how to do you carry your patches.

[rfd]

it's a vigilance thing.  shooters need to spot for their and others fired patches.  they'll almost always be smokin' and easy to spot.  i've seen smolderings that were caused by burning embers out the muzzle.  don't call 'em fire sticks for nuthin.

[Dave Patterson]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever started a fire with a patch?

though i've seen patches from spit to heavily tallow greased fire out and on the ground smoking, never saw any start a fire of any kind but undoubtedly it surely could in a fertile scenario.

No; I've never heard of a fire started by a patch.

Only reason I even thought of the possibility, to begin with, was the fire environment here.

Having spent about 30 years as a wildland firefighter in Ventura Co, CA, I thought I knew a fire-ready environment pretty well:  flashy fuels with a high dead-load; fire-perfect fuelbed arrangement; periodic low humidities, high ambient temps, and high winds.  I've seen some fire.

Then, I moved to the Great Basin:  first place I ever witnessed and worked fires in such fire weather.  Had never worked in conditions with a periodic (actually, fairly common) 100% PIG ("Probability of IGnition":  factoring-in rH, ambient temp, fuel moisture, etc, and reaching an average probability of each individual visible blowing spark or ember WILL ignite a new piece of fire).

In conditions like that, new grass or groundcover fires don't smolder:  they run.

Real world version:  I've often seen cigarette ash (not the cherry:  the "cool" grey ash!) ignite smoldering fires in dry bluebell groundcover.  Days like that, a whole buckaroo crew (3-4 guys all smoking home-rolled, so they - theoretically - die out before they light a fire, if your "colt" sticks you on your head) turns into temporary non-smokers, in a hurry!


So color me paranoid, but I'm takin' no chances around here:  it's just too bloomin' dry to risk, most of the year.

[OldMtnMan]

How about those Teflon patches? Do they smolder?

[rfd]

How about those Teflon patches? Do they smolder?

no, they just slide away into the grass and bushes .........

just imaging a teflon patch in an 18th century replica flintlock long gun ... oh my, oh my, oh my.   

[OldMtnMan]

I agree about being traditional. I was just thinking as a temporary measure for those in really dry conditions.

[rfd]

I agree about being traditional. I was just thinking as a temporary measure for those in really dry conditions.

up here in the nor'east we can some serious dry spells and then there is NO shooting, period.

[OldMtnMan]

We had pretty dry conditions to this year. Fly fishing was terrible. I'm hoping for more snow and summer rains next year. They didn't stop us from shooting but banned campfires.

[Daryl]

Taylor..........Where do you put the blame?

Whom would you suggest, Pete?

Ultimately, I see it as the shooter's error - his/her judgment and knowledge - lack of knowledge or jugement is not an excuse, imo.

[OldMtnMan]

Me too.

[Sharpsman]

Untitled by Sharps Man, on Flickr

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Blame is not the correct word for this phenomenon.  The problem lies in the loading technique used by some folks.  For whatever reasons, some folks have difficulty loading a patch ball combination that will seal the bore, prevent gas cutting and patch burn out.  That is what is to blame.  The reason could be any one or a combination of the following:  not strong enough or aggressive enough to start and load a good combination...refusing to use a starter for whatever reason...has a bore that is rough and cannot load a tight combination, caused by poor cleaning technique and allowing bore cancer to take over...and the beat goes on.
But it is always a too thin patch!

This is important stuff, but it is a diversion from the thread's intent.

[sespe]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever started a fire with a patch?

though i've seen patches from spit to heavily tallow greased fire out and on the ground smoking, never saw any start a fire of any kind but undoubtedly it surely could in a fertile scenario.

No; I've never heard of a fire started by a patch.

Only reason I even thought of the possibility, to begin with, was the fire environment here.

Having spent about 30 years as a wildland firefighter in Ventura Co, CA, I thought I knew a fire-ready environment pretty well:  flashy fuels with a high dead-load; fire-perfect fuelbed arrangement; periodic low humidities, high ambient temps, and high winds.  I've seen some fire.

Hey Dave, you beat me to it. 

At our October shoot in Ventura, we place buckets of water and beaters all along the trail walk.  The main line is bare dirt, but the trail walk still has short stubble.  I have personally seen several fires started by patches.