Cutting patches at the muzzle

[billd]

A simple question...How far do you seat the ball before cutting your patch?  Flush, 1/8 deep, or more?

Thanks,
Bill

[Roger Fisher]

My nub starter ends up pushing the ball 3/16th in to the muzzle.  I like to see some patching beyond the side of the round jigger....!

[Nate McKenzie]

On my coned muzzles, thumb pressure takes it just bellow flush. The nub on my short starter is about 1/8".   I'm getting lazy in my old age and using more prelubed and precut patches.

[BrownBear]

Kinda funny, but I do most of my "cutting at the muzzle" in my loading blocks.  I make the blocks the same thickness as the ball diameter, then seat them with the ball protruding just far enough out the bottom for an easy feel when they're centered over the muzzle.  That leaves the top of the ball somewhere between 1/8" and 3/16" below the top of the block, where I cut the patch.  When I've emptied a block at the range, I usually just take a few moments to reload it this way, rather than seating the ball in the bore, then cutting the patch.  Handy.

Most of my range blocks hold 6 balls, but my big game hunting blocks hold only 3.  I'm even thinking about going to 2.  If that's not enough on a big game hunt, a truck load of balls isn't going to be enough either.  My small caliber snowshoe hare blocks hold 6 too, and I usually carry 2 of those.  And I'm happy to report that I've had to refill those blocks in the field!   

[omark]

when cutting at the muzzle, i just use my patch knife handle to start the ball. so it is about even with the muzzle.  mark

[roundball]

prelubed and precut patches.

Don't feel bad...8-10 years ago I stumbled across 3-4 different auctions or small going-out-of-business sales where I was able to buy a few thousand precut/prelubed pillow ticking patches at each place, dirt cheap...been using off that 15,000 + stockpile ever since 

[Daryl]

The nub on my starter, used after seating the ball flush with one smack, puts the ball down just below the muzzle - about 3/16" in most guns, 1/4" in another. This distance isn't critical as very much oversized pre-cuts work just fine as well.  It's a good idea to have the starter shaft small enough that it doesn't wedge the 'excess' patch against the barrel walls and pull off when you pull the starter out.

[Kermit]

Coned muzzles, thumb pressure, so just below flush. And cut at the muzzle for most--'cept the ones I still have some precut patches left for. But when they're gone...

[Ron T.]

I use the round "ball" that makes up the "handle" of my short starter to knock the .50 caliber patched ball into the barrel.  How deep the outside diameter of the "ball" knocks the patched rifle ball down into the bore depends of the rifle's caliber.  In my rifle, the ball diameter is just right as it puts the patched ball just out of the reach of my knife's blade when cutting the patches at the rifle's muzzle.

My shooting buddy often shoots his .32 caliber percussion cap rifle... and he has to use his short starter's "nub" (about 3/8ths of an inch long) to push the patched ball down into the barrel far enough to avoid being cut or "nicked" when cutting his patches at the rifle's muzzle.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.