Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: ridjrunr on April 19, 2009, 01:04:30 AM

Title: patch size
Post by: ridjrunr on April 19, 2009, 01:04:30 AM

If I was to cut some quick patches for a 12 ga. smoothy,using a .69 ball,what dimension should I cut the patches.2"x2"? or ?  I will be using ticking,.018 I believe and should I double it if it is .013 or .015?

Thanx,ridjrunr

Title:
Post by: markinmi on April 19, 2009, 03:47:50 AM

In my opinion,smoothies don't follow the same rules as a rifle.As long as you get a fairly good seal and the ball won't slide out, your good.I have shot a .600 ball out of my 75 cal bess dead center in the bullseye.

Title: k
Post by: ridjrunr on April 19, 2009, 08:33:59 AM

ok so if I have a good seal the patch size only needs to be large enough to go around the whole ball? Is this correct?

Title:
Post by: Gordon H.Kemp on April 19, 2009, 01:08:48 PM

That should do the trick. There has always been a controversy over patches as to the best shape round, square etc.and should the patch be kept from covering the front of the ball. Some folks have done intensive studys on how these things effect the accy. I've used several types of patch size and as long as you have a good snug fit there is little difference that you can measure from one type to another. Have Fun!!

Title:
Post by: Sir Michael on April 21, 2009, 03:31:15 PM

If you load or rather just start a ball even with the end of the muzzle with the patching you want to use, cut the excess patch material away and then pull the ball you can see the size and shape that will get you started.

Title:
Post by: Three Hawks on April 21, 2009, 07:34:06 PM

The method with the least fuss for me is to tear strips of patch material of suitable width off the end of my chunk of ticking.  I can soak however many strips I want in a frying pan of warm, not hot, lard, then squeeze the excess lard out of the strips between my thumb and the lip of the skillet.  I keep the greased strips in a zip lock freezer bag.  Crisco or house brand veggie shortening works as well as lard.  

When I shoot, I push the ball flush with the muzzle over the end of the greased patch strip, then cut off what sticks up with my patch knife.  

BINGO !!  A perfectly fitted pre lubed patch with no guessing or lining up balls in the center of anything, and no patches to fish out of my shooting bag, peel apart and pick up off the ground.

If'n you're the kind of prevert that uses something other than lard, you can do the same thing with whatever foul smelling patent snake liniment you like.

I kind of figger that people been greasing their patches with animal fat of some sort since they learned to scratch grooves in gun barrels, and it worked.   Still does, and it does it cheaper'n anything except spit.  Spit works for four or five shots then you go dry and have to start borrowing.  If you run out of lard, every camp has some they'll be glad to let you have.

Borrowing spit is just plain embarrassing.  Paying it back is humiliating.  

Lazy ol'

Three Hawks

Title:
Post by: Craig Tx on April 21, 2009, 08:47:59 PM

<snork>

<guffaw>

 :rotf  :rotf


Craig

Title:
Post by: pathfinder on April 22, 2009, 08:04:24 PM

Yer Killin' me Three Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rotf