Which is historically correct, precut patches or cut at muzzle?

tenngun said:

Bare just won’t do well in a rifle, and my gut tells me it would only be done when there was no other choice.
We don’t have documentation to show civilians useing sewn on patches as was seen in the military.
To me that’s a null argument. Bob is in the military sees seen on balls. Later as a civilian he gives it a try, who is going to write it down. Jack sees Bob doing it and gives it a try, and so on
People will tell you pre cut is easier, or cutting at the muzzle is easier. Or shoots at range with one hunts with the other. Or shoots one gun with cut at the muzzle, and another with precut
And most of us shoot for years without ever writing it down.
I’m willing to bet the old times were as variable as us

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LRB said:

Years back I read an account of the NDN attack on Boonesboro. It mentioned that a group of the women were in a cabin cutting patches for the men during the fight. Likely square patches cut with scissors. In my experience, cutting at the muzzle takes too much time if a second shot is needed in a hurry. Also, there is more waste of cloth cutting at the muzzle because you have to have extra to hang onto while you cut. JMHO.

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Capt. Jas. said:

I believe there is a reference to the women cutting rifle patches during the seige of Ft Boonesborough. Maybe someone can provide that documentation.

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Packrat said:

I can't see Daniel Boone going to Walmar to buy pre cut patches, he would use silk because it gave him a extra 40 yards

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Packrat said:

In the early days of the Baker Rifle, they were issued Hammers to start the ball, I believe

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Greg Selner said:

Ed
I thought this is an interesting article.
This fellow used a loading block way back .

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Old Hugh said:

I worked in museums for 40 years and in that time looked at thousands of collection items. There were quite a few loading blocks in firearm/military collections, although many if not most were incorrectly identified or classified as "unknown.". Every one of those blocks seemed well used, and at least one that I recall, which was still in a pouch, had lien wrapped balls in it. I believe the use of a loading block was common. I use one hunting because it's convenient and easy, not necessarily because it is faster.

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Banjoman said:

Which is more historically correct for the 18th and 19th centuries, precut patches or patches cut at the muzzle?

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cjgregory said:

In the field, a strip of hanging ticking is faster and easier than trying to pick a pre-cut patch so you only have one.

Next best are those ball boards for loading a patch and ball combo. I still have a bit of trouble lining it up on the muzzle.

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French Colonial said:

If you use a needle and thread, you can string 50-60 patches together and then hang them by the thread to your pouch strap or similar, very fast to grab one and HC to boot.

I have tried the ball boards, never really worked for me, not enough balls to do a whole woods walk/match and never found the right lube to get me through several shots without wiping, probably works good for hunting.

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