Patch Popper alternative

[beltfed]

Patch Poppers are indeed a great tool to have on the line
for dispensing patches as we wipe with or dry behind bore pigs.

I have been using an alternative for some years for convenient
and fast organized dispensing of patches on the line.

See attached PIC of small square Rubbermaid or similar tubs
with "spiral layered "patches that are easy to pick up. Just need
to pre-stack the patches thusly in advance.

[Don McDowell]

The worst part about using the tubs, is in the windy conditions we shoot in out west , sometimes your container full of properly stacked dry patches empties up pretty fast, and you don't get to use all of them.

[Lead pot]

That's what I use Arnie but I use the tubs that have a hinge lid. I just reach under the lid and let it drop. This also helps the wet once from drying out in the wind.

[beltfed]

Yes, indeed, good point about patches blowing out of open tubs.
The wet ones do not blow out, but yes, dry ones can.
I drop a towel over them if windy.
BUT, will look for some hinged ones, Kurt. Good Idea
beltfed/arnie

[rfd]

i tried layering with tubs, and a clothespin thingy, and a sandwich kinda thingy, and nothing still beats a patch popper - at least for me. setting up a patch popper to work properly isn't all that hard, either. always used dry, along with the wet bore wipers.

[beltfed]

Oh, I'll bet a duct tape hinge would work on the lids of my
current tubs..
beltfed/arnie

[Lead pot]

Arnie, Duct tapes will work for everything
Kurt

Man it's chilly out side !!

[BrentD]

Just for a little background, Patch Poppers were invented after a windy day in Phoenix when a particular Precision Tornado zipped into my carefully arranged and weighed ziplock of dry patches and exploded them in a veritable snowstorm on the 900-yard line - or actually a dozen yards down range past the firing line. What a mess.

That night over dinner in Al Sledge's trailer in the campground, Paul was showing me some of his paper patch rolling tools for patching bullets. They were okay, but I told Paul I didn't need that, and they were not really making things more efficient, but what we really did need was a patch dispenser that didn't blow down range.

He just looked at me, wagged his finger at me, and said, "I'll have a prototype in your mailbox in two weeks." And he did. I haven't been without one since.

[Lead pot]

I loose some patches at just about at every match too. I have a 4' long square 3" tube I been saving to make a square patch popper but I just haven't worked up the ambition to make it, too many other projects going on.

[BrentD]

One of these days, I'll make a square one. Every so often I see some square tubing. But finding the spring is the trick.

[Don McDowell]

I would like to see Paul build a 2 1/2 inch round popper.

[25ring]

One of these days, I'll make a square one. Every so often I see some square tubing. But finding the spring is the trick.

I cobbled together one from PVC pipe and caps. I used a spring out of an old Hunter rotary sprinkler head,works great! FWIW --Mike.

[Lead pot]

ACE HDW has a selection of springs, just get a couple light springs and stretch them. Some high pressure hoses or vacuum cleaner hoses have springs in them that strip out easy.
Springs are easy to make from other wire springs.

[beltfed]

Would not need a square spring for a square patch popper.
Just need a square follower
beltfed/arnie

[Lead pot]

Arnie I would think just a square follower if the spring is in close diameter, it can bend a little or use a couple light springs.

[rfd]

Just for a little background, Patch Poppers were invented after a windy day in Phoenix when a particular Precision Tornado zipped into my carefully arranged and weighed ziplock of dry patches and exploded them in a veritable snowstorm on the 900-yard line - or actually a dozen yards down range past the firing line. What a mess.

That night over dinner in Al Sledge's trailer in the campground, Paul was showing me some of his paper patch rolling tools for patching bullets. They were okay, but I told Paul I didn't need that, and they were not really making things more efficient, but what we really did need was a patch dispenser that didn't blow down range.

He just looked at me, wagged his finger at me, and said, "I'll have a prototype in your mailbox in two weeks." And he did. I haven't been without one since.

cool story of yankee ingenuity at work, solving problems and making good things happen.

[BrentD]

It is just one of my favorite stories from shooting matches. That was a good night. We weren't shooting well, we were all at least 1/2 sick with some sort of bug that was traveling through the shooting fraternity there, but the company was good and it was fun to see Paul show off his stuff and then say with very cool confidence that he could solve this problem in 2 wks, including shipping time Never underestimate Paul Huard.