correct lenght of the banana patch box?

[oldarmy]

I am working on a .32 southern and i have a banana patchbox I am going to inlet.
It is currently 7" long. I know that's too long to inlet as it is.
How small should i cut it down to?
Looking at the rifle I would say it needs to be cut to 5" to 5-1/2" long.
Is that too short?
I can only find a few pictures and they don't really give me a good indication of the lenght.
thanks

 

[Packdog]

oldarmy,
I'm sure not a expert on this but I have seen a few Southern guns. In my opinion there is no right or wrong length. I have seen them long and pointed and short and bluntly rounded. Either way I would go with what looks right for the stock and length of pull your working with.
PD

 

[CrackStock]

I am also not expert in this area, but from what I have seen unlike some rifle styles, there are no hard rules on th patch box lengths. Some particular buidlers may have had some habits, but it seems that various people did what they felt like doing and you are therefore free to do the same.

CS

 

[jlynn]

Smaller size is fine-in fqact the Baxter Bean box is about the size that you mention and slightly more narrow and another commercially available one is also small and opens at each end and is screwed to the stock in the middle. Cutting yours down would work fine although making it more narrow would be time consuming. The smaller ones have rounded ends, not pointy like the huge box. I got mine from Tennessee Valley Manufacturing-Jack has a web site if you wish to view one--good luck

 

[oldarmy]

thanks for the help.
A friend sent me a picture of an oringinal with the very long pointy box insatlled and it looks
IMHO terrible
This rifle is going to be thin and delicate.
I am going to cut it down and shape it a little until it's pleasing to the eye