Patch material

[Hanshi]

Just wondering what patch material is being used by everyone.  .

[Papa]

.018/.020 Teflon. .018 ticking where Teflon is not allowed..
Mark

[Hanshi]

My standard material is either unbleached heavy canvas (.024") or canvas duck (.019"); the heavy canvas is my favorite.  I also have some "mattress ticking" which is heavier than pillow ticking.  It runs about .017", give or take.  Most guns get the canvas but a couple get the ticking or the duck.  I often use flannel (.012") in the smoothbore and it works well.

[Patocazador]

I use ticking that the calipers say is .018" thick. I lube with corn oil or mink oil depending on outside temps.

[Hanshi]

That's likely the same type of ticking I use.

[Hawken50]

I get .015 and .018 pillowtick from Jo Annes fabrics in Roanoke...Ya auta see the looks i get when i start measuring with a micrometer...LOL..... Some times i just use old Cotton T shirts ...works well using olive oil or mink oil as lube

[hotfxr]

.015 pillow ticking, or if they are around and free, pre-lubed patches.

[flintboomer]

Thin flowered Pillow ticking (.012) unless I need something thicker, then black or blue striped at about .018. I have used the red striped ticking if it is all I can get but it only runs about .016 so I prefer not to use it. I have also used cotton duck and unbleached white ticking but I only ran into the white ticking once or twice and found no advantage to it or the cotton duck.

If I am doing a mountain man run I will have precut some patches or use commercial precut patches paper clipped to my bag if I'm not using a loading block and will probably have a couple patches and some ball ready "Just in case" even if I'm using a loading block.

[bmtshooter]

So do you guys wash the sizing out of new fabric before using it, or just use it as it comes from the manufacturer? 

[graybear]

Wash it, the ticking is soft and, at least for me, seems to grip the rifling better. I've only got one rifle I use ticking in and at an estate auction I bought a quantity of ticking that was used to make curtains. Works fine in that rifle but is so tight in my various CVA "Mountain Rifles" that I need to use a rubber mallet to get it down the barrel. When hunting w/the CVA's, I use a lube from my local (45-50 mi.) black powder shop called Old Trappers Patch Lube, looks like a very thin petroleum jelly, and Ox-Yoke .010 precut patches.. I don't do competition shooting, just practice and hunting. Good luck w/ finding your loads and keep putting sulfur smell in the air.

[Hanshi]

Yep, best to wash it before using it.  It also seems to "fluff" it a bit.  Since I've been at this for well over half a century, I've used up a closet full of old t-shirts.  They worked pretty well but then I discovered ticking and went from there.

[Papa]

 Old t shirts make decent cleaning patches  and wiping rags but are typically to thin to make decent shooting patches.
Mark

[Dogshirt]

I get Pushing Daisies patches from October Country. Unique design and a wide range of thicknesses.

http://www.octobercountry.com/categories/Patches-%26-Wads/Dry-Shooting-Patches/

http://www.octobercountry.com/categories/Patches-%26-Wads/Lubed-Shooting-Patches/

[Patocazador]

Old t shirts make decent cleaning patches and wiping rags but are typically too thin to make decent shooting patches.
Mark

I agree.