english setter

I want to cut Lubed patches for RB's - NOT for cleaning but shooting. Thought I'd cut layers of cloth into squares width of diam of round patches.

Quest: is it necessary to cut all 4 corners so round because will increase pressure in barrel? Seen guys cut patches w knife when seating RB's.
Will extra material effect flight or accuracy of ball? what material? flannel ok?
ok use Crisco for lube/ ThaNKS!

wabi

Get some ALL COTTON pillow ticking and wash it before you use it. Square will work, but cut into strips & lubed then short-start the ball & cut flush with the muzzle might be a better option.

frontier gander

crisco is a great lube. What you do is use a little plastic bowl, melt the crisco in the microwave and then soak your precut patches. Material MUST be 100% cotton. That synthetic chit doesnt work.

http://www.possibleshop.com/patch.htm

Get a couple of the bulk Pillow ticking. Its excellent material that can handle a stiff charge of powder and not burn up. Melt crisco or melted bore butter and soak your precut patches in it and then put them in a plastic sealed bag and put them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden the lube. Makes it easier to handle and not as messy.

Rock Lock

You might want to try this. Instead of cutting squares,which work fine, cut the patch material in strips,fold it up wide enough for your ball and then cut the corners off in a diamond shape. This way your patches will be all tied together like the little kids do when they cut out chains of paper dolls. They will be in a strip of diamonds and will seperate easy. Pin them to your bagstrap and you will have easy access. This works with any material and you won't have to dig in your bag for singles.
Rock Lock

nchawkeye

English...Go to WalMart and buy a yard of red cotton pillow ticking, it's .018 thick, wash and dry in the dryer to help remove the starch and sizing...

For 25 years or so, I lubed with SnoSeal, it worked fine...This past summer I made my own, I melted 2 parts bees wax, 8 parts castor oil and 2 parts Murphy's Oil soap...This is a mix I picked up at www.muzzleloading.com

I cut the pillow ticking into strips, about 1 1/4 inches wide...Place on newspaper, take a putty knife and spread both sides with the lube, roll the patching up and put in a microwave for about 20 seconds...I keep a roll inside my patchbox and load my loading block up with the others...I just seat the ball flush with the block (or muzzle of the rifle), take my knife and cut off the excess...The beauty of this, you don't have to worry about centering the ball on a round pre cut patch...

Some guys just cut square patches and the accuracy is fine...I never worry about the excess as the patch falls off quickly after leaving the muzzle...

Mossie

I have been shooting roundball flintlocks for many years. I test and try different stuff just to see what works in my rifles and what does not and it still amazes me to this day how changing just 1 component of the load results to dramatic differences in some rifles. I have always had better results with Goex 2f in my rifles over 3f and could not understand why; the reason I have just recently been informed of is that my rifles are flintlocks and the ignition characteristics are different than those of caplocks; many of which have much better performance with 3f.

I use Criso lube on my patches because of all the things I have tried Crisco delivers the absolute best accuracy in my TC 1/66 twist .010 depth of groove.50 caliber barrels. Crisco has drawbacks with extreme hot weater and extreme cold weater but other than that it remains pliabe and does not run out. I have tried over two dozen commercial lubes and homebrews and none compare to the tack driving consistency in my rifles. One lube and solvent combination that I have yet to try, but intend to is Hoppe's Black Powder lube/solvent; It gets good recommendation from some very good traditional shooters.

I have also went from store bought patches, to bulk material and hand cutting my patches; to my current method of cutting at the muzzle. My suggustion is to buy your patch material in yards, tear/cut it into strips and cut at the muzzle for the best accuracy.

nchawkeye

English, go to WalMart and buy a yard of their red striped pillow ticking, it is all cotton and .018 thick...

Some guys cut at the muzzle, some cut at the loading block, some cut round patches with a hole saw with the teeth filed off and some cut square patches...It doesn't matter all will produce good accuracy...

I used SnoSeal for lube for about 25 years, this summer I made some from 2 parts bees wax, 8 parts castor oil and 2 parts Murphy's Oil soap...I found this at www.muzzleloading.com

I cut a strip of patching 1 1/4 inch wide, spread the lube on both sides, with a putty knife and roll the strip up and microwave for 20 seconds....I can then store this in my patch box...