Pre-lubed patches and cloth deterioration

[Maven]

Griz44mag's comment on pre-lubed patches, https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/patches.118893/, reinforced 2 recent experiences I had with patches I pre-lubed perhaps 3 years ago. The home-brewed lube I used with a tight RB -patch combination, i.e., one which needed a short starter, illustrated perfectly what happens to too long lubed patches. To wit, when I started the RB, the patch tore away leaving maybe 1/2 of the RB covered. Accuracy went to pot as well (no surprise there), but returned when I substituted new ones. Btw, the crown is perfect the aforementioned patch deterioration and subsequent tearing has never before occurred with that rifle. In short, as Griz44mag said, don't pre-lube more patches than you need. What happened to the old patches? They went straight to the trash can!

 

[smo]

I’ve seen it happen too..

Now I only punch and lube a hundred so at a time now..

 

[Zonie]

Once, many years ago I saw a package of factory made pre-lubed patches that were tossed into the "SALE" bin at the local gun store.
The price was so good I couldn't pass them up so I bought them.

The plastic that covered them was scratched and somewhat discolored but I didn't give that much thought until I got to the shooting range.

I loaded and fired 5 shots at the target using these "good deal" patches and the group size was close to a foot at 25 yards!!
When shooting was stopped to allow people to reset/replace their targets I searched the area in front of the firing line for the patches.

All I found was fragments of them. Not one of them held together and still looked like it had before I loaded it.

I examined the unfired patches and tried to pull a few of them apart but I couldn't. They were still strong enough to withstand my finger pressure but clearly they couldn't stand up to the forces they have to deal with when they were fired out of my rifle.

 

[longcruise]

Just to play "devils disciple" (one of my favorite activities) I'll relate a contradictory story.

I once prelubed a large quantity of patches with crisco and they ended up in the bottom of a box in a ziplock bag. About 8 years later I came across them and used them. They were just fine and shot great.

I'm not disagreeing with the "deterioration school" but suggesting that the problem is probably specific to certain lubes (maybe most of them!).

 

[hanshi]

This is the very reason I buy patch material and cut them out myself.

 

[Maven]

Hanshi, Those were patches I cut & lubed myself (with Stumpy's Moose Snot), but didn't realize how old they were.

 

[nkbj]

Deterioration of the cloth; same experience for me.

 

[1950DAVE]

Strip of ticking, wet but not dripping with olive oil, stored in a plastic medicine bottle at least 5 yrs. I have shot at least a dozen .54 RB's in the last month. Absolutely no problem.
Dave

 

[hanshi]

To prevent (hopefully) patch deterioration of home-lubed patches I let the liquid lubed patches dry out thoroughly. The grease lubed ones are sealed up. No deterioration so far.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have a lot of ticking patch lubed up and stored in plastic bags that are not deteriorating. The lube is beeswax and peanut oil and others beeswax and whale oil. One bag was not properly sealed and molded into a gross mush. Otherwise all is OK after a couple years.

 

[Ames]

I don't mind pre cuts at all, but I only buy them unlubed. On shooting day I might pre lube 20 of them, but that's it. I can lube more on the spot if needed.
Warm weather shooting is spit patch only for me and no, I don't pre spit them either.

 

[hanshi]

I pre-lube 4 or 5 patches prior to heading to the woods. At the range I lube along with the loading-shooting.