New gun burning patches

[WKevinD]

I just finished a short barreled (27") English Sporting Rifle in .62 for a deer hunting gun.
I have been trying to work up a good load but have been having an issue with patches burning up, nothing but a piece of smoldering char left of the patches.
I have been loading .595 with a pre lubed .018 patch and 65-90 gr. of fffg this gives a "thumb start" fit with a clean bore.
I chose the 3f cause that all I have on hand and with such a short barrel I thought 2f wouldn't have enough umph.
Any suggestions on a better load that won't burn thru patches and shoot better than me.
Kevin

[bob in the woods]

I use a .600 ball [ paper cartridges ]  or a .610 ball with linen patches. You don't say what barrel or rifling you have so, if the .595 ball is all you've got, I'd try heavier patching   .20 or .22 to start. 
My rifle [ Rice barrel ]  will shoot better than I can hold.

[WKevinD]

Bob,
It's a Rice with round bottom rifling a shortened Jager barrel. I only had .590 and .595 they work best in my .62 smooth. I'm off to JoAnns with my micrometer!
Kevin

[Herb]

JoAnns here has two linens but they are too thin for patches.  I have had good luck with WalMart's natural canvas duck.  They also have it in red, but the natural is thicker, about .021 but crushes to .013.

[hammer]

Kevin that sounds like an extraordinarily thin patch for a deep grooved barrel.   I would suggest a thicker patch to better fill the rifling.  Proper cross-weave pillow ticking would be ideal.  You may need to couple it with a .590 ball.    And give a wetter lube a try, such as Neatsfoot Oil from any horse tack shop.   Cleans as it lubricates.
Good luck,
Peter.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I concur with all the other posters who have tried to answer your question.

My .62 cal Hawken has a Rice round grooved 36" barrel.  My Lyman .600 mould casts balls that are almost round @ .609".  I use nothing but the softest lead I can find.  My patches are .028" cotton when lightly squeezed in the flat part of a Vernier's caliper, and .019" when compressed as hard as I can.  This combination requires the use of a starter, and once introduced to the bore, which is very easy start, they go down the bore easily - all day long without cleaning.  The patches are lubed with saliva when trail shooting, and pure Neatsfoot oil or Mink Oil, when hunting.  I can shoot my patches several times before they become too frayed to use again, but they have no scorching whatsoever on them.
I have a Lyman .610" mould, and it casts good balls @ .613".  I use the same patches with this round, but they are noticeably tighter in the bore...I prefer the .609" ball, and I get very nice accuracy with it.
So if you want to continue using that .595" ball, try some material cut from the back of the leg of an old pair of blue jeans...the front will be worn thin.  Use men's jeans - not woman's - as the latter is too thin.

[WKevinD]

Thanks all! JoAnns had two denim/canvas one compressed to .019 the other compressed to.022
The .022 is the ticket. I loaded my block (speed loader) with well lubed but as yet unwashed .022 cotton denim and shot three rounds from a steady rest at 50yrds. and made a ragged cloverleaf. Patches were scorched but whole with rifling marks. That's better than I can shoot offhand so it is a success. Recoil increased so I know I had a good seal.
Early muzzleloader season opens on Saturday in this end of PA so I'm good to go.
When I get a chance I'll get some .600 ball and try and get that three shot single ragged hole.

[jamesthomas]

 You need to wash the denim as it has a sizing starch on it so it folds easier at the factory.

[Daryl]

Washing removes the "sizing", which softens the fabric and may or may not also increase the thickness, or the reverse is also possible. I wash my fabric twice - 2 cycles through the cloths washer.

[smylee grouch]

Most of the denim might be sized with whatever but I have bought tightly woven denim that wasnt. Crushed down to 17/1000 if I remember right. I dont know if this was what they called prewased denim or not but it workes well in the guns that I use it in. I think I bought it at JoAnns.

[WKevinD]

I'm committed to the .022 unwashed for the next week. Been shooting tight groups and my patches are holding up. Early muzzleloader deer season opens tomorrow AM  and I want to hunt with this rifle.
The other patches were new sealed pouches, just too thin. I was relying on what worked in my .62 smooth bore a .595 and a .015 patch I should have just done the math. and added for the rifeling grove.
I looked for pillow ticking but found none.
When deer season is over I'll wash the remainder of my .022 and .019 and get a .60 mold and start again but that won't be 'till January and then I'll be busy making sausage.
Kevin

[Daryl]

The larger ball and heavier patch should work out perfectly for you, burnt.