Question on bullet patching
 

Here is the deal. I have a .50 cal bore that I measured putting a brass rod and a 320 gr REAL bullet down the bore. When I measured it came out a whopping .509" That's loose.
I want to try the REALs but the rifling just barely cuts the top ring of the bullet. I've read on here that teflon tape works well as a bullet patch. I have 2 different widths 1/2" and 1".
Should I make an "X" over the bore and start the bullet on top using the 1/2" or wrap the bullet with the 1"?
Or,should I get some linen paper and use that? If I do that, do I grease the paper prior to wrapping?
Instructions/guidance please. This old fart is in need of some learnin.

When I did it, and I am not saying this is THE WAY to do it.. I took teflon tape and actually gave the bullet one wrap around the center and then seated it.

I have seen people take a chunk of tape LONGER THEN THE BULLET and put that over the barrel and then like a patched ball, set the conical. Try it both ways.

Also as for paper, I watched an old fellow once wrap cigarette papers around a bullet at a shoot, load it, and fire. He was real accurate.

I paper patch conicals. When the bullet exits the barrel the patching material needs to come off the bullet. if the patching material stays on for some or all of the flight that will affect accuracy.
If your barrel is .509 then you could find paper that is .004 or so but you want paper with some cotton content.
My 500 S&W bullets are .506 to .508 after wrapping dry no sizing. I bet they would work. Here is a link for some paper. Ron

http://www.buffaloarms.com/paper_pat...spx?TERM=paper

barely cuts the top band = normal for the REAL bullets.

MD - I know but this is not normal. There is no measurable indentation. Just shiny spots where the lands touched the rifling. The accuracy with these bullets the way they are in this bore would be equivalant to shooting them out of a smooth bore.
Ron and Dave - I just checked the content of cigarette paper (ZigZag) and it is made up of wood pulp and flax. Flax is used to make linen. So this should surely work as a paper patch.

I don't know the ash content but yes It should work if wrapped dry. If they are wrapped wet they might not hold together.
The paper has to be long enough and tall enough.
I tried paper patching them but I didn't have much luck. The main problem i think was the tapered fit. The Lee 500 S&W shoot very well. Ron

How did this work for you Cayugad?

Any fear of the tape building up in the rifling or changing the flight path?

It sure seems like the simple way to go.

BK22000, did you try shooting the REALs in your bore? are your REALs filled out properly with sharp rings?

If you cast of pure PB they will obterate and fill the bore nicely.

.510 is the normal diameter of the grooves of a .500 bore after they cut .005 rifling, your bore is tight not loose at .509.

I guess I was mistaken, I thought he meant the land to land measurement was .509. That would be the largest 50 caliber I have heard of.