Patch Storage

Hi,

i am interested to hear or see how you guys store your pre-lubed patches.

Some of my mates use tubes were they load ball patch and powder in a tube and cap the ends, kind of a speed loader, others have a piece of wood with drilled hole to store both patch and ball.

i use a ball pouch, and don't really want to change, so have resorted to using a small plastic bag for my patches.

basically i am after a better idea

Any info is appreciated

Cheers

As a rule, I don't carry lubed patches. I carry lube in a small round tin. The tin also contains about ten patches...I may lube one and stick it to the underside of the lid but the rest are lubed as needed. Extra dry patches or material is carried in my shooting bag.

Occasionally, I may use a loading block...but I prefer a lube tin and a ball pouch.

Many people who carry pre-lubed patches and don't store them in the patchbox in the stock, use a tin to store them in their Shot Pouch/Shooting Bag.

For 18th century reenacting/shooting, Townsends sells two tins. These may actually be tins meant to hold shoe polish and perhaps that is something to look for where you live and burn off the label? Of course the shoe polish type with the twisting lever would not be correct.
Large http://www.townsends.us/bx232-p-368.html
and
Smaller http://www.townsends.us/small-bx223-p-836.html

One tin that is liked for 19th century reenacting is an ALTOIDS Mint tin and then burn off the painted label. Not sure these are available down your way? http://ii.worldmarket.com/fcgi-bin...ket/source/39634_XXX_v1.tif&wid=2000&cvt=jpeg

Of course many people store pre-cut patches in tins or a pouch and their lubricant in another tin.

Gus

I do some shooting with pre-cut, home-lubed "wet" patches from time to time. When I do I'm using one of the commercially prepared liquid patch lubes. The 2 I have experience with are Mr. Flintlock, and Original Lehigh Valley.
I wet my pre-cut patches then store them in either a small percussion cap tin, or an Altoids container.
In those instances I have found the patches retain their moisture for over a week. Haven't tested beyond that time frame.

I have two issues with carrying prelubed patches. If you don't keep them well protected, they're very good at "collecting" dirt and detritus. And if they're packed too tightly, they want to stick together and become difficult to grab a single patch. A percussion cap can has proven fine for smaller calibers and a genuine historically-correct Copenhagen can :wink: has worked well for the larger ones- provided I don't pack them too tightly. I've grown to prefer lubing individually and cutting at the muzzle, but a whole lot of field time with prelubes preceded that.

I use my old percussion cap tins.

Fleener

Yeah percussion cap tins, are good. I found a turned wood, "pill" container or "ring holder", with a cap at the local craft store, and I keep lube in that. I could also keep patches.

LD

For pre-lubed patches for use at woods walks or where I’ll be taking a dozen or more shots, I just thread the pre-cut (square) and pre-lubed batches on a 10” long piece of black yarn hanging off the front of my shooting bag.

For hunting or Winter MZL/snowshoe biathlons, I’ll use TOW’s mink oil, otherwise it’s Hoppe’s black powdah patch lube.

Awesome stuff! Yesterday I got 30-shots ”˜without cleaning’, out of a 75-caliber club butt Dutch fowler using 90-grain charges of 1Fg powdah, tightly patched to boot! Even the last load loaded easily.

I typically make up a big supply that night before and for storage I use those non-period correct ziplok bags.

I find a lot of good containers, just around the house. My wife often ask if I have any use for them, before she throws them away. She gives me those little make-up jars, that are glass(might be hard plastic) with tight fitting lids. Perfect for patches. I also use the Altnoids tins, as well as tins that I buy, and paint them to look rusted.

I don't know if the "curiously strong" candy mints called Altoids are available where you live but if they are, the empty tins make great containers for patches. If you want it to look a bit more authentic for the time period you are portraying, you can just burn off the paint on the tin and then use a ball peen hammer to gently tap and smooth out the embossing on the lid. When you burn off the paint, finish removing it with a bit of steel wool. Then rub the tin with some oil. The final finish will look quite antique and the tin will serve you quite well as a patch container.

Just store them in a plastic baggie.
:shocked2: :rotf:
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Hmm. Interesting subject. I tend to only shoot at the range these days so I dont worry about too much clutter to carry. For that reason, and convenience, I use a rather UN PC / HC plastic pill bottle that once upon a time held some medicine I was prescribed. I tore the label off so if I lose it no biggie. The
bottle is about 1.75 inches wide so it holds whatever size I need just fine.

Dipped twice and dried then rolled up (in six foot strips) in a waxed deerskin pouch. I cut at the muzzle or to load a ball block as needed.

Try this; https://www.specialtybottle.com/metal-tin-containers/

The little round screw top tins hold greasy lubes well. I'm wondering, if one cuts at the muzzle, could one fold a strip of prelubed patching to fit the rectangular slider tins, leave the very end edge out and pull it through as needed, like a tape despensor?

Hi, thanks to all for the wealth of info, I tend to use precut and prelubed patches, leaning towards the screw top tin idea, thinking of the round tin the air rifle slugs come in, and as sujested burn off the paint and rough it up.

Many thanks once again for everyone's response. Good to see a friendly forum for a change

Cheers

If ones patches are 1 3/8" in diameter or smaller, a old percussion cap tin (or plastic) container will hold over 20, .018 thick pre-lubed or dry patches.

The cap tins are free if you shoot any percussion guns. They are small and will slip into your pants or shirt pocket as well as into your shooting pouch.

By the way, my calculations for a .54 roundball says a patch that is 1.388 in diameter will work fine.

That's just a smidge over 1 3/8" and patches being flexible, they should fit with no problem.

Of course, smaller diameter patches will also fit easily into a cap tin. :grin:

Just burn the paint off one of these....

I have used the air rifle pellet tins, too as well as the Altoid tins. Like Zonie said, the percussion cap tins will work quite well for many patches. You have several suggestions to choose from and all will work quite well.

Billnpatti said:

...air rifle pellet tins....

Click to expand...

Wow.... A much better idea than my Copenhagen can. Kinda embarrassing oversight for me, cuzz I have a dozen or so rattling around in a drawer looking for some kind of use. Scorch them like Stumpkiller does his Altoid tins, and you're in business.

Thanks! :hatsoff:

I also use the rust colored paint. It has a texture that even feels like it's rusted.