So, what's in your patchbox?

[dcriner]

I have a TVM early Lancaster (flintlock) which I ordered without a patchbox. My theory is that patchboxes might be useful for hunters, but I am a target shooter and plinker. So, for me, a patchbox would be purely ornamental, or maybe just contributing to originality?

Even for a hunter, I would think a possibles bag would be enough. Maybe in a war, where combat was encountered seldom, it might have been reassuring to have a few mini-rounds in a patchbox where they could be readily accessed.

 

[biliff]

Patches.

 

[ohio ramrod]

What is a patch box? :idunno: :idunno:

 

[Rifleman1776]

My fowler has no patchbox.
My Jaeger has no patchbox.
My Rev. period style longrifle has the foot of a squirrel in it's patchbox. That represents the first meat ever made by the rifle.

 

[Lonegun1894]

That there doohickey is the shiny piece of metal some manufacturers put in the side of a gunstock to scare away game and allow an inexperienced hunted to signal for help by reflecting the sunlight off of it when they get lost.

I dont like them, and dont use them as I keep my stuff in my bag, but do think they can be useful at times if for some reason you dont have your bag. The guns that I have that came with them, I just let them tarnish/patina/age to get rid of the shine.

 

[sepiatone]

A nice cigar and a match.

 

[Rod Lassey]

A worm (spiral wire type), a bit of tow, and something to plug the vent--splinter of wood or feather.

I never have done so, but grease or patching would be correct---here's a quote from John James Audubon that Labonte posted on an old thread:

John J. Audubon in 1820-21 watches his host prepare for a night of raccoon hunting:

"”¦ He blows through his rifle to ascertain that it is clear, examines his flint, and thrusts a feather into the touch-hole. To a leathern bag swung at his side is attached a powder-horn; his sheath-knife is there also; below hangs a narrow strip of homespun linen. He takes from his bag a bullet, pulls with his teeth the wooden stopper from his powder-horn, lays the ball in one hand, and with the other pours the powder upon it until it is just overtopped. Raising the horn to his mouth, he again closes it with the stopper, and restores it to its place. He introduces the powder into the tube; springs the box of his gun, greases the "patch" over with some melted tallow, or damps it; then places it on the honey-combed muzzle of his piece. The bullet is placed on the patch over the bore, and pressed with the handle of the knife, which now trims the edge of the linen. The elastic hickory rod, held with both hands, smoothly pushes the ball to its bed; once, twice, thrice has it rebounded. The rifle leaps as it were into the hunters arms, the feather is drawn from the touch-hole, the powder fills the pan, which is closed. “Now I’m ready,” cries the woodsman”¦."
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/248815/tp/1/

Rod

 

[Loyalist Dave]

A cleaning jag, a worm, and two spare flints, a compartment with bullet lube, and two .390 round ball. (A .40 caliber rifle has small "bits" compared to a standard sized patch box with sliding wooden top.) :grin: My .54 has no patch box.

LD

 

[Mike Suri]

I understand that but I do like sliding wood patchboxes. They don't shine. You just have to make sure they don't open up when you least expect it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

That has to be all wrong. :shocked2:
Patch (sheath) knife attached to strap, patch cloth in strips, measure before pouring into bore; blowing into muzzle to make sure all is clear; using short starter (knife handle); bouncing ram rod to make sure load is seated.
Wat nonsense. Who ever heerd of someone doing all that to load a rifle? :wink:
Thread counters, the door out is to yer left. :rotf:

 

[BrownBear]

...springs the box of his gun, greases the "patch" over with some melted tallow....

I've always wondered about putting lube in the "patch" box, along the lines of a lube hole in the stock but with a cover. Makes sense to me as a way to keep lube handy but covered and protected from crud.

Kinda negates putting anything else in the box of course, but in a lot of ways it fits what I do lubing and cutting the patch at the muzzle. Kinda nice to think about leaving the tin of lube at home.

Thanks Rod. I'm likely to try it.

 

[Dean2]

For that real fast reload, or when you forget your patches, you may want to try firing a few balls unpatched. I think you will be suprised by the relative accuracy of even an unpatched ball, at least under 75 yrds.

To the original question, none of my guns have patch boxes and it has never occured to me to add any.

 

[George]

I've always wondered about putting lube in the "patch" box, along the lines of a lube hole in the stock but with a cover. Makes sense to me as a way to keep lube handy but covered and protected from crud.

You might find this interesting. From "Travels Through the States of North America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, During the Years of 1795, 1796 and 1797", by Isaac Weld, Jr., a young Englishman.

"The best of powder is chosen for the rifle barrel gun, and after a proper proportion of it is put down the barrel, the ball is enclosed in a small bit of linen rag, well greased at the outside, and then forced down with a thick ramrod. The grease and the bits of rag, which are called patches, are carried in a little box at the butt-end of the gun. "

Spence

 

[Rifleman1776]

BTW, isn't the term "patchbox" a later day thing?
I believe back in the day, they were referred to as "butt traps". And, many readings relate to finding flints, tow worms, etc. in them.

 

[hanshi]

BTW, isn't the term "patchbox" a later day thing?
I believe back in the day, they were referred to as "butt traps". And, many readings relate to finding flints, tow worms, etc. in them.

No, no, no! A butt trap is what you set for yourself when you try and sneak another gun into the safe past the lady.

 

[George]

BTW, isn't the term "patchbox" a later day thing?

No, it's from the day, used in the 18th century.

I have never found a reference using the term "patchbox", or "patch box"in my database of 18th-century newspapers in connection with guns. I've found the term "patch boxes" dozens of times, but it always refers to a box used by the ladies of the time to hold the beauty spots which they stuck on their faces to make themselves attractive. I do have several references, such as this one, which use the term "box" in relation to guns, just not "patch box".

"THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE 3
July 26, 1776
STOLEN from my company of marines, at Fredericksburg , a RIFLE GUN 3 feet 8 or 9 inches barrel, about half an inch bore, with a brass box, marked on the top square of the barrel Fredericksburg , and the maker's name, which I do not remember."

I do have one which uses the term "patch box" as we do, which I collected here on the forum.

Hargestown Washington Spy, of 19 March, 1794

"$10 REWARD. Stolen the night of the 17th inst., out of my house, one rifle with Brass patch box, JOHN NOLL engraved on the barrel."

I don't find "butt trap" in any of my 18th-century references.

Spence

 

[stormcrow]

My Rev. period style longrifle has the foot of a squirrel in it's patchbox. That represents the first meat ever made by the rifle.

100 years from now there will be a debate on some forum about when your rifle was made, and what purpose squirrel's feet served to shooters from that time period. :grin:

 

[Mike Suri]

I'm sure you are right.
Maybe a petrified foot !

 

[cynthialee]

My Rev. period style longrifle has the foot of a squirrel in it's patchbox. That represents the first meat ever made by the rifle.

100 years from now there will be a debate on some forum about when your rifle was made, and what purpose squirrel's feet served to shooters from that time period. :grin:

I think you just had a precient flash of future events!
:haha:

I can so see this happen. Especially if the gun enthusists in the future were to find referance of more than one gun with a squirl foot in it.

 

[Rev_William]

My Rev. period style longrifle has the foot of a squirrel in it's patchbox. That represents the first meat ever made by the rifle.

100 years from now there will be a debate on some forum about when your rifle was made, and what purpose squirrel's feet served to shooters from that time period. :grin:

I think you just had a precient flash of future events!
:haha:

I can so see this happen. Especially if the gun enthusists in the future were to find referance of more than one gun with a squirl foot in it.

I doubt that would happen the 1st thing they'd do would be to google squirrels foot in patch box and this thread would be the 1st hit then they'd ask Claude to clarify this was an original post not made up lmao