Best cleaning patch

[ihuntsnook]

I've found the best, most absorbent patch for cleaning the bore of any muzzleloader is a good quality paper towel, cut into appropriately sized squares. For calibers .45 through .54 an inch and a half is about right, depending upon the size of your cleaning jag. One advantage to using paper towel patches is that it's quite impossible to get one stuck. The other big advantage is that the towel compresses readily into the grooves between the lands. I find that my cleanup takes less time and with good results. The real trick to this is to use damp patches for the initial cleaning. Soak one with any kind of fluid and it tends to come apart. I also like to turn the patch over and use both sides, then leave that patch on the jag and cover it with a clean dry patch, and repeat until the fit gets too tight and the paper starts to tear. A couple of paper towels makes enough patches to get any of my rifles clean. I also think that because the towel is more absorbent, the gunk comes out of the bore faster. The last patch to go through the bore is lightly oiled, and then the dirtiest part of the job is done.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My standard response to any "best" question is that it varies with the beholder and is a matter of opinion.
I use baby blanket flannel that I cut myself. Inexpensive, absorbant and works just fine.
Methinks there could be problems with paper towels. They aren't very strong and would fall apart when wet. But, that's just IMHO.

 

[rich pierce]

I prefer tow on a worm. It's scratchy, gets into the grooves, and is adaptable to any bore size. Cloth patches and paper towels on a jag can easily be too tight or too loose. With tow, just twist it tighter or looser and good to go.

 

[Greyfeather]

Rich, do you have a preference to use loose or combed tow (roved) for your cleaning chores? In the late 50's the Uncle who started me with BP firearms used the old bailing twine on a worm to clean with. It slipped past the fowling and dug in to pull it out, the new twine is mostly plastic or if you find the fiber, it is treated with rodent repellent and flame retardant chemicals, barely the same thing. Thanks
John

 

[BrownBear]

In the late 50's the Uncle who started me with BP firearms used the old bailing twine on a worm to clean with. It slipped past the fowling and dug in to pull it out, the new twine is mostly plastic or if you find the fiber, it is treated with rodent repellent and flame retardant chemicals, barely the same thing. Thanks
John

Hmmm. I wonder if a guy could still find that hemp macrame twine. Ought to be about right.

 

[Macon Due]

Rich
I am wanting to try TOW [got it ordered] but not sure what kind of 'worm' I need. I have loading/cleaning rods with 8-32 female threads on one end and plain wood on the other. I also have a range rod with 8-32 threads.
Thank you.......Macon

 

[Greyfeather]

The worm that Uncle Bill used looked like a short section of coil spring.
John

 

[ohio ramrod]

I still use baler twine. It is cheap (free ) and effective. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[Snakebite]

I use baby flannel too. Get it at Walmart and cut into squares. Works great for me.

 

[Greyfeather]

Free is always good, we used the old twine that had hung over a rafter in the barn for a while. Do you wash the new twine to remove the chemicals or use as is...
John

 

[ihuntsnook]

Sorry -- I didn't mean to imply that a paper towel was absolutely the only best cleaning patch. I simply meant to share what works for me, and works well.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Wonder if jute wrapped around a worm would be any good? Problem is, most of what you see is pretty small diameter. Maybe a heavy jute partly unraveled would do ok. I like to cut up old flannel shirts and pajamas for my patches.

By the way, where were you Saturday? We had our annual dinner and meeting. Missed ye!

 

[Greyfeather]

Yes most of the jute I have seen is small, haven,t tried it, but like you, old flannel goes to cleaning patches. but I found a old Prince Albert tin and have been assembling a WV 1950's shooting kit like the one I started with, everything for a good days hunt will fit in that tin, still like small pouches, Hated to miss Saturday, but I was at the optometrist, the cataracts are coming on faster now, had to get a totally new prescription for both eyes in only 4 months, I like seeing the front sight again, I plan on being there next month. Made you a measure for that nice .32.
Macon I am glad the paper towel's are working for you as that is what matters, I have always shied away from things that could disintegrate in water to scrub the bore. Paper usually has lots more in it than plant fibers.
John

 

[Tumblernotch]

Thanks! I'm still working on my loads for that thing, been putting off making one myself. Already had to change the rear sight. This gun has been the toughest to sight in that I've made.

 

[Greyfeather]

Barrel may be settling in with use? Found a coyote kill young spike and borrowed some leftovers, set to 25 grains with room to enlarge a little or trim down. But It wouldn't help Macon clean a bore. Sorry about the wandering on your post Macon.

 

[Herb]

I use paper towels also. Yes, they fall apart if too wet, but ihuntsnook covered that. Don't wet them that much. They work very well. I got onto them from a friend who said he saw an article in Precision Shooting magazine, I think it was, where this bench rest shooter wrote about using paper towel as cleaning patches. He even said which brands work best, though I haven't yet seen the article. So I bought the heavy cleaning towels from an auto supply house, but WalMart has them, too. Good post, ihuntsnook.

 

[David W.]

Reckon I'll have give paper towels a whirl. I usually have old "T" shirt on hand, or an old flannel shirt.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I wonder if a guy could still find that hemp macrame twine. Ought to be about right.

Manila baling twine and rope are still very much available. Just go to any farm supply store.
Hemp is available also but a bit harder to find and a little costly. Stores that sell 'new age' items often have hemp. I have a ball of twine that I sometimes braid for thongs and such. Very strong stuff. But don't talk about it much or folks will either want to smoke it or think you smoke it. :shocked2:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Turkey Foot Trading carries hemp rope by the foot from beading twine and string size up to 5/8" (or 18mm) and maybe larger.

But why not just contact Silver Shuttle in Memphis and get the proper tow flax. It is great stuff (and smells really nice).

(901) 323-7975

 

[sidelock]

My old flannel shirts choped up do just fine for all cleaning jobs.