What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

With the cost of everything being what it is…bullets, powder, primers and cleaning supplies…what do you use for you cleaning patches and what do you pay for them? It seems that the price is out of sight and if you are paying 2-3 cents per patch and if you use between 1-3 patches in between shots that can add up fast. Is there a cheaper source for patches or do you cut your own? If you cut your own, what type of material do you use?

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

i use either old bed sheets or my old white under shirts.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I buy 100% cotton muslin material by the yard. Wash it to remove all sizing, then cut (and/or tear) it into 1.5 - 2" squares. I usually just remove one strip at a time (1.5 - 2" wide X 36" long) and then snip it into squares with scissors.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I just order them...I think I got a pound of precut patches for $8 last time.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I hate to admit it but I've been getting mine for free. I have a brother that works for a chemical plant the use to use 2" patches when cleaning out certain pipes. They no longer use them but have a room full of OxYoke cleaning patches. Every few months my brother asks his supervisor if he can take a bag or two home. He then gives them to me and my other brothers that hunt or shoot to use in our guns. I think I have about 4 or 5 1000 count bags right now in my shop. They come in real handy when shooting 3 or 4 MLers per range session.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I buy 500 2" cleaning patches from RMC Sports for $9 at the Harrisburg Sportsman's show every year. Two packs of 500takes me thru the year.
Chap Gleason

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

Save money!!!

Buy a flintlock...:D

Lead...for molding round balls...Free...From dentist...
Loading patches...Cotton ticking $3.00 a yard...
Cleaning patches...Cotton Flannel...$3.00 a yard...
Flints...Free if you knapp your own...$1.00 a piece if not...
Goex FFF...$11.50 a pound...

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

Old t-shirts mostly. I have an 8 year old who's growing fast so I have an abundant supply.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

Old T-shirts, old socks, and Wal Mart sells a 200 count -"bag of patches" for $1.99 so last time there I picked up five more bags.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I been meaning to ask the same question. My son just left for college and he was throwing out some of his old t shirts. I've cut some of them up and they work ok. But, I find the 2inch precut patches I see for sale are slightly thicker and work a lot better. I'm going to check out the fabric stores.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

It depends on the bore diameter. I find thicker patches stick more oftenin tighter bores.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

In the thin patches, just double that in thickness. It will be a nice tight fitting patch and really removed the crud from the barrel. When I am on the range and the barrel is real fowled, I can normally get away with a single layer patch and it will still work,

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

When I first started shooting my Hawken back in '79 I tried using a t-shirt one time and it became stuck in the barrel and I couldn’t move it for anything. I ended up pulling the breach plug to get it out and that was a big deal for me back then. Cost me $20 to have a gun smith take it apart ($20 back then was like $200 today) and clear the problem and ever since I just give a wide birth to t-shirt material. I saw the patches at wal-mart and considered them but they reminded me too much of t-shirt material. The patches I currently have came from Cabelas and were a little pricy for my liking but I do like how they feel and clean the barrel. I'll re-consider the t-shirt material since I can pull my own breach plug now and give it another try. Thanks for all the input...

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

same here, except not socks.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

The mistake a lot of people make when swabbing the bore is they do not have the patch wet enough. We all know you never push a dry patch down a dirty or fowled barrel. If you ever do get a patch stuck in the barrel and it will not move, before you tear the rifle apart, try pouring some alcohol down the barrel. Enough to saturate the patch. Normally you can then pull the patch back out the muzzle.

Also if you have problems even getting a patch started into the muzzle, chances are the patch is too thick or too large. You need to remove it at the muzzle, trim it, re-position it, or change to a different patch. I have used a lot of T-shirts with no problem, even old white cotton socks. But the thing to remember is, if it feels wrong, then do not push it in deeper.

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I buy material that is normally used for flannal making sheets and use a roller cutter [got it at the big craft store the wife shops in] used to use it for cutting the strips out of ticking for PBR to but have gone to using a cutter on the drill press to make round patches cause its so much better for quick loaders. Lee

RE: What do you use for cleaning patches?
 

I cut patches out of old t-shirts too. I have used old socks, but I've had them get stuck also. It's a real pain in the butt when that happens. I've even had them hang up with the breech plug out of my inline. It buched up on the threads and I had to tap the ramrod on through with a piece of dowel rod!

If you have an older ML that's hard to get the breech plug out and the ramrod gets stuck while cleaning, you can take a leather sling or bootlace and wrap it around the end of the ramrod with the butt of the gun on theground / floor.Then cinch it tight by pulling to each side usingboth hands till it's super tight. Then pull upward while holding the gun with your knees, or have someone hold onto it. Just watch out! I did thatwith my old T/C Carbine and it slipped off and I busted myself in the face and about broke my nose!!!

chris