Yep, we've lost sight of the JOB of the patch, which is to give a reasonable sized group while preserving reasonable ease of loading.
The patched ball is a comprimise between accuracy and loading speed.
Folks had already been hammering loads down the bores, and dropping bare balls down the tube during warfare for some time before the PRB came along, and that was ok for european target competition and combat. Here in the New World we needed the ability to shoot through holes in the brush (not necessarily at long range) and reload with speed. We developed it because;
The patched ball was a comprimise between accuracy and loading speed.
Somewhere down the road someone decided the patch should provide lube, oil and maintainance while looking good before and after the shot. Sort of like the calender girls we used to see hanging on the wall in the gas stations.
I just want something that will take up the EXCESSIVE windage between the bore and the ball, impart most of the spin of the rifling to the ball or keep the ball from bouncing around too badly on its way down the tube.
I don't care if it was nasty looking when I stuffed it down the bore. I don't care if it shreds to a pile of thread when it comes out. I don't care if it is cut with little symetrical designs or goes up in a flash of flame. I simply want it to hold some spit, bear oil, possum grease or Crisco, give me stay fed accuracy while being able to load two or three rounds a minute because;
The patched ball is a comprimise between accuracy and loading speed.
Ya suppose that back in the old days they loaded one way for target/money shooting and another way for everyday work? Of course they did! I have everyday loads for my .308 and special ones for long distance occasions. Everyday loads come off a progressive press while I may take half a day to load 20 of those special presents. Everyday shooting is a comprimise, just like field loading is with a black powder gun because;
the patched round ball is a comprimise between accuracy and speed of loading.
We have target shooters on the same thread with game shooters and reenactors and rifles and smoothbores. Each one has different expectations of the preformance of their guns. Some are hammering down overbore sized balls while others are using balls 1/8" under bore size. Problem is that some of us are egotistical power and control freaks and cannot believe that what we are doing is not the perfect answer to everyones' shooting needs. If we don't do it, it is wrong! We do not have the ability to comprimise over a subject that has a basis of comprimise because;
The patched ball is a comprimise between accuracy and speed ogf loading.
Just like when you go to the range and three guys with .308 rifles show up. One guy wants three inch groups at 100 yards for hunting, another is after 3/8 inch groups at 100 yards for target shooting and some guy with a G3 just wants cheap ammo so he can spray the area. At the end of the day each of them looks at their "perfect" gun and wonders why those grazy guys at the range do things the way they do.
Everybody does what works for them at that place in that moment in time, and the really nice thing about it is that one person can load in the perfect way for each condition, time and place because;
The patched round ball is a comprimise between accuracy and loading speed!
PRB= The Burger King of the shooting world: Have it your way!
:thumbsup:
