Patch material from a thrift store?

[Lead ball 54]

Okay I'm not a newby but I have never given much thought to my ball and patch combo just baught balls and pre lubed patches ( bore butter) but now I am going to shoot prb more instead of conicals and want to get my patch material from thrift stores so what do I look for I have heard denim so does that mean blue jeans or what please help thanks

[Semisane]

Check out the table cloths and curtains. I paid something like $5 for a 6' x 8' linen table cloth that measured .016 thick with my micrometer. It makes really great patches. The neat thing - it has a plaid pattern that makes it a cinch to cut patches to any size I want.

[alacran]

You can waste a lot of time screwing around with unknown materials. If you find something that works , how you going to find it again when you run out?
Go to Jo Ann's fabric get their Drill 40 unbleached.
 The Item # is 683532.  This stuff is commonly known as pocket drill.   Very tight weave. Runs about .018 compressed. you can lube it with mink oil, bear oil and a bunch of other stuff. It also shoots very well with plain ol spit.
If your JoAnn's doesn't carry it have them order it for you. Or you can order it yourself from their website.
Sometimes Wallmart carries it but not every store does.
The old time prb target shooters used to use this stuff. Not very expensive.

[Lead ball 54]

Thanks that's just what I'm looking for now do you pre cut or cut at loading I guess that' might be personal preference

[Hungry Horse]

The last time I went to the thrift store I bought a linen square woven tablecloth that must have been designed for a banquet table. The weave is tighter than about anything I’ve ever seen. Decades of bleaching have done no damage ( unlike cotton that suffers from just a couple of good bleachings. I also bought four chef’s aprons made from the same material. I think I spent twelve bucks. By the time I use up that table cloth, and those aprons, I’ll have to paint my barrel white, and the last few inches red, I’ll be so old, and blind.

 Hungry Horse

[alacran]

Thanks that's just what I'm looking for now do you pre cut or cut at loading I guess that' might be personal preference
[/quote
]I do both. At the range I usually cut patches at the muzzle. When hunting I use pre-cuts I make with a leather punch
Typically my ball boards carry five bear grease patched balls.

[stubshaft]

That pocket drill is great stuff.  Surprisingly I just ordered a couple of yards of it yesterday as there are no stores locally that carry it.  Just make sure to wash it and dry it a couple of times before cutting strips or punching patches.

[moleeyes36]

When using material of an unknown content for patches make sure it contains no synthetic material.  Denim and linen fabrics sometimes contain synthetic fibers.  This is often the case with denim.  If you're certain the fabric is pure cotton cloth or pure natural linen, go for it.

Mole Eyes

[Pukka Bundook]

Old pillow cases are often linen.  Hold them up to the light, and if you can't see through them it's good.  A pillow case lasts a Long time.
At a farm sale one time, I bought a mattress ticking and still have miles of that , and it is Good. ( Blue & white striped)

For hunting I use a bullet board with a few in, but have a strip of patching soaked in deer tallow, hooked to the shooting bag.  It is cut through into square patches with only a corner holding, and a patch can be torn off for use very easily.  Square patches never hurt accuracy as far as I can tell, and it saves a lot of messing about.

Cheers,
Richard.