Reusing patches

Okay, I admit it. I am pretty cheap. Is is okay to reuses patches that have been fired? I have been able to recover a lot of my fired patches and except for some fraying arround the edges they are in good shape. I try to recover them to check for tears or blow outs, but since I have a lot of them stored away I would like to use them again unless it is a bad idea.

 

[roundball]

Okay, I admit it. I am pretty cheap. Is is okay to reuses patches that have been fired? I have been able to recover a lot of my fired patches and except for some fraying arround the edges they are in good shape. I try to recover them to check for tears or blow outs, but since I have a lot of them stored away I would like to use them again unless it is a bad idea.

I've had similar thoughts picking up some of mine, but haven't reused them due to the unknowns like:

1) Will they still 'seal' as well the second time around?
2) Is there enough lube left the second time around?
3) Is it possible that grit could scratch the bore?
4) etc...

So I simply accept the excellent condition of my patches as indications my powder/patch/lube/ball combinations are great and I don't tinker with it
:m2c:

 

[RussB]

I have heard of others doing this very same thing. I never have.......for no particular reason.
I have found some of mine that I feel sure it would have been safe to do so, but I never did.

Russ

 

I've used the same patch for a 5 shot group at 50yd. Offhand. This was a challenge by a new shooter who was getting blow-throughs and claimed he read that was normal & it happened to everone. The article he read also said that that's why muzzleloaders were innacurate & had to be cleaned very shot to allow loading the next round.
: My group was 2" centre to centre. He watched the patch each shot and retrieved it for me. It did get burnt and tattered around the perifery but worked just fine.
: It was a .022" DENIM patch cut on the muzzle, lubed with spit.
: He now knows more about black powder loading and shooting.

 

[jaybeach]

Nothin' like a good object lesson to get a point across, eh Daryl? :thumbsup:

 

yip - worked perfectly. He was complaining his .010 thick tee-shirt patches were too thick to load in his borrowed .50 cal with .490 balls. He wouldn't even try anything else - wasn't worth the effort cause, he said, they just burnt up anyway and were only there to hold the ball so it wouldn't roll out.
: His only interest was to extend the season 2 more weeks to try to get a moose(or have someoone shoot it for him), and when they closed the season down due to inlines, scopes and slugs, before he made it on a hunt, so he quit BP(quit borrowing the Italian 1/2 stock). Kinda limp-wristed, he was.

 

[Tahquamenon]

For range sessions, I pick them up to not only inspect the condition but to not leave patches scattered all over.

I would not use them again for risk of contanmination not to mention depleted performance characteristics as Roundball mentioned.

However, if on the really tight budget, I suppose you could put them in a small nylon washing pouch like used for small items and wash them. If they did not end up too frayed from washing, you could possibly reuse them.

Eventually, I think the material would erode to the point that accuracy will be comprimised.

You could also buy patch material in bulk and cut your own to save costs as well. I've been considering that for some time.

:results:

 

[CrackStock]

I encourage you to reuse your patches -- specially when we are competing! <G>

Actually the frayed area that you mentioned is the only area that matters. That is your seal and where the ball gets its spin.

If you are all that cheap, just buy some cloth (100% cotton pillow ticking at WalMart works) and cut into wide strips. Lube as you find works and cut at the muzzle. Quite cheap and also accurate.

YMHS,
CrackStock

PS,
I also pick up any old patches so as not to leave a mess.
I have friends that just drive them into the ground with the ramrod.

CS