lubed patch container?

[Sinner]

I was wondering what kind of variations people use to carry their lubed patches?

 

[David W.]

I was wondering what kind of variations people use to carry their lubed patches?

I use an old 35mm film canister or an Altoids tin.

 

[nchawkeye]

My rifle came with a brass door on the side of the butt stock that has a hollowed out area below the door...

I carry a roll of greased patches in there...

 

[sniper68]

35mm film container.. :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

A 44 year old musket cap tin (now empty)carries my pre-cut, Hoppes lubed patches. Easy to carry in a shooting bag. At the range I just carry a bunch of pre-cut patches and lube a few at a time as needed and use the same tin for the job.

 

[BrownBear]

Until recently I've been using a CCI cap tin. Got too small for the larger cals I was shooting, so I made a "wallet" out of oiled/waxed leather. It wouldn't do with wet lubes, but so far it has been just fine with the grease lubes I use.

On thing I found with stacks of lubed patches- If you make the stack nice and neat, it can be a booger to peel of one patch when you hands are cold or you're in a hurry. Now I stagger them in the stack so there's always a free edge to get a nail under. Small detail but it really helps in the long run.

 

[DanC]

I was wondering what kind of variations people use to carry their lubed patches?

Dry lubed patches I now carry on a string, and xtras in a tin container I got from my local health food store. They carry them for people that make thier own "potions"- plain and unlabeled, and good quality but just a couple of bucks each, and any size you want. They also work well for wet lubed or pre-wet cleaning patches.

You can just see one of the tins behind the upper left corner of the bag with the round balls. Doesn't show the whole tin, but it's the only pic I have with one in it. Sorry.

You can also see the dry patches stacked on a string, just to the right of the capper.

Dan

 

[rabjr]

Altoids tin works good for lubed patches.

 

[George]

I always cut my patches at the muzzle, and I carry them two ways. They are all pre-lubed with beeswax-lard and left in strips. I sometimes tie the strip to my bullet pouch strap, sometimes keep it rolled up and tucked into a pocket I sewed onto the back wall of the pouch, to keep it up off the bottom and out of the grit.

Spence

 

[paulvallandigham]

I carry two different kinds of pre-lubed patches, depending on the gun I am using. For years, I have carried pre-lubed patches used with a Round Ball in my rifles, using a Brass can purchased from Tedd Cash products. I own two sizes- one the size of a percussion cap tin( which I used until someone gave me the TCP can as a present) -- and the other about 2 1/4" in diameter which I use to carry dry cleaning patches. If you go larger than .50 or.54 caliber, the smaller tin won't hold patches large enough, so you need a second larger can. When I got my fowler, for instance, which is 20 gauge, I needed a larger container to carry any pre-lubed cut patches.

Brown Bear's observation about cold fingers is correct, and you need to make adjustments in all your gear if you are hunting in cold weather. I change from using a oil/beeswax LUBE, to using alcohol to lube my patches in sub-freezing weather, for instance. Because alcohol evaporates, I carry those patches in a plastic "baggie", closed tightly to reduce available air inside during a hunt. I also carry a small bottle of alcohol in my bag, to use to "freshen" the amount of alcohol in those patches during any long hunt. Alcohol on the skin when its freezing out IS COLD, so think about how your are going to protect your skin, too.

Dutch Schoultz's Dry Lubed patches should also be considered for use in sub-freezing temperatures. http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

I also carry 3" square flannel greased cleaning patches for lubing the bores of my smooth bores- 12 and 20 gauges. I currently carry them in a ziplock sandwich size bag. I carry a stack of Dry, 3" cleaning patches loose in my bag. But, if I actually cared about being HC, when hunting with these guns, I would make up a leather wallet to carry both the greased, and Dry patches.

I am going Back to cutting my patches at the muzzle, with a patch knife, and will be carrying strips of patching fabric, lubed, in a cylindrical container like those 35mm plastic film "cans" that are hard to find anymore.

So, as you have already read above, there are lots of ways to do this. The main thing is to contain greased patches- of any kind-- so that you don't get the grease all over your clothes, and hands.

 

[Supercracker]

I have a small burts beeswax hand lotion tin I carry 3 or 4 balls, OPW and lubed patches in. To alleviate concerns over the patches drying out over time I melted some beeswax and filled the tin lid about 1/16" in wax then let it cool. Now the top of the tin seals itself against the layer of wax making the tin air tight. That stays in my bag all the time and I only use it to reload in the field after a shot.

 

[BrownBear]

To alleviate concerns over the patches drying out over time I melted some beeswax and filled the tin lid about 1/16" in wax then let it cool. Now the top of the tin seals itself against the layer of wax making the tin air tight.

Excellent idea! :hatsoff:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I've tried every combination possible. I don't like precut patches, because I suck at centering the patch on the muzzle. I then went to cutting the patch at the muzzle. Ok at a shoot, but to fiddly while hunting, and too much stuff to carry.

I have now settled on using a ball block. I use Mink Oil for lube on the patch material, and still cut the patches, but it's now on the ball block at home. I can take my time and get it perfect. Much easier to carry and load in the field. I stick a Altoid tin with some Mink Oil in my bag if I need to touch up the patches in the ball block if they look like they're getting dry. (hardly ever)

So, I carry a ball block (6 shots), capper, and 6 tubes with premeasured loads of powder. Very simple and I can load pretty fast if I need a second shot.

Plus, it leaves room in the bag for a snack. :grin:

Now, at a shoot. I'm all loaded down and doing it as PC as I can.

 

[Coot]

A tin, depending on patch size, percussion cap, shoe polish or musket cap tin. Some soaps also come in handy size tins.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I LIKE The old shoe polish tins because they have a lever on the side to help opening. Which is nice when the hands get lube and fouling on them. :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

...when the hands get lube and fouling on them.

Ain't that the truth! I can't tell you how many times I've fumbled around with a cap tin and greasy or cold hands. That's the biggest reason I went to a "wallet" rather than looking for a bigger tin.

But I guess if I'm going to use a shoe polish can, I'd have to polish some shoes now and then to come up with an empty can. :shocked2: Maybe I'll stick with the wallet. :rotf:

Seriously, good point and good solution.

 

[Supercracker]

Excellent idea! :hatsoff:

you know....blind chicken, etc etc. lol


The Burts hand cream tins are bigger than the lip balm tins. Seems like about 1 1/4". they also have a raised lip around the top of the tin. So it's much easier to get off with sweaty, slick or gloved hands.

 

[Bill Hall]

I use a cap tin out in the field. I stretch out the lid so it comes off easily. Some of those tins are really tight, so if a little lube gets on the outside, it gets frustrating trying to pull off the lid with slick fingers. Bill

 

[roundball]

I know the number of replies to this thread is a tiny sampling, but its interesting that only one person uses a patchbox for patches...others seem to use some sort of relatively modern convenience item

 

[Walks Alone]

I wasn't interested in using anything plastic with my BP arms, so mostly used various tins that had been fired in a campfire to make them appear more rustic (burn off all the paint, etc). Used both slip fit and hinged lid tins, but the hinged were easier to use in the field (one handed). Borrowed the idea from the tins I used to fire char cloth for my flint and steel kits. And as BB suggested I waterproofed them with beeswax (entire inside). Mattered not how wet the patches were, the tins didn't leak and the patches wouldn't dry out over a weeks trek. Dry (spit) patches were just loose in my shooting bag in a small open pocket in one corner I sewed in for them.

Using those hingie things on the side of the buttstock never interested me.

WA