Patching over your powder charge …. then patching your ball

[Ricky Bobby]

I was watching Dennis Pritchard over on YouTube and he runs a dry patch down over his main powder charge then a heavily lubed patch with his round ball. Have you all tried this and have you noticed any difference?

 

[Lead Nuggets]

I tried that yesterday,seen something on it here recently. Did not notice any difference other than may keep powder from fowling if you keep it loaded for long periods of time?

 

[Big Tom 52]

I saw a video of Idaho Lewis doing that and a couple you tube videos of guys doing it as an over powder wad. I use wool wads over the powder then load my patched RB. I get better accuracy .

 

[wiscoaster]

I was watching Dennis Pritchard over on YouTube and he runs a dry patch down over his main powder charge then a heavily lubed patch with his round ball. Have you all tried this and have you noticed any difference?

I think you mean wad over powder. I have tried and noticed no difference. I think the only reason for doing so is to keep the lube on the ball's patch from contaminating the powder. If you shoot right after loading that's not a concern. But if you're carrying a loaded rifle and may be a while before you shoot, I think it's probably a good idea.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

I think you mean wad over powder. I have tried and noticed no difference. I think the only reason for doing so is to keep the lube on the ball's patch from contaminating the powder. If you shoot right after loading that's not a concern. But if you're carrying a loaded rifle and may be a while before you shoot, I think it's probably a good idea.

He was just using a white patch … he said same ones he wipes his barrel clean with … I’m assuming just cotton

 

[Rifleman1776]

Some people keep trying to reinvent the wheel. No point in doing that stick with wat works for 99.99999% of ml'ers.

 

[Sam squanch]

I use a plug of cream of wheat. I can load with a slightly looser patch ball combination and still get accurate groups, and I think it makes the powder burn more completely. Makes a better seal. Wool, leather, will work too.

 

[Buff1958]

for my hunting load. I put an ox-yoke wad between the powder and patched ball. It keeps the 120 grains from burning patch

 

[Pete G]

I use a plug of cream of wheat. I can load with a slightly looser patch ball combination and still get accurate groups, and I think it makes the powder burn more completely. Makes a better seal. Wool, leather, will work too.

You do realize that makes you a cereal killer?

 

[Sam squanch]

Sssshhhhhh……..

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

It seems like a lot more "stuff" for maybe a tiny bit of benefit?

 

[Ricky Bobby]

It seems like a lot more "stuff" for maybe a tiny bit of benefit?

I tend to agree but when you see an 80yr old man doing it with tons of time behind a muzzleloader I begin to wonder if there must be enough benefit to justify doing it

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I was watching Dennis Pritchard over on YouTube and he runs a dry patch down over his main powder charge then a heavily lubed patch with his round ball. Have you all tried this and have you noticed any difference?

Don't waste your time. Get the right ball and single patch combo and you will be good to go. Too thin or weak of patch will usually be a factor for poor performance.
Larry

 

[nchawkeye]

Yes I have done it, it helps prevent the patch around the ball.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I have been doing it for a long time in my hunting rifles. I punch out 1/8" (sized for the caliber) wool felt wads to seat down on top of the powder, then my lubed patched ball. I do it because my hunting rifle stays charged until I fire it during hunting season. I don't want any lube contaminating my powder. The rifle shoots fine with this load column.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I use a plug of cream of wheat. I can load with a slightly looser patch ball combination and still get accurate groups, and I think it makes the powder burn more completely. Makes a better seal. Wool, leather, will work too.

Now, Sam, the big question: Do you make the Cream of Wheat with milk or water?
I do use an over-powder wad with my smoothbores, then an over-shot wad after dropping the shot down the barrel. In the rifles, however, just the lubed patch on the ball.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

For many years I have been using a 12 gage felt OP wad in my .54 caliber rifles. I shoot rather heavy powder charges in my Hawken rifles because I like the resulting flat trajectory and the felt wad accomplishes two things. Number one, because the 12 gage wad is larger than bore diameter, when seating it scrubs the bore all the way down, meaning I don't have to wipe between shots. And number two, I think it offers a bit of protection for the ball patch.

 

[Ed C.]

I tend to agree but when you see an 80yr old man doing it with tons of time behind a muzzleloader I begin to wonder if there must be enough benefit to justify doing it

I'm almost 80. Take my word for it....old men wind up doing some weird stuff sometimes.

 

[dave951]

I've done it and yes, it does work, but not on every rifle. From what I've seen, if you're shooting a gun with some damaged rifling, the extra wad helps seal the bore and protect the patch on the ball and you can get better accuracy. Does it work every time? Nope. Personally I think it's best suited to dealing with rifling issues and keeping powder from getting contaminated. Just because you don't see it help on a range doesn't mean it doesn't work.

 

[LME]

I checked my patches that I had used and had a nice rifling mark around the ball area. As nice as my patches were and the excellent accuracy I was getting I didn't need an over the powder patch. If I was burning through patches I would definitely use an over the powder patch. Check your patches after you shoot! You may be wasteing time and patches by useing over the powder patches?