Size of patch ?

[2Barrel]

Hi all. I wanted to buy a hole punch so I can make my own pillow ticking patches. My question is, what size punch should I buy for a 54 cal. rifle ?

 

[rabjr]

Square patches work just fine. Find your measurement, sorry I'm in bed atm and can't remember what .54 cal is. Cut a bunch of strips that size. A paper cutter helps speeed things up.

 

[jdixon]

Cut your patches at the muzzle, saves the work of pre-cutting - set your short starter up right and you can get very consistent results doing it this way.

 

[catman]

If you going to cut them round with a hole punch then 1 3/8" will work for a 54cal. As said above square patches or cut them at the muzzle will work fine with no problems.

 

Square patches work just fine.

Agreed. I don't know why people want to go to the trouble to make round patches? They do absolutely nothing more than a square patch.

 

[necchi]

Square patches work just fine.

Agreed. I don't know why people want to go to the trouble to make round patches? They do absolutely nothing more than a square patch.

And I agree with both of those guy's,,the primary function is to surround the ball with said patch. Anything left over on top of the ball hurts nothing. I've seen guy's use 2 1/2" wide strip and cut it an 1" over the muzzle, stuff it all down the bore and shoot great shot after shot.

I'm a bit less wastefull, my strips are a bit narrower and I cut a bit closer.

Besides, what'er ya gonna do with that square of fabric with a bunch of round holes init? :hmm:

 

[nw_hunter]

I use a 1 1/4" Upholstery button cutter to make my 50, and 54 patches.

 

[jrozelle]

I use a cutter for all mine. Whatever the muzzle size(outside across the flats) measures is my patch size. I agree, a little extra patch doesn't hurt. I cut mine to save time; a) So I can shoot 2 targets per relay, b) The time saved in cutting the patch on the muzzle is time I save loading so I can space my shots out, or, c) I can fix a snafu of some sort, and lastly d) It's how I learned. My 2 cents.

 

[Zonie]

The mathematical formula for calculating the size of a patch that would duplicate one that is cut at the muzzle is:

Diameter = bore diameter times 1.6 plus the bore diameter.

For a .54 caliber bore that would be:

.54 X 1.6 = .86 plus .54 = 1.40

That's about 1 3/8 inches.

The absolute minimum size would be the bore diameter times 1.6 or .86 inches but using that size is not practical because the patch would have to be exactly centered with the bore.

Keep the patch diameter between 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 and you'll be fine.

I agree that a square patch will work just as well as a round one. Just make the size of the square the same as the diameter you would use if it was a round patch.

 

[romeoh]

Patch size is only important as the patch shouldn´t be too small. :wink:
The outline doesn´t matter. I got an old geman book here which I consider to be very good. It´s got patches in all variations as examples. Round, square, triangle and cross-shaped. :shocked2:

From my own experience: The shape doesn´t matter, the patch shouldn´t be so small to bring you in danger that the ball gets not guided at its belly when you load.
And you have to pay looots of attention to the consistend and right thickness of you patch and ball combination - and to the right lubing. :thumbsup:

 

[poordevil]

You can say that again!! :wink: :rotf:

 

[2Barrel]

Thanks everybody for the help. Square patches it is. And it will be much easier to cut :thumbsup: