Double patch

[smylee grouch]

I have a large supply of good quality denim that is tightly woven but not quite thick enough for the patches I want to use. I also have a large supply of 100% cotton cleaning patches that combined with the mentioned denim would bring the thicknes up to what I would want. When the weather co-operates I plan on trying this combo ( denim/clean patch together) out but am wondering if anyone else has done a double patch combination and if so, how did it work out? I did plan on using the denim against the barrel and clean patch against the ball.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Just give it a try, and report back on your findings.

[bob in the woods]

We had a new to black powder fellow using cleaning patches in his rifle, and what brought it to our attention was the smoking/burning patches in the grass in front of his bench.  Something you might want to watch out for .

[Daryl]

I have double patched in my 14 bore rifle when trying a 16 bore ball in the 14 gauge rifle.  The patches were .017" each, .034" total thickness, added to the ball size of .662", gave a diameter of .696". This being very much smaller than the groove diameter of.714", loaded very easily, and with the light 85gr. charge, still shot very cleanly (low pressure) did not need wiping.  This load put 4 out of 5 shots into a 1.4" diameter hole at 50 yards, which would be about a .738" group, shot off a rest, of course.  The 5th opened the group to 1.4", C to C.  This group has been published here already.

So - can it be done - yes.  Heed Bob's warning about fires. Mine did not 'catch fire', but - I did not use light, loosely woven cotton - both patches being a tight weave denim & being that the bore is so large (14 bore), the pressure generated would be similar to that of a 40gr. charge in a .45 rifle, or whatever it takes produces 1,200fps in a .45, the pressure generated will be quite similar.

The higher the pressure generated by the load, the tighter the ball and patch combination needs to be to prevent blow-by and burning patches.

[smokinbuck]

Agreed, I too have used double patches when what I had were to thin. I always used regular patch material and did not experience any problems with loading or accuracy.
Mark

[hanshi]

I've tried double patches in both my smoothbore and rifle.  They worked fine, especially in the smoothbore.  But I found it more trouble than it's worth (no advantage over a single thick patch) and now use "thin" patches only for cleaning. 

[retired fella]

I too have briefly tried double patching.  Didn't seem to work for me.  I do have a bag of different materials all labeled with a sharpie.  Now that I have what I want as far as thickness I wonder if Joann's will do returns?  If not maybe i'll make me a quilt!!!!

[axelp]

I tried double patching in my .58 using a .54 ball and accuracy was noticeably bad.

K

[Daryl]

I tried double patching in my .58 using a .54 ball and accuracy was noticeably bad.

K

Sail canvas?  Cutter, Schooner or 3 Deck 46 gun battle ship of the line?
 
Ken- I think your results might have been better with a .562"(or larger) ball and a couple .020" patches, but still, it may take an even larger bore - like 16 or larger) to handle such adverse conditions with accuracy. It does seem the larger the bore, the more forgiving of idiosyncrasies they become.  This is much like shooting cast bullets - the larger the bore, the poorer the castings can be and yet give acceptable accuracy out to 100yards or so.  I was once given some .458" bullets that looked like frightened lead, yet they shot as well as perfectly cast bullets, out to 100yards. I know dang well you can't get away with that with a .30.

[Standing Bear]

Out of necessity -don't ask- I had occasion to load .495 balls in a .54. Using .024 material I double patched and was able to successfully finish the project at hand  it was at close range.