Patch bullet issue

[Codeman]

I have been shooting muzzleloaders for some years now. I shoot patch and ball in both my muzzleloaders. I purchased a flintlock over a year ago and have shot it maybe 20 times. This weekend the ball while loading would push through the patch about mid way down the barrel. This has never happened to me before on my (percussion) T/C 50 cal Hawkin. My patches were pre-lubed years ago and kept in a plastic bag. The pre-lube was a commercial grease for muzzleloaders. I do not remember the brand. The patches are several years old but I do not think they are rotten. Prior to this weekend I had been shooting the flintlock without any issues other than learning about the flint.

I generally get about 5-shots off before cleaning the barrel. I do use 2F power in the barrel and 4F in the pan. The flintlock is 50 cal. I made sure after the first patch issue that the bullet was centered in the patch when loading down the barrel. I do not recall that there was an issue on the first load after cleaning but on the second or third shot there were issues. I really did not have to push really hard when the ball went through the patch.

When it first happened I felt the downward push get easy and when I pulled the ramrod out I saw the patch.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what is going on with the patch?

 

[Rebel]

Sounds like your patches have rotted. Too long lubed in the bag.

 

[BrownBear]

I'm sure your patches are falling apart, at least in terms of how tough they need to be for loading, rather than how tough they feel when you pull on them with your hands. I'm betting that even if you get them seated without ripping, they're going to shred once you fire and the accuracy will go south.

That's actually pretty common with prelubed patches in my experience. You just never know how long the commercial ones sat on the shelf before you got them, then there's the matter of how long you keep them. I generally find that once the factory package is opened, they can go south within a year. No real indictment of the brand or the lube, because I've had the same happen with patches and lubes I've made myself.

That's the biggest reason I quit buying factory prelubes. I'm in the habit now of either lubing and cutting at the muzzle or if prelubing, only doing enough for a couple of three shooting sessions, rather than enough to last me a year. No more patch problems since I started using "fresh" lubed patches.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The patches are old. The lube has dried out. You can freshen the lube with new oil, or lube. But, DO examine the spent patches for tears. If they show up, the fabric has deteriorated with age and bacterial rot. Throw them away.

 

[Codeman]

Thank you all. I will get new patches and lube.

I did do some reading in my Lyman Black Powder Handbook again. Their test data was with Criso for a lube. I will try that before buying commercial type.

I use to use Criso to cover my revolvers bullets before I found the little wonder wads that went behind the bullets. Sure makes shooting the revolvers less messy.

 

[paulvallandigham]

All Black Powder guns get " Messy" after the first shot.

Take rags, towels, or paper towels with you to deal with it. Take a half gallon of water, and some liquid soap to use to wash your hands and face when you finish. The same can be used to help clean your revolver, or long guns during extended shooting sessions. :thumbsup:

 

[ohio ramrod]

patches definately have a shelf life once lubed. So don't lube to many in advance.

 

[longcruise]

This weekend the ball while loading would push through the patch about mid way down the barrel.

I'm favoring the rotten patch response at this time, but there is one other rather remote possibility. I had this problem myself once and it turned out to be associated with my short starter. I was starting the patched ball with the short nub of the starter. Turned out that the short nub had such a tight fit to the patch in the bore that it was binding the patch to the bore even as it slid down the bore and pushed tha ball through the base of the patch.