Canvas patch material?

[Canuck Bob]

Any advice or experience with canvas patch material? I'm wondering about the lower ounce ratings and #10 and #8. I looked at Minute Men Patching's site and it looks like canvas. This is for a .54 Lyman Deerstalker.

Edit: I'm planning to use Dutch's Ballistol lube system. Diluted Ballistol dried on a prelubed patch.

[stubshaft]

I just take my mic to the store and measure it. The ounce ratings do not tell me what the material measures.

[indian joe]

Any advice or experience with canvas patch material? I'm wondering about the lower ounce ratings and #10 and #8. I looked at Minute Men Patching's site and it looks like canvas. This is for a .54 Lyman Deerstalker.

Edit: I'm planning to use Dutch's Ballistol lube system. Diluted Ballistol dried on a prelubed patch.

I think a lot of canvas now has polyester in the mix - watch for that.

[waksupi]

Thread count is pretty low, I would expect blown patches. Striped pillow ticking is the standard.

[bedbugbilly]

Read the label and see what it's made of - if it's 100% natural - i.e. linen or cotton - no reason it won't work.

Materials are made and treated with "sizing" - that's why it looks so flat and neat on the bolt. You need to wash it to remove the sizing. Some folks might disagree with that but everybody is different.

Take your mic with you to the store and check the thickness - I've never been questioned by a sales person and if they've seen me do it, I just explain that I need to know the thickness for the purpose I'm going to buy it for. You can buy any quantity of the material you need - if you find something you think will work - buy a 1/3 of a yard and try it. Write down the information on the label - lot number, etc. and if it works, then go back and buy a quantity of it so you'll have it on hand when you need it.

Thread count does figure in to the equation. Personally, I like a high thread count as the material is more uniform in thickness - at least that's what I've always found. I bought some lightweight canvas (untreated) one time and it worked well for my 29 gauge trade gun with RB. In a couple of my rifles - not so well but then again, it goes back to ball size, bore and rifling dimensions to get the right patch that will work. All rifles are different though. Good luck and enjoy!

[Canuck Bob]

I read a report on here of dramatic thickness change from washing the patch cloth, a problem?
Also, is it best to use a micrometer orcalipers to measure cloth?

Thanks to everyone, this whole patch, ball, and patch lube combo business seems like a voodoo recipe!

No doubt the amount of shooting to get a fairly tuned load will be a lot of fun and that is always a good thing.

The initial plan is learn how to make the Deerstalker go bang most often. This includes knapped english flints, 1/16" flash hole, Goex 4F and 3F, and some lock shimming. So far the flint strike point has moved from the bottom of the frizzen to the middle using a thick leather shim, separate leather wrap, and bevel down. The flint sparks are white but not to abundant. One thing for sure the frizzen is sticky, best description for me, and needs smoothing. The cock spring is stout but swings smoothly.

For loading the start is 40 gr 3f with a max at were the accuracy goes south. I don't hunt so max is about range rather than power. Diluted Ballistol dried on the patch and wiping every shot or two.

[stubshaft]

Use a micrometer.