Are manufacturers trending toward thicker patches?

[Dirk]

After a 10 year hiatus, I broke out the Thompson Center .58 Big Boar, maybe a half-dozen times in the last two years. In the first couple of outings, I used up my old patches and had to order new ones. They're all too tight! I'm using .570 round balls and can only start a ball with great difficulty, and also with more distortion to the ball than I would like. I've tried 3 different brands, and also checked Joann's Fabric for ticking to make my own. Everything I've measured has been between .015 and .018" thick. I seem to recall .012" being more typical.
Has anyone else noticed a trend toward thicker ticking in modern patches? I know it seems unlikely, but I never had this problem before.

Read More

 

[Mark W.]

Interesting I always used a .020" thick patch started that is 1983 haven't changed since. I use a nice canvas type material I think from Old Mikes. Haven't bought any patched in a dozen or more years and won;'t have to for a dozen more (I stocked up)

 

[Dirk]

Interesting I always used a .020" thick patch started that is 1983 haven't changed since. I use a nice canvas type material I think from Old Mikes. Haven't bought any patched in a dozen or more years and won;'t have to for a dozen more (I stocked up)

Thanks Mark, can I ask what bore and ball diameter you're using? It occurs to me that my TC is pretty shallow grooves, compared to a traditional slow-twist round-ball rifle. Of course, that still doesn't explain why its so much harder now than it was. (couldn't be my age, could it?)

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I haven't noticed thicker patches as a general rule.
However....
I have experienced one company's .15 is closer to say a .18.

And with that said....
I haven't bought patches in a long while.

T/C and their shallow grooves can hold fouling / build up fouling fairly quick at times...which can make for more difficult loading.
Andy

 

[Mark W.]

My rifle is a TC Hawkin kit from about 1981 the barrel how ever is a limited production Green Mountain its got .010 deep rifling with a 1-72" round barrel twist and is 34" long. and 15/16" across the flats. For a short period of time Green Mountain made them as a direct drop in for the TC Hawkin. I got luck enough to trade into one. It is target rifle accurate. I run a .490 swedged round ball with a .020" patch and some form of Moose Milk lube My normal load for target or hunting is 70grs. of 3f powder.

 

[Hooyah DeepSea]

@Mark W., (slightly off thread but,) for a 34", 50 caliber barrel you might want to shift to 2F rather than 3F. You will get more drive. Your 70Grs. of 'pistol powder' is getting burned up in the first half of the barrel whereas if you used rifle powder you'd get push for the whole length of the tube.

Granted, if you are happy with your present load and it works for you, stick with it; i.e. don't fix what ain't broke. But you might try the other stuff just to see if things might be even better.

 

[Mark W.]

@Mark W., (slightly off thread but,) for a 34", 50 caliber barrel you might want to shift to 2F rather than 3F. You will get more drive. Your 70Grs. of 'pistol powder' is getting burned up in the first half of the barrel whereas if you used rifle powder you'd get push for the whole length of the tube.

Granted, if you are happy with your present load and it works for you, stick with it; i.e. don't fix what ain't broke. But you might try the other stuff just to see if things might be even better.

Sure OK but 42 years of using 70 grains of 3F In this rifle and the accuracy and knock down results I have gotten when shooting deer leads me to NOT CHANGE A THING ABOUT MY LOAD. I haven't adjusted my sights on this rifle for over 40 years and then only because I changed to a narrower from sight. This rifle will hit a small Styrofoam coffee cup while standing consitantly at 125 yards. I have dropped a 140lb Blacktail buck at 90 paces where it stood. I'm not arguing with you about 2F verses 3F but in my case with this rifle I hesitate to change anything after as I say 42 years of experience.

 

[Hooyah DeepSea]

I'm not arguing with you about 2F verses 3F but in my case with this rifle I hesitate to change anything after as I say 42 years of experience.

Hell no, I wouldn't either . . . like I said, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[thorborg]

I'm a tenderfoot on Black powder but was briefly mentored many years ago to use a good quality Irish linen. Have not done any comparison testing with other stuff so just went with what works. Not exactly cheap but a yard of the material goes a long way for the once in a while user. Better quality linen holds a consistent thickness. My stuff runs .013 to .014 if I remember and can be easily sorted out after cutting for consistent size. but take your micrometer to measure before purchase.

I was told, and followed his advice to boil the linen to remove the sizing then smooth out but don't wring, and air dry. Not sure, but maybe is abrasive, its a starch. Patches don't need to be round, square works fine and that, I have compared to the purchases patches I started with, and (I) saw no difference.
If you don't have a fabric wheel cutter, get one, and the right plastic to cut on. cutting any fabric or thin leather with them is amazing. I struggled with trying to make weight measured and arcuate size on cotton batten with scissors for my 45-70 cartridges until I got one and sure glad I did. With a steel rule precise and nice looking patches can be made in a breeze.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Old flannel bed sheets work well as patches....
To be honest here...while I use 'em...I ain't never measured them.
I would guess that Daniel Boone and Kit Carson never measured their patches either....
Andy

 

[Mark W.]

If you want round patches an Arch punch can be had or you can just take a piece of steel tubing the right size and bevel on end to a sharp edge and use a rubber mallet to punch them out A rubber cutting board works good for a base. I use this method to make 2" D sanding disc's from 8" disc's MUCH cheaper.

 

[Dirk]

I'm a tenderfoot on Black powder but was briefly mentored many years ago to use a good quality Irish linen. Have not done any comparison testing with other stuff so just went with what works. Not exactly cheap but a yard of the material goes a long way for the once in a while user. Better quality linen holds a consistent thickness. My stuff runs .013 to .014 if I remember and can be easily sorted out after cutting for consistent size. but take your micrometer to measure before purchase.

I was told, and followed his advice to boil the linen to remove the sizing then smooth out but don't wring, and air dry. Not sure, but maybe is abrasive, its a starch. Patches don't need to be round, square works fine and that, I have compared to the purchases patches I started with, and (I) saw no difference.
If you don't have a fabric wheel cutter, get one, and the right plastic to cut on. cutting any fabric or thin leather with them is amazing. I struggled with trying to make weight measured and arcuate size on cotton batten with scissors for my 45-70 cartridges until I got one and sure glad I did. With a steel rule precise and nice looking patches can be made in a breeze.

View attachment 1418564

Thanks guys, for the helpful suggestions, I have a couple of things I'll try as a result. Ultimately, I'd like to fit a proper round-ball-twist barrel to that rifle, but that's a different thread!