Patches
 

I was wondering if anyone buys pillow ticking to make their own patchs? I remember reading that it needs to be washed before usingit, but can'tremember if youusesoap orjust hot water.Also do you thinkit's best to leavethemin strips and cut them at the muzzle, or pre cutthem?

RE: Patches
 

That is all I shoot... I get the blue strip pillow tick at Wal Mart. $3.69 a yard. That will make you more patches then you can shoot off in a year, and that's a lot of patches for me. I throw that in a washing machine when doing other laundry. But be sure and line dry it. Or it will frizz on the edges. This washing removes the sizing from the material and allows it to then absorb the patch lube better. I then tear a strip off as needed. Lay that over the muzzle. Set the ball in the material and drive that under the muzzle. With a pair of cheap scissors I cut the patch away. Now I have a perfect centered patch every time, identical almost each time to the one before. I started doing this years ago and it tightened up my roundball groups. Also it was cheaper and actually easier for me. When hunting I just cut the patch away with my knife...

RE: Patches
 

Thanks cuyugad!!!! Thats exactly the info I needed. Have a great day. Tom

RE: Patches
 

Also remember that ticking comes in several thicknesses I mic. mine as I like the 22 thousands I do run into 18 and once in awhile even 14. I use a well sharpend strait razor to cut mine at the muzzle. Lee

RE: Patches
 

Thanks for the tip. I got mine a Wal-Mart, andI've read that theirs runs around 18. The reason I'm going this way is because I've been getting a flyer out of my Lyman 54 cal. once in awhile. Thought that I would use the strips and cut it off a the muzzle to make sure I had the ballcentered on the patch.

RE: Patches
 

I bought 5 yards a long time ago at Joanns. Never have washed it. Cut it on a cutting board into strips with one of those wheel type cloth cutters, layed the strips in a fry pan of hot crisco then took it out to drip an lay on a cookie sheet. Today I just useplain pure bees wax. Laythe strip on the muzzle start the ball to flush and use a patch knife to cut it flush and then finish loading the ball.
I have also have used old blue jean paint legsdid the same.

:) Al

RE: Patches
 

For those that cut the material in strips, how wide do you cut your strips for a 50 cal muzzleloader? I bought some material some years ago but stopped using it because I didn't like taking the time to try and cut individual patches. Also, if you lube the strips before going to the range, aren't they messy to handle? The preulbed patches I've been using are convenient but very expensive.

Jeff

RE: Patches
 

I personally for the .50 caliber cut them about 1-1/2 - 2inches. The ball will center right in that. Even a .54 caliber will.