Would this work?

Was wondering if this would work.If you had a sqaure patch and you centered a ball on it,then sewed opposite corners together,just one stitch,then you would have patch and ball together and maybe not have to mess with a loading block,making more room in your hunting bag.Would the patch sepparate like its supposed to,or hurt accurracy?

 

[musketman]

It depends on a few things, the strength of the thread, the weave of the patch (on the area sewn)

I would say that it will work, the ramrod would weaken the thread as you loaded it and the centrifugal force exerted by the rifling would pull the strands apart and free the two while in the barrel...

The best way would be to try it and see...

 

Didnt get the idea till I got done shooting today.Might be a fast second shot,or a hair brained idea.

 

[RC]

Might be interesting to try, if ya have someone there to watch for the patch...don't know if it'd be any faster than a loading block,unless you had a small belt pouch to carry them in for easy access.I'm not crazy about loadin blocks myself,not real good at centering them over the barrel,in a hurry.. but some people use them all the time,guess you gotta go with what works for you,,but I'd like to know how it works..keep us informed! good luck! RC

 

[Norskie]

You'll maybe get flyers from patches letting go in random directions or at random times. You might oughta try paper cartriges if you want to speed up loading.
R.C. My trick for centering a loading block is to have the prb stick out a little on the bottom.

 

I think Ill make about 5 of them and try it later today and check accurracy.If it works Ill ad it to my hunting bag.

 

[rifleshooter2]

The Baker rifle used a prelubed leather patch that as sewn to the ball I believe.

Andy

 

Went and tried the sewn patches.Shot 5 shots at 75 yards prone off the hood of the truck,had a ???mph cross wind.I was moving a little.I pulled a couple of shots.The target was a 8 inch plate.

 

[Rebel]

Well, it don't appear that the patches went through the plate with the ball, so i guess it worked. :thumbsup:

 

[Slowpoke]

Shot 5 shots at 75 yards prone off the hood of the truck.....

Would have loved to have seen that..... :rotf:

 

Shot 5 shots at 75 yards prone off the hood of the truck.....

Would have loved to have seen that..... :rotf:

OK I had my feet on the ground.I should have said half vertically prone.

 

[Slowpoke]

Crow,
I forgot to ask.... are you shooting this out of a smoothbore or rifle? I seem to recall people doing this for smoothbores, but dipping the ball/patch combo in a stiff lube and letting it dry.

SP

 

Its a rifle.The patches were lubed then sewn.Lube is lard and beeswax.Patch is muslin,its cheap by the yard.If I would have shot of a bench accuracy "might" have been better,but it will do for hunting.

 

[mmahlock]

The sewn on leather patches from the period for Baker Rifles that I've seen were in the shape of four elipses radiating from a small central circle with each ending in a point. They were sized so that there was no overlap of the leaves and they came together with just enough material to sew togther with one stitch through each one. A very tight and aerodynamic package. :hatsoff:

 

[musketman]

Its a rifle.The patches were lubed then sewn.Lube is lard and beeswax.Patch is muslin,its cheap by the yard.If I would have shot of a bench accuracy "might" have been better,but it will do for hunting.

Might be less of a mess for you if you sewn them first, then dip 'em... :hmm:

By the way, did you find any separated patches on front of the muzzle to confirm the indeed let go?

 

[shmrck1]

CROWHOP,
Looks like you have preaty much
answered you own question. Looks like it
works just fine.
snake-eyes :applause: :hatsoff:

 

Might be less of a mess for you if you sewn them first, then dip 'em... :hmm:

By the way, did you find any separated patches on front of the muzzle to confirm the indeed let go?

The patches arent that messy,I sqeeze out alot of excess lube.The patches I found still had two corners sewn together.Wish I had a bench to shoot off of,I think I could have pulled those two outter shots closer in.

 

The sewn on leather patches from the period for Baker Rifles that I've seen were in the shape of four elipses radiating from a small central circle with each ending in a point. They were sized so that there was no overlap of the leaves and they came together with just enough material to sew togther with one stitch through each one. A very tight and aerodynamic package. :hatsoff:

I thought I was the only one to think of this,I had thoughts on a loading block also till I joined this forum.Kinda like finding out someone has already invented the frisbee. :shocked2: :haha:

 

[mmahlock]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Just take a pie plate and turn it upside down and let her fly. :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Been around for every since. :rotf: :hatsoff:

 

[mmahlock]

On a more serious note. In 1823 Ezekiel Baker the designer of the famous "Baker Rifle" noted in his book Remarks on Rifle Guns that he didn't think is was a good idea to paste patches of leather or any other material on balls. He states,

for in their flight they gather the air, and make a noise similar to a humming-top, which most certainly impedes their progress, and necessarily alters or changes their direction.

:hatsoff: