The movie "Patriot"....

[Huntinfool]

Hey Joe,

We did a test several of our guys tried loading without using a patch and we were able to hit 6" gongs at 35 to 40 yards.

You'd be surprized at how good a rifle will shoot with an undersized ball and no patch. Try it sometime it'll make a believer out of ya!

If I was runnin' with Injuns hot on my tail lookin' to lift my hair I think I'd load without a patch. I'm sure that the fronteirsmen did also.

YMH&OS, :redthumb:
Chuck

 

[Ohio Joe]

I agree, a patch is not needed if one must load and shoot quickly, be it rifle or smoothbore. I have not tried it myself, but I've watch others do it.

As for myself, if I'm shooting a timed event with my .45 Dickert, I just use a, .433 RB with a .015 patch right out of the bullet block and no trouble at all pushing it into the muzzle and ramming it home with the rod. Nice thing about that is the patch sticks right to the ball out of the block. I usually use a .445 RB, with .015 patch otherwise...

Us older guys have to take every advantage we can think of to keep up with the younger generation in these mountain man runs, and course of fire timed events... Losing a step here and there over the years gets a persons mind a working! :thumbsup: