Carrying patches??

[jerrywh]

 Anybody have any good ideas for carrying patches  when in a shoot?   They need to be handy and ready fast. 

[Paddlefoot]

I always pre-cut mine using a gasket punch. Saturate them with your lube of choice then put as many as you think you are going to need into an inside pocket of my hunting pouch. If I have too many for that I usually use a 35mm film canister but an Altoids tin works pretty well too.

[Leatherbelly]

 Jerry,
   Track sells a hinged patch box that's nickel plated brass by Ted cash. Quite nice.I just buy those tin boxes with mints in them and blacken the tin on the electric stove. Get the mint boxes that are hinged. I put some small pieces of patch material in mine when I "blackened" it and got a unique pattern burnt into the metal. I precut my patches so these 2 1/2"X3 1/2"X 3/4" tins are perfect for about 80-100 precuts.

[Dphariss]

Jerry,
   Track sells a hinged patch box that's nickel plated brass by Ted cash. Quite nice.I just buy those tin boxes with mints in them and blacken the tin on the electric stove. Get the mint boxes that are hinged. I put some small pieces of patch material in mine when I "blackened" it and got a unique pattern burnt into the metal. I precut my patches so these 2 1/2"X3 1/2"X 3/4" tins are perfect for about 80-100 precuts.

Sucretes used to come in a steel box. Burn off the paint and its good to go.

Dan

[Eric Laird]

Normally, I just tie a strip of patching material (already lubed, of course) to the bag strap with a length of wang and then just load and cut at the muzzle. I find this a lot quicker than digging for a precut and it's easy to carry enough for 20-30 shots. If you need more shots, just carry another strip rolled up in your bag - I can attach it in about the same amount of time it takes me to dig out a precut. This doesn't work well for hunting (I use a simple bullet board - don't expect many fast repeat shots so I only carry a small board for two rounds and can replenish as needed from the pouch), but for line shoots/woods walks I find this works best for me.
Eric

[Mike R]

I carry patches in several ways, but I found that when 'speed reloading' is needed it is best to carry patches and balls separate from all the other stuff in the pouch--you really just need powder, patch and ball to load--all the other stuff is for other stuff.  I started wearing a small belt pouch with just loose ball and lubed patches [or dry if using spit]. Don't have to search around with the fingers in a pouch crowded with other stuff.  The other way is to have a strip of patching tied to your bag strap and cut at the muzzle.  The slowest way to reload is to have all your stuff in separate containers/bags that you have to dig through--for example, I often carry ball in a separate ball bag within my pouch and lubed patches in a little tin--but not when follow up shots are needed quickly.

[billd]

Those little plastic canisters with snap lids that disposible ear plugs come in work great.

[Roger Fisher]

I usually am walking in to a $#*! of a head wind or swimming up stream; but I do it (the patch thing) this away:  Line shoots I simply have the strip cut patching folded neatly in corner of the shooting box and spit then cut at muzzle...

W/walks and such shooting I carry a 2 ft or so long cut patching strip tucked under my belt- spit - cut at muzzle and repeat as needed.  Easy and simple which for me is a must

[Candle Snuffer]

I use ball blocks and carry one with it attached to the outside of my shooting
bag, on the strap.  I carry extras in my bag for a quick change.

This works pretty darn good for me and eliminates the worry/inconvience of the
ball & lubed patch being separate from one another.  The lubed patch and ball comes right out of the block and is ready for the bore once I've fed the powder
charge.

I bet there's lots here who use the same method?

[Roger Fisher]

I use ball blocks and carry one with it attached to the outside of my shooting
bag, on the strap.  I carry extras in my bag for a quick change.

This works pretty darn good for me and eliminates the worry/inconvience of the
ball & lubed patch being separate from one another.  The lubed patch and ball comes right out of the block and is ready for the bore once I've fed the powder
charge.

I bet there's lots here who use the same method?

I use a 5 holer ball block w/bear greased patched balls when hunting!  Here lately its 'hunting' but no shooting

[Daryl]

Taylor and I use the method LB mentioned.  I like the 'silver' nickel boxes from Track as they don't tarnish and grow green verdigras.  The brass coloured ones boxes work well and look good quickly, only grow green.  The rectangular box with the hind just in from the end is my favourite.  Patches stay wet with LHV for several weeks in it, whereas the one hinded on the end will dry patches in only a few days, about like the blackened sucrets, etc. boxes. Track's boxes that we use are listed as tinder boxes. The model 1790 is the one I like. They are listed on-line under Accessories, "Tins, boxes, cases" - the last one of the list- tinder boxes.

[T*O*F]

I guess nobody uses the old fashioned way.  Take a pile of pre-lubed patches and run a needle thru them with a piece of waxed linen thread.  Tie a single knot in the thread and tie the other end wherever it's convenient to grab.  Spread the patches out a bit so they ain't all bunched up together.  When you need one, just grab the bottom one and pull it over the knot.

[jerrywh]

Lots of good ideas . Thanks for the info yall.

[robert gene]

I've heard that the old timers would sew or tye a patch around the ball at home. Then seat it and cut the tag end off when needed.

[Kermit]

Mine's similar to the thread method. I just impale a stack of several pre-lubed patches on my vent pick and hang it from the bag strap. Easy to slip off one at a time. Can't remember who showed me this one, I've been doing it so long.

[BuffaloGun]

I also tie a strip of lubed patch cloth to my bag strap and tuck it into the bag till needed. After a ball is started I use the patch knife that also rides on the bag strap.

[longcruise]

Anybody have any good ideas for carrying patches  when in a shoot?   They need to be handy and ready fast. 

Jerry, I precut mine square and to a generous size so as not to be overly worried about centering the patch on the muzzle.  I use either double compartment bags or a bag with an inner pocket.  Shooting patches get pushed to one side and the wiping patches to the other.  Liquid lube in a small squeeze bottle dropped in the bottom of the bag along with balls and a few tools.  Short starter gets pushed down along the side of the main pocket.  Powder measure and leather capper around the neck.

It's simple to reach into the bag and grab a single ball patch, then pull out the lube bottle to give it five or seven drops of lube then pull out a ball and starter at the same time put the ball and patch on top of the muzzle and start it with one smack of the long arm of the starter.  The ball is rammed home with either a range rod or the rifles rod.  I only wipe if the gun won't be reloaded for 10 minutes or more such as during a relay break so one only needs one wiping patch for every five or so shooting patches.

[Hank*in*WV]

UhOh Longcruise, I thik you dryballed.

[longcruise]

UhOh Longcruise, I thik you dryballed.

I did!!

Hope nobody follows that regimen exactly.