OK if patches are a little big?

[brewer12345]

I prefer to use precut and lubed patches. Have to look, but if I can't locally source patches meant for a 30-39 cal ball, can I get away with the next size up (40-49 cal)?

[trails4u]

Only your rifle, ball, patch and load can really answer that. Shoot them....see what happens?

[brewer12345]

Yeah. I might just order some appropriate patches online.

[Minerat]

Get some scissors or a knife and cut the excess material off at the muzzle after you start the ball.

[Winger Ed.]

Get some scissors or a knife and cut the excess material off at the muzzle after you start the ball.

I'm not a BP guy, but I've seen that done a few times by guys with a large greasy piece of cloth.
I didn't know they even had pre-made patches.

[rfd]

as always, allow the gun to report what it likes to be fed. testing is always a requirement. have at it!

i'd rather use pre-lubed patch strips, and cut the patching at the muzzle, for a perfect fit to the ball and rifling.

better yet, particularly for match events, i'd rather employ a ball board, where it's fast one step loading of already patched balls.

[RU shooter]

I don't see what it would hurt using an oversized patch , long as your rod tip is small enough dia. not to be a tight fit with the extra material above the ball when you ram it home . The edges/corners of the square cut patches I use are above the dia of the ball can't tell the difference between that and a "proper" sized round patch . Give it a try I'm betting there's no decernable difference in accuracy .

[rfd]

patch size OR shape won't matter for the most part. all that matters is the right cloth material and thickness, the lube, the ball diameter.

[mooman76]

I do all the time. Way over sized might effect it a little. I cant see anything noticeable in the difference. As long as they aren't too small.

[indian joe]

I bet too small patch causes way more strife than too big - however way too big (patch material right over the front of the ball) has caused me grief one time

[longcruise]

If you like pre cut, it works pretty well to cut squares of a uniform appropriate size. Gives you control over your patch size and quality.

[rfd]

I bet too small patch causes way more strife than too big - however way too big (patch material right over the front of the ball) has caused me grief one time

i agree on both accounts, joe - a good reason to cut at the muzzle or ball board.

[indian joe]

i agree on both accounts, joe - a good reason to cut at the muzzle or ball board.

ya know ....I always cut one on the muzzle to get the size -- I never thought to cut a patch on the ball board!!! thats a way better way of establishing the correct size to pre cut patches - just to darn simple I guess

thanks for the tip

[longcruise]

ya know ....I always cut one on the muzzle to get the size -- I never thought to cut a patch on the ball board!!! thats a way better way of establishing the correct size to pre cut patches - just to darn simple I guess

thanks for the tip

That's what I do too. It works fine. It's nice to have the bard firmly held while doing it so as to keep all your fingers. The other thing I like to do is to use a board thicker than ball size. That way everything is inside the board and not subject to rubbing or getting (as) dirty. My boards are for three to five balls and only for hunting. They easily fit into the shooting bag and don't add much weight. When it comes to plinking or match shooting I cut at the muzzle.

So many ways to do these things!

[rfd]

if allowed, i always use a ball board during matches - this just allows more time for aiming and is pretty much mandatory for timed events.

[brewer12345]

Do you guys make or buy your ball boards?

[rfd]

far too easy to make ...

.36 caliber patched ball--------------------> 3/8 inch drill bit
.40 caliber patched ball -------------------> 13/32 inch drill bit
.45 caliber patched ball--------------------> 15/32 inch drill bit
.50 caliber patched ball--------------------> 1/2 inch drill bit
.54 caliber patched ball--------------------> 35/64, 17/32 inch drill bit
.58 caliber patched ball--------------------> 19/32 inch drill bit
.62 caliber patched ball--------------------> 5/8 inch drill bit

[brewer12345]

How about 32? That is the one I had in mind.

[oldracer]

Here are the various patches I have tried:
- round pillow ticking for 45 and 50 caliber round balls; they are 0.015 thick, worked okay with 0.90 round balls, not with 0.44 round balls
- square pillow ticking for 45 and 50 caliber round balls; exactly the same as above, no difference in the shape.
- OxYoke pre lubed patches I got as part of my purchase of my Pedersoli Gibbs? Two sizes 40-45 and 60-70 and two thicknesses 0.005 and 0.010. I never tried any of them in my 50 caliber rifles as I win matches with 0.90 balls and 0.015 pillow ticking all square cut. No reason to change now.
- I tried the 0.005 prelubed patches in my new 45 caliber pistol, they were too loose, tried the 0.015 pillow ticking, too tight and the 0.010 pre lubed patches seem to fit just right! Wednesday to the 50 yard target I got 5 shots within 3 inches with the pistol resting on a set of cross sticks. I did add a tad bit of Bore Butter to each patch and tried cutting off a tad bit of excess material with my antique straight razor but that seems to make no difference.

I stopped at Supper Walmart on the way home and they still have pillow ticking and I measured it at 0.018 before washing it. I did buy a few yards of linen that was 0.012 before washing and after washing last night it now measures 0.010 inches so we'll see how it works. I'll try to remember to let everyone know as A builder of one of my more accurate 50 caliber off hand rifles swears by linen and sent me a sample AND the antique razor!

As was noted earlier, shoot each and every type you can think of OFF A REST to see what works best for your gun.
John

[Hanshi]

Exact patch size isn't too important in actuality. There can be lots of overlap. For instance; .32, 36 or .32, .36 and .40 can often use the same patch size. Then there's .40, .45 and even .50 can use the same size. As long as your seating rod doesn't get trapped by the patch inside the rifle bore then it's usually okay.