How critical is patch diameter compared to bore size? I have, in the 50+ years that I've been shooting muzzleloaders, mostly used the same size precut patches for all my guns, from .32 to .54 calibers. I've never cut a patch at the muzzle. Does the extra material really matter?
patch to bore size
- Thread starter tom in nc
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I do use smaller precuts and punched out patches for my .32 but on .45, .50 and .54 I use the same patch size.
My fowler uses thinner patches (.010 thick) and I cut those at the muzzle.
I use patches cut to the same size as a 2 Euro piece (same as a quarter dollar) for my .58, and patches cut to the same size as a Euro (same as a Nickel) for my .45s. Seems to work well.
Loading with an oversized patch sometimes it will hang on the jag..
Creating the possibility of pulling the patch & ball slightly off the powder charge..
Same thing with too large of cleaning patch, it folds back against the jag on retrieval stroke and makes getting the rod and jag back out of the bore a 10+ page discussion on TMF…
Creating the possibility of pulling the patch & ball slightly off the powder charge..
Same thing with too large of cleaning patch, it folds back against the jag on retrieval stroke and makes getting the rod and jag back out of the bore a 10+ page discussion on TMF…
smoothshooter
50 Cal.
Excess patch material on small bores could be a problem, I suppose.
I never cut patches at the muzzle anyway.
This isn't perfect, but Patch Diameter (width) in inches = RB diameter in inches x 2.3. You round up (or down) for the sake of convenience.
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rafterob
62 Cal.
I caal them parachutes if they are too big/ Doesn't affect anything. But cutting at the muzzle gives you a perfect fit everytime. Except when you start the ball too far down the barrel and end up with a parachute!
Mike in FL
50 Cal.
Yes sir. Cutting at muzzle removes all doubt re. patch size and centering.
Although frowned upon by purists, those plastic push through speed loader thingies that hold powder, patch, and ball can be carefully assembled at home and ensures the patch goes into the muzzle the same way as loaded into the loader. Me, I used to fret myself into oblivion about being historically correct in every respect, so I bought some dowel rods, cut them to length, and had a machine shop friend drill out the center to bore size. Chamfered the ends and stained them Used corks to keep the powder end. Although we haven't any record of such a thing being used in the 18th, but the materials were available and frontiersmen were nothing if not adaptable. They didn't need no stinkin' machine shop. So, such an item might have or could have been used.
After watching the black powder maniac load his flintlock with just a ramrod, i thought i am doing something wrong. So I cut back on my powder charge, went to a 495 ball instead of A 490 and then went to a 010 patch that's well lubricated. Works like a charm I was surprised how accurate it was and it also works in my percussion. Before, I had been driving them down with even a rubber hammer sometimes because I couldn't get them started. Now I quit all that BS and just enjoy shooting what I got. Accuracy didn't really seem to suffer any.
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My personal opinion is there a quite a few people who load to tight of a patch ball combination.
I would say that any patch that keeps lead from touching the bore is large enough, and I have never found extra-large patches to cause any problems.
