptoms (rash, for instance) after epoxy contact (even if they've used the stuff for decades without problems) should consider themselves "lifetime disabled" from any use of epoxy products. Nitrile examining gloves are relatively cheap by comparison...

[@Mrbuggsnot]

It is great that you are back. I have been missing your videos, and I also need to buy more bullets. I love the wooden plugs, I've tried making my own and it hasn't worked well. Thanks for showing how to make them, but I still like the wooden plugs better.

[@papercartridges6705]

I also prefer the wooden plugs, but epoxy plugs work OK and are better than nothing.

[@gorbalsboy]

Pretty much the same way I've been making them for my enfield muscketoon the only difference being is I form the plug then cut a piece off the top to leave a cavity for the plug to be forced into😊

[@cphillips237]

I love that original type II Lorenz, over your right shoulder leaning on the mantle of the fireplace.

[@gotsloco1810]

When I read in your book about making plugs out of epoxy I was thinking liquid epoxy. Epoxy putty makes a lot more sense. Thank you for the video.

[@allanburt5250]

Fantastic, I really enjoy your content and videos. You bring the illustrations and diagrams to life, much appreciated thank you

[@davidfernandes920]

Excellent. I'm thinking vegetable shortening (Crisco) would work well as a replacement for the tallow. Easier to source as well.

[@zumbazumba1]

There is a reason why top is flat .This way large section of taper on plug is pushed into smaller section of taper in bullet and that expands it.IF plug taper reaches all the way to the bottom of bullet taper it would do nothing.

[@latakia77]

This is my only quibble with doing these plugs in this way. I imagine the plug has to have some open clearance between the inside of the cup so that the plug can move forward It seems in the video the epoxy might be reaching all the way in. If I were to try this, I would make a disc of corrugated cardboard to place inside. But, what do I know? I have zero experience with any of this, I'm playing armchair interior ballistician.

[@marcusmason3440]

Thanks for the video.....I role the epoxy in to a sheet a 1/4 inch thick and use the bullet like a cookie cutter.......

[@frederickgoman9121]

Thanks for your efforts. Need cartridges from my 1862 Prussian needlegun!

[@papercartridges6705]

I have them but can’t ship them. If you are ever in Gettysburg you can pick them up at the shop!

[@frederickgoman9121]

I’ll get there again one day! Was there in ‘88 and for the movie with my infantry boys! Great fun! I really appreciate your videos and hard work. Wrote a book “Up from Arkansas” on Marmaduke’s first raid into Missouri in 1863! I’m a retired Army officer-ADA Fulda Gap! Please keep it up!

[@ronrobertson59]

I was looking for a Pritchett bullet mould the one I saw is almost $200.00 bucks a 563 cal.

[@papercartridges6705]

Keep an eye on NOE site, they do a run of them every now and again.

[@michaelkaminsky9914]

Thats one way to do it Brett! Ill have to give it a try with my families original Enfield! Hopefully my friend Andy Megill was able to get some of your maynard primers, he is very excited about them!

[@papercartridges6705]

Andy is a great guy, we talk often!

[@michaelkaminsky9914]

@papercartridges6705 We are teammates as well, ( 69th NYSM ). Yes I will completely agree, a great guy!

[@P61guy61]

Thank you for the video.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Take a perfect bullet example and superglue heavy paper into the base the thickness of the airgap desired. Use that one to make all your plugs, they will all stop before bottoming out.

[@LuckyTom63]

😊schön das was neues raus ist...frage...funktioniert das auch bei modernen miniegeschossen???

[@christopherwestern9223]

I have heard of shoving wet toilet paper and letting it dry. Not sure how well/bad it would work but would love if you could try it. Maybe certain bullets it works with and others it may not. Still think it would be a interesting experiment to try.

[@ufc990]

Huh. Yeah I wonder how well that'd work, I can see it going either way but I'm not sure if it's going to be enough.

[@jodymlake-hw4gy]

Good video. Reloading 50's has gotten difficult. Think this would work on copper? I want to try this over gas check. What do you men think? Thx

[@johntilson4473]

Hi,watched one of your extremely informative videos recently in which you mentioned that you had recently published a book on ballistics of the American Civil War period(?) I thought I had made a note of the title etc but must have been one of my increasingly numerous senior moments so would you be able to confirm details as I would like to purchase I live in the UK. Loving your videos,keep them coming. Regards JT

[@papercartridges6705]

Hi JT. Two of my books may be of interest. They are available on Amazon UK. They are “The Destroying Angel” and “The English Cartridge” both by Brett Gibbons.

[@colinarmstrong1892]

I use the NOE mould and milliput oven bake modelling clay. I am waiting on some from Brett at Paper Cartridges so i can compare performance.

[@alainwelonek5972]

Love this video I didn’t know about putting grease before the clay Can I use the plugs in a .560 Pritchett bullet ?

[@papercartridges6705]

Yes they should work in any with a plug cavity.

[@garykrogers1437]

Thank you!

[@showato]

Hope you had a great Halloween B!

[@Ben_not_10]

EverythingBlackPowder did a video on using Burton/Minie balls for .577 snider where he filled the cavity with grease to act as a plug. Would your method for Pritchett bullets work in that application as well?

[@papercartridges6705]

It would if the cavities are the right shape for a plug. I don’t think a hard epoxy in the base of the ordinary Burton Minié would have a plug effect, but grease or beeswax might help force expansion hydraulically.

[@petergosden1]

I would add that the British, the same as other European nations, required a bullet that would both be easy to load after many shots, quick to load in action and would maintain a clean bore. Their solution was the reversed-bullet whole cartridge which provided both a powder charge and a lubed, paper patched bullet. The bare Minie bullet did not control fouling so well and was slower to load in action. The 'whole' cartridge, however, required the paper used to be of a precise manufacture and thickness. It was my understanding that the Confederate States preferred the 'whole' cartridge for its properties and made them till their only suitable paper mill burned down. I may be corrected on that. I don't know whether the Union States had suitable mills.

[@johnfisk811]

To be fair the reverse bullet cartridge was a French design used by Enfield.

[@יונתןזנטון]

Use flash paper

[@johnfisk811]

@@יונתןזנטון for what?

[@יונתןזנטון]

@@johnfisk811 For the "whole ' cartridge, used by some forces in the Napoleonic wars as well.

[@johnfisk811]

@@יונתןזנטון Not by Napoleonic forces. Cartridges were always just paper. Flash cartridges were used in percussion revolvers but carry too much risk of fragility and embers for musket or rifle cartridges

[@waynemanning3262]

Have you looked at having a custom plug cutter made? Tapered wooden plugs are commonly used in wood working to plug screw holes. A plug cutter could easily produce hundreds of plugs an hour from scrap wood. There are a number of different sizes and one might even be the right size without having a custom made cutter.

[@papercartridges6705]

For my wood plugs, I have them custom made and order them in large batches to make them economical. I think my last 10k order was something like 4 cents apiece.

[@YerluvinunclePete]

If there is no gap between the tip of the plug and the base of the hole in the bullet, how will the plug move forward to wedge out the skirt? It would have to be plastic flow in the plug material that causes the sideways up set. I think it'd be better to use a separate mould and make epoxy plugs with that tip gap in them. They wouldn't have the perfect fit but you could set then in with putty on their sides and get that.

[@papercartridges6705]

There is a gap, maybe I didn’t explain it well enough. There is still plenty of open space between the top of the plug and the end of the bullet cavity.

[@YerluvinunclePete]

@@papercartridges6705 So you're not packing it down into the entire cavity. That all makes total sense then.

[@BenG1776]

Is this what you recommend for modern reproduction constant depth rifled muskets like the enfield 1853? Also, would you use these with the tighter fitting minnie like .575?

[@papercartridges6705]

Plugs won’t work in a Burton-Minié, the base cavity is the wrong shape. Maybe a glob of beeswax in the base might help force it to expand, but the jury is still out on that (lots of debate over grease in the base of Minies or leaving them clear).

[@BenG1776]

@papercartridges6705 I've watched most of your videos that I can find on the rifling issue. Still unsure what are the best projectiles to try in my armi sport 1853 enfield? Maybe a patched ball? Not sure what size and patch thickness combo? Love your videos. Very helpful

[@capnstewy55]

I'm simultaneously intrigued and wondering why I'm watching this.

[@davidspeer1970]

what mould are you using for the bullets?

[@colinarmstrong1892]

I believe Brett uses a Hydraulic "swaging" process rather than casting.

[@tshawm1]

Would these plugs work/help with Burton bullets?

[@papercartridges6705]

Unfortunately no, since the hollow base in Burton bullets are not the correct shape.

[@fahey5719]

You NEED empty space ahead of the plug to allow it to move forward and do its job As you show it it can easily fill the whole cavity and be useless. That's why original plugs were rigid and pre formed. A paste will take the cavity shape.

[@papercartridges6705]

My plugs made this way leave plenty of space to move forward. They do not totally fill up the cavity, and I carefully explained that the plugs need to move forward.

[@JASepichunter]

Would this work with any style of hollow based bullets?

[@matthiasknutzen6061]

Does it fill the entire "cavity" or is there a tiny space between the bottom of the cavity and the top of the plugg?

[@papercartridges6705]

There needs be some space above the plug in the cavity, so the plug can move a little bit. It won’t work if the cavity is filled all the way up.

[@MrOldfritz]

@@papercartridges6705 Dear Mr. Gibbons, I will travel to Gettysburg for Thanksgiving. Would you open your shop so I can go there for you to sign me your book? I will be there the whole week.

[@peterisaacs1344]

Does this work with Burton style???

[@JerryRussell-cv6ng]

I do the same for my Mississippi rifle shooting Minie bullets

[@mohammad-re7wi]

very nice

[@douglaskerr6813]

Could you use glazers putty?

[@papercartridges6705]

I would think anything that forms a hard plug probably will work.

[@howardmaryon]

The British in India had a problem with the early paper cartridges, because they were lubed with suet, basically cow fat. Since the cow is a sacred animal in India and the rifle loading procedure involved biting the end off the paper cartridge, the Indian troops refused to use them and it caused a major mutiny!

[@tacfoley4443]

There were not actually lubricated with either beef fat or pig fat - forbidden to Hindus and Moslems. That was a malicious rumour - very successful - to stir up trouble with the Sepahi native levies. According to the War Office, it was mutton fat, a product acceptable to both religions.

[@titanscerw]

Awesome work, Brett! Thank you. God bless! +][+

[@xzqzq]

I had never heard of plugs in hollow base Minie bullets. I thought the expanding gasses did the job.

[@papercartridges6705]

Why did some Civil War-era rifle bullets have plugs? kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHuciWBsqKuBfsU

[@titanscerw]

Is there something as Pritchets for Lorenz?

[@kneyork9930]

You may not be monitoring these comments anymore, but do you think a plugged pritchett bullet would shoot accurately in an Armi-sport 1861 Springfield rifle?

[@papercartridges6705]

I used to shoot them from an Armisport before I had a custom barrel made and they worked pretty good for me.

[@kneyork9930]

@@papercartridges6705 Hey thanks for the reply. I will give them a try. Thank you.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

The skirts that expand a lot on their own are too thin and start separating.

[@EXO9X8]

Here in the comment looking for rob from British muzzle loader