Question About Patch Boxes

[musketman]

Does anyone carry patches (lubed or dry) in their patch box any more?

This is what they are for, right?

I thought the old timers filled their patch box with some kind of tallow/waxish paste and when needed, flipped open the door and rubbed their patch on it prior to loading...

Now day's, people don't want to fill the patch box with anything that might distort the wood of clang around and make noise... (like extra nipple, cleaning jag)

Has the patch box been reduced to a mere decoration or is it still functional, or both?

 

Now day's, people don't want to fill the patch box with anything that might distort the wood of clang around and make noise... (like extra nipple, cleaning jag)

This is what I put in mine but I drilled and tapped holes for each one

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hey! Roaddog got a shave. Summer's here.

I carry a flint between two dry patches, a vent feather, and also a tow worm and ball puller wrapped in tow.

When I had my Seneca I carred pre lubed patches - in the capbox. ::

 

[Claude Mathis]

My box contains a ball puller, patch puller and an extra flint, all wrapped in a cloth to keep them from rattling.

 

[buckknife]

Well heck i put cut square denium patches in the box of my 36.big enough to so i can cutem at the muzzle.Can get 20 of em or so in ther.With the 54 i just cut off the strip,it aint got no patch box anyways.

 

[tg]

I rarely use a patch box, but do like the Tallow hole on one gun I have, there has been conflicting thoughts on what the originals were used for or to what degree based on residue or lack of in the box cavity, many Europen guns had them but shot a tight unpatched bullet,they were not used on trade guns or hunting smoothbores (fusils) which mainly shot ball... and many rifles did not have them, I suspect they became ornemental as much as functional,I am not sure we really know.

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

I carry Fig Newtons in mine. ::

 

[bob1961]

i can't get my box opened anymore..................bob

 

[Rebel]

I carry some pre-lubed patches in mine.