Anybody know how to

[dbowling]

make a homemade patchcutter for .36 cal., seems like I remember someone saying use a piece of copper tube but cant remember what size. Thanks again, Dean

 

[cayugad]

you could always cut square patches or cut them right off the muzzle. I personally like to cut my patches off the muzzle..

 

[LRB]

Figure out the diameter you need and buy a hole saw blade. Mount it to the end of a wood dowel, broomstick,ect. Use a piece of oak for a back plate and hammer them out. You should be able to get 4 to 6 per round with the hammer. Oh yeah, you have to grind the teeth off the saw blade and sharpen with an outside bevel.

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I also use square patches. They have always worked just as well for me as a round patch in every caliber, gun, load combination that I've ever tried...

...AND they are a whole lot easier to make with that blue striped pillow ticking. Just follow the appropriate stripe on the vertical cuts, and then while keeping a ruler or sample patch as your gauge, you can replicate the size almost exactly on the horizontal cuts.

A good paper cutter might make this more accurate and easier to do. But that costs money as well. It's always good to improvise with commonly available materials, as you can usually find them in less common places. It would be wise to invest in a good all metal (and sharp!) pair of scissors too.

Usually a patch's dimensions are about 3 to 3 1/2x the diameter of the ball. So for a .36 cal that would make it about 1 1/8 - 1 1/4 inches diameter on a round patch... or the same number going across both both directions on a square patch.

The copper tubing would also work, but you have to make a handle for your punch or you are going to end up with some awfully sore (and maybe cut) fingers and palms.

Shoot Wisely and Safely!
WV_Hillbilly

 

[Zonie]

The calculated diameter for a .36 is .925 diameter but in real life, if you use a patch which is about 1 inch in diameter it will work great.

The calculated size is the bore diameter/2 times 3.14 plus the bore diameter.
For a .36 this equals .36/2=.180 .180 X 3.14=.565 .565+.36=.925

Most folks here will agree that the actual size isn't as important as the material you use to make the patch.
It must NOT have ANY man made fibers like rayon, nylon, polyester etc in it. It must be pure Cotton, and it should have a very tight weave.

The striped pillow ticking (blue&white or red&white) from WalMart is one of the best I've tryed. ::

 

[bulletman]

I been using the blue jean denim material,from walmart, I have better luck with that than pillow ticking, its thicker than ticking. I tried both with 530-535 balls and this tight combination works best for me. using 535 ball once its started I can ram it down in one long stroke with my steel range rod, has a brass guide on it.

 

[Smokin6Gun]

Most people I run into at Rondezvous, or Competition shoots that have been doin' it a while and have a torn length of tickin' tied to their possibles bag. Pour yur powder, lube the patch, set it and your ball on top of barrel, palm it with your short starter, cut it with patch knife. Ram it cock cap and fire. I don't know a better way.

 

[merdean]

I use a strip of pillow ticking about 2" wide and 12-18" long. I lube it with bore butter and roll it up in the possibles bag. When I need it, I just pour powder, place the patching material over the bore, place a ball on it and push it down flush with the end of the barrel. Then I cut off the excess with a patch knife, seat the ball, cap and fire. I use the same strip of material for all calibers from .32 to .54. It is "one size fits all" that way and the squirrels don't know what patch I am using. Neither do the deer or targets. :results: :m2c:

 

[Smokin6Gun]

I made a dispencer for like what you are talkin about out of a Musket Cap Tin...jus' cut a slot in the tin, no fuss no mess. :imo:

 

[Bob J]

I'm fixin' to try the Jo Ann Fabrics pillow ticking in my GPR, its thicker than Wal-Mart's. Very stiff, too. Cut some pieces off the roll and washed 'em (gentle cycle, cold water only, no soap :. Now just waiting for it to line dry, probably a few days in the present rainy and humid conditions

 

[Smokin6Gun]

Put it in the oven or atop yur wod burnin stove. eace:

 

[Rebel]

You should also try some of JoAnns #40 drill cloth. A little tighter weave, and works well for patches.

 

[Smokin6Gun]

No No No, warm water , soap with softer or what ever. Other wise it remains stiff. I get mine from Wally World too.
:imo: