patch question

[jmatt]

I am new to this so may be a dumb question. I was given some pillow ticking for patch material it measured about 18 thousands thick,and worked great. I purchased some that was 20 thousands thick and washed and dried it once, it burns apart when i shoot and I am using the same patch lube. Even tried just spit and wonder lube. The weave in the faberic is looser. Where do you guys purchase your pillow ticking from? Besides thicknes what should I be looking for?

 

[mazo kid]

The thickness will depend on your bore size and RB size. I take a micrometer and visit a couple of fabric stores to find an all cotton tight weave pillow ticking or pocket drill in the correct size. Emery

 

[chapmans]

I have found that all striped ticking is not created equal, take a small piece of the material that worked with you and compare the thread count and tightness of the weave, I normally use pocket drill or heavy denim, make sure it is 100% cotton.Longball58

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu can buy pillow ticking, denim, canvas, pocket drill, and other tightly woven fabrics at most fabric stores. JoAnn Fabrics is one national chain that carried a good selection, and sells the cloth by the yard. Walmart- or, really-- some Walmart Stores still carry fabrics, and many shooters simply buy their fabric there.

Take a caliper or micrometer to the store, to measure the thickness. Check the thickness of what you found working for you in the past, by measuring a patch before going. Better, take the sample with you, to show the sales clerk. Not all pillow ticking-- even with the same color stripes --- is the same thickness. So MEASURE!

The same with your bore, and groove diameters. Groove diameters different with different barrel makers, and sometimes even within the same company my model and caliber of rifle. YOu just have to measure the groove depth, and use that as a guide in choosing the right thickness for your patching.

Land to Land is the " Bore " diameter. Groove to Groove is the groove diameter. Depth of the groove is determined by subtracting the bore diameter from the groove diameter, and then dividing by 2. Most barrels comes with grooves that are .005-.006 deep, but in some Hawken styles, and a few eastern styles, you will find deeper grooves- up to .012" deep! Remember that damp cotton will compress to almost 1/2 its original " dry " thickness, ( depending on the ratio of land width to groove width-- the cloth has to have someplace to go!), so, for example, a groove depth of .006" should allow you to use a patch as thick as .018", depending on what size ball you are using.

My .50 caliber has .006" deep grooves, and I use a .490 ball and .015 or .018" patches. .020" patches are a bit tight! But I can use them, as long as I always clean the barrel between shots, and am prepared to fight to get that patch and ball down the barrel. It goes down- screaming all the way! ( or is that me I hear?????) :rotf: :hatsoff:

 

[stacks]

I'm taking advantage of a learning ooportunity here. I've recently bought a digital micrometer, and found the pillow ticking I've been using is .025" thick, along with the .490 ball. No wonder I wear my palm out trying to stuff it down the pipe.

Paul, does this tight ball/patch combination effect the accuracy? Could it be looser?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yes. The tighter patching will give you better groups, but then it will also hurt your hand pounding on that short starter! Buy some thinner material for your gun. Remember that all guns are different, and this is just part of the learning curve. Its what makes shooting BP guns so special, too. NOt everyone can do this, just picking up a gun. There is more to know than how to point it at a target and pull the trigger.

When I have to deal with Modern shooters, who complain about how slow it is to load my BP rifle for each shot, the first thing I ask them is, " Do you reload your own shells?" I have not yet met one complainer who was also a reloader. Reloaders understand that what you are doing to shoot any MLer is in effect loading a cartridge in the field, from beginning to end. They understand about cleaning, and measuring powder, and using lubes on " bullets", and using balls that are consistent in weight and size, and shape to get the best accuracy.

Its the guys who don't reload, and who admit they don't have the patience to do it, Or are " Afraid " of reloading their own ammo( Yeah, the last guy I talked to about reloading ammo was afraid to do it, until I took him through it step by step, and showed him his fears were baseless), who don't want to have anything to do with MLers. Or are looking for the easy answers all the time. If you want short-cuts, shoot a .22 rimfire. Nothing to do but put the rounds in the chamber and fire. The empty casing is discarded, as it cannot be reloaded, by any means readily available to most shooters. Buy a Semi-auto .22 and for $25.00 you can get get a brick of ammo, and shoot all day long, making as much noise as you like, and wearing out your finger firing the gun as fast as you can. Its fun. Been there, and done that.