felt

I know this topic has been hashed as anuseum, but my .54 is still shredding patches. What type of felt is used for the opwad, and what thickness, and where do I find a cutter? I would rather not buy pre-made.

1/8" - or an old hat from a garage sale/flea market. A 9/16" circle-cutting punch would work great for a .54, but they are darned expensive.

Durofelt.com for the raw materials.

steve

Arch Punch; http://www.google.com/search?q=9+1...ox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGIH

Ox yoke wad; http://www.trackofthewolf.com/cate...id=2&subid=37&styleid=124&partnum=ox-wad-10-w

Is accuracy suffering that much? Here's what my patches look like after winning a match. My match accuracy is way beyond what's needed for hunting.
I don't care what they tell ya about patches cutting, being burnt, barrel break in, or what ever.
This patch/lube combination is from a Mountain Rifle with a USA barrel that's had 1000's of round through it and has taken 1st and 2nd in several matches this year,(again). That's with 75grns of T7 2F behind it, it's a hot load for a .50
All this todo about bad patches ain't what it's all cracked up to be.

Mike, I've used thick wool (old sweater, shrunk up) and leather for patches in heavy loads of .54 and .58. I use a set of gasket punches from Harbor Freight Tools, they cost about $15. The thing to punch them out on is a kitchen cutting board, some kind of rubber or plastic? I just got a rotary cutter and board at WalMart for cutting patches. That board is labeled "self Healing". For the .58 I cut the over powder wads 7/8", and the .54 probably 3/4". Smaller ones you have to be careful they do not go down edgewise. Then I tried cotton balls, regular size. They work better than anything. Got mine at Western Family groceries, 300 for $1.59. They are dime-size in diameter, about 5/8", and one inch long. Just push that in the bore and no worry about having to cup it. I used about 15 so far with 120 grain Goex 2F loads in my .58, and mostly the cotton blows into small bits, but one stayed together and caught fire, smouldering. If that were a problem, one could dampen the wad in the mouth before loading. I think in a .54 you could probably cut this patch in half (1/2" long) and it would be effective and disintigrate on shooting. WalMart also sells these, get the regular (smallest) size. My overpowder wad search is over.

Another thing that works is bulk gasket material from the auto parts store.

Necchi, my patches are shreds. All I'm able to find are tattered shreds. I saved them last time I went out, but don't know what I did with them.
With them looking like that, I can't imagine they're not affecting accuracy. I've been shooting in some of the forum shoots, and I've never shot so bad, discounting not using a rest. I've always been able to be accurate at game off-hand, and now my confidence is waning. Thought I'd try something under the patched ball to see if it helps.
Thanks to everyone for the ideas. Going to Wally world.

Herb, thanks, and I don't think I've ever seen cotton balls that small. I'm going to Walmart today, I'll ask. That seems the most reliable seeing as how you don't have to worry about it turning sideways.

Mike, I've got a package all ready to go to the post office.

Here they are. I have some real thin muslin I'll try, we'll see.

Whoa! Those truly are shredded patches!

What are you lubing with? (And how long was in on the patches . . . weeks, months, years?)

I like to use only pure wool felt. The felt you buy in hobby shops is made from synthetic material and will melt in your bore making additional fouling. You can buy 1/8 inch and thicker felt from a company called Duro Felt in Little Rock, Arkansas. I think their "Hard" felt is best. The best place to buy a cutter is from "Ohio Ramrod" on this forum. He will make a custom cutter that is good and cheap.

Those look like you stole some of my patches. I'm still trying different lubes to see if that will help. I think my is more of a bad bore problem that needs gun smith help any chance you might have the same problem. I have tried the over powder wad. It didn't help me any hope you have better luck.

I was getting patches exactly like yours with my .54 GPR when using olive oil for lube and 75 gr of Goex 2F with a .535 ball and .013 pillow ticking patch cut at muzzle. I switched to Hoppe's 9 Black Powder solvent for lube and the results improved (I could actually find my patches). I then dropped the powder back to 65gr 2F and the patches looked better and accuracy improved. My barrel is still new (50 rds) so am still getting rifling cuts but other than that the patches look pretty good and are getting better each time out. I am still in the dial in process and will try a lttle thicker patch next with heavier charges. For what it's worth.

They're lubed with mink oil from TOW, and I lubed them as I shot. I also tried Wonder lube, and that 1000 stuff, this is the first time I ever found patches. It may be that they are too thick, I'm going to try the thin muslin next.
I don't think it's the Getz barrel. Slick as a baby's butt.

Mike
My first time out with my new TVM .45 [Rice roundbottom] I was using Hoppes #9+ with ticking.Patches looked good and accuracy seemed fine. I cleaned and switched to bear oil and got some burned ,shredded places and a decrease in accuracy. I cleaned again and went back to Hoppes #9+ and accuracy returned and patches were fine again. Might try some Hoppes #9+ ?
Macon

If that Getz barrel has round bottom rifling then I am gonna say that your patches are not thick enough, judging from those in the pictures.

Your getting blow-by on the patches.

FWIW

I would agree with you except I practically have to hammer the ball and patch in.

I'll give you your "Due", :rotf: I'll try the Hoppe's.

Mike Brines said:

I would agree with you except I practically have to hammer the ball and patch in.

Click to expand...

Interesting, do you hammer all the way down the bore or just at the muzzle, may need to do a bit of work at the muzzle on the crown such as this


This is the wifes rifle, 50 cal. Colerain round bottom rifling. She complained of hard starts so I did the crown like this and now she has no problems loading .490 ball and .018 ticking patch, I only have to look at it and it starts.

YMMV