Shooting Patch Punches

[mtmanjim]

I've been trying to locate hardened steel shooting patch punches for my .40 and .50 cal rifles. Not having any luck. Can anyone help?

[Nobade]

I use hole saws. I grind the teeth off and sharpen the edge. Use it in the drill press without the pilot drill. Back your cloth with a piece of wood, and you can cut through several inches of cloth in seconds. And they're cheap!

-Nobade

[Omnivore]

That seems like a great idea, Nobade. Good, hard steel, comes in many sizes, available just about anywhere, and easy to modify. Just don't overheat the steel and ruin its hardness.

[mazo kid]

When I was working, I got a lot of various sized hole saws that were dull. Made several sizes of those patch cutters. Lately, I have been using a rotary ("pizza cutter style") fabric cutter to cut both squares and strips. The strips I pre-lube and cut at the muzzle.

[Old Scribe]

I have a gasket hole punch set that I use for cutting RB patches as well as filler for BP cartridges.

[altheating]

A paper cutter works well if you can live with square patches.

[mtmanjim]

Thanks for the input guys. They're all good suggestions, but I kept searching till I located some arch punches, just exactly what I was looking for but I didn't know what to call them LOL!

[dondiego]

Go to the Buffalo Arms website. They have several types of punches.

[Maven]

Also, try here: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...punch&_sacat=0

[Fly]

I use hole saws. I grind the teeth off and sharpen the edge. Use it in the drill press without the pilot drill. Back your cloth with a piece of wood, and you can cut through several inches of cloth in seconds. And they're cheap!

-Nobade

Great idea, I have been cutting them out with sizzlers. What a dumb butt I have been.
Thanks buddy for the great idea.
Fly

[koger]

Nobade is right on the money. I do a lot of gunsmithing, and blackpowder shooting, so I go thru a lot of patches. I have several sizes, cut cleaning patches for 12 ga, 45 and 50, shooting patches for .45-50, and 6mm-270 cleaning patches, all with old hole saws. I found a coffee can full of old ones at a yard sale, for $1! I use old stained t Shirts, or go to a local thrift store, on bag day, all you can put in any size bag you bring for $1, fill it full of cotton t shirts, and the occasional flannel baby blanket!

[Gunor]

http://www.bloomertool.com/Metric-Ar...t-Punches.html

try these guys - I bought a 12mm for 45 stuff

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

the target couldn't tell if I used round or square patches , so I just cut them square with the wife's rotary cutter and mat she uses for quilting . i have also used a scissors but it was slower
but a cheap efficient way to cut wads would be handy

[wyofool]

I may be a bit odd but I use a couple of washers the size of the patch I want and put a pile of cloth (usually old tee shirts) between them in my vise. Crank it down real tight and cut around the washers with an old knife. I do several sizes depending on what the patches are used for.

[Czech_too]

I went to using the arch or hollow punches, from General Tool(?), for cutting both patches and felt wads for the BP revolvers. Although on occasion I do use a straight razor across the muzzle to cut the patch material.

[mooman76]

Some people that shoot allot get a cutter from the fabric store. I don't know what it is called but it looks just like a pizza cutter but the blade is razor sharp. It will cut several thicknesses of cloth at once. Scissors work fine for me. I can cut them while watching TV. In half an hour I can cut enough for years worth. I have 32-58 calibers so I just cut a bunch at different sizes and eventually that all get used.

[oldracer]

Punches, hummmmmm? I buy my pillow ticking and/or fine thread linen at a local Walmart, get a couple of yards each. If I want cut patches I first cut strips the width needed for my round ball guns. Then I cut squares and finally snip off the corners of each square to make 8 sided patches. Last ones I did about 1 1/2 years ago gave me a couple thousand patches and took about 3 hours total. No mess or fuss but sharp scissors are a must.

[tddeangelo]

Buddy of mine who happens to be a plumber took a scrap of pipe with the right internal diameter and chamfered the edge, then threaded/capped the opposite end. Works great, it will punch through 6-8 folds with a couple moderate raps of a 3lb hammer. Quick and easy.

[bedbugbilly]

I use the same thing Nobade does - I have different size cutters made from hole saws for various size patches - it works really slick and you can cut a large supply in a very short time. I buy my patching material from Joanne Fabrics - wash it to remove the "sizing", toss it in the dryer and then iron it to get rid of any wrinkles. I then fold the piece a number of times, back with a piece of scrap 2 X 4 and have at it. I find that I can make several cuts with the cutter and then I stop it and push out the cut patches with a awl or small drill bit through the slot in the side of the cutter. I also buy light weight cotton flannel and do the same to make cleaning patches. Lot's of times you can get some good deals by looking and seeing what is on the "bargain sale" table.

[Wayne Smith]

I like the punches. What is the typical size of a .50 patch? I've always simply cut across the muzzle of my rifle, pre cut patches may be nice.