pillow ticking

[tobias]

I went to my local wally world the other day and asked the girl in the fabric department for pillow ticking. I might as well have asked her what the sub particulate matter of boron is. She had that deer in the headlight look and pointed me to the sporting goods area. I explained to her what it is normally used for and she said, "you wanna make a pillow"? I politely said "yea, I am into pillow stuff".

My question however is this, I have a .50 cal and I want to make my own patches and I understand that I need .490 balls but what size do I cut the ticking? Also do I need to cut them round exactly a specific size and is there something that I can use to get a uniform size and cut? Obviously I have no idea about doing this as I am brand new to bp.

 

[pondoro]

I have some commercial 50 cal patches that are 1.3" circles. Lots of people cut round patches with punches or hole saws. Other people cut strips about 1.25" wide and then cut the strips into squares. I just cut at the muzzle with a knife. There have been countless tests of square vs round vs cut at the muzzle. I am not sure that there is a concensus about one being better.

Find an old lady at the sewing counter, she will know what pillow ticking is! The young ones usually don't. And never admit that it is for a gun or (as you said) they will send you to sporting goods. Pretend you are sewing something. Once they know you it will get better.

 

[Ridge]

I'm of the belief that a patched ball cut at the muzzle is the most accurate way to go for one simple reason......the ball is always perfectly centered on the patch.

 

[boar]

ToBias I just got some , I had some old ticking and it was too thick it was of off a old pillow. So I got some new at Wallys It is working good. Not as thick, I shot some in my 54 and it did good,real snug. I soaked it in Moose Milk twice couple days ago. Then When loading at the muzzle I greased it with deer tallow,you grease a spot on strip Seat on muzzle so your ball has cloth all way around it,start ball with starter till it is just below rim of barrel, then cut off. Dilly

 

[reddogge]

Is Joanne's Fabrics still in business. That's where I used to buy all of mine.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Is Joanne's Fabrics still in business. That's where I used to buy all of mine.

YES! I know, because my wife keeps one of them in the Roanoke, VA area solvent with her purchases. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[tobias]

Thanks for this help, I am loster than a cotton ball in a snow bank when it comes to this stuff.I am as green as a blade of grass in the springtime with bp.

 

[tobias]

Good advice and my thanks be to you.

 

[scott k]

If you go to the Jo-ann web site you can signup to get coupons set to your e-mail to save some more money. :g Jo-ann web site
Lehigh...

 

[Sully]

If I may make a suggestion: Get a copy of Dutch Schoultz accuracy sysem. It is worth a LOT more than it costs.
[url] http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com[/url]/

 

i agree dutches system is awesome. well worth the money

 

[strongarm]

It is alfully hard to get the pillow ticking your looking for. What you want to do is go the Jo Annes Fabric with a caliper or micronmeter. With a .490 rb you want something that will compress from .012 to .015 because when you run it down the barrel you are compressing it and it fills the grooves of your barrel.(I assume you have shallow rifling of .010 Remember too, natural lubes tend to soften or shrink the patch thickness and artificials keep it about the same. YOu may also want to ask for "drill." That is pants pocket material; comes in several different thicknesses and work real good. While you're at it also look for scraps of flannel especially the stuff that they make baby pajammas out of. The really good for barrel cleaning and cheap too.

 

[reddogge]

Strongarm has good advice there. I just went downstairs and measured some old, old JoAnns Fabric ticking and it measured .015 on the nose. I used to shoot .495 balls with spit patch for target and .490 and greased patch for hunting. The grease seemed to swell it a little.

I measured some material from old blue jeans legs and it measured .026 so I guess that would be too thick.