I might be able to use this Teflon Patch material in an experiment...

[roundball]

But...it can only have teflon on one side...must have plain cloth on the other side.

While this advertisement doesn't specifically say so, when I read the first couple paragraphs I come away with the understanding that the teflon is only on one side of the material.  Does anyone have any first hand knowledge about teflon patch material?

http://www.theminute-men.com/contactus.htm

[Candle Snuffer]

I shoot with an NMLRA Field Rep in our White River Brigade and he uses
the teflon coated patches.  His are pillow ticking patches, and they have
that same greenish coating that is shown in the link you posted Roundball.

Now I don't know if they are coated on both sides or not, but I do know that he gets some mighty fine groups using the teflon coated patching.

They must work as I heard on the radio today that he won a bronze medal
in the State "Cornhusker" games, in Lincoln, NE for the 100 yard offhand
rifle match, and he won gold in those same games with 25 & 50 yard pistol...

So,,, I'd say they are worth a try if for nothing more then to answer your
own questions about them.  Who knows, you may really like 'em?

[Daryl]

We hates wiping while shooting, but then, you all knew that.

[roundball]

I'm a dedicated lubed pillow ticking shooter for regular round balls...not looking for Teflon for normal shooting.....was just brainstorming about some way to get a lubed patch that had no liquid or grease lube on it, for more 'marble' experiments.

With laser accuracy at 25yds but sloppy accuracy at 50yds, it was suggested that the smooth glass marbles probably weren't being gripped and rotated well enough to be accurate out at 50 yards.

The suggestion was to spray a light mist of aerosol adhesive on some marbles to see if a patch would grab them better...the kind of aersol adhesive that stays a little tacky even when dry...ie: my wife uses some to temporarily tack pieces of quilting material together.

My concern was that a lubed patch wouldn't stick to the tacky marble...but if one side of Teflon patch material was dry cloth, it would/should 'grab' the marble OK.

UPDATED:
Just heard back from the place...just a little piece of 28" x 36" would be about $22 delivered...patches would average about .10cents each...to rich for my blood just for an experiment 

[Daryl]

I wouldn't think you want the patch even remotely sticking to the ball, but then, experimentation is waht it's all about.

[sluggunner]

 The Teflon is in fact coated on one side only. It's used primarily by the roundball bench shooters and yes it is expensive. These guys shoot oversize balls that seem impossible to load until you've seen it done. It's not unusual for a roundball bench shooter to be shooting a .520 ball with .020 patch in a .50 caliber as an example. A hammer and special starter is used to get the ball through the false muzzle. After that it goes down fairly easily. Without the Teflon patch it would be difficult to say the least to load such a combination.
 That game is far removed from what most of you play but it has a dedicated following in some areas and the scores they post attest to the effectiveness of what they do.
 Please don't kill the messenger fellows I'm just trying to answer the question.
                                          Rich

[roundball]

Thanks for all the great replies gang!

[Robby]

Has anyone done any cold weather testing? How might it work for hunting, where one or two shots would be taken, does it stiffen up, changing its character?

[Roger Fisher]

The ol green teflon patching (I have a yard or three in my freezer) is certainly used by the bench boys and girls!!  I used it more that a few years ago. I found that I was tearing the patch once or so out of around 15 loadings, at the muzzle.  So I quit using it and went to spit..    I really should try it again since I'm sure my bore (in the rifle) is now a tad larger at the muzzle end....!  I was using a .454 ball in a Getz .45 caliber barrel I do think the teflon patching was .020.  For offhand shooting the spit patch works just fine, the jury is still out on shooting from a rest at least for me...!

[Sam Everly]

Roger, i have used the teflon for over 30 years . The (trick) to it is wet the non coated side with spit . It lets the fabric soften and streches while loading . So i wet it as i am loading . Also if you have any , any sharp edges on the crown the Teflon will show them real quick . When i get a new barrel i short load with the teflon and just the short starter. I pull it back out and look at the patching to see any cuts from the crown and work it over with small hones ! Webb Terry showed me this years ago , that was where i got the Teflon patching back 30 years ago . A few years ago , a young fellow started winning several matches at Friendship .He was useing a Rice barrel and stoped by the Rice boys booth one aftenoon. I was watching there booth for them with Jason who works for them , the young guy just had to show us his new Trick he found . He had this bore size gizemo and it was made to start a ball and patch and push it out the other end , streching the patch  before loading . It looked cool and all , i told him to try what Webb told me about wetting the material when loading . Well at lunch the next day ,he come around the corner of the shed with his chin dragging the dirt . He said after all that work on his new trick gizmo ,the spit on the back of the teflon patching was just as good as his gizmo ! 

[Gene Carrell]

Teflon coated patches has been of benefit for some of us with 25cal rifles. Now I know why the patch works best wet!

[Pete Allan]

Many years ago Webb and I did an experiment with a false muzzle barrel and teflon patching. We put a long tapper in the false muzzle and found it easy to load a . 509" ball into a .437" bore with just a ram rod. Without the teflon patch I don't think the combination could be loaded with a steel short starter and the use of a hammer. No we didn't use it in the matches but we showed friends it could be done.

[Daryl]

That's interesting, Pete - and tight.  Years ago, I had a Bauska .45 that went .448" on the bore.  A friend was complaining the .495" ball and .022" denim patch was too difficult to load in his TC .50.  I took one of his .495" and his .022" patch and loaded it into my .45 using my 3/8" hickory rod.  Of course, I started it with one smack of my short starter and punched it down 6" with the shaft of the starter, one smack on the knob, all without damaging the ball.  The only 'odd' thing about this, was the .028" deep rifling in the barrel, measuring .504" groove to groove.
: Proper crowing makes a BIG difference.