Sorry Mike! I got side tracked and forgot to answer this above. Yes i do use a Wad, Oversize 1/8” Wool Felt. With these Cupped Base Bullets i feel the Oversize becomes even more important, In my .45 Cals i use .50 Cal 1/8” Wool Felt when shooting these. With the Paper Tail “Tucked” neatly in the Cupped Base it takes up most of the Cup, But not all, The Oversize Wool is Plenty Big Enough to Fill the Rest of the Cupped Base, and Stil Create a Solid, and Consistent Seal Between the Powder and the Bullet. That is my Theory anyway, I have shot a TON of these Cupped Base PP Bullets like this, More of the Store bought BACO Cupped Base PP Bullets, But also this Particular mold (This Mold is Fairly new to me). Cupped Base PP Bullets and Oversize Wool Felt Wads are VERY VERY Consistent for me, i never get OddBall Flyers that make me wonder? I can ALWAYS count on these things to Deliver the Same each and every Shot.

I never have liked the Idea of the Hard Card type Wads (Vege Fiber, LDPE Poly) with these Cupped Base Bullets, Though i have used them with Good success. My thinking is they Could “Push up” Inside the Cup, And If this were to happen i would think that it would give an Uneven Seal/Push Against the Bullet Base, Which would NO DOUBT Be negative on Paper! Oversize Wool on the other Hand would be Forgiving. Actually I know for a Fact it is, If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be having Constant success with the Cupped Base Bullets/Oversize Wool Felt Wads Combo That i do

This is UNDOUBTEDLY my biggest “Pet Peeve” (For lack of better words) With my Paper Patch Bullets. Truth is, It really boils down to what each of us trust to Stay put in our Guns? I have done extensive Tinkering/Testing with these PP Bullets trying to gain confidence in them to Stay put on the Powder Charge during a Hunt, This was for MY OWN personal “peace of mind”. From “Bump Testing” To Tightening PP Bullet Fit. I have came up with 2 ways of tightening them up in the Bore that Work EXTREMELY well, Reliable and Repeatable, With these methods I would ABSOLUTELY Trust them to Stay Put on the Powder Charge, But along with that came another Challenge, at least for me Using Real Blackpowder (Swiss) That is Reloading a PP Bullet Down a Swiss Fouled Bore, Swiss Powder leaves a Dry Rough fouling, especially after Shooting a BONE DRY Paper Patch Bullet (Humidity etc. I suspect can be a Factor here, Here in Idaho we are MUCH Dryer than say the Wa Coast) When i try And Reload a Good SNUG fitting PP Bullet Down a Swiss Fouled Bore, I could safely compare it to Trying to Push that Bullet Down a Bore coated with 80 Grit Sandpaper, You can feel it Strip the Paper off (The Paper Patch Don’t stand a Snowballs Chance in Hell!) Then you reach the Crud Ring, Any possible Remaining Paper Patch will be Finished off here! The Only way i can See to Combat The Fouled Bore is to Quickly Swab the Bore with a pre soaked Alcohol Patch Carried in a Sealed Container of some sort? Then Dry Patch, And Reload, This is BY FAR the Safest bet to insure the Paper Jacket makes the Trip down the Bore To the Powder Charge INTACT. Definitely not ideal in a Reload Situation on a possible Wounded Critter.

In the end, I really prefer my Paper Patch Bullets for My Target/Bench Rest Shooting, Where i have Full Control, and in NO Hurry to Swab, and Dry the Bore Good Before i reload (My Target isn’t going anywhere)

When it comes to a Bullet that i Personally can WHOLE Heartedly Trust to STAY SOLID PUT on the Powder Charge Day in, and Day Out, and Be able to Shove down a Swiss Fouled Bore, That will be 1 of my Many Grease Groove Bullets. As for accuracy between the 2 bullet Types (Grease Groove vs Paper Patch) Paper Patch can be Flat out AWESOME, But no more So than a Good Grease Groove, I have proven it OVER N OVER that a Good Grease Groove Bullet will Shoot Right with, and in More Cases than not, They Beat My Paper Patch.

I love Both Bullet Types, and shoot a TON of Both every year. Just 2 different Applications, 2 Different Ways to Send Lead Down Range, Both can be WICKED Accurate when you put the time in, and have everything right

Another way i look at it Personally, is the Type of Hunt I plan to go on? For example, A stand hunt for Whitetail, Either from a Tree, Blind, or as I personally do, Just find a Nice Spot to Tuck myself in and Sit down. On a Stand type Hunt i would have 100% Confidence in my Paper Patch Bullets, After all i am just Sitting and Waiting for a Deer to come in.

On the other Hand, For a GROUND AND POUND Elk Hunt, where i am Hiking several Miles, and no telling what kind of terrain i am gonna end up in before the Day is out? I will go wherever the Elk are, In most cases around here you will find them in the Nastiest Canyons, Draws, Etc. That Idaho has to offer! The LAST thing i want to Worry, or Think about is a “Slip Fit” Bullet possibly Backing off the Powder Charge? Me throwing my gun up in a “heat of the moment” deal and touching a Shot off, VERY Possibly internally “Ringing” My Barrel and Ruining it, Not to mention the Elk i just Missed, or Hit Wrong?
I know me, i would Constantly be pulling my Ramrod and Checking the Bullet to see if it had moved? On a Hunt like this, I want 1 of my Snug/tight Fitting Grease Groove Bullets that I have to PUSH Nice n Solid to the Powder, The ONLY way that bullet can POSSIBLY move is if i Ask it to (By Pulling the Trigger :cool2)

I’ve been playing with a New Centerfire (.300 Win Mag), I just posted above . Now it’s time to get back to my MLs