Patch material for rifle ball

[sethwyo]

Going to try somthin today I haven't done for over 10 years I'm going to use some denim from old denim pants to try to patch some rifle balls and see how they do.

I may use some lard, to slick the patches, maybe not, but I'm going to try a mouthful of them with some of this hops nine.

I'm also going to try to finally do some real long range shooting like three or 400 yards and see what happens.

I don't have any silk to use like hawkeye did to see if it gives me an extra handful of yards.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Old jeans wear to different thicknesses. Probably the most popular patch cloth is pillow ticking. Inexpensive at Walmart and other places. That lard lube will stink sumptin awful.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Be aware that all pillow ticking isn’t equal, the thicker stuff works best for me as the thin, less dense material blows apart.
IMG_0506 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I too found ‘used’ denim varied and was otherwise too thick for most of my muzzies.

 

[OldGrenadier]

I’m a fan of pillow ticking, but as Phil says above, find the thickness that works for that rifle, ball and lube

 

[longcruise]

I had some excellent shooting from a daughter's retired denim skirt. But it wasn't worn out the way pair of jeans might be. But, even when it's good stuff, as it was, getting more of the same for resupply might not be possible.

 

[son of rooster]

old tee shirts

 

[tenngun]

old tee shirts

For patching?
I’ve not tried it but thought it would be too stretchy to work
Cleaned with a lot

 

[david w]

I have used pillow ticking, denim, and linen. All materials are from the fabric store. Always wash new fabric twice to remove the sizing.

 

[Urban Coyote]

I have used pillow ticking, denim, and linen. All materials are from the fabric store. Always wash new fabric twice to remove the sizing.

Yes.

Old denim skirts, jeans, jean pocket material, t-shirts and so on, and so on. How do people find any consistency using these scrap materials? I have always obtained my patch material, 100% cotton, from a fabric store. I want consistency in weave and thickness.

My wife recently brought home some patch material, ticking, from a fabrics store. The sales person asked her how she'd use the material. My wife explained it was for muzzleloader rifle patching. The clerk knew exactly what my wife was looking for. It turns out the sales person's brother also shot muzzleloaders. She mentioning some of the ticking materials were not a tight weaved as they once were. This might explain why my recent batch of red stripe ticking appears to be blowing patches that the last didn't seem to.

Years ago I used a floral pattern ticking I bought at a Ben Franklin store. I've never found it again and now wish I'd have bought a bolt of the stuff. I'm now running low on a green striped ticking that's been working really well in my T/C guns. If I find it again I'll buy a sample first to test it, and if it works I'll buy a few yards.

The shooting patch is an important component for achieving accurate loads, also the least expensive. With the scarcity and cost of muzzleloader shooting supplies a person might find using scrap materials for patching is not their best option.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Pillow ticking and mattress ticking are good choices for patching if they are 100% cotton and tightly woven. Another good choice ( and my preferred patching) is the #40 cotton drill cloth sold at JoAnn's Fabrics. Over the years it has been consistent at 0.017_0.018" thick and tightly woven. It's in the utility cloth section and may or may not be close to the pillow ticking. Artist's canvas from an art supply store is a good source for tightly woven thicker ticking.

All fabrics bought off the bolt need to be washed to remove sizing. Dry on the hot setting on the drier to tighten the weave.

 

[oldramrod]

For patching?
I’ve not tried it but thought it would be too stretchy to work
Cleaned with a lot

I like most people thought knit T shirt fabric would not work for shooting patches. Then I went to a shoot where there were several very good shooters with high dollar custom riflles. The shoot was won by a man shooting a stock CVA kentucky rifle using t shirt material for both cleaning and shooting patches!

 

[3 eared musket cap]

I’m a fan of pillow ticking, but as Phil says above, find the thickness that works for that rifle, ball and lube

Grandma Lucy's undies.

 

[sethwyo]

 

[LonestarShootR]

I made some patches for the first time today. Found some pillow ticking at hobby lobby yesterday and had to buy and try it. Brand new at this stuff. Will find out tomorrow if it holds up.

 

[Togo]

I bought a couple yards of pillow ticking from Wally a year or so ago, color means nothing there. Every color measured out at .022, it works okay in my trade gun but is too thick for my other rifles, which they all seem to like .018 and .015 but mostly .018. It's also pretty stiff material even after a couple washings.

 

[M. De Land]

Going to try somthin today I haven't done for over 10 years I'm going to use some denim from old denim pants to try to patch some rifle balls and see how they do.

I may use some lard, to slick the patches, maybe not, but I'm going to try a mouthful of them with some of this hops nine.

I'm also going to try to finally do some real long range shooting like three or 400 yards and see what happens.

I don't have any silk to use like hawkeye did to see if it gives me an extra handful of yards.

The best patch material I have ever found and used comes from my worn out felt shirts from cabella's. I bought a lot of different patch material over the years and have settled on tight weave cotton felt as the very best patch cloth to be had .
Oh, and it's free !

 

[Felonious]

I use an old cotton bed sheet, sometimes cleaning patches if I forget the sheet.

Both work well enough for my needs.

 

[springfield art]

Going to try somthin today I haven't done for over 10 years I'm going to use some denim from old denim pants to try to patch some rifle balls and see how they do.

I may use some lard, to slick the patches, maybe not, but I'm going to try a mouthful of them with some of this hops nine.

I'm also going to try to finally do some real long range shooting like three or 400 yards and see what happens.

I don't have any silk to use like hawkeye did to see if it gives me an extra handful of yards.

Yeeeah, that "silk" thing was simply a movie thing. I'm sure everyone and his uncle have tried since the movie came out!

 

[sethwyo]

I haven't got to try it yet.
I actually think it will work pretty good because they will double as lubricant also,