I made a few round ball loading blocks (speed loads) and am wondering if anybody has any tricks to suggest for inserting the patched round ball. Using a pre-cut patch didn't seem to work at all. The ball would not stay centered on the patch and by the time the ball was at the bottom of the block, the patch location was worthless. Cutting the patch at the top of the block, then pushing the patched ball down seemed to work fine, but I was wondering what others do.
loading block question
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Huntinfool
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Good for you Russ I quit using pre-cuts back in the 70s. I was lucky enough to have a good mentor explain why it's better to cut at the muzzle!
YMH&OS, :redthumb:
Chuck
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Why do you think they called them "patch knives"?
You use them to shear off the patch at the muzzle!
Precutting patches, or buying prelubed patches, is a solution to a problem that does not exist!
:imo:
You use them to shear off the patch at the muzzle!
Precutting patches, or buying prelubed patches, is a solution to a problem that does not exist!
:imo:
I lay a strip of tick across the block, push the ball flush (sprue up) into the the bolck and then pull up the loose tick and cut it flush. I don't push the ball in any farther until I shoot - at which time I thumb it down so the round face helps me center it on the muzzle. For carrying, up in the block keeps crud off it, and it off your clothing & bag.
When I'm done I have a strip of 1-1/2" wide material with a row of holes along the length ~ ooooooo, like a little Erector-set beam (God, who remembers Erector sets?
) I use either 3 ft or 6 ft lengths of 1/1/2" wide ticking. (I buy it in bulk and rip it into strips).
"God, who remembers Erector sets. I do. And Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs too. Man we're gettin' old Stumpy.
Wow...Lincoln Logs...I remember those. The kits never had enough green roof slats....LOL
bowbender68
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This may sound like a silly question, but I am new to muzzleloading, so bear with me. Several people have mentioned that they cut it off at the muzzle or at the loading block. At what point does the patch get lubed? Do you lube the whole strip of ticking material before hand? Also, where can I get ticking material. I asked at Wal-Mart, and they looked at me like I was crazy. Thanks for any input!
Wal-mart carries both red/white and blue/white Pillow Ticking. I normally lube the whole strip, actually i do a few at once, and then cut at the muzzle.
Bowbender,
You might ask for pillow ticking. Any fabric store should have something. Many BP folks pre-lube their ticking. If you search the forum for "Stumpkiller" he has provided copious info on home made lube, how to apply to material, storage, etc. Be prepared to spend some time reading. Home made lube seems to be a hot topic on the forum from time to time.
You might ask for pillow ticking. Any fabric store should have something. Many BP folks pre-lube their ticking. If you search the forum for "Stumpkiller" he has provided copious info on home made lube, how to apply to material, storage, etc. Be prepared to spend some time reading. Home made lube seems to be a hot topic on the forum from time to time.
Many people do lube their patch strips before hand, but this will pick up dirt and grime when tramping through the woods, so keep that in mind...
Others will lube as needed, takes only a few more seconds to perform that task, but the patches stay cleaner...
I do both ways, depending on the temperature and enviroment at the time...
:results:
It won't pick up dirt and rime if you don't leave it hanging from your bag strap, and keep it in a greased buckskin bag, (or empty .35 mm film canister) inside your bag.
I carry a loading block with prelubed, thinner patches than normal. This is only for use in case of a wounded animal and a quick followup shot is needed, or in case of a miss on a rut crazed buck who refuses to leave the scene. Of course, I have never missed. :crackup:
In a leather ball bag, I carry a strip of "regular" thickness ticking, prelubed with some loose balls. After a good shot on a buck I field clean my rifle, pan and all, then load a proper shot, then go trail the deer. Unless you see the deer fall you never really know how long the second shot will be in the rifle, so it needs to be done right.
In a leather ball bag, I carry a strip of "regular" thickness ticking, prelubed with some loose balls. After a good shot on a buck I field clean my rifle, pan and all, then load a proper shot, then go trail the deer. Unless you see the deer fall you never really know how long the second shot will be in the rifle, so it needs to be done right.
As Rebel noted: I'd rather talk lube than eat cookies. (I was going to say "than drink beer" but changed my mind). ::
There are dozens of variations on how and when to lube. One thing that is a standard is to use only 100% cotton patching (yes, wool and leather work too, but don't listen to those people). Find a JoAnne's Fabric or try www.periodfabric.com If you have a micrometer try for 0.015" thick. Any synthetic in the material and it will melt, leaving you with blown patches and a mess in the barrel. If it curls up when you hold it to a flame, find something else.
When to lube:
1.)Liquid lube at the muzzle. Use a strip of patching and either stick it in your mouth as you get out a ball for a spit patch or carry a tiny bottle of liquid lube and tip some into the patch as needed. I remove the cork, put the patch over the bottle, tip the bottle to saturate the patch, then tip it back and re-cork. No spills and no mess. A one ounce McCormick Spice extract bottle and a hardware-store cork work great (rubber corks don't stay in). I grind off the threads with a Mizzy wheel and they look authentically old.
2.)Pre-lube with a moose milk type liquid lube and allow it to dry. Dip the strips in a pie-tin full of lube and allow to dry flat overnight on wax paper sheets. I dip & dry twice. Enough oil gets hung-up in the fibers to do the job. This method MIGHT require you to wipe between shots; every one, or every other, etc. This works when using a block or loading at the muzzle. I carry these strips rolled tight in a tiny buckskin bag that has been saturated with beeswax. This method requires the least components to be carried and has proven (for me) to be the most accurate.
3.) Pre-lube with a grease/wax lube and use a loading block. Carry refills as strips of patching material and a tin of lube. I hold the patch over my thumb and wipe it through a tin of the lube (Moose Snot), scraping off the excess on the edge of the tin as it passes over. Most folks use too much grease type lube. It shouldn't be in clumps or ridges and doesn't need to be on the ball side.
4.) Use a grease lube at the muzzle. Same components as above, just done one-at-a-time at the muzzle instead of many at once in a ball block.
All the above use strips of cotton ticking torn into 1-1/2" +/- thick strips.
You can also carry pre-lubed square or round patches in a patchbox, but they tend to dry out and be messy till then.
Playing with the lube offers the most opportunity to improve your rifle's accuracy (getting an accurate barrel to begin with is more important, but once you have the gun you have no control over that). THAT'S why it is so heavily discussed here.
That, and I like talking about lubes. :haha:
brushbuster
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:m2c:
cutting at the muzzle is sooooooo much easier and faster than useing those #$%^!@#precut patches :curse:
cutting at the muzzle is sooooooo much easier and faster than useing those #$%^!@#precut patches :curse:
And it just looks cool. ::
bowbender68
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Is "Moose Milk" and "Moose Snot" a store bought lube, or a home brew? If it is a home brew, what are the ingredients to make some up? Also, I have a tin of reduced deer fat/bees wax mix that I use to seal my selfbows, can I also use this as a patch lube?
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