Patch material/methods

[Mad L]

Pre-lubed pre-cut or cut at the muzzle, depends on how lazy I feel.
I hear trying to saw it off at the muzzle can be a pain

 

[TDM]

As long as my knife is sharp I like cutting strips at the muzzle. But I seem to have a mental block on keeping my knives sharp.

 

[stephenprops1]

When I am shooting competition with my club, I load shooting blocks and utilize them. I can reload faster with them. I have a 10 and a 5 block. That usually covers the match. However, if I need more shots I then load from the bag and cut at the muzzle. When I am deer hunting, I like to use plastic speed loaders. When practicing I switch around to keep familiar with all 3 methods. My favorite method is cutting at the muzzle.

 

[stephenprops1]

Pre-lubed pre-cut or cut at the muzzle, depends on how lazy I feel.
I hear trying to saw it off at the muzzle can be a pain

If you have to saw thru your patch your knife is dull.

 

[Mike in FL]

Sharp knives never been an issue for me. The ones I carry are touched up 3 times a week. Others only get used during hunting season. I quit loaning knives a long time ago. Seemed like no one carried their own. The last time was when my uncle asked to use mine. Handed him my single blade pocket knife and he started cutting WIRE with it. Now I just keep quiet when I hear, "You got a knife.?"
Wow, I really got off topic on a thread I started.

 

[LRB]

Seems like others cut at the muzzle. I'm going to switch to that.

Good, but you lose a lot of patch material from having to gather enough to hang on to when you cut. It seems the few patches found in original rifle boxes were square. During the siege at Boonesboro, in a written report, the women were in a cabin cutting patches for the men. One can safely bet they were cut square with scissors and likely of a fit all size.

 

[Mike in FL]

You think a patch to big, or oversize, would effect accuracy?

 

[hanshi]

I've always used precut patches for simplicity and wait until I get to the range to start lubing a few at a time. I don't hunt any longer but I still shoot; so I may just try the ball board and cut-at-the-muzzle methods.

Word on the street is "Hanshi carries dull knives" but I just chalk that up to a character flaw. I need to start building up my street creds again, but we'll see.

 

[Mad L]

If you have to saw thru your patch your knife is dull.

Or you are using the wrong side.

 

[TDM]

Or you are using the wrong side.

That’s been done once or twice.

 

[Ed C.]

For me precut is faster overall, one less tool to carry and upkeep, one less step in loading. Using a fabric cutter on a piece of plexiglass I can cut 100+ patches very accurately in about 15 minutes.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You think a patch to big, or oversize, would effect accuracy?

The over sized patch doesn't have a significant effect on accuracy if dry or just damp. A very wet patch can stick to the ball and fall away in an inconsistent way upon firing. An undersized loading jag may catch on an oversized patch and pull it away from the charge potentially creating an obstacle in the bore. Use a rod with a smooth sided tip to seat balls when using an oversized patch.

 

[LRB]

Sharp knives never been an issue for me. The ones I carry are touched up 3 times a week. Others only get used during hunting season. I quit loaning knives a long time ago. Seemed like no one carried their own. The last time was when my uncle asked to use mine. Handed him my single blade pocket knife and he started cutting WIRE with it. Now I just keep quiet when I hear, "You got a knife.?"
Wow, I really got off topic on a thread I started.

For best accuracy concerns, I'm sure one could overdo on the patch size, but only strictly controlled bench rest testing or even machine rest would be the way to see a difference in accuracy, if, there were any.

 

[RMH]

For hunting I carry a ball block loaded with Mink oil lubed pillow ticking and balls. My initial load in the rifle will probably be the same lubed ticking cut at the muzzle. I see no difference in accuracy nor point of impact with either. The ball block just makes for easy carrying and reloading.

 

[JBird]

Out hunting I've used a loading block, which accompanied with a coned barrel is very simple. The rod on the rifle will push the load a few inches down the bore in one push, remove block and seat on powder.

I often cut at the muzzle at the range purely for the fact it feels more traditional, it's also easier than lining up patches. But I feel like it waste a lot of lube with mink oil. So I generally use a wet lube on the strips, something in a bottle.

 

[Banjoman]

In a rifle, I use cotton patch material cut at the muzzle. Spit for lube.

I tried several different combinations and methods but simple works best for me.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

For best accuracy concerns, I'm sure one could overdo on the patch size, but only strictly controlled bench rest testing or even machine rest would be the way to see a difference in accuracy, if, there were any.

I've thought of doing a controlled test just to see how much difference any of this patch business makes. Precuts centered vs not centered, cut at the muzzle, sprue up or off side, etc, etc.
So far all I've done is think about it. I guess I'm just too lazy.

 

[Pete G]

I've thought of doing a controlled test just to see how much difference any of this patch business makes. Precuts centered vs not centered, cut at the muzzle, sprue up or off side, etc, etc.
So far all I've done is think about it. I guess I'm just too lazy.

You would be hard pressed to tell the difference, at close range anyway.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

That's the conclusion I've come to. Others may disagree.

 

[tenngun]

You think a patch to big, or oversize, would effect accuracy?

No