blown patches

I have a .40 cal bench rifle with a 1in green mtn barrel that has shot well for several years with a .40 ball and .17 pillow ticking patch and a virsion of stumpys lube made of 10 oz alcohol 4oz castor bean oil and 4 oz murphys oil soap. I use 65 gr of 3f doesent matter if I drop my charge, IM not willing to go below 45 gr. The rifle is not accurate with 2f. I tried some duck it tore them in half. The bore is bright with no pitting. This rifle that has won matches for years, now suddenly blows patches!!! I have tried numerous other patch thickness and types, also precuts "narural lube 1000 in .10 .15 and .20 " all are blown to peices. I LAPPED THE BORE no help. I am now trying a 395 ball so far same results!!!!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

 

[ryoung14]

I ran into this on my T/C Seneca .36, but haven't gotten back to shooting that gun and solving it. When it started, I was shooting pre-lubed patches and roundballs that had been on the shelf for awhile. Usually I shoot fresh stuff in that gun. The roundballs had some surface roughness from lead oxide. I was more suspicious of the balls and the patches than the gun as it too has a bright, smooth bore.

FWIW
Bob

 

[dave63]

My Renegade blows out pre-cut, prelubed patches too. I went to Stumpy's Moosemilk and pillow ticking with a .005 under ball, and now I could use the patches again if I wanted to.

Dave

 

My old rifle went pretty much the same as Dave's - after many years of shooting, it now requires a tighter ball/patch combo. It shoots as well or better than ever, just needs a tighter combo. I suppose re-crowning might be all it needs.
: Blowing the other materials sounds strange - have you tried denim - it's all I shoot - no problems with it. As well, I've not had trouble with Stumpy's moose snot. It's about the same as your's except for the beeswax instead of alcohol.(actually big change) Alcohol will cut the castor oil considerably and the beewax doesn't, lny stiffens things up somewhat. Perhaps just straight castor oil might be all that's needed, or maybe castor and murphy's with no wax OR alcohol. What about spit for matches?

 

Yep tried denim blew it to peices. Been lookin for a .401 or 402 mold. Tried other fabrics up to about .23 thick all kinds same result also tried driffrent lubes same result.

 

[Stumpkiller]

10 oz alcohol 4oz castor bean oil and 4 oz murphys oil soap.

My recipe:

Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated) 16 oz.


Are you wet lubing with your mix? You're short two of the ingredients and WAY high on the soap. I think you're getting beads of oil on the lands and the edges are clean, but dry; slicing your patches when you fire. The water and the witch-hazel in mine keep the patch moist and the witch-hazel keeps the dissolved oil from beading (thereby pulling away from the sharp edges of the lands).

I'd bet the alcohol evaporates in your mix very rapidly. Try adding some water and shaking it well before each application.

I have been soaking strips of patching (two dips) and allowing them to air dry for two days and then rolling them and sealing the rolls in wax paper until use. That leaves just the right amount of lube on the tick for my needs.

 

[2172]

had a Dixie .45 Lancaster that shot well with .433 balls...and one day it didn't. It now takes .440 balls...took about 15 years to happen, but it did. Hank

 

[Rat]

For a fast fix just put a wonder-wad under the ball and your patches will come out looking like new.

Rat

 

[strongarm]

yep, something has changed and its up to you to figure out what. usually blown patches indicate the patch is too loose. that could be smaller balls or poor patch material or a little of both. You can experiment by buying some cigarette papers and add one at a time between the patch and ball until the patches are just cut and not blown. Then like the others, re-examine your lube. Cut patches are diffeent from blown ones. your lube sounds a bit dry, but then some people like it that way.

i've had similar problems and started correcting them by going back to Oxyote patches after making my own for 5 years.

 

[foxy]

I was getting cut patches on my 50 Mountain Stalker. I'm using stumpy's moose snot formulea, wally world blue pillow ticking cut at the muzzle, 60 Grs. of 777 ffG, Horneday .49 balls, and musket caps. Some guy at the range told me to swab the barrel with 0000 steel wool dipped in hopps#9 on the end of a jag. I decided to do the deed and lo & Behold after about 25 strokes of the steel wool, no more torn patches and nice groupings at 50 Yds.

 

Yes IM wet lubing. I did try some precuts, natural lube 1000 that got blown as well. I have a match this weekend I will try a few different things and report back. I have used this lube for years but if theres anything thats constant its change. IM willing to adopt something new this is a sweet rifle and I HATE to loose. I will let you all know Monday how things went. Chickenfax the match starts at 11:00 AM Set your alarm!!!!!!

 

[flaming canvas]

Just out of curiosity, did you mike the bullets?

Could be you got some undersized ones if you are using store bought.

 

[rrgr40]

First a question. Have you by chance switched brands of powder? Possible remedy-I use a couple of things to lube my patches, one is Natural Lube-(7 bucks a tube at the WalMart) and I also use deer tallow. I will tear off a strip of patch material, hang it from a nail, apply a fairly generous amount of grease. I use my patch knife and remove as much excess grease a possible (use a motion similiar to sharpening razor on a strap). When I hold the patch material to the light, there is no light shining thru. One other thing, is it possible that your patch material has gotten old and maybe "dry rotted"? Good Luck :m2c: