Patch material

[Keppy]

OK I know this has been talked to death a dozen time or more BUT. I'm new to the tradionial ML and have a 45 cal. side hammer. Will be shooting .440 RB. I measured the bore .460 & and .450 to the lands. I heard tee shirts material works. Will it be tough enough? I will be lube with bore butter. Your thoughts. Thanks

 

[roundball]

OK I know this has been talked to death a dozen time or more BUT. I'm new to the tradionial ML and have a 45 cal. side hammer. Will be shooting .440 RB. I measured the bore .460 & and .450 to the lands. I heard tee shirts material works. Will it be tough enough? I will be lube with bore butter. Your thoughts. Thanks

Well, it could work but the thickness will vary all over the place depending on how worn & thin one shirt is compared to the next one and may introduce variations in your results while trying to get sighted in, etc.

Just starting out there is a lot to deal with and it's usually to your advantage to control as many variables as possible while going up that learning curve.

If you're able to, I'd suggest you start out with a package of .015" or .018" precut patches...one less variable to worry about while figuring out everything else.
:thumbsup:

 

[Swampman]

100% cotton pillow ticking works nicely. Wash it before you use it.

 

[riarcher]

Frankly, I'd be very surprised if this combo worked. With no compression on the lands I'd expect you to blow the patch even with a very light target load.
I like to see material's impression on the ball when started and pulled.
I like the smaller ball, but would suggest a much thicker patch like .015 to start with plenty of BB soaked in.
In my .45 I use the .440 ball with the blue striped (.018) ticking for up to 50 gr. Over 50 gr. I'll go with the .445 ball for added compression of the patch and a tighter seal.
Seems to work well for me.

 

[Keppy]

Well I was at the range today and tried some tee shirt material. Its .015. The groups were good at 75 yards ,not great. 6 inch group with a rifle I had never shot before. The patches I found had blown thru. So that must be a sign the patches are not tough enough? 45 Cal. 60 gr FFF.

 

[harryo]

Well I was at the range today and tried some tee shirt material. Its .015. The groups were good at 75 yards ,not great. 6 inch group with a rifle I had never shot before. The patches I found had blown thru. So that must be a sign the patches are not tough enough? 45 Cal. 60 gr FFF.

Go to Walmart and pick up a yard of either the blue stripe or red stripe pillow ticking. It's the same except for the color. It's inexpensive and I believe you will find it to work quite well.

 

[mowolf]

I kkep hearing folks recommend the Wal Mart pillow ticking, I have some and have washed it 2 or 3 times and it justs seems too thick for both the .45 Hawken (.440rb) and all 4 of my 50s (.490 rb)2, pistols and 2 rifles. Use the package pre cut sometimes some muslum (sp?) cut at the bore.Waya :hmm:

 

get a set of calipers and measure it mashed down not the fluff i have ound that in my .45 .017 works like a dream. my groups tightened up by about an inch. as a side note i use ballistol mixed with water then let air dry flat and cut at muzzle.make it easy to clean and also slides down the barrel like butter. now as far as accuracy what i would do is once you get the calipers measure the inside of the barrel ine is .466 so with a .440 round ball and a .017 (remember to double this measurement as to the fact that the patch is on both sides) gives you a measurement of
.474 which fills the groves so no blowby and also allows for easy loading.

 

[riarcher]

Actually, the red striped ticking is actually pillow ticking (used for makin pillows in the days of old. (.012/.014 +/-)
The blue was bed ticking used for mattress covering and is a bit heavier in weight. (.018/.020 +/-) as explained by my wifes grandmother when she saw me "playing" with it.
Wash it out, melt in some good lube and it'll fluff up nicely with the lube. When you use it it'll squeeze down and compress and seal real good. I've used one or the other for years in diff. arms and hold it in high esteem for patching.

 

[harryo]

Actually, the red striped ticking is actually pillow ticking (used for makin pillows in the days of old. (.012/.014 +/-)
The blue was bed ticking used for mattress covering and is a bit heavier in weight. (.018/.020 +/-) as explained by my wifes grandmother when she saw me "playing" with it.

Hmmm. Your Walmart must be selling different ticking than my Walmart. I just went to my basement and checked both the blue and red stripe that I have. Both of them read between .016-.017 on the unwashed and .020-.021 on the washed.

 

[harryo]

I kkep hearing folks recommend the Wal Mart pillow ticking, I have some and have washed it 2 or 3 times and it justs seems too thick for both the .45 Hawken (.440rb) and all 4 of my 50s (.490 rb)2, pistols and 2 rifles. Use the package pre cut sometimes some muslum (sp?) cut at the bore.Waya :hmm:

Washing will fluff it up and make it seem thicker but it will compress enough that you should have no real problems using it with a .010 under sized ball. I use it with a .005 under sized ball in my GM barrels and although it takes a short starter to start, it loads with firm, but not extreme pressure on the ramrod. FWIW, I know almost everyone says to wash it to remove the sizing but I have used it unwashed and have had no problems.

 

[Keppy]

I just got back from wally world and I bought the blue striped pillow ticking. The wife is washing it as I type this. It feels like its heavier and tough. The tee shirt material was heavy but I can tell this is going to be a lot better. I was blow by the tee shirt material. Thanks Guys. Will tell you how it works out.

 

[adbranaman]

I've used t-shirts for years,but I never thought about the difference in materials either.I've never known to check for blow out. I'll be picking up some pillow ticking my self. If it makes me a better shot I'm all for it.I've also heard of people using denim. I always thought it was to heavy.Thrown a lot of it away after making shorts. :shake:

 

[vautrain]

I've also heard of people using denim. I always thought it was to heavy.Thrown a lot of it away after making shorts. :shake:

I'm thinking of going to the second-hand shop to look for a cheap pair of used jeans. Of course, I probably have a free pair of worn-out jeans somewhere around the house. :shake: As for being too heavy, that would depend on the denim. Lower-quality denim would be about the same thickness as heavy pillow ticking, I bet. Heavier denim would make for quite a tight load, but if it works, it's worth a shot.

 

[ashtar13]

I have a T/C hawken in .45 and tried the wally blue ticking. Using a Hornady .440 ball and the ticking with moose snot, my short starter left an impression on the ball, and was very difficult to start. I just picked up some muslin. It loads easier, but I haven't shot it yet.

 

[jdixon]

I've been shooting the red stripe Wally World stuff for a while with no problems, good move using it. Since we are talking about loads - here is another trick to try that I use on my .50 Green Mtn. barrel; a single Ox-Yoke (or similar) felt wad in .50 cal. on top of the powder charge then the Wally World patching lubbed in Bore Butter around a .490 ball. The felt wad load easily yeilded 50% tighter groups 75 yrds. than non-felt loads. The recovered patches are only frayed around the edges but otherwise in good shape. The same load without a wad, the barrel and/or charge (75 gr. 3F in this instance) would tear the patches up and accuracy suffered.

 

I have always used 100% cotton muslin. I tried pillow ticking in both a rifle I used to have and a smoothbore that I just aquired, and it always seems to be to thick. I have never had any problems and it is much easier to load.

 

[riarcher]

I may have been "bassackwards" in which is thicker, But I found one to be thicker than the other. This was before Walmart moved into the area (actually awhile ago- 15 yrs. or so).
It's all in "working up a proper load" that's why I buy patching 4 or so yards at a time (get a lot of patches in 4 yds.).
I NEVER go for pathing without my micrometer in hand ---- never.
May get some funny looks,,, but always (after the burn test) get what I need.