What diameter should my patches be?

[Carbmonster]

Anyone know a rough guess of what diameter I should make my .45 TC patches?

 

[David W.]

About 1-3/8". For any round ball, multiply by 3, or to be more accurate, multiply by 3.14. However, there would be nothing wrong with using a 3-1/2" patch.

 

[BrownBear]

On precut patches I like enough "slop" to allow me to load easily even if the patch isn't exactly centered on the bore.

When cutting at the muzzle though, they come out to almost exactly bore diameter when I seat the top of the ball just below the muzzle. I've cut a few that small for precuts, but what a PITA to center them with cold fingers.

 

[Carbmonster]

Thanks a million. What exactly does cutting at the bore entail? How does that work? I am unfamiliar with the term. I know someone will shake their head, and bemoan the heavens concerning noobs, but I am here to learn.

 

[bkovire]

you take your patch cloth place it over brl, put your rb on it, press it in, just to hold it in place, take sharper than sharp knife, cut around brl, ram them down, one dose have to put powder in brl first, i know, that is called dry ball. welcome, you will learn a lot i have. :thumbsup:

 

[ohio ramrod]

Just remember there are two kinds of people who shoot muzzle loaders: "Those that have dry balled, and those that will!" :rotf: :rotf:

 

[David W.]

Just remember there are two kinds of people who shoot muzzle loaders: "Those that have dry balled, and those that will!" :rotf: :rotf:

I just want you to know, I resemble that remark! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[bkovire]

my luck, wont be the last time, and no one around with 4f, or caned air. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Carbmonster]

Interestingly, when I got the old smokepole out to reinvigorate my interest I was cleaning it and my plastic jag (not for ML rifles) head broke off. I broke my patch puller trying to pull it, tried to burn it out with gasoline, tried an air compressor, and then realized, 'why don't I blast it out,' so I put some powder down the plug hole, put the nipple back in and fired away. Took two tries, but I got it out.

A few minutes ago, my ramrod head came off with the brush screwed to it. pulled the rod, slapped on some super glue, stuck it back in the rod head, waited five minutes and pulled the whole thing out of the barrel with a pair of pliers.

I will be ordering a synthetic rod this week. Any brand suggestions?

By the way, I am a bad luck sink so don't come within a mile of me and a loaded weapon, though when shooting deer I have tremendous luck, and considerably less skill. That's uncle sam training for ya'

thanks for exp. on cutting at the bore

 

[BrownBear]

I don't know if anyone will top a friend of mine for dry balling. He did it twice in the same attempt to fire.

He gets to talking and is kinda easy to distract, but evidently he dry balled, convinced himself he'd not loaded at all, so added powder and seated another ball. Still wouldn't shoot.

We didn't figure out what was going on til CO2 produced powder and TWO balls.

Like I said, easy to distract.

 

[bkovire]

give ohio ram rod a how do, he could make you a ram rod. he did for me, best i'v seen. good craftsman ship, no BS.

 

[bkovire]

don't be give'n me any ideas. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Carbmonster]

thanks a bunch

 

[wittzo]

It amazes me that those CO2 rigs produce enough gas pressure to blow a ball out of a barrel. I ruined the tip of one of my (cheap) ball screws after trying to hammer it into the ball...

 

[luieb45]

I bought one of those co2 things and had a stuck load and shot the air into the barrel and nothing happened so I had to pull it with the screw.

 

[bkovire]

some times it the old way that works best. when i had my dry ball, the gent that helped me out, used up 2 co2 cyl, then he took out my drum screw, poured in some 4f put screw back in put cap on and pink out came the ball. this can also be done by the removing nipple, as long as you have the wrench.

 

[Billnpatti]

Your best patches should be between 2.5 and 3 times the diameter of the ball. Any larger and you could have trouble, when you go to seat your ball, with it wrapping up around your rammer jag, if the jag is anywhere close to your bore diameter.

 

[ohio ramrod]

If you are interested in a top of the line puller made from twinfast (drywall ) screws let me know on a PM