Patches square, round, daisy cut...

[Heavies]

Patches square, round, daisy cut, cut at the muzzle.....   Does it matter at all. accuracy wise?

I have this vision in my head that the sooner the patch separates from the ball the better it is for accuracy wise.  What do you think?

[wattlebuster]

I have shot both round an square an can tell no difference

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Interesting.  How far down range are your fired patches usually found?  I can not recall ever recovering a patch more than 4 - 6 feet beyond the end of the muzzle. Never made a scientific study of it but the range where I shoot is pretty fastidious and it's part of the good housekeeping thing to pick up all floatsom and jetsum (so to speak).

[Keb]

Ploekat. You shoot on deck of a marine vessel and toss your patches overboard?

Sorry. I have worked crosswords since 1972 and I can't help myself.

[g2608671@verizon.net]

Hey Keb; LOL - I was in the Marines some time ago, we had just given up spears as part of our 782 Gear, and were being trained on flintlocks.  But I never fired one over the side of a Naval vessel.

 

[Heavies]

Interesting.  How far down range are your fired patches usually found?  I can not recall ever recovering a patch more than 4 - 6 feet beyond the end of the muzzle. Never made a scientific study of it but the range where I shoot is pretty fastidious and it's part of the good housekeeping thing to pick up all floatsom and jetsum (so to speak).

Wow. That close. The patches I've recovered, when I could find them, were about 5 to 7 yards out.  However we shoot from on the top of a hill so that might account for some float.  Our range is not always well kept, and with the grass and weeds a little long, it is difficult to find those patches. 

Sad because there is no shortage of volunteers to tidy the place up.  Just they won't allow it..  But that's another discussion altogether.

But back on topic. I was thinking the longer the patch interacts with the ball, the more it'll affect it's flight, in unpredictable ways. 

[hanshi]

My patches are cut square simply because it's quick and easy.  Never could tell any difference between the round ones and the square ones.  Spent patches are usually found some 7 to 10 yards from the muzzle.  If there's a breeze blowing it will cause them to fall in the direction the wind is blowing from; sometimes it can be a ways.

[Marcruger]

I had no luck with the daisy cut patches.  Just seemed to provide more edges for fraying.....and that is what they did. 

If you cut at the muzzle with your patch knife, the shape of the cloth doesn't matter.   ;-) 

I recover all of my fired patches that I can locate.  I read them to see how things are going.  Without checking your patches for blow-outs, scorching, and burn-throughs, it is like a race driver driving a lap and not caring about his lap time.  I personally want to know. 

The toughest, non-stretching, 100% cotton, tightest thread count patching in the right thickness for the bore/patch/ball combo is the goal.  The shape matters a LOT less.

Once I located the right cloth, I experimented with lubes.  Some loaded easier than others, but with the right cloth, all shot to the same point of aim and none blew out, scorched, or burned through.  That tells me that the CLOTH is the important factor.   

Best wishes,  Marc

[RichG]

never noticed any difference in accuracy between round and square. I cut my patches on the drill press with a modified hole saw, so I usually use round patches. when using square ,I usually nip off the corners to decrease any chance of interference between the short starter and barrel. never used any daisy cut patches, to expensive to buy patches when they are so easily made.

[Daryl]

My patches are cut square simply because it's quick and easy.  Never could tell any difference between the round ones and the square ones.  Spent patches are usually found some 7 to 10 yards from the muzzle.  If there's a breeze blowing it will cause them to fall in the direction the wind is blowing from; sometimes it can be a ways.

Yup! 

Much depends on the weight of the cloth, size and calibre of the gun (diameter of the patch, ie: weight again, wind, powder charge, ie: muzzle velocity. Squib loads will land the patches closer than-will heavy loads.
The integrity and weight of the patch are quite important. The higher the velocity as in higher the muzzle pressure/blast, the more fraying there will be around the outside of the patch - THAT does not matter.  What matters about the patch integrity and must maintain it's integrity all the way down then OUT the tube, is the wrap between the ball and the bottom of the grooves, which should be quite visible on a retrieved patch, with no brown scorch marks radiating out towards the outside of the patch. These may be visible on the patch, running from ANY of the groove marks (lighter compression marks) on the found patch & are usually not consistent, as in maybe only one or two grooves allowing flame to pass by the ball and patch. This is what causes the scorch marks.
In severe cases of poor ball and patch combinations, there may be no patches to pick up and examine, but only small slivers of charred cloth if they can be found at all.

[Daryl]

I had no luck with the daisy cut patches.  Just seemed to provide more edges for fraying.....and that is what they did. 

If you cut at the muzzle with your patch knife, the shape of the cloth doesn't matter.   ;-) 

I recover all of my fired patches that I can locate.  I read them to see how things are going.  Without checking your patches for blow-outs, scorching, and burn-throughs, it is like a race driver driving a lap and not caring about his lap time.  I personally want to know. 

The toughest, non-stretching, 100% cotton, tightest thread count patching in the right thickness for the bore/patch/ball combo is the goal.  The shape matters a LOT less.

Once I located the right cloth, I experimented with lubes.  Some loaded easier than others, but with the right cloth, all shot to the same point of aim and none blew out, scorched, or burned through.  That tells me that the CLOTH is the important factor.   

Best wishes,  Marc

Precisely - should have read this before I posted mine. LOL

[410-er]

Cut mine square with an old long knife papercutter.No accuracy difference in round or square.

[WadePatton]

...The toughest, non-stretching, 100% cotton, tightest thread count patching in the right thickness for the bore/patch/ball combo is the goal.  The shape matters a LOT less.

Once I located the right cloth, I experimented with lubes.  Some loaded easier than others, but with the right cloth, all shot to the same point of aim and none blew out, scorched, or burned through.  That tells me that the CLOTH is the important factor.   

Natural fiber is the key, no plastics (synthetics).  Some use linen, but I've not tried it yet.   

I reshoot patches every chance I get, because the second time it's a pre-cut.   

[Candle Snuffer]

That's about right - 7 to 10 yards is where I usually find my spent patches, and even after all these years and countless number of rounds shot with no evidence of bad patches, I still look for everyone to get a reading off them. I have found no difference between round or square patches, and I've never tried the daisy cut.

[JBJ]

After a recent session with a little .32 (Rice round grove barrel), I examined several fired patches. All were completely intact and all could be reused. However, the thing that struck me, after keeping up with this thread, was that these cut at the muzzle patches were strikingly square! I looked back at the source strip of pillow ticking - squarish holes! All these years of shooting and I never really noticed this phenomenon. I know I am old but to not have noticed this before is a bit humiliating to admit!
J.B.

[bgf]

Only real downside to square patches is that if you are only using one rod and leave the cleaning jag on it, the jag will catch the corners and cause problems if not careful.

Otherwise, square patches are great, easy to make, and just as good as round, for things like woodswalks or wherever you don't have a lot of convenience features for loading.

[Heavies]

The patches I did recover did not have any burn through, cutting, or holes.  However, using spit and .005" undersized ball, the side towards the barrel was super dirty and crusty from wiping the fouling.  I wouldn't want to reuse them.  Not with the spit method anyway...   

[g2608671@verizon.net]

After a recent session with a little .32 (Rice round grove barrel), I examined several fired patches. All were completely intact and all could be reused. However, the thing that struck me, after keeping up with this thread, was that these cut at the muzzle patches were strikingly square! I looked back at the source strip of pillow ticking - squarish holes! All these years of shooting and I never really noticed this phenomenon. I know I am old but to not have noticed this before is a bit humiliating to admit!
J.B.

You know what - I have never tried to cut patches at the muzzle and it's interesting that you have found them to be strikingly square.  I thought they would be kind of ragged in term of shape because of the cloth being folded on itself when being cut. I need to give this a try if for no other reason to give myself an excuse to add a patch knife to my possibles bag.   

[Daryl]

Cut at the muzzle will usually have them quite square with angled corners.  The ball is always centered in the patch.

[WadePatton]

Cut at the muzzle will usually have them quite square with angled corners.  The ball is always centered in the patch.

Mine come out round, hmph. I must be doing it wrong.

[Daryl]

Cut off right on the top of the sprue, or the ball punched down a bit further?  When I picked them up - they were quite square with rounded corners. 

[WadePatton]

Cut off right on the top of the sprue, or the ball punched down a bit further?  When I picked them up - they were quite square with rounded corners. 

Never thought about it before, maybe they're not so round I think.  And punched down just a tad.  I'm going to yank one from the loading block.  Wait right there. 


Son of a gun, I thought they were rounder than that. Was always focused on the marks made from the ball/bore and powder, those tend to be round. 

So we are actually shooting the auto-centering Squircle patches !   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squircle

Should make some squircle punches, make a mint.  Whoot!   

[Heavies]

Cut off right on the top of the sprue, or the ball punched down a bit further?  When I picked them up - they were quite square with rounded corners. 

Never thought about it before, maybe they're not so round I think.  And punched down just a tad.  I'm going to yank one from the loading block.  Wait right there. 


Son of a gun, I thought they were rounder than that. Was always focused on the marks made from the ball/bore and powder, those tend to be round. 

So we are actually shooting the auto-centering Squircle patches !   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squircle

Should make some squircle punches, make a mint.  Whoot!   

That's awesome!!  Lol 

[Frank]

I have found no difference between round or square patches.

[JBJ]

Just a whole lot easier for me to make square patches! I must be doing something wrong trying to punch out round patches. I have a lot of sharp punches of various sizes but to get crisply cut a round patch is really vexing for me. Help!
J.B.