So I'm ordering some balls and patches

[Murf425]

If I get .53 balls, I would need .01 patches for a .54 rifle, right? Or would I need .005 patches?

 

[nchawkeye]

Depende upon the rifle, some have tight bores and other loose...

Order .015 and go to WalMart and buy a yard of cotton pillow ticking, red stripes...It's about .018...

 

[rafterob]

Patching thickness requirements will vary from rifle to rifle. Don't waste your money on pre cut patches. Go to a fabric store (or some Mal Warts have fabric sections) and buy pillow ticking. Usually red or blue or even black and white striped. One yard will cost from 5-8 bucks and you will get a butt load of patches out of it. Cut it into strips and then load and cut the patch material off at the muzzle. Lots of posts here on that subject. You can even pre cut square patches if you prefer not to cut at the muzzle and they shoot just as good as round ones. while you are at the fabric store get a yard of cotton jersey, the stuff they make t-shirts out of. That makes great cleaning patches.

 

[jtmattison]

What kind of rifle/pistol you shooting?

If it's Lyman, I've found all of mine prefer .535 and pillow ticking patch.

HD

 

[Little Wattsy]

My Lyman does well good the .530 ball but It shoots BEST with the .020 patch.

 

[Murf425]

What kind of rifle/pistol you shooting?

It's a GPR.

 

[cowpoke1955]

My .54 GPR's shoot great with .530 balls and the blue and white striped pillow ticking from Wal-Mart. It mics at .018.

 

[R.M.]

I'm going to guess that there's something that nobody's touched on yet that you might be missing. The patch compresses as you force the cloth and ball into the bore. The more the better, as long as you can still get it down the barrel. This is why the numbers don't add up, if that's what you were thinking. If not, just ignore this old fart. :wink:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

.530 round ball with either a .015 patch and felt wad or a .018 patch.

 

[Swampman]

.530 & Walmart ticking would be the place to start. You'd need a mallet to get the .535s started down the barrel.

 

[jtmattison]

You'd need a mallet to get the .535s started down the barrel.

Wrong. They start with just a smack on the ball starter.

:v

HD

 

[D Sanders]

.005 or even .010 seems a bit thin. Go for .015 to .018 pillow ticking or even blue denim.

 

[Many Klatch]

I'm lazy, I like a .526 ball and 015 patching in my Getz barreled .54. You shouldn't have to ram the ball down the bore with a short starter.

Many Klatch

 

[Zonie]

If I get .53 balls, I would need .01 patches for a .54 rifle, right? Or would I need .005 patches?

In my opinion, neither of the patch choices would not give good accuracy in a .54 caliber gun.

Among the things that the patch does is to seal most of the gasses behind the ball when the powder ignites.

The .54 caliber Lyman GPR has a bore of .540 but it also has rifling grooves that are .010 deep.
That makes the groove diameter equal to .560.

A .530 diameter ball plus a .010 patch around it will make the outside diameter of the patch .530 + .010 patch on one side + .010 patch on the other side which adds up to .550.

A .550 patch/ball will not seal the .560 diameter rifling grooves.

A .530 diameter ball wrapped with a .015 patch has an effective diameter of .530 + .015 + .015 or .560.
While this does equal the size of the rifling grooves theoretically it would just "touch" the bottom of the rifling grooves. Not enough to begin to seal it.

A .530 diameter ball with a .018 thick pillow ticking patch has an effective diameter of .530 + .018 + .018 or .566.
This would have a .006 diametrical interference with the rifling grooves, or about .003 per side.
.003 is about the same thickness as one human hair so it isn't much but for most folks who shoot it it seems to be enough to give good accuracy without patch burn thru in the area of the rifling grooves.

I hope this makes sense.