Making Pre-Cut Patches?

[Enfield58]

I went to Joann's Fabrics today to get a...

Rotary cutter: https://www.joann.com/olfa-deluxe-rotary-cutter-60mm/5622998.html#q=cutter&start=1

Cutting mat: https://www.joann.com/fiskars-24x36...Product&addShipToHomeConditions=false&start=1

Acrylic ruler: https://www.joann.com/fiskars-coast...Product&addShipToHomeConditions=false&start=1

I got the most expensive cutter there. If it's expensive then it has to be better. Correct? Anyway, I don't know anything about using rotary cutters or fabric except from the Youtube video below.

I got a large cutting mat to handle large pieces of fabric and a wide acrylic ruler. I'm glad I got the wide acrylic ruler as it was easier to hold on to than maybe a yard stick or a carpenter's ruler.

I took a 36" X 36" piece of old bed sheet and doubled it over a couple of times. Then I cut up 2" wide strips in no time. The I cut the 2" wide strips into 2" squares to be used for round ball loads for the Howdah pistol and shotgun. Based on the size of the fabric and the size of the squares, I figure that it took me about 15 minutes to get over 300 patches.

Then I went to work on some pillow ticking but just cut up some strips about a foot long, using the lines as guides to get a uniform width.

Why didn't I think of this before?

 

[longcruise]

I just finished sorting out my collection of patch material. I don't normally measure mine at all but by measuring all of it and making it in the corner with a sharpie I have a better idea of what's in the bag.

the reason for the huge collection (a lawn leaf bag) is my method of picking the right stuff is to buy three or four swatches of different stuff and go with the one that works the best.

There were four different swatches of Walmart pillow ticking and they measured .014, .015, .016 and .018.

 

[old ugly]

cheapest.
just cut them with scissors . round, square, rectangle, trapezoid, mine are never exact. it just don't matter they will work just fine. to much concern over making them round and centered in the bore. it just don,t matter. all that patch has to do is hold the ball to the rifling.

 

[Enfield58]

cheapest.
just cut them with scissors . round, square, rectangle, trapezoid, mine are never exact. it just don't matter they will work just fine. to much concern over making them round and centered in the bore. it just don,t matter. all that patch has to do is hold the ball to the rifling.

I agree with you to a certain extent. I used to cut them with scissors but that took too much time compared to the rotary cutter.

I shoot a lot and don't want to run out of patching material. The rotary cutter and mat yield a lot of patches in a short amount of time compared to scissors.

 

[hillbilly]

Want to say thank you, to Carbon 6 and Grenadier 1758. Your reply's to my lack of knowledge is greatly respected. Like I say I'm new to this as of 50 years this past groundhog's day. Wishing I had the time prior to this to start. I am seeing there's lots to know and learn about all this. So to you'll I say thank you and I will be doing more tests on all this with my Great plains .50cal left handed rifle.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Choosing the "right" patch for your shooting is just part of working up the "right" load for your rifle,smoothbore, or pistol. I found that for me, starting with a round ball that is 0.010" less than the land-to-land dimension of the bore and a patch material that's 0.015"-0.018" thick gives me the best results, if the groove depth is 0.007" to 0.010." Put another way, a .50 caliber Douglas Premium barrel with a groove depth of 0.010" likes a 0.490" diameter round ball with a 0.018" lubricated patch. The same barrel also likes a 0.495" round ball with a 0.015" lubricated patch and that's a tighter fit I like to use for a hunting load, with the other 0.490"RB load in the block for follow-up shots.
Bottom line: There's a whole lot of "cut-and-try" involved with picking a load that suits you and your weapon's barrel, especially the barrel. Every barrel I've ever used had a pet load combination that it preferred and would perform best with, even superficially identical barrels from the same manufacturer. It has often amazed me how much difference an apparent small change in one factor of a load (ball size, patch thickness, lube, powder charge and/or granulation and/or manufacturer) can make in the rifle's accuracy. I had one sweet little .40 caliber squirrel gun that would make ragged-hole groups all day at 25 yards with the "right" load, but if I varied the powder charge 5 grains either way, the group size would double!
I reckon that sounds difficult for somebody starting out. For this child, it's part of the fun, and I suspect most of the folks on this forum feel that way too. We enjoy it almost as much as we do getting together and jawing about it. Here's hoping you do too.

 

[Billy Boy]

For me, it's not an accuracy thing, it's a convenience and preference thing. I prefer round patches, call me silly.

Now as for cleaning patches, they must be square.

I am quite anal when it comes to accuracy. I wonder why toilet paper is
square?

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I load my .40 with a .400” ball and .018” pillow’s ticking patch. With proper technique, and muzzle treatment, it seats easily and is not so snug as to be tough in any way. A tight combo promotes clean shooting. It might seem counterintuitive, but in my case, using a tighter combo has actually cut down on fouling. I’ve read it promotes better combustion or better wipes the barrel as the shot is fired but amn’t so sure either way, all I know is that and a moist spit patch lets me shoot many shots with very good accuracy, and no swabbing required.

 

[sportster73hp]

A 40 cal with .400 ball and .018 patch?? What is your bore diameter?

 

[smo]

Smokey, have you measured your bore?

If it’s a true .40 when you load it with an .018 patch and a .400 roundball, I can see why you don’t need too swab..

Recovered any patches? Damaged?

Sorry Sportster, we posted at the same time..

 

[beardedhorse]

Remembered the name of the maker of my rotary cutters - Olfa. And the compass cutter is actually a trammel. Just finished about bear oil and beeswax lubed blue and white and red and white round patches. Didn't iron the washed fabric and needed to trim off loose threads. Lots of work. Will offer lube in tins at next muzzle loading convention until batch runs out. 2 to 1 and 3 to 1 rations of bear oil to beeswax. Will have to test in different seasons and temperatures and weather to see which works best or need both for different times of year.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I have a radiused crown on my rifle. I re-measured by ticking and actually it is a bit less than .016”. Requires a starter and firm wunt but shoots great and leaves almost no residue with a moist spit patch and OE powder.

 

[Carbon 6]

I am quite anal when it comes to accuracy. I wonder why toilet paper is
square?

I don't know, but if it has anything to do with loading a ball down a barrel you're probably using the toilet paper the wrong way.

 

[tinycat]

I don't know, but if it has anything to do with loading a ball down a barrel you're probably using the toilet paper the wrong way.

Was never good at geometry. Have had excellent results for decades with square patches, they just need to be big enough.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I am quite anal when it comes to accuracy. I wonder why toilet paper is
square?

That's to accomodate a variable bore size....

 

[Tanglefoot]

Nice shot, Griz ...

 

[torpedo]

I have a pair of 14 inch heavy duty scissors from harbor Freight. I use .018 blue pillow ticking and cut down the proper line for size and then cut across and Wala done and they shoot as good as I do.

 

[Sinner]

Patches are so inexpensive, I've found it hard to justify the time and effort to "make my own"...

 

[Carbon 6]

Patches are so inexpensive, I've found it hard to justify the time and effort to "make my own"...

You get out of it, what you put into it.
It's not like you have to weave the cloth or anything.

 

[Sinner]

You get out of it, what you put into it.
It's not like you have to weave the cloth or anything.

LOL, Nope, don't have to weave the cloth or cut it.