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Help with patch thickness
- Thread starter murph
- Start date
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I have had good luck useing the blue stripe ticking from Wal-Mart.with a .490 round ball.My Grandsons .50 cal. Bobcat also likes that combo.I've used both bore Butter and CVA Grease Patch as lubes and crisco a few times.the lubes didn'tseem to make much difference.About 65grs. ffg.or Rs Pyrodex seems to give the best accy.I've tried the .495 R.B, with a thinner patch but didn't have good results.Yor rifle may want a different load but the above has worked well in our .50s :results: :thumbsup:
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When both my bro and I started with BP, we also had TC 50 cal. rifles with the then-standard 48" button rifled twist. Due to the shallow rifling, we found that even heavy loads would hold the rifling if a good tight fit were achieved between the ball and patch. We found that a .495" ball and at least an .018" patch was used, there was no limit where the ball would strip, but would maintain accuracy. We also found we had to smooth the crown's radius, to allow this tight combo without tearingthe patch. We used denim as it holds lots of lube, and with the locking stitch, is stronger than ticking.
: Our lubes ran from spit for target shooting, to vegetable oils, bear or mink oil for hunting. Nowadays, ther is Bore Butter, STumpy's Moose Snot, Lehigh and others which are all probably better than what we used back in the early 70's.
; All beginners to MuzzleLoading shooting, should purchase Ned Robert's "The MuzzleLoading Cap Lock Rifle" EVEN if you want to shoot a flinter. The knowledge the book will give, will answer 90% or more of the questions that come up concerning loading, shooting, cleaning, etc. Ned's writing, being a teacher and writer by trade, is well written, well laid out, and an excellent teaching tool. Hoepfully it is still available. If so, it is well worth the price, whatever that happens to be.
: Our lubes ran from spit for target shooting, to vegetable oils, bear or mink oil for hunting. Nowadays, ther is Bore Butter, STumpy's Moose Snot, Lehigh and others which are all probably better than what we used back in the early 70's.
; All beginners to MuzzleLoading shooting, should purchase Ned Robert's "The MuzzleLoading Cap Lock Rifle" EVEN if you want to shoot a flinter. The knowledge the book will give, will answer 90% or more of the questions that come up concerning loading, shooting, cleaning, etc. Ned's writing, being a teacher and writer by trade, is well written, well laid out, and an excellent teaching tool. Hoepfully it is still available. If so, it is well worth the price, whatever that happens to be.
I just got a bunch of cotton tick from JoAnne Fabrics (6 yards!) that mics 0.021". It's a tight fit, but shoots well.
What you should really try is a sample of 0.010, 0.015, 0.018 and 0.020" from someone like Ox-Yoke (Track of the Wolf sells all three sizes) to see what works best in your particular rifle.
Track of the Wolf - Patch Material
What you should really try is a sample of 0.010, 0.015, 0.018 and 0.020" from someone like Ox-Yoke (Track of the Wolf sells all three sizes) to see what works best in your particular rifle.
Track of the Wolf - Patch Material
I'll vote with Stumpy.
A lot of people are sold on the extra tight fit the .018 or .020 pillow ticking gives, but more often than not their talking about 80-100 grain hunting loads.
If you can find some, try some .010 and .015 pre lubed patches like some gun shops sell. With target loads (50-60 grains in your .50 cal TC) these thinner patches often shoot as well as the thick ones and they are much easier to load.
If you buy cloth at a store, be sure it is 100% Cotton. Even a mix of Cotton and some modern material will not work well and will foul the bore.
A lot of people are sold on the extra tight fit the .018 or .020 pillow ticking gives, but more often than not their talking about 80-100 grain hunting loads.
If you can find some, try some .010 and .015 pre lubed patches like some gun shops sell. With target loads (50-60 grains in your .50 cal TC) these thinner patches often shoot as well as the thick ones and they are much easier to load.
If you buy cloth at a store, be sure it is 100% Cotton. Even a mix of Cotton and some modern material will not work well and will foul the bore.
