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Washing patch material

anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
edited June 2012 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
Just wondering about washing patch material ... do you find it necessary? Not the cleaning patches, but the pillow ticking for patching the roundball.

Also, is cutting them square ... or cutting them round ... or cutting them at the muzzle the best way to go? or does it make any difference at all?
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    andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Washing will help soften the material and make loading easier.

    As far as precutting, circle vs square vs hexagon,etc, and cutting at the muzzle goes, it may make some difference but, honestly, in shooting MLs for the past 40 years, I cannot tell the practical difference in performance and accuracy. [:)]
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    cbyerlycbyerly Member Posts: 689 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It also removes the sizing chemicals.
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    stegsteg Member Posts: 871 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sizing on natural fiber threads is starch, whereas it is a chemical for synthetic fibers.
    Only 100% Cotton fabric should be used for muzzle loading patches. If you use a partial synthetic/cotton fabric (like used in much modern bedding) the flame will melt rather than burn the synthetic part and really foul your gun. You can test fabric for this by burning a piece of the fabric with a steady flame. Natural fibers will burn with a clean edge and synthetics and partial synthetics will form a bead at the base of the flame.
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    Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,196 ******
    edited November -1
    I just cut it to the width and cut the length to a couple of feet and tie it on my pouch strap. Start the ball then cut the rest.
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Looks like I'm going to be changing my patching technique! Who says you can't teach an old dawg new tricks!
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    MMOMEQ-55MMOMEQ-55 Member Posts: 13,134
    edited November -1
    Originally posted by Chief Shaway
    I just cut it to the width and cut the length to a couple of feet and tie it on my pouch strap. Start the ball then cut the rest.
    [/quote



    This was also my method until I was given some TC patches lubed with Bore Butter. I still have some patch material hanging from my pouch but only for show. Love that Bore Butter.
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    Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,196 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MMOMEQ-55
    quote:Originally posted by Chief Shaway
    I just cut it to the width and cut the length to a couple of feet and tie it on my pouch strap. Start the ball then cut the rest.
    [/quote



    This was also my method until I was given some TC patches lubed with Bore Butter. I still have some patch material hanging from my pouch but only for show. Love that Bore Butter.

    You REALLY don't want to forget and put one of those things in your mouth. [:D]
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I too am a big believer in T/C Bore Butter. I've been cutting my square patches and putting a dab of Bore Butter on them in a stack in a metal box and pop them in the toaster oven. I'm wondering if you can do the same thing with a role of material?
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    OK ... I've got some washed patches ... some cut in squares ... some on a roll. And I have some of my old .495 round ball and some new .490 round ball. Now I need some range time to really check things out.

    A few days ago I went out to the range for a club meeting, and I went early to check things out, but I decided to help a friend with some lawn mowing. Oh well, there's always NEXT time!
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