Patch size for 54 cal

Couple questions from a new guy:
1. Getting ready to cut some strips of teflon patching and wondered how wide to make them for cutting off at the end of the barrel after starting the ball on a 54 cal.
2. What size square do you cut flannel cleaning patch material for cleaning between shots on standard jag for 54 cal

Thx
wirebrush

I leave mine in approximately 2" wide strips and roll it up. Then I can cut from both sides.

Seat a ball at the muzzle flush with the top and cut it off with a patch knife. Shoot or pull the ball,recover the patch and you will have a perfect pattern for the diameter of patch you need although it will not be perfectly round usually.

What is teflon patching?

Kind of a rule of thumb for some people is to wrap the patch around the ball and where the two meet cut there. In other words you want enough to wrap around once. That gives you enough extra so if the patch shifts a little while seating it, it's still covered.

Patching material with a teflon coating in/on it. I don't care much for it as one must swab between shots for top accuracy.
I don't think much of any dry lube for muzzle loading actually.
See, I'm traditional after all! :rotf: Mike D.

"1. Getting ready to cut some strips of teflon patching and wondered how wide to make them for cutting off at the end of the barrel after starting the ball on a 54 cal.
2. What size square do you cut flannel cleaning patch material for cleaning between shots on standard jag for .54 cal."

I use a simple formula for determining the width of both kinds of patches. To wit, multiply actual ball diameter by 2.6 and round up the result when necessary.

I shoot a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken in 0.54 calibre.
I use pre-cut patches, 0.01” thick and approximately 1 5/16 inches in diameter, or if you prefer approximately 33mm in diameter.

Or, the circumference of the ball, which is the formula 2 x PI x the radius, or Pi x the diameter.

I use a 1 1/4" arch punch to make patches for .50 and .54 cal. rifles.
For .58 and .62 cal., I use a 1 1/2" punch.

mhb - Mike

Or [(3.14 X D)/2] + D = patch diameter, where D = bore size. :grin:

Zonie, there is one fly in the ointment with your calculations. If one were to cut patches according to your calculations, it would wrap only exactly half way around the ball. In order for the ball not to contact the bore, you would have to exactly center the ball on the patch, and I mean exactly centered. It would be best to cut the patch closer to Pi times the ball diameter. You would have a bit more patch than absolutely necessary but it would be better than having the patch wrap only exactly half way around the ball. Even better would be a patch that was somewhere between Pi/2 times the diameter and Pi times the diameter. Something like Pi/1.5 times the ball diameter would be best.

[(3.14 X D)/2] calculates exactly one half of the way around the ball.
That calculates the size of the patch that is under the ball.

Did you notice the +D in the formula?

Adding that value to the size of the patch that is under the ball will get the patch to extend up both sides of the barrel exactly to the face of the muzzle when the high point of the ball is flush with the muzzle.

Holy mackeral you guy's are smart! The only thing I remember about pi is that I like Berry better than Rhubarb! Thanks for the re-edumacation!

Just remember, the guy who said Pi R square was wrong. Cornbread R square, Pi R round. :hmm:

Oops, my bad. Once again you are right on, Zonie. I missed the +D in your formula. That is the perfect formula for figuring patch sizes. Believe it or not, I made good grades in math in college.

I simplified getting the correct patch size....bought a Forster round patch cutter for my .45 and then later on used it for a .50 and still later on for a .54. The patch dia. is 1-3/16". This size could be used for a .40 but is too small for a .58. This cutter produces patches...."one size fits nearly all".....Fred

AZbpBurner said:

What is teflon patching?

Click to expand...

It is a cloth, like ticking, that is impregnated with teflon and is used dry.
The original concept was the product of the genius of Webb Terry.
It works well and produces great accuracy. For most of us the cost does not justify abandoning traditional lubes.
It is popular with serious competitive target shooters.