Newbie Question: Which side of the patch do I grease?

ahcollier · Sep 17, 2024

New BP/ML shooter here. I have a .50 cal Hawken & intend to shoot .490 balls with patches.

Which side of the patch do I grease? Outer/barrel side? Inner/ball side? Both?

Thanks, Andy in Virginia

AlexB · Sep 17, 2024

Barrel side

ahcollier · Sep 17, 2024

AlexB said:
Barrel side

Thank you.

Boomerang · Sep 17, 2024

The outside.

ahcollier · Sep 17, 2024

Boomerang said:
The outside.

Thank you!

Boomerang · Sep 17, 2024

In all reality it won't matter much, because your grease will soak through.

ahcollier · Sep 17, 2024

Boomerang said:
In all reality it won't matter much, because your grease will soak through.

Do you grease the patches before you go out in the field?

Boomerang · Sep 17, 2024

ahcollier said:
Do you grease the patches before you go out in the field?

Yes I do. I then put them in a little sandwich bag to keep them clean and keep the grease from soaking through to something else.

ahcollier · Sep 17, 2024

Boomerang said:
Yes I do. I then put them in a little sandwich bag to keep them clean and keep the grease from soaking through to something else.

Thank you.

ETipp · Sep 17, 2024

I’ve been lubing both sides for years. Easier, no misfires, no problems. Keeps the bore good and lubed.

As what has already been said, they are going to soak through anyway.

snakebit · Sep 17, 2024

I only lube the barrel side. I keep the patches in the mink oil tin. Pluck them out as needed, give them a wipe across the MO on the way out.

tenngun · Sep 17, 2024

I only lube outside, and lube before I load. However, I’ve pre lubed and that made both side lubed and shot a lot from a bullet board and I can’t see it makes any difference

TransYank · Sep 18, 2024

Boomerang said:
Yes I do. I then put them in a little sandwich bag to keep them clean and keep the grease from soaking through to something else.

I would suggest a loading block. Preloaded with patch and ball

Johnny Too-Tall · Sep 18, 2024

I lube the flat side HAHA

stubshaft · Sep 19, 2024

I soak my patches so both sides are lubed. On those rare occasions I use store bought dry patches I usually rub them so that the entire patch is coated with lube.

N.Y. Yankee · Sep 20, 2024

I melt the lube into liquid form and dunk the patches in it with small tongs. On a plate or a pan, I lay down a piece of waxed paper and a dry patch. Dip a second patch, let it drip off and lay it on the first patch. Alternate dry/wet and lightly squeeze the dry one onto the wet one so the lube soaks through. Do this until you have the desired number of patches or the lube is gone. I just keep a can full of lube and keep a lid on it stored away. Bring it out, melt it slowly and lube a couple dozen patches or so. Patches do not need to be sloppy with lube, just enough so you can see and feel it.

Grenadier1758 · Sep 20, 2024

ahcollier said:
New BP/ML shooter here. I have a .50 cal Hawken & intend to shoot .490 balls with patches.

Which side of the patch do I grease? Outer/barrel side? Inner/ball side? Both?

Thanks, Andy in Virginia

Which side of the patch to lube?

Actually, it doesn't matter. A liquid lubricant will soak through and a greased patch will have the grease pressed through. I think that greasing the side of the patch that faces the barrel is a good practice as being consistent in the loading procedure is always part of the best practices when shooting a muzzle loading rifle.

bpd303 · Sep 21, 2024

I usually cut patches at the muzzle and they are lubed with spit. Strip of patch material carried in my mouth, put the strip over the muzzle, thumb start the ball, cut the excess patch strip off, ram it & ball home. What could be simpler. My grandfather taught me that.

westrayer · Sep 23, 2024

I buy them pre-cut and pre-lubed. I guess it shows I am lazier than others.

westrayer · Sep 23, 2024

Also, try different patch thicknesses. My Thompson Hawken flint likes a .495 ball and .015 patch. For many years I shot .54 with .530 ball and .020 patch.
Have not yet been able to shoot my .50 Deerstalker cap, but we will have to see what it likes

Newbie Question: Which side of the patch do I grease?

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