How Much Patch "Windage" for Round Groove Bores?

[Grump]

Got a 7-groove .54 being worked on, and when I get it back (barrel is now cleanly crowned) I want to somewhat systematically try out different patch thicknesses with round balls.

Lube will primarily be some old T/X Maxi-Lube. Might also try something like SL-68 or thinned down Ben's Red or...??? something with Olive Oil???

Anyway, I'll be gathering some 100% cotton fabric scraps over the next week or so, and am wondering what increments I should try out. References here and on the Civil War people's forums talk about patches up to .017 thick...and .015 and .010 even... Haven't measured by not so work out denim (Levi and Wrangler), but I'm pretty sure both of them are too thick for more than one shot with these Hornady swaged projectiles.

So, suggestions?

Guess when I make the expedition and put results on target, I'm gonna have to take along the swabby stuff too...

Thanks!

[mooman76]

Mattress ticking is thicker than pillow ticking and they have denim at the clothing stores that isn't as thick as Levi's. I sometimes use old military BDU material that is 100% cotton. Nice and strong and a little thicker than pillow ticking.

[fouronesix]

The .010, .015 and .017 range should pretty much cover most. For ease of use and consistency, it's a good idea to wash and dry patch material a couple of times. Unless you've got an usually large bore, I can't see the need for using an extremely thick material like heavy denim or canvas. I'd rather take up windage with a larger ball, if practical, rather than using a smaller ball with thicker patch. The common range of sizes, IMO, that can work in a 54 cal are .520, .525/6, .530 and .535. Currently the swaged I see available are the .530 and .535.

[waksupi]

Start with plain ol' spit for lube. Patch thickness is going to depend mostly on depth of the rifling. Find one you can start without using a short starter.
Something I learned over 40 years ago. Use the striped pillow ticking, then find the ball size that works with that. The pillow ticking has remained standard, but darn near everything else always seems to change over the years, leaving you to hunt down some new material.

[swathdiver]

...want to somewhat systematically try out different patch thicknesses with round balls.

Lube will primarily be some old T/X Maxi-Lube. Might also try something like SL-68 or thinned down Ben's Red or...??? something with Olive Oil???

Anyway, I'll be gathering some 100% cotton fabric scraps over the next week...


Cotton scraps will provide you with years and years of large groups and flyers.

If you want to shoot 1 hole groups, or near so, every shot must be consistent, as close to the last shot as possible.

You're an excellent candidate for Dutch Schoultz's "The System"; the best $20 you'll ever spend on shooting.

[johnson1942]

with linen becomeing more available you might want to try that also. its the very best patching material ive ever used.

[fouronesix]

Did you have the M1841 re-done? Sounds like it with the 7 groove description. No matter- just wash and dry all the various thicknesses of material you have. Do it a couple of times. That way you won't be comparing a stiff .010 with a soft .017 and so on. I'm assuming you have .010, .015 and .017? Also assuming the swaged balls to be either Speer or Hornady and either .530 or .535. Start with whatever ball you have and try the different thicknesses of patching. I don't think the lube is so important for now. For range work I take a squeeze bottle of moose milk. Use for both wetting a patch and to clean bore at the range when needed.

Start with whatever ball you have and shoot some with the various patch materials. Find out which you like. Often the tighter fit and swabbing between shots will be the most accurate. Usually a slightly looser fit will allow more shots between swabbing but may not be as accurate. Lets say you have the .530 ball and even the .017 patch material is a loose fit. Instead of grabbing some heavier denim or canvas material to take up "windage", IMO it's better to use a larger ball like the .535 then patch to best fit.

Should be able to find a a good fit with either a .530 or .535 ball along with the range of patch materials you have, .010 to .017.

[Rattus58]

Got a 7-groove .54 being worked on, and when I get it back (barrel is now cleanly crowned) I want to somewhat systematically try out different patch thicknesses with round balls.

Lube will primarily be some old T/X Maxi-Lube. Might also try something like SL-68 or thinned down Ben's Red or...??? something with Olive Oil???

Anyway, I'll be gathering some 100% cotton fabric scraps over the next week or so, and am wondering what increments I should try out. References here and on the Civil War people's forums talk about patches up to .017 thick...and .015 and .010 even... Haven't measured by not so work out denim (Levi and Wrangler), but I'm pretty sure both of them are too thick for more than one shot with these Hornady swaged projectiles.

So, suggestions?

Guess when I make the expedition and put results on target, I'm gonna have to take along the swabby stuff too...

Thanks!A micrometer helps in this search and it's not necessarily the "thickness" as much is how much will it COMPRESS to. The Size of your ball matters as does the groove and your bore. If you have a .006 groove, say and a .010 undersize ball you need to fill .022 of "windage" or bore... being the .010 and .012 of groove. A patch thickness at compression of .011 should be the thickest I'd use and work on the right patch lube. I've since reduced myself to using ballistol or cutting oil on ratios for ME of no lighter than 9 parts water to 1 part oil, to the heaviest of 7:1 for my hunting rifles (.54 and .58). I soak the patch in lengthwise strips and then let them evaporate out leaving the oil in the patch. These will last if kept in a sealed container for a while... but since it is so easy to do this, I like to go fresh whenever I go shooting. No matter what you do... IN MY OPINION, I'd experiment with cloth that fills but doesn't compress to to much less than .011 as used in the previous example. I have some bores that have much deeper than .006 grooves so getting a good read on this is helpful before you go searching for patch material would be my suggestion...

This is all part of the fun...

Aloha..

[Rattus58]

Cotton scraps will provide you with years and years of large groups and flyers.

If you want to shoot 1 hole groups, or near so, every shot must be consistent, as close to the last shot as possible.

You're an excellent candidate for Dutch Schoultz's "The System"; the best $20 you'll ever spend on shooting.Yup.... indeed... plus he's amenable for phone calls ... or was when I first bought his pamphlets....

[10x]

Cotton scraps will provide you with years and years of large groups and flyers.

If you want to shoot 1 hole groups, or near so, every shot must be consistent, as close to the last shot as possible.

You're an excellent candidate for Dutch Schoultz's "The System"; the best $20 you'll ever spend on shooting.


with linen becomeing more available you might want to try that also. its the very best patching material ive ever used.

I will look for linen tea towels to go on sale.
I have been known to frequent the local thrift store looking for linen bed sheets... $10 can buy a great deal of patch material.