cutting the patch at the muzzle?

[skunkskinner]

snuffer, I cut at the muzzle. Might be a weird reason but I like chewing on the ticking, at the range or on the hunt.

 

[newkid]

Paul, Thanks for the detailed response. That answered several of my concerns about cutting at the muzzle.

 

[bwhoffman]

I ran a little experiment today at the range. I used the same patching and used square and round and cut at the muzzle with the same lube. I even loaded off center of the patch on purpose. As long as there was patching between the ball and the rifling there was no problem with accuracy. I don't think it matters if the ball is dead center of the patch.

Cooner, Thanks for sharing your test results :thumbsup:

It confirms all I have found out from the "school of hard knocks"

By the way, where is "Out in the Wild West"?

 

[roundball]

As long as there was patching between the ball and the rifling there was no problem with accuracy.

Absolutely correct :thumbsup:

 

It begins at the Mississippi River and head left. Don't go too far past the shinin' mountains though. I hear there are crazy people left of the mountains. :haha:

 

[Ohio Joe]

I ran a little experiment today at the range. I used the same patching and used square and round and cut at the muzzle with the same lube. I even loaded off center of the patch on purpose. As long as there was patching between the ball and the rifling there was no problem with accuracy. I don't think it matters if the ball is dead center of the patch.

Cooner, Thanks for sharing your test results :thumbsup:

It confirms all I have found out from the "school of hard knocks"

By the way, where is "Out in the Wild West"?

I found this to be true also some years ago. I also found out that my pillow ticking patches I punch out and lube at home (all 1 1/4" round) work well in my calibers .40 through .54... Can't say what happens in smaller or larger calibers then those I've listed?

Spot,

I like the "minute of soda can" comment :haha: :hatsoff:

 

[Brian the Brit]

Brian: Perhaps you have never learned how to use a sharp knife safely. You cut away from your body, and anything else you don't want to cut.

Well, as a qualified inspector of meat and other foods I spent many hours of my working life in abattoirs inspecting carcases for human consumption but I guess you are right, Paul, as I did manage to slice the tip off my finger once while cutting the external masseter muscle on a beast's head. Since then I've had a very healthy respect for all knives - especially blunt ones. Ouch! :haha:

Your very detailed reply has answered all my questions.

Many thanks!

Brian

 

[shmrck1]

Paul,
Let me just say you are absoluetly correct
about knives or any cutting tools.There are
definately more injuries caused by dull cutting
tools than properly sharpened tools.I learned
this many,many years ago by a chef in a 'Country
Club' kitchen where I was the dishwasher.He taught me a lot of things,about such things
and cooking.
snake-eyes

 

My grandpa said things in as few words as possible. "There ain't nothing more danderous than a dull knife." He was no thesis writer. :rotf:

 

When I started out MLing, it seemed everyone cut at the muzzle and used spit lube. A few used Crisco lube, but it was rare at least with my mentors. There are advantages to spit and cut at the muzzle: simple, cheap, consistent [important to target shooters, makes little difference to casual shooters], you have a wet patch for swabbing handy all the time [most shooters used to keep the cloth strip in their mouths when shooting, so as to always have a wet part ready...], etc. Very recently I started using prelubed precut patches more often. I have seen a little difference in accuracy, but I have read of several tests which tried precut patching of different shapes and center/off-center, etc. [like Cooner reported] and they saw little difference. But extreme target shooters are a picky lot, prone to weighing ball and powder and cutting at the muzzle. By the way, both methods are PC for those who are concerned with that.

 

[brubincam]

took my new 45 cal poor boy out yesterday,440 balls,liquid crisco on pillow ticking,ticking was cut square to fit my 58 cal, started ball on patch and figgered what the heck,pushed the whole ball and patch,no trimming patch and at 25 yrds i got a 3 ball hole abt an inch group,the oversized patch didn't seem to matter???? :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

 

[Headhunter]

The more I see out there, the more I seem to agree with the oversize patches don't seem to matter.

I cut mine at the muzzle using tick and spit for novelty shoots, voos and stuff like that.

For hunting, I use Tick patches lubed with Natural lube.

Headhunter

 

[shmrck1]

Headhunter,
Ditto!
snake-eyes :thumbsup:

 

[FlintlockHunter]

I went to precut factory patches almost 30 years ago and never looked back. In competition or hunting they worked great and still do. I use swaged balls and Wonder lube whenever I can and I don't use a starter in the field if I can help it.