Patching Material questions?

[TomFoolerythe3rd]

I have been using old t-shirts in my 1803 Harpers but I was wondering and looking for a better patching material. Probably going to head out to Jo-Anne fabrics and buy some fabric by the yard. What kind of material are you guys using for patches? How thick? The cotton t-shirts don't seem to hold up too well with the rifling. :results:I am shooting a .570 roundball in a .579ish barrel. The ish is because I am not sure about the diameter reading I am getting after slugging the barrel. It either comes out as .578 or .579.

 

[roundball]

I have been using old t-shirts in my 1803 Harpers but I was wondering and looking for a better patching material. Probably going to head out to Jo-Anne fabrics and buy some fabric by the yard. What kind of material are you guys using for patches? How thick? The cotton t-shirts don't seem to hold up too well with the rifling. :results:I am shooting a .570 roundball in a .579ish barrel. The ish is because I am not sure about the diameter reading I am getting after slugging the barrel. It either comes out as .578 or .579.

As one reference, I use .018" pillow ticking patches with Hornady .570 balls in my .58cal Green Mountain barrel...extremely accurate

 

[mike alexandre]

The best is pillow ticking but if you are determined to use old clothes try worn out jeans the material is stronger than T shirts. Problem with jeans is that the thickness of the material will change depending on where you cut it from. :imo:

 

[Rebel]

I use either striped pillow ticking or JoAnns #40 drill cloth. Just ask someone that works there for it, they will know what you want.

 

[riarcher]

I'm sure you're aware that you do not want any sythetics like nylon or polyester,,, right? :m2c:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

For a thinner, but very tough all cotton patch, I have found old Levi jeans front pockets hard to beat.

 

Isn't it hard to keep yer change, and keys, after ya cuts the pockets out :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: Bill

 

[Rebel]

I may be mistaken,(believe it or not it happens :, but i think that pocket fabric is the drill cloth i spoke of.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Isn't it hard to keep yer change, and keys, after ya cuts the pockets out :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: Bill

You have never seen my old Levis, the knees and bottom are long gone before the pockets are converted into patches. :haha:

 

[cayugad]

I may be mistaken,(believe it or not it happens :, but i think that pocket fabric is the drill cloth i spoke of.

Rebel is there another name for that cloth? The reason I ask is when I was at the local Wal Mart I asked the fabric lady if she carried drill cloth. She had no idea what I was talking about, and actually I did not either. I told her a 100% cotton very tight weave cloth. She then pointed me to the pillow tick. I thought I would get some to try...

 

[Rebel]

I don't think Wal-Mart carries it. If you go to JoAnns Fabrics and ask, they should know what you mean. It is an off white color. Like i said above, i think it is what jeans pants pockets are made of. I like it as well, or better than ticking.

 

[cayugad]

I will look other places for it.. thanks much

 

[redwing]

wallmart has a red & white stripe pillow tick that runs
.18 unwashed .16 washed. It makes a real good patch. :thumbsup:

 

[TomFoolerythe3rd]

I'm sure you're aware that you do not want any sythetics like nylon or polyester,,, right? :m2c:

Correct, I did know that :redthumb:.

 

[TomFoolerythe3rd]

I don't think Wal-Mart carries it. If you go to JoAnns Fabrics and ask, they should know what you mean. It is an off white color. Like i said above, i think it is what jeans pants pockets are made of. I like it as well, or better than ticking.

Thanks, I will go out ask and for that stuff tomorrow. :RO:

 

[Wart]

Personally, I prefer 100% cotton that runs around .10 thickness ... if your wife has an old pillow case around, this should do the trick. If its not thick enough, just double the patch ... depending on how tight you feel you have to seat the ball.
Its hard to tell you what thickness will work best as your the one thats seeing how it is to load and if you have blow-by, when you check your shot patch ... all (myself included) have given you what works for each of us ...
hope this helps, Wart

 

[Wart]

I realized after it being brought to my attention that I meant to say .010 patch size :sorry: I've never been good at decimals but we were on the same wave lenght :thumbsup:

 

[susie s]

I like a tightly woven twill weave-a twill weave has little tiny diagonal lines running from selvage to selvage and looks flat on the other side-like denim, but not as heavy. Be sure it's all cotton, and I take a micrometer with me and check out the thickness in several places to make sure it's even. (I can tell you that gets a few strange looks.)I used to get Ox-Yoke .012 but they stopped getting it, so now I have to hunt. They have a pretty good quality patch. Look at your patch after you've been shooting and see if it's still in-tact or blown out. If it's blown out, so I've been told, you're loosing pressure and need to find another one. The knit does make good cleaning patches, though; I think it cleans faster than the flannel ones.