Cleaning patch size for 20 gauge

[Appalachian Harry]

Hello everyone!

My question for today is what size (wide and thickness) cleaning patches do you all use for you 20 gauge smoothbores? Because I found out it can be too loose but also to thick.


Also what are your cleaning methods when shooting at the range and/or hunting?

I am still very new to this and it’s a lot to learn from trial and error.

 

[Cruzatte]

Just get some 100% cotton flannel from your local fabric store, wash it, and then cut it into 2 inch strips. The fold each strip in half, cut, then fold that in half, cut, and then half again and cut. Eventually you'll end up with a stack of square pieces roughly 2" X 2" That will do nicely.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I use 3 stacked 2x2” commercial cotton patches on a .54 jag.

 

[smoothshooter]

Hello everyone!

My question for today is what size (wide and thickness) cleaning patches do you all use for you 20 gauge smoothbores? Because I found out it can be too loose but also to thick.


Also what are your cleaning methods when shooting at the range and/or hunting?

I am still very new to this and it’s a lot to learn from trial and error.

I have found the best material for me to use is 100% cotton white tee shirt material that has been washed at least once.
MUST BE 100% COTTON.
I usually wet it with 70% Ispopropyl alcohol and wrap it around an undersized copper bore brush for cleaning the barrel.
I do not worry about cutting the patches in any kind of regular shapes. Triangles,
rectangles, squares, does not matter. It is not an exact science.

 

[megasupermagnum]

The price of pre-cut cleaning patches is absolute lunacy. $50 for a bag that might last me a year, made of $1 of fabric. It has been many years since I bought any. I have never run out of old T shirts. By the time I cut one up, I have another or three ready to be retired. The patches only need to be bigger than the Jag, a patch about 1 1/2"x 1 1/2" would more than cover the jag. If one layer is too loose, then I cut them in rectangles, and fold them in half for two layers. There's really no science to it. I take my T shirt, take my knife, and make a couple slits around the tail the width I want, and tear it upwards to towards the neck. I then use my knife to cut a number of patches from that, usually 1 to swab the bore, 2 to dry, and 1 to oil.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I use old T-shirts and cut 100's of patches in very little time using a rotary cutting tool:

 

[tenngun]

I use flannel bought at Walmart. One yard does a lot. Cut about two inches and rip.
You say your new, so I will ask you what you got to clean with
Most have a jag. Those fit close and clean well. But you can loose a patch. So you need a worm or patch screw.
These look like a cork screw and if you loose a patch can fetch it up.
Between the two you can clean with a worm well
Folks mentioned old t shirts, those work great, and I’ve cleaned a lot with old jeans.
With a worm I’ve used old bath towels, terry cloth is too thick on a jag