T-shirt Patching NOT a good Idea

[Eterry]

I've never used T-shirt as patching, but someone here suggested it last year. So I grabbed an old one I was cutting for cleaning rags and went shooting.
After 2 rounds I could smell something burning. After 3 rounds my wife saw the smoke. The weeds are real high and green thanks to rain, but that's a great thing.
She grabbed a water bottle and I put it out after taking a few pics.

The largest wildfire I ever worked in 23 years was one started by muzzleloaders shooting in a dry pasture. I can see why.
Let's Be Careful Out There.

 

[andy52]

Just any kind of patch material can do that at times. I own a range and I keep the grass cut short to avoid this sort of thing.

 

[Banjoman]

I’ve never had a spit lubed patch burn like that.

 

[Brokennock]

Some lube on the patch should have prevented that. We're you using any? If so, what?

 

[ZUG]

I've started a few woods walk fires using the Dutch Schults dry patch method. I stopped using that method after the rest of the shooters got tired of holding up the shooting by me putting out the fires that I started.

 

[Eterry]

Some lube on the patch should have prevented that. We're you using any? If so, what?

I'm a died in the wool spit patch shooter, but with the late hour and blue Jay sized mosquitoes I didn't use ANY kind of lube.
Maybe that's the issue. But I've NEVER had a patch ignite on me before. We could see flames before I approached.
I'll go back to using spit.

 

[rickystl]

I've only heard of using old T-Shirts for cleaning patches. For shooting, I would guess the weave in the T-Shirt material is too loose. ALSO, make sure the T-Shirt is not a blend - has any polyester in it. Must be 100% cotton.

 

[Brokennock]

I've only heard of using old T-Shirts for cleaning patches. For shooting, I would guess the weave in the T-Shirt material is too loose. ALSO, make sure the T-Shirt is not a blend - has any polyester in it. Must be 100% cotton.

Definitely not a good weave for a rifle, but for a smoothbore the patch isn't in as much jeopardy. It is more just there to hold the ball in place until the shot is fired, and to maybe carry some lube to make cleaning easier later.

 

[Eterry]

I've only heard of using old T-Shirts for cleaning patches. For shooting, I would guess the weave in the T-Shirt material is too loose. ALSO, make sure the T-Shirt is not a blend - has any polyester in it. Must be 100% cotton.

Last year I used Sonic napkins as wadding for the same gun. Someone suggested a t-shirt might be better. I had one handy, a clean, 100% cotton, thought I'd try it.
A dry patch probably was the main issue.

 

[tiklikker]

Has anyone tried using coffee filters, lubed, or dry for cleaning patches? Just wondering.

 

[Fatboyz]

I’ve never had a spit lubed patch burn like that.

I have, but I had spit patched while hunting and left it overnight to hunt the next day. Shot a deer and started the grass on fire in front of me.

 

[Poguetx]

We've had to stamp out patches in almost every match I've participated. The range won't even let us use muzzleloaders if the county has a burn ban in place during a drought.

 

[Eterry]

We've had to stamp out patches in almost every match I've participated. The range won't even let us use muzzleloaders if the county has a burn ban in place during a drought.

It took over a week, with every VFD and FD within 50-90 miles, TX A&M Wildfire service, Red Cross, etc,etc to control a Wildfire where I worked as Deputy Sheriff 10 years ago. Started by hunters shooting at farm equipment with muzzleloaders.
I don't recall how many thousands of acres burned.

 

[Eterry]

Has anyone tried using coffee filters, lubed, or dry for cleaning patches? Just wondering.

I haven't, but I'd be concerned about it tearing and leaving material in the bore. I've had clothe patches come off the rod end, it's a pain to get them out without a jag.

 

[springfield art]

I've never used T-shirt as patching, but someone here suggested it last year. So I grabbed an old one I was cutting for cleaning rags and went shooting.
After 2 rounds I could smell something burning. After 3 rounds my wife saw the smoke. The weeds are real high and green thanks to rain, but that's a great thing.
She grabbed a water bottle and I put it out after taking a few pics.

The largest wildfire I ever worked in 23 years was one started by muzzleloaders shooting in a dry pasture. I can see why.
Let's Be Careful Out There.

It's too stretchy, and some T's have a blend of poly in there.

 

[Eterry]

It's too stretchy, and some T's have a blend of poly in there.

I only buy 100% cotton, I don't like a blend

 

[azmntman]

Last year I used Sonic napkins as wadding for the same gun. Someone suggested a t-shirt might be better. I had one handy, a clean, 100% cotton, thought I'd try it.
A dry patch probably was the main issue.

So the one in the photo was from a smoothie? Not a PRB? Looked kinda big but not sure how far away you were. I too gotta be xtra careful, I went out yesterday for the first time since last OCT and just had my sheriff but I almost took a .50 pistol and a T-SHIRT! Glad I didn't. The humidity was in single digits and the dew point 18 yesterday. Lil breeze but smoldering can start a fire after a guy leaves and then they find ya! NEVER leave any trash etc. They will track ya down with a receipt from frys by your savers # etc. Just best to be safe. Glad yer wife had the water bottle!

 

[Eterry]

So the one in the photo was from a smoothie? Not a PRB? Looked kinda big but not sure how far away you were. I too gotta be xtra careful, I went out yesterday for the first time since last OCT and just had my sheriff but I almost took a .50 pistol and a T-SHIRT! Glad I didn't. The humidity was in single digits and the dew point 18 yesterday. Lil breeze but smoldering can start a fire after a guy leaves and then they find ya! NEVER leave any trash etc. They will track ya down with a receipt from frys by your savers # etc. Just best to be safe. Glad yer wife had the water bottle!

Yes, that's my LH 14 bore smooth bore. I got as close as possible to try to show the flames.
IMHO My problem was it was a dry patch. But still, never seen one combust before.
It was 50' from the farm house, I dowsed it with water after the pic.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Tried t shirt patches when I first started muzzleloading, and quickly learned they were the worst patching you could use.

 

[Rob M.]

Any patching material will smolder that why I use hornets nest material when I'm hunting squirrels , it won't smolder . If I'm forced to use cotton for wadding I look for the smoke and stomp it out ,no biggy . If patching for a round ball , same thing . Just look for em smoldering ....stomp em out