Do It Yourself Blackpowder Patches

[The Flint&Fly Guy]

so I read that you can use 100% cotton pillow ticking for ball patches. but when I got it it seems a little thin. i'll try it out and if it is to thin is it okay to double it? also what fabrics would you use, for loading and cleaning if you make your own cleaning patches? I would really like to be able to knock patches off my to buy list.

[catnthehat]

Double tap!
Cat

[catnthehat]

I use double weave cotton , soaked and dried to remove the sizing .
When I buy it by the yard I take my vernier with me to make sure it is
.010-.012 thick- that is what works best in my rifle .
That is with a .570 ball
Cat

[The Flint&Fly Guy]

okay, this pillow ticking is 0.10, I will be using it with .490 balls In a .50 cal.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by The Flint&Fly Guy

okay, this pillow ticking is 0.10, I will be using it with .490 balls In a .50 cal.

As long as you Re getting a good weave imprint on your ball without tearing it will be fine.
A patch/ ball combination is the same as COAL in rifle cartridges .
The standard length will work, but at times a longer of shorter COAL will be more accurate .
I have a .50 downstairs that needs a very heavy patch with a .490 ball , but a
.010works great with a .495 ball.
Cat

[Dean2]

With compression of the fabric you will likely find a .495 ball a better fit. If you are going to shoot .490 I would go back to the fabric store and find some .018 pure cotton double weave, sometimes called mattress ticking.

[The Flint&Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

As long as you Re getting a good weave imprint on your ball without tearing it will be fine.
A patch/ ball combination is the same as COAL in rifle cartridges .
The standard length will work, but at times a longer of shorter COAL will be more accurate .
I have a .50 downstairs that needs a very heavy patch with a .490 ball , but a
.010works great with a .495 ball.
Cat

how in the world would you know if you are getting good imprint on your ball? the only balls I have recovered were smushed completely flat!

[catnthehat]

Check your fired patches for burnout and ripping
Lube up a ball and start it into the muzzle then pull it
That will tell the tale
Cat

[The Flint&Fly Guy]

ohhhh, like that. well, I guess i'll have to order a ball puller! I have a bit of practice finding and reading the patches for burnout and such. my gun used to be really bad for cutting them up, but after about 500 patched balls have been sent down the barrel it has gotten much smoother.

[catnthehat]

That is why many BP gun nutz promote lapping, others just say " shoot 'em!"
You may be able top start the ball halfway , with a good amount of excess patch overhanging, and grab that to pull the ball out.
You should have a nice , even print of the weave on the ball.
As far as burnout goes, if it's smoked up but intact, you are fine.
Holes burned into the patches , too thin.
Cat

[Leeper]

Patch thickness is dependent upon the barrel diameter, ball size, and rifling configuration. Relatively shallow rifling will prefer a larger ball with thinner patching. Deeper rifling will require thicker patching and may work better with a smaller diameter ball. I'm a believer in lapping any barrel which will hold still for it. Leeper