My patches didn't work!

[pepperbelly]

When I first got this .50 TC Hawken I went to Cabela's to get the stuff I needed. I shoot prb and the only pre-lubed patches they had at that time were either .010" or .020". I bought the .020" since I wanted a tight fit.
Well, it's too tight. I went to the range yesterday and absolutely could not get the prb started. I almost broke my short starter and it never started.
I managed to grab the ball with a miltitool I carry and remove it. The ball hadn't even went in to the middle.
I will be buying some .015" patches, and maybe some .010" just in case.

Since I had to get rid of the powder charge I had loaded I dropped a bare round ball down the barrel. I lightly tapped it with the rod, gently raised the rifle to be sure the ball didn't roll forward, placed a cap on the nipple, aimed at the bullseye 25 yards away and caressed the set trigger. The ball hit about 1" right of the bullseye.
I figured what the heck, loaded another and a hole appeared at 1 o'clock outside the black. (I was using an NRA smallbore target).
What the heck- I needed at least 3 rounds for a group so I loaded another. The third ball cut the hole the second made.
Huh? I loaded another and it hit high at 12 o'clock.
I quit after that since the ball seater jag scraped a lot of fouling out.
Did I say a lot of fouling? Yes I did! Lots!

It was fun, but I do think I need a patch of the correct thickness.


Jim

 

[brubincam]

my 45 TC uses a 10 patch.. :v

 

[flaming canvas]

What size ball are you using?

 

[pepperbelly]

Sorry, the balls were Hornady .490" roundballs.

Jim

 

[roundball]

Sorry, the balls were Hornady .490" roundballs.

Jim

That's really surprising...I also use Hornady .490s and I use TC .018" pillow ticking patches in my TC .50cals and the short starter pops them in with a single palm smack. :hmm:

 

[pepperbelly]

RB, I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but my rifle doesn't have the QLA muzzle I see people gripe about- the rifling goes to the muzzle.
These patches feel thick and stiff. At first I took the ball from the muzzle and checked to be sure I hadn't tried to use 2 patches stuck together.

Jim

 

[brubincam]

you say your patches are thick and stiff,,,do you have some kind of lube on them,,,if they are dry they will be stiff and very hard to load,,

 

[Stumpkiller]

Same with me. the .490" in a .50 T/C is tight with a 0.021/0.022" cotton patch but I don't care for those as I generally have to spit patch every or every second shot. I usually use a 0.017/0.018" patch but don't need a short starter when I use those. A 0.015" patch is easy but accuracy is noticably worse and a 0.010" patch I can seat with a two pushes of the rammer right through the ball-block even on the 10th shot without wiping in between; but accuracy is half the 0.017" patching.

Those results are identical with my two .54 rifles (one a T/C, the other an L.C. Rice barrel), also.

 

[roundball]

RB, I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but my rifle doesn't have the QLA muzzle I see people gripe about- the rifling goes to the muzzle.
These patches feel thick and stiff. At first I took the ball from the muzzle and checked to be sure I hadn't tried to use 2 patches stuck together.

Jim

Good grief no...I had one QLA barrel when they came out in the mid 90's...returned it to TC and never owned one since.

PS:
If you have a set of dial calipers you might also want to check / measure your patch thickness...occasionally I've bought bags of patches labeled .018" for example but felt stiff and thicker than normal, miked them and found them to actually be .022".

 

[pepperbelly]

I didn't think to measure them. I do have calipers and will later.

These are pre-lubed patches. It was very windy but not cold. In fact I was comfortable in a T-shirt- gotta love December in Texas!

Jim

 

[ldykeman]

I have .50 T/C Renegades, and bought a bunch of T/C unlubed patches years ago and still haven't used them up yet. They mic at .020, and I use a rubber mallet on my short starter to get them started. If I don't use a rubber mallet, my palm hurts for a week. I lube them with BB or Hoppe's BP solvent, and get good accuracy. I also experimented with .015 pre-cut patches and found them to be MUCH easier to load, and I don't need the rubber mallet with them. I also found that accuracy was just as good with the .015 patches, so, when my old patches are finally used up, it's the .015s from now on. BTW, I did break my short starter using the .020 patches, and replaced the 6" wooden dowel with a threaded rod, covered with vinyl tubing.
As to the accuracy being just as good when using either the .015 or .020 patches.... I was wondering if, even though it was a tighter fit, the ball was being deformed somewhat with the .020 patches, and maybe a bit less with the .015 patches. Really don't know, but both seem to work just as well.
Larry

 

[rabbit03]

Hola Amigo, get a bigger hammer! :blah:

I bet there were more than a few back then who did as you did and just send a neked ball down the barrel to save time knowing that in an emergency and at realatively close range it wouldnt' have mattered one bit! :thumbsup:

rabbit03

 

[PaulN/KS]

I got some of those Cabelas .020 patches by mistake and cannot use them in my 54.Just too danged thick but the .018 ticking works fine...go figgur :hmm:
I use the thick ones to wipe the bore after cleaning.Waste not want not..

 

[pepperbelly]

I measured the patches. They show to be .021" on my dial calipers.
When I get a chance later I will measure the bore.
I will also pick up some .015" and some .018" patches when I can. I will also try to find some pillow ticking.
Does dry ticking come in different thicknesses?

Jim

 

[PaulN/KS]

I find that taking a dial caliper along to the fabric dept is a big help.Yes,sometimes there is a lighter weight ticking that "mikes" about .011/.012.

 

[Stumpkiller]

There is mattress ticking (heavy) and pillow ticking (lighter) and muslin pocket lining (lightest of all).

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I got my ticking from WalMart. Didn't mike it but it loads fine in my .40,.50 and .54 Haven't been able to tell any difference between blue or the red stripe ticking.

 

[brubincam]

walmart blue ticking is 15 thou. at my store...