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pillow ticking?
- Thread starter jerem0621
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All the pillow ticking I've ever used for patching my balls had blue stripes. Not to say you can't use red striped but I just never seen red striped.
The old time blue ticking was traditionally used for the matress bag, the red for pillows. The only difference I knew of from the 50's was that the blue was marginally thicker and the red a bit tighter woven. But of course they were interchangeable in making bedding.
Just so happens I heard wmart was shutting down the fabric sections of their stores so when I was over there 2 weeks ago and no blue in stock, so I got the red, that is red chinese red ticking, 100% cotton it said on the end of the roll, and some plain light beige cotton duck that felt about the same. It was 100% cotton, communist chinese too! After washing and drying in a really hot dryer, and then steam pressing to get the unusual wrinkles out, it turns out the red red was .018, like my old USA blue, and the red duck was .022 and tight in the weave while the red red was a bit looser in weave. Have to do trials now on burnout with the new red ticking as it is woven looser. Wonky
The next time the store resets the shelving and sections later this year the FABRICS WILL BE GONE!!!!! Who knows what you will get on the internet as there are hardly any fabric shops anywhere. We are going to be in trouble?
Just so happens I heard wmart was shutting down the fabric sections of their stores so when I was over there 2 weeks ago and no blue in stock, so I got the red, that is red chinese red ticking, 100% cotton it said on the end of the roll, and some plain light beige cotton duck that felt about the same. It was 100% cotton, communist chinese too! After washing and drying in a really hot dryer, and then steam pressing to get the unusual wrinkles out, it turns out the red red was .018, like my old USA blue, and the red duck was .022 and tight in the weave while the red red was a bit looser in weave. Have to do trials now on burnout with the new red ticking as it is woven looser. Wonky
The next time the store resets the shelving and sections later this year the FABRICS WILL BE GONE!!!!! Who knows what you will get on the internet as there are hardly any fabric shops anywhere. We are going to be in trouble?
jtmattison
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jerem0621 said:
They are both the same fabric. They mic the same thickness. I use them both for ball patching but have never used it for cleaning patches. Old T-shirts are used for that.
HD
jerem0621
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I'll have to try the old tshirt for cleaning patches. I'm tired of paying for cleaning patches that are pre cut. What a waste of money. Way over priced.
Looks like I need to go to walmart and buy up as much of this stuff as I can.
jerem0621
Looks like I need to go to walmart and buy up as much of this stuff as I can.
jerem0621
Go to any fabric store and get ordinary cotton flannel. It is about a dollar a yard in most places and you can cut cleaning patches all day long from it, any size you want. It is fluffier and way more aborbant than any T-shirt material.
Our Walmarts are still selling material. I think your situation is a regional thing. Joanne's Fabric stores are also plentiful around here.
I wouldn't worry about being able to find it.
If you want to make your own cleaning patches then go buy a couple of yards of cotton flannel. That's the best I've found.
I wouldn't worry about being able to find it.
If you want to make your own cleaning patches then go buy a couple of yards of cotton flannel. That's the best I've found.
paulvallandigham
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Most cleaing patches are made of cotton flannel. Some are made from pocket drill, ala the military. If you just look in the Yellow Pages of your phone book, you can find fabric and sewing " centers " all over the place. Just because one large chain store stops selling something doesn't mean that there are not now, nor will there be other sources.
LittleMoe430
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To get more mileage out of your BP cleaning patches, pre-cut or from old T-shirts, put a bunch of of used ones into one of those plastic, mesh onion bags and throw them in the washer on HOT with a bit of detergent. Spread them out to dry. After I use them to clean my rifle, I poke them into a gallon jug full of soapy water and collect them until I have a hundred or so to wash. I'm on my third use of one bag of 500 and they're still going strong.
Around here some times the blue is .018-.020 and some times it is .012, drill cloth also works well it depends on what thickness you need they also sell a floral print which has been running around .010-.012 use whatever flannel or cotton material, T shirts, sheets, that is handy for cleaning
pepperbelly
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Take a caliper with you as it looks like there is a lot of variation around.
I bought some from my local Wal Mart. The red stripe pillow ticking measures .015" and the blue stripe mattress ticking measures .018". I also bought some cotton muslin that measures .010".
Jim
I bought some from my local Wal Mart. The red stripe pillow ticking measures .015" and the blue stripe mattress ticking measures .018". I also bought some cotton muslin that measures .010".
Jim
It's nice to take a measure with you, but take note, things change after washing and drying and that is when the measurement has some meaning. I'm in NC and there is little fabric making industry left and even few fabric stores in a 30$ drive, as I'm in a small town. Super w is it! The internet has been buzzing about wmart getting out of the business like getting out of the gun business. They darn sure did and will for fabric here and everyone in town has a wmart gun.They put out the story of local demand and that was pure balony. We are # 1 or 2 in state deer kill and have been for years. WONKY
Dutchman58
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I'm new here and new to the homemade patch notion. I'm just now really getting into a purer form of traditional muzzleloading, but have shot for years but always with pre-cut patches.
What is the ideal thickness for loading patches?
What is the ideal thickness for loading patches?
MikeChapin
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It's whatever your rifle likes. I use .024 denim on most of my rifles. A few like differnt patching. My Mountain Rifle likes .018 ticking and one of my long 50s with a Getz barrel likes .020 denim. My .58 prefers thick .032 denim. Using this patching with a .562 ball requires a couple of raps with the short starter to get it started but goes down easily enough after it is started.
You need to experiment around with what patching gives you the best groups and what comfort level you can live with on starting the ball and patch. When you find the best material for patching get a lot of it. It always seems the fabric stores run out of it in a couple of weeks and the next shipment is not quite the same.
You need to experiment around with what patching gives you the best groups and what comfort level you can live with on starting the ball and patch. When you find the best material for patching get a lot of it. It always seems the fabric stores run out of it in a couple of weeks and the next shipment is not quite the same.
paulvallandigham
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Welcome to the sport, Dutchman: Your question, what is the idea thickness for a patch is totally dependent on every single gun you will shoot.
I recommend you spend $15.00 and buy Dutch Schoultz System,
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/
to learn how to " Read " your patches. You are looking for a patch and lube combination that will give you a spent patch with brown edges, a dark brown or black ring where the patch actually seals the bore around the ball, and a yellow to white center where your lube is sufficient enough to keep the gases from burning the patch.
You will need to use a caliper or micrometer to actually measure the land to land( bore) diameter of your barrel, not simply trusting whatever the maker puts on the barrel, and also the groove diameter. The depth of the groove suggests a starting point for the choice of thickness of your patch material, ONLY after you choose a ball diameter to shoot.
For most bores in rifled barrels, you want a ball diameter that is .010" smaller than the bore diameter. But different guns will shoot better or worse with different balls. For instance, I shoot a .50 caliber rifle. The Green Mountain barrel has a bore diameter of .500-.501" I can't seem to get a good measurement closer than that. It doesn't matter. I have tried both .490" and .495" balls in the gun, and I seem to get my best accuracy shooting the .490" ball. I could try .485, or .500, or even .505", but am satisfied with the .490" ball. I have been using .015" thick patches, but am trying some .017" and .018" thick patching just to see if I can get any improvement on accuracy. And, although I use a chronograph when I am testing loads, now, I also ALWAYS read my patches.
Best regards.
I recommend you spend $15.00 and buy Dutch Schoultz System,
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/
to learn how to " Read " your patches. You are looking for a patch and lube combination that will give you a spent patch with brown edges, a dark brown or black ring where the patch actually seals the bore around the ball, and a yellow to white center where your lube is sufficient enough to keep the gases from burning the patch.
You will need to use a caliper or micrometer to actually measure the land to land( bore) diameter of your barrel, not simply trusting whatever the maker puts on the barrel, and also the groove diameter. The depth of the groove suggests a starting point for the choice of thickness of your patch material, ONLY after you choose a ball diameter to shoot.
For most bores in rifled barrels, you want a ball diameter that is .010" smaller than the bore diameter. But different guns will shoot better or worse with different balls. For instance, I shoot a .50 caliber rifle. The Green Mountain barrel has a bore diameter of .500-.501" I can't seem to get a good measurement closer than that. It doesn't matter. I have tried both .490" and .495" balls in the gun, and I seem to get my best accuracy shooting the .490" ball. I could try .485, or .500, or even .505", but am satisfied with the .490" ball. I have been using .015" thick patches, but am trying some .017" and .018" thick patching just to see if I can get any improvement on accuracy. And, although I use a chronograph when I am testing loads, now, I also ALWAYS read my patches.
Best regards.
Last edited by a moderator:
pepperbelly
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Dutchman, the above posts are correct.
I have 2 TC Hawkens. One is a .50 and the other is a .54. The .50 likes .015" patches and the .54 likes .018".
Both are from the same maker, same model, but the bores are slightly different. You need to try different thicknesses to see what yours' needs.
Making your own patches is very simple and easy. I am also pretty new at this, and I was anxious about trying something new like this, but it is so easy everyone should. It's a lot cheaper than buying precut/prelubed patches.
Jim
I have 2 TC Hawkens. One is a .50 and the other is a .54. The .50 likes .015" patches and the .54 likes .018".
Both are from the same maker, same model, but the bores are slightly different. You need to try different thicknesses to see what yours' needs.
Making your own patches is very simple and easy. I am also pretty new at this, and I was anxious about trying something new like this, but it is so easy everyone should. It's a lot cheaper than buying precut/prelubed patches.
Jim
