muslin

[qtrhrs7]

Those of you who use muslin for patching, and any one else, please help. I was at a fabric store with my wife and started to look for bolts of muslin. I believe that I counted six or seven types of the stuff; from very thin to fairly thick. Is there a special name or brand that I should look for? Thank you for your help and time. Bud. :hatsoff:

 

[Maven]

I think one of the patch materials I use is muslin. Generally I go to Jo-Ann Fabrics with my micrometer and select fabrics of a specific thickness (compressed) and/or weight, but they must be 100% cotton. Denim is another option, btw as it too comes in various weights/thicknesses. This link to Jo-Ann's may help: http://www.joann.com/fabric/utility-fabric/muslin/#sz=36

 

[BrownBear]

I use muslin for a couple of guns that demand a thinner patch with the balls I have available. I opted for what they sold me as "super muslin," which evidently has a tighter weave and is tougher. Sure seems to work well. A yard of that is lots cheaper for me than buying another mold for a slightly smaller ball, just so I can use ticking.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

with my micrometer and select fabrics of a specific thickness (compressed)and/or weight, but they must be 100% cotton

This is really the key, no matter what they label the fabric at whatever store. You can also get away with 100% linen. This is because when it comes to fabric the makers are allowed a lot of leeway with labels.

So, for example, you might find several types of "100% linen, canvas" made by the same company, but the 7 ounce version is thinner than the 10 ounce version. You may also find that several version all listed at the same weight (ounces per square yard of the fabric) but the tightness of the weave will also play a part in your fabric selection. AND the manufacturer is free to alter that weave but not alter the label. So Brand-X 5.1 ounce 100% cotton muslin might not be the same year after year after year after year. You might find Brand X 5.3 ounce works, and Brand Y 5.1 ounce works, or that for whatever reason the store where you go suddenly starts stocking Brand X but in a 50/50 cotton/polyester mix... :shocked2: ...so it looks the same but feels different AND isn't what you want at all.

LD

 

[Grenadier1758]

For my use, muslins are too thin.

Jo Anne's fabric offers a wide range of fabrics, muslin, drill (often refered to as pocket drill,utility cloth or just drill), canvas, denim, pillow and mattress ticking. 100% flax linen is also good in a tight weave.

You need to take your micrometer to the store to measure thickness. Hold the cloth to the light to inspect for the tightness of the weave. Too loose a weave will let light through and if there are gaps for light, there is gaps for powder gases to blow by.

No matter what material you buy, be sure to wash it before use to eliminate the sizing that is put there to improve the feel on the bolt. The actual measurement is after the material has been washed and dried.

Be sure to mark the thickness of the fabric in several places so you know what you are selecting. Also mark the inventory number so you can go back and buy more if you find a patching material that works well for you.

 

[Black Hand]

Try Joann's Egyptian cotton.
I bought a few yards to use as patching for a trade gun - good material and about 0.010 thickness.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a lot of muslin for light shirts so I have scraps that I use for my pistol patches, which are thinner and easier to load than the rifle patches. Accuracy in my pistols is relative any way since I am not a good pistol shooter. But I like to shoot them just the same. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[qtrhrs7]

Thank you all very much. :hatsoff:

 

[curator]

Generally, muslin (not the "permanent press" variety) makes excellent wiping patches but poor patching for round ball. Not only is it usually too thin, but its loose weave allows for burn-through, and can ignite brush fires. I buy "unbleached' muslin from Jo-Ann's or Wal Mart, wash and dry it then tear into strips for wiping/cleaning patches between every shot. Works great and is consistent which helps with barrel condition and accuracy..

 

[BrownBear]

...which helps with barrel condition....

Not sure what you mean.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I think he means that his using it to wipe between shots, gives him a consistently good removal of the fouling, thus maintains the accuracy shot after shot.

LD

 

[BrownBear]

I'm hoping that's the case. If he's talking about help in "seasoning" or "conditioning" the bore, that rat hole has been thoroughly debunked many times before.

 

[nkbj]

Speaking of the rat hole, we all know that shooting removes metal from the bore, hence the breaking in period so often experienced with new barrels.
And paper patches pressure fit to the bore with no lubrication can be even more aggressive than cloth in the removal of metal. That metal removal doesn't stop once "broke in", it just slows way down once the little parts sticking up the most get taken down. The more it sticks up then the more it gets hit. With the hard surface of unlubed paper it is darn near a super slow honing process. Most of us won't ever notice the difference in a barrel after breaking in but the phenomenon was documented way before me.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Muslin makes good patch material for tight bores with shallow rifling. Early Italian reproductions labeld 44 caliber were often actually 11 mm. Actually a 43, and 50 calibers could be actually a 12mm. I had two such pistols. Both had wide and shallow 4 groove rifling. Muslin patches and .430 balls required a stiff bump on a starter to get them in the barrel. But they shot great. for any rifling over about 5 thousandths of an inch deep, or narrow grooves the ball would have to be deformed too much to be swaged into the barrel grooves with muslin. My Zoli Zouave did fair with 580 round balls and muslin. Again, shallow wide rifling.

 

[curator]

I think he means that his using it to wipe between shots, gives him a consistently good removal of the fouling, thus maintains the accuracy shot after shot.

LD

Loyalist Dave has it correct. Using wiping patches of consistent size, thickness and dampness between shots helps with accuracy. Muslin is easy to work with, absorbent, and inexpensive.