I used to use precut but have gone to buying pillow ticking at WalMart, making my own lube and cutting at the muzzle or loading block...
For some reason, my .54 started burning the store bought patches...I belong to a Traditional Muzzleloading forum and there is talk about prelubed patches breaking down...I can't prove this
but, when I went to buying a yard of ticking and cutting at the muzzle my patches stopped burning...
You can also cut your own patches, either round or square and not cut at the muzzle if that's easier for you...
I cut my own at the muzzle. Then you have a perfect centered patch and ball combination. The more consistent the load the better the accuracy. Also they are cheaper and since they are not pre lubed, they do not go bad on you.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Speaking of prelubed patches, wonder how MD made out with his recycled patches?
__________________ PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE RISING COST IN AMMO PRICES I WILL NO LONGER BE FIRING A WARNING SHOT.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.
I'm not as good as I'm gonna get - but I'm better than I used to be. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
Icut a large supply of patches in the evening in front of the TV - about 1 3/8 x 1 3/8" square -and use them for my 50s, 54s & .58.When hunting, Ilube them just before loading. On the bench, I lube a couple ofdozen before I start shooting.
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My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.
Things I've Learned: (1) It's not possible to please everyone, but quite easy to piss everyone off. (2) If you love animals as I do, then you're not a vegetarian. (3) There's no need to act stupid, even if you're very good at it. (4) If you eat right and exercise, don't smoke or drink, you're going to die anyway.
I have a set of the old wrought iron patch cutters that cut 1" 1.25" and 1.50" round patches. I ran an experiment on three rifles for a summer and the group averages were real close but the cut patches came out slightly ahead.
I really don't think it makes any difference if you keep them centered and use the same material. Lee
I cut my own at the muzzle. Then you have a perfect centered patch and ball combination. The more consistent the load the better the accuracy. Also they are cheaper and since they are not pre lubed, they do not go bad on you.
When on the range a simple pair of scissors. Just knock the ball and patch strip under the muzzle line, grip the patch and pinch it together and the scissors will cut that right off. Then you finish it off with the long nose on the short starter and finally the ramrod.
When I hunt, I carry a small folding knife in my pocket. I also carry a strip of cloth in a zip lock bag that has been made pre saturated but dry. Again, knock it under the crown, cut it and finish seating it.
I saturate my strip with moose milk, thenring it out. I then dry it on some old window screeen. Now the moisture is out of it, but all the oil is in the cloth. You can shoot it this way. And being dry, it will not contaminate a hunting load.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
You can also get a cheapo paring knife from the local dollar store and keep it in your shooting box.
__________________ PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE RISING COST IN AMMO PRICES I WILL NO LONGER BE FIRING A WARNING SHOT.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.
I'm not as good as I'm gonna get - but I'm better than I used to be. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
PRE CUT PATCHES OR NOT
