oversized patch question

[Matt85]

ive recently discovered that patch size doesnt seem to affect accuracy. i ran out of 50-59 caliber wonder patches so i gave the 60-69 cal patches a try and found the accuracy to be the same.

can anyone think of a reason i should buy 50-59 over 60-69? my calibers will be 50 and 58 and i would think the 60-69 patches will give a little better coverage for the 58 cal rifle.

any advantage to using a patch that is smaller?

thanks
-Matt

 

[majg1234]

Matt85
Size doesn't matter with patches as long as the ball is well covered @ least in my experience.I went through a lot of trouble making all sizes of patch cutters to start now I'm down to 3 basic sizes,small for 32-36,med for 40,45,50 and a really large patch for 54,58,62,16ga,12ga rnd ball shooting.When i,ve forgotten some of the smaller ones & have gone up one size with nary a problem,Hope this helps

 

[BrownBear]

Only time I've run into problems with oversize patches is when the excess above the ball is grabbed by the jag, unseating the ball as you withdraw the rod. It's not really a problem with a bare rod, but if you're leaving a jag on the rod as I often do, it's an issue. Just another reason I mostly cut my patches as the muzzle from strips of patch material.

 

[necchi]

can anyone think of a reason i should buy 50-59 over 60-69? .

Nope.

any advantage to using a patch that is smaller?

Nope.

Like BB said,It can be onerous using the short starter an rod with all the extra fabric, it's a finesse move to lift the short starter rod a bit so the fabric is under the end of the starter's rod instead of being jammed around the end.
Beyond that, extra fabric above the ball don't matter a hoot. :wink: And ya don't have to mess around trying to get a patch centered just right,,

Folks like myself that use "cut at the muzzle" patch usually leave a little extra above the muzzle when making the cut.

 

Like BB and necchi, The jag sometimes hangs up in the excess material above the ball. I just push the excess into the bore before ramming the ball home so it's under the rod and not around it.
Mark

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yeppers, as all have said.
Just watch the patch grabber thing.

 

[D Sanders]

ive recently discovered that patch size doesnt seem to affect accuracy. i ran out of 50-59 caliber wonder patches so i gave the 60-69 cal patches a try and found the accuracy to be the same.

can anyone think of a reason i should buy 50-59 over 60-69? my calibers will be 50 and 58 and i would think the 60-69 patches will give a little better coverage for the 58 cal rifle.

any advantage to using a patch that is smaller?

thanks
-Matt

Square, round, oversize... Don't matter

HH 60

 

[Bill Hall]

If you seat the ball on the powder, and you see cloth hanging out of the muzzle, the patch is too large. :rotf: Bill

 

[Matt85]

If you seat the ball on the powder, and you see cloth hanging out of the muzzle, the patch is too large. :rotf: Bill

:rotf:

 

[Greg Blackburn]

Good! Becuase this .58 caliber I scored on the cheap has QLA and all I ever want to shoot out of it are balls. I mean, a 555 grain bullet for deer? Really? REALLY?

Greg

 

[BrownBear]

Good! Becuase this .58 caliber I scored on the cheap has QLA and all I ever want to shoot out of it are balls. I mean, a 555 grain bullet for deer? Really? REALLY?

Greg

No sweat. One of my Big Boars has the QLA, and if anything it shoots round balls better than the one I have without the QLA. The QLA is purely a paper tiger, a non-issue, in my experiences.

 

[majg1234]

agree on the QLA

 

[Matt85]

ok i dont know that one... QLA???

-Matt

 

[nkbj]

The QLA is a counterbore of the muzzle that was engineered to allow easier loading of sabot projectiles. I think.
I had a .54 New Englander with it that was a disaster. The bottom of the counterbore was the same as having a muzzle with zero crown or taper into the bore. Loading a maxi was like driving a nail and the sharp edges tore patches. Talked to TC shop guys and they said that having a flat bottom on the counterbore was normal. Gerrr! Gahhh!
The barrel has since been given an excellent alteration by Bob Hoyt to shoot 400 plus grain 0.458" diameter bullets cast from soft lead. Add card wads punched from egg cartons and soaked in melted lube. And a TC tang peep. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkiSYmn74os

 

[nkbj]

On patch size, I've used precut and cut with a knife at loading. While I never used a precut patch that was grossly larger than what I guessed as being appropriate, I never saw a difference that I could identify to the patch size.

 

[rduncan]

Perhaps the practice of trimming the patch was simply to save on material...you didn't have Sam's Sporting Goods to run to if you ran out of pillow ticking.

I've experimented with different patch sizes and even paper-patched balls and I sort of agree with the opinions that as long as you don't dislodge the round when you pull the rod out, it's going to shoot fine.

Only downer with oversize patching is that sometimes (if you use a jag) the rod can get stuck and that's no fun in the woods.

 

[Greg Blackburn]

So guys,

Will I be OK using a TC patch made for a .58 caliber ball?

I'm going to try and cast my own .58 balls next spring...using lead from the local salvage yard.

I'll try to get lead pipes for the .58....how's that sound?

Greg

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK, story time.
When I lived near Friendship a lot of us would gather almost every weekend to shoot at the range. Among those who often showed up was Webb Terry. He was an experimenter. This question of too much patching came up so he tested the matter. He made some control shots using his normal technique. Then he long started his balls and stuffed a bunch of patch cloth down the bore before seating it all.
No difference in grouping. Patch blows or falls away almost instantly without disrupting the flight of the ball.
Bottom line, don't sweat it.
(Thanks, Webb. Hope ye are enjoying that great range in the sky.)

 

[rduncan]

Just out of curiosity, did he ever try stuffing a piece of hornet's nest material between the charge and the patched ball?

 

[Cohutta Ranger]

Let me get this straight since I'm new to BP. It's OK to use larger caliber patches to shoot my 36 prb? I've been short starting them and cutting off the excess.

Dan