- Joined
- Mar 23, 2021
- Messages
- 2,826
- Reaction score
- 6,053
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Best way to use spit patch?
- Thread starter sidtrog
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
- Status
Dave Dworshak
40 Cal
spit patch will freeze on the end of the muzzle in winter.
Wildrangeringreen
40 Cal
stear clear of grease in a loaded bore, IMO; especially if it is going to stay loaded for a while. You will get powder contamination, the severity of which largely depends on the grease used and the ambient temps. Variable Powder contamination=variable velocity=variable POI. Either use a softened wax (I use 3 : 1 : .15 Paraffin,Crisco,and diesel anti-gel) or spit to lube things. Having strips of greased cloth in and around your bag will make everything nasty, and it'll pick up dirt/grit that you'll put down your bore. Juggling a rifle, strip of cloth, a knife, and a bottle/tin of lube is a recipe for dropping something or forgetting something.
As far as patch boxes are concerned, I'm sure some people kept loading supplies in there for the gun (a common thing for especially a small game gun is to keep a couple balls, a couple patches, and an extra flint in there, so you can just grab your rifle, and a pocket flask and go get a couple rabbits for dinner (don't need or want to be encumbered with a belly box or small shot pouch). Just enough stuff for a couple shots. Other people have kept spare nipples, nipple wrench/turnscrew, jags+worms+ball screws in there (if they have multiple calibers, so that the cleaning supplies stay with the rifle they're meant for). A multi compartment patch box helps to keep things organized, but are relatively uncommon today (easier to router the whole thing out lol).
When I used cloth patched round ball (I mostly use paper now), I kept precut patches (squares, 1.5x the length and width of the caliber) in a little pocket on the outside of my shot pouch, just under the flap. first thing after shooting, I grab a patch out, stuff it in my mouth, then measure and pour the powder and by the time I put that away and grab a ball, the patch is soaked up enough. Put that on the muzzle and put the ball on top and shove it down the barrel, the fouling will soak up a lot of the moisture in the patch (cleaning while you load, I suppose). For me, the water is just there to help clean the previous fouling out of the path of the ball, and get the ball+patch down the barrel (my first shot, I don't usually wet the patch even).
I used to do the whole strip thing, and cut each patch at the muzzle, but getting a consistent patch is difficult (to say the least). Plus I hated having it dangle around in the dirt and stuff (since I put it in my mouth lol). That's why I went to precut patches. They don't "freeze to the muzzle" in the winter (at least not in OH lol), your mouth is 98.6'F, even if the barrel is 32'F, it still takes a sec to drop the temp to freezing (considering saliva freezes at a lower temp than plain water). Center patch, ball, ram, retrieve rammer- that fast (I only use a short starter if the bore is heavily fouled, not something that is going to happen in a hunting situation... I hope lol). That being said, all my rifles are shallow grooved, and I don't need or want a hermetic fitting ball and patch to fill the grooves).
You don't need grease or oil for cloth-patched RB, just like you don't need "BP solvent"; some people want to sell you something, some people buy into it.
As far as patch boxes are concerned, I'm sure some people kept loading supplies in there for the gun (a common thing for especially a small game gun is to keep a couple balls, a couple patches, and an extra flint in there, so you can just grab your rifle, and a pocket flask and go get a couple rabbits for dinner (don't need or want to be encumbered with a belly box or small shot pouch). Just enough stuff for a couple shots. Other people have kept spare nipples, nipple wrench/turnscrew, jags+worms+ball screws in there (if they have multiple calibers, so that the cleaning supplies stay with the rifle they're meant for). A multi compartment patch box helps to keep things organized, but are relatively uncommon today (easier to router the whole thing out lol).
When I used cloth patched round ball (I mostly use paper now), I kept precut patches (squares, 1.5x the length and width of the caliber) in a little pocket on the outside of my shot pouch, just under the flap. first thing after shooting, I grab a patch out, stuff it in my mouth, then measure and pour the powder and by the time I put that away and grab a ball, the patch is soaked up enough. Put that on the muzzle and put the ball on top and shove it down the barrel, the fouling will soak up a lot of the moisture in the patch (cleaning while you load, I suppose). For me, the water is just there to help clean the previous fouling out of the path of the ball, and get the ball+patch down the barrel (my first shot, I don't usually wet the patch even).
I used to do the whole strip thing, and cut each patch at the muzzle, but getting a consistent patch is difficult (to say the least). Plus I hated having it dangle around in the dirt and stuff (since I put it in my mouth lol). That's why I went to precut patches. They don't "freeze to the muzzle" in the winter (at least not in OH lol), your mouth is 98.6'F, even if the barrel is 32'F, it still takes a sec to drop the temp to freezing (considering saliva freezes at a lower temp than plain water). Center patch, ball, ram, retrieve rammer- that fast (I only use a short starter if the bore is heavily fouled, not something that is going to happen in a hunting situation... I hope lol). That being said, all my rifles are shallow grooved, and I don't need or want a hermetic fitting ball and patch to fill the grooves).
You don't need grease or oil for cloth-patched RB, just like you don't need "BP solvent"; some people want to sell you something, some people buy into it.
Last edited:
Amen, Bro.
Professor flintlock
40 Cal
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2020
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction score
- 125
Hey no problem with you guys who want to use spit patch. Just don't be swapping spit on the trail walks.Amen, Bro.
Once your charge goes off any germs that might be on the patch will have been cooked to nothing
I don’t use spit often but when I do I doubt it is a problem
Not likely to spread Covid that way
I don’t use spit often but when I do I doubt it is a problem
Not likely to spread Covid that way
Plus the enzymes in our saliva will cause rust faster than plain water if left in place for a while.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2021
- Messages
- 2,656
- Reaction score
- 4,920
- Location
- Far Away Downs Queensland Australia.
Loading blocks with pre-lubed patches and ball.
Paul Nelson
Live Free or Die .54 cal
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2021
- Messages
- 88
- Reaction score
- 140
I use to use spit patches, the patches were precut and I would pop one in my mouth then stuffed it down along with the ball. I got ahold of a different brand of patches and they tasted awful, I now use pre lubed patches. 
I don’t think anyone is talking snot laden spit here. But heck if anyone does a bet they pick up a few feet per second.- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 8
Enzymes in spit cause rust?! I thought most enzymes were proteases/lipases/carbohydrases rather than promoting iron oxidation... sorry had to yank the chain a little.
Now I'm more determined to chew those patches; after all if the old guys could chew their used tow after swabbing the barrel.
Now I'm more determined to chew those patches; after all if the old guys could chew their used tow after swabbing the barrel.
Matthew323
32 Cal
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2021
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 53
I used spit/saliva almost exclusively with three different flintlock longrifles (.45 caliber, .50 caliber, & .62 caliber) over a 25 year period. With denim upholstery material that I purchased from an independent fabric store, that was approximately 0.024" thick.
I never had any issues utilizing saliva as my primary lubricant. My barrel did not rust. A ring of corrosion where the patched ball came to rest on top of the powder charge, never formed. The spit laden patch never froze to the steel muzzle of the barrel because I seldom chose to ever shoot my longrifles in such uncomfortable conditions.
When shooting in freezing cold weather (virtually never), or hunting (less than 2% of my shooting) I used home rendered beef tallow mixed with a small amount of beeswax.
Simply put, spit patches work, and work extremely well. Blowing down the barrel, in conjunction with a spit patch, allows a muzzleloading patched ball shooter to keep the fouling extremely soft, which in turn, can contribute to long strings of multiple shots without wiping between shots.
All three of my rifles were capable of silver dollar size, 5-shot, offhand groups at 100 yards. Using only spit. And, were capable of as many as 75 consecutive shots in a row without ever needing to wipe the bore.
I never had any issues utilizing saliva as my primary lubricant. My barrel did not rust. A ring of corrosion where the patched ball came to rest on top of the powder charge, never formed. The spit laden patch never froze to the steel muzzle of the barrel because I seldom chose to ever shoot my longrifles in such uncomfortable conditions.
When shooting in freezing cold weather (virtually never), or hunting (less than 2% of my shooting) I used home rendered beef tallow mixed with a small amount of beeswax.
Simply put, spit patches work, and work extremely well. Blowing down the barrel, in conjunction with a spit patch, allows a muzzleloading patched ball shooter to keep the fouling extremely soft, which in turn, can contribute to long strings of multiple shots without wiping between shots.
All three of my rifles were capable of silver dollar size, 5-shot, offhand groups at 100 yards. Using only spit. And, were capable of as many as 75 consecutive shots in a row without ever needing to wipe the bore.
what is the problem? you are not swapping spit with them, grubby dudes !! BTW, DAH, what is personal hygiene???? just don't pick up the used spit patches and reuse them. LOL!!"Personal hygiene"???? Have you seen pictures of some of the grubby dudes on this forum??!!!
Springerpanhead
40 Cal
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2021
- Messages
- 271
- Reaction score
- 346
If im gonna have something fuzzy in my mouth it ain’t gonna be no patch for a round ball. Really don’t understand what cookies these guys get out of sucking on a piece of cloth.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2021
- Messages
- 2,826
- Reaction score
- 6,053
Really don’t understand what cookies these guys get out of sucking on a piece of cloth.
Cookies?????
Spit patches are easy and spit is always available (Maybe not as you age)
Loads easy with no wiping between shots.
Allows very accurate shooting
DOES NOT dry out in the bore for quite some time (If you want to argue this provide proof not speculation)
DOES NOT cause a rust ring over any reasonable time frame (If you want to argue this provide proof not speculation) (I have 40+ years in my Jaeger using spit patches and no rust ring thank you)
Spit works great, however spit patches do NOT taste like my wife's cookies (UUMMMM!!... oatmeal chocolate chip!!!)
Cookies?????
Spit patches are easy and spit is always available (Maybe not as you age)
Loads easy with no wiping between shots.
Allows very accurate shooting
DOES NOT dry out in the bore for quite some time (If you want to argue this provide proof not speculation)
DOES NOT cause a rust ring over any reasonable time frame (If you want to argue this provide proof not speculation) (I have 40+ years in my Jaeger using spit patches and no rust ring thank you)
Spit works great, however spit patches do NOT taste like my wife's cookies (UUMMMM!!... oatmeal chocolate chip!!!)
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2021
- Messages
- 2,826
- Reaction score
- 6,053
Now let us look at lubes
LOTS of them are not HC/PC (goop hand cleaner one guy recommended!) diesel fuel in your mix etc. etc.
Need to fumble around with either oily or greasy patches in a separate container.
Now your fingers are oily or greasy, I guess you what, wipe them on your bib overalls?
Lots of them build up in the bore, some so much you must wipe between shots, that's a bummer.
If you wipe between shots do you carry a "Range rod" with a jag, another thing to mess with.
Some of those lubes dry out over time.
OR!!! you could use spit patches and stop with the foolishness!
LOTS of them are not HC/PC (goop hand cleaner one guy recommended!) diesel fuel in your mix etc. etc.
Need to fumble around with either oily or greasy patches in a separate container.
Now your fingers are oily or greasy, I guess you what, wipe them on your bib overalls?
Lots of them build up in the bore, some so much you must wipe between shots, that's a bummer.
If you wipe between shots do you carry a "Range rod" with a jag, another thing to mess with.
Some of those lubes dry out over time.
OR!!! you could use spit patches and stop with the foolishness!
why not try it and find out!
I see your problem. You are fixated on sucking. You don't suck on the patch, you get it wet with spit. Don't even have to put it in yer mouth if you don't want to. You could put it in yer wifes mouth, I used to do that. Or you can spit on it if you cannot overcome your tendency to suck.
Springerpanhead
40 Cal
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2021
- Messages
- 271
- Reaction score
- 346
Cuz sucking on a piece of rag is just plain gross. HC / PC who cares. I like prelubes. No muss no fuss no stray threads stuck to my tounge. If HC / PC is so important, how bout I ship you a box of dried cow flops for your cooking fire. They aint buffalo chips but i understand they impart a very similar flavor to the meat.
- Status
