Question about patches

[tnlonghunter]

I'm going to admit to some ignorance here. What is the significance of finding/recovering patches after firing a shot. You'd think that after 6-7 years of shooting a flinter regularly, I'd have picked that up somewhere, but my rifle always seemed to hit what I aimed at, so I never thought about it. I've never been able to recover a patch though. I tend to use the CVA pre-lubed patches (with some extra lube) when hunting (.015" thick @ .50 and 75 grs. FFFg), and spit patch with some plain generic cotton cloth from Walmart when target shooting.

So, what does it mean if I can't find a patch? If I do find one, what is it supposed to tell me. How far downrange from the firing position should I be looking. Thanks!

 

[renovato]

The condition of the patch tells you a lot of what's going on with the load combination you're using. Looking for frayed edges, cuts, etc., tells you whether to use a wad, reduce load, try another lube or ball size. If the balls are going where they're supposed to, and the patch is in good condition, then you've dialed in the right load combo.

 

[paulvallandigham]

First of all, as a buddy to stand behind and next to you to watch the patch as it comes out the muzzle. He can see it better from an angle that you will from behind the gun barrel. Most patches land within 15-20 feet of the muzzle. Some much closer. Wind direction is important to notice, as they are light, and are easily blown down wind.

When you find the patch, first look to see if it has any holes, or is torn. If either condition exists, and persists for 3 shots, you have a serious problem and most probably a lousy group. Change the lube, consider using a thicker patch, or use some kind of wad over the powder to protect the patch around the ball from burning. On new guns, you may have burrs on the lands of the rifling that are cutting the patch. You will see small square holes wherethe lands are impressed against the ball( or were), but usually not tears that go out to the edge. You can remove the burrs by lapping the barrel, using steel wool wrapped around a bore brush, or just by shooting the gun enough that it laps the burrs off in time. But that last often requires 100 shot or more, without any real accuracy, and most shooters are not that patient to see if their barrel is going to be accurate or not.

A good patch-lube-ball diameter combination will show a little scorching on the middle circle of the patch, where the bottom of the ball was, then rectangular stripes radiating out representing the lands of the gun. The very edge of the patch will be frayed because the cloth is whipped like a bullwhip when it hits the air at the muzzle of the barrel and separates from the ball. You will have some discoloration form the edge of that char circle, on each groove, representing where the lead pressed the cloth into the grooves, but no charring. The rest of the patch from that discoloration t the edge will have some faint lines showing where the grooves and lands meet, but no discoloration. The patch will not be otherwise torn, and won't have any holes. In fact, you should be able to reuse the patch by adding a little more lube to it, and maybe turning it around.

 

[trent/OH]

If the wind isn't very strong, your patches will be found maybe 25'-30' downrange.
If you are using saliva as a lube, DON'T be tempted to reuse them! :rotf:

 

[roundball]

Here's a couple examples:
.50cal - 50grns Goex 3F, .015" Oxyoke prelubed plain cotton patchs, Hornady .490s...top couple rows are the fire side, bottom rows were around the ball.

.62cal smoothbore, 80grns Goex 3F, Oxyoke .018" prelubed pillow ticking, Rush Creek .595 cast ball

 

[Stumpkiller]

If you find charring and jagged holes you need a thicker patch and/or better or more lube. If it has clean slices you need to shoot more or use a thinner patch. If it's stuck to the target you need to back up. If there is unburnt powder stuck to it you're using too much lube.

You shouldn't see light through one when you hold it up to the sky.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

What do frayed edges mean?

 

[roundball]

What do frayed edges mean?

Pretty normal effects of a several hundred MPH wind blast hitting the cloth edges at muzzle exit with flame and pressure pushing from behind at the same time...and thicker stronger material might fray less than thinner weaker material, etc

 

[Stumpkiller]

What do frayed edges mean?

Means those were fired out of a 1:48" twist rifle and they were overstressed by the centripital forces. :haha: That, or my patch knife was dull. I usually load up ball-blocks and then load the rifle from them. That's extra handling and could fray trhe edges more than normal. They also had to suffer the half mile walk back from the "range" stuffed in the haversack with all my other treasures.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I agree with Roundball> If you have every cracked a whip, and then examined the end of the whip, or rope, it also frays. The fraying is a normal result of the cloth hitting the air at the muzzle at several hundred miles per hour. The whipping action on the patch is what makes the patch separate from the round ball at the muzzle consistently. When the patched round ball system was invented by some unknown shooter, he could not have any means to know what exactly was happening at the muzzle to changed the tightly woven cloth patch from how it appeared when it was loaded down the barrel around the ball. We do, with time lapse photograhy.

 

[strongarm]

Quality patch material is hard to come by. After reading all these comments, keep them in mind and shoot for the best accurracy you can do. Some materials will fray easier than others. If you're happy with your shooting, buy lots of that patch material and BE HAPPY. If not, try a different material.

I buy mine at a fabric shop. Wash the fabric in a washing machine by adding 1 cup vinagar to a minimum amount of water and hang up to dry. Hot water and hot clothes dryers will cause the fabric to shrink and thicken. Synthetic lubes will do the same thing. Natural lubes will cause the fabric to thin out. Measure your patch by not what some company says it is, but by using a micrometer or a caliper with a little pressure against the cloth. Fabrics to try all have to be 100% cotton. Look for "pillow ticking", "duck", or "twill".