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What is your favorite patch material?

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Hairy Clipper

40 Cal.
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
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Location
South Minnesota Prairie
I have a rifle my brother gifted to me years ago and I have not shot it yet. I have been looking for some linen fabric and I am learning linen is near impossible to find these days in Minnesota.

What is your favorite patching material for shooting out your muzzleloader?
 
There are online sellers of linen, although none of them I have seen reference the weight or thickness or weave density. I have found a place 81 miles away in St. Paul, MN and I am not crazy about going up there. Fabric stores seem to be a thing of larger to big towns these days. Our little town used to have three fabric stores, now zero. I have been using linen for years and it has been years since I needed to purchase any. I am thinking that changing what I use will be more economical.
 
Dont know if you have a WalMart close, but I buy the blue striped ticking from them. Its measures at .017 the way I measure it.
 
Often you can order samples online..... but even so with the price of shipping I'd order at least a yard for testing.
I use to use cotton drill the last ten years I've been using wally world pillow ticking....It works good enough.
 
Same here (.015 - .017)I go to the fabric store and buy a sample. Go home wash, dry and iron it then measure the thickness. I have had some pieces with so much sizing they dropped .005" after washing them out.
 
Teflon coated patches: You do not have to wash it prior to use, it does not care what the ambient temperature is, do not have to come up with some miracle patch lube, does not soak into the powder like liquid patch lube and Teflon patches win matches.

Let the fight begin.
 
Make it a point to stop at miscellaneous thrift stores (Goodwill, Red White & Blue, Salvation Army, etc.) and check out the table cloths.

One of the best patch materials I have is a 5'x 8' linen table cloth that I paid $4 for at a thrift store. It measures .015 tightly compressed and works very well for the "thumb start load" in several of my guns.
 
I have ZERO knwoledge of teflon other than I have a roll in my plumbing box. Does it hold up? Can you find and examine (and re-use) the patches? I usually settle on a load that is leaving my patches in a re-usable condition, not that I bother to pick em all up, but I have used em twice. Where do ya get teflon? Cost?

Im older now but I will try many things once still :blah:
 
My favorite is free if it works. I just go through my closet and find old cloths that are still in good shape, sometimes never worn cotton material. Actually my favorite is what works some tend to work fine in some guns but not so good in others.


I have some old BDU material that is all cotton but the newer stuff is a blend. It is more like a denim material and works well in most but is a little thick for some and real tight. I have had good luck with flannel but it shreds in some guns especially under heavy loads. Cotton dress shirts have a good tight weave and usually work well. Pillow ticking isn't what it once was but still usually works well also. I got some pocket Drill material that is suppose to be real good but haven't had a chance to try it yet.
 
Well, I am sensing a trend here and I am thinking my chasing linen has come to an abrupt end. And it looks like I am going to become a cotton ticking user very soon. My closet is in need of cleaning, too.

Thanks all!
 
azmntman said:
I have ZERO knwoledge of teflon other than I have a roll in my plumbing box. Does it hold up? Can you find and examine (and re-use) the patches? I usually settle on a load that is leaving my patches in a re-usable condition, not that I bother to pick em all up, but I have used em twice. Where do ya get teflon? Cost?

Im older now but I will try many things once still :blah:

Teflon coated patches hold up well, they do not burn thru like fabric from JoAnn's. Guess you could re-use them, I am too lazy to pick them up, especially during a match.

I was getting it here in Texas but not sure if the lady is still selling it. Do know Log Cabin has it in Friendship in June. A yard of it runs about $20 or so.

I stocked up and will never run out.

You can put it in the freezer and it will last forever.
 
CC, I also use Teflon patching. It has been used in bench matches at Friendship since the early 1970's. I like it because teflon does not contaminate my powder charge. I can wait as long as needed for the condition I want to shoot in. I try not to waint more than 10 minutes for a shot.

I wished I could find teflon for $ 20.00 a yard, last I bought was $ 25.00.

I would have thought hunters would be all over the stuff, because your charges are not affected by a wet/damp patch.

Michael
 
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