how to do you carry your patches.

[snapper]

As a percussion shooter I have scores of CCI percussion cap tins that work great.  They are great if you lose them.  I just go get another one out of my zip lock bag I keep them in.


Fleener

[CARROLLCO]

Probably not PC, but I carry my precut lubed patches in my orange plactic medication bottles with the white plastic child proof tops. Since I am on multiple meds, I have different sizes for 36, 45; a little larger one for 50,54. Since I use Wood Soap and windshield washer fluid for lube, they are also leak proof. I also use them to store fishhooks, screws, nails etc. I peel the labels off so I can view the contents.

[45-110]

another method yet to be mentioned is to put the ball into the patch, gather up the cloth and then tie off the pucker with thread. then clip short. your loading block holds the assembly nicely while tying and cutting. this really speeds up a reload and was the military solution to loose components.
kw

[bob in the woods]

When using patches, I have them strung on a thread as Taylor described. A knot holds them secure , but the end patch is easily pulled from the bunch. I use the same method for keeping my brown paper bag squares used for wadding when bird hunting.

[Dale Halterman]

JohnnyFM,

Where/how do you carry your lube since it is not on the patches?

Dale H

[JohnnyFM]

Dale,
Sorry for the late response and my apologies for not being more specific. Sometimes I prelube  a string of patches if I know i抣l Be doing a lot of shooting sometimes I don抰.  It all depends on the type of shooting, the type of lube used and my mood.
For example, if I feel like bear grease, I may prelube a string. Bear grease tends to get runny in the summer. Prelubing  works good for this. If my string of patches is dry and i抦 Using deer tallow or that mink grease from track, I tend to keep a small tin with the cover off inside my shooting pouch and give the patch a swipe with my thumb inside the bag.  It抯 done by feel. Since I don抰 keep much in my bag this works pretty good. For hunting I always pre-grease.

Others mileage may vary.
Regards

[Fyrstyk]

Late to the thread, but I thought I would mention how I carry my patch material.  I cut strips of patch material, lube the strip, then roll it up to fit in one of those old time aluminum screw top 35mm film containers.  I cut a slit in the side of the film container to feed the end of the patch strip out of.  I also installed a leather loop on the cap that can be fastened to my bag via a antler toggle.  In this way I can keep my lubed patch material clean and free of debris it might pick up if just hanging off the bag. Has worked for me for over 20 years now. 

[Daryl]

[Jerry V Lape]

I am more hunter than range shooter and I really don't  like loose things hanging off my pouch to snag in the brush, rattle or tangle.  So my prelubed precut patches are stored in a small leather slip which stores in the small front pocket of the pouch along with a few balls.  Powder is carried in premeasured tubes with priming in a separate priming horn.  Guess I could make some wood or reed tubes like the European matchlock shooters used.if the plastic tubes offends.   

[Mike from OK]

6 patched balls in a loading block and the rest in a tin in the pouch. Refill loading block as needed.

Bob

Pretty close to the same for me... But I have 10 shots pressed into the block for my .32

I press the ball and patches in dry. Before loading, I dribble a dab of saliva on the ball/patch in the block, then load it.

If I empty the loading block I always have spare precuts in my patchbox. I can put several in my mouth at a time for subsequent shots.

It isnt pretty or fancy, but it is simple and handy.

Mike

[OldMtnMan]

I used to cut at the muzzle and carried strips on my belt.

Now, I have a bunch of loading boards that I load up for a range session and carry just one while hunting.

So, I went from cutting at the muzzle to cutting at the board.

[Turtle]

 I have a large brass safety pin I bought at rendezvous on the strap of my possibles bag. When shooting several shots like on a woodswalk, I unhook the pin so I can grab a patch when needed. I prelube my patched with mink oil and poke a hole in the center for the pin. This system would also work if you spit lubed your patches.

[rfd]

this is a good topic, and i think it goes beyond just the patches.  if you shoot out of the bag, i think you've got to get in a good process to make that happen as easily and smoothly as possible. 

i love ball boards and use them prolifically.  loose balls are kept in an open pouch inside the shooting bag.  patch strips are pre-lubed with melted in gato feo.  a patch knife is always at the ready.  no short starter required or needed.  i build ramrods to work "vertically" so for guns that don't require bore swabbing 'tween shots the rod is up-down-up-down and no flipping is required.

some of my guns require swabbing the bore between shots, most do not.  i'm also not much of a range shooter, and prefer woods walks.  for the guns that require swabbing between shots, specific clean patches (the same 2" arsenal ones i use for bpcr) are kept in an open tube pouch hanging off the shooting bag.  also hanging off the bag is a dirty patch open tube pouch, to keep from littering the woods.

[Dave Patterson]

A strip of patch material hung off the front bag strap...

Same here.  In dry weather (most of the year, here in NW Nevada desert), I "spit-lube":  just shove the tail of the material in my mouth while I'm measuring and dumping powder.  It's far too dry and breezy around here, to ever even chance a smoldering patch getting into the cheatgrass.  There are several fires started by plinkers shooting those modern abominations, every year; the very last thing I want to put my name on is a fire started by a muzzleloader. 

Doesn't really address the intent of your question, does it.   

[OldMtnMan]

I would think a patch treated with some sort of tallow would be better for not starting a fire.

[Dave Patterson]

That was my original thought too, OMM; my own testing seems to indicate, saliva being more effective (re:  fire prevention) than any grease, silicone, etc, that I've used. 

Then again, saliva never reaches an ignition temperature; greases, oils, etc, all do.

[rfd]

ignition and detonation have the ability to fry any cotton or linen patch to smoldering embers in a few milliseconds, no matter what it's lubed with, spit or whatever.  been there, done that.  we all need to be aware of our fired patches, nothing new there.

[OldMtnMan]

That was my original thought too, OMM; my own testing seems to indicate, saliva being more effective (re:  fire prevention) than any grease, silicone, etc, that I've used. 

Then again, saliva never reaches an ignition temperature; greases, oils, etc, all do.

My thought was a spit patch when dried out is a dry patch. Surely a greased patch would be better as far as smoldering.

[Joe S]

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

[OldMtnMan]

No, I haven't but patches don't go that far. A fire would be right in front of you. Stomp it out.

[Daryl]

ignition and detonation have the ability to fry any cotton or linen patch to smoldering embers in a few milliseconds, no matter what it's lubed with, spit or whatever.  been there, done that.  we all need to be aware of our fired patches, nothing new there.

Interesting. We've never had a smoldering patch on our ranges locally. We all use tight combinations that do not cut or burn, whether they are spit patched, greased with bear grease,

Track's Mink Oil, or some sort of thin oil - animal or vegetable. I will note here, that when I tested vegetable oil, I didn't get any smoldering patches, but the oil I used - Canola (might

have been Olive Oil), did not shoot 'cleanly' enough for me, so  I had to load and fire a cleaning shot with a ball and spit patch, then carry on experimenting.

[Daryl]

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

That happened a couple times at Hefley Creek Rendezvous.   It only happens with thin patches that do not seal the bore.

It will not,  cannot happen with the combinations we use.  The patches are re-usable.

These groups were made at 50yards, with picked up - yes, recovered & re-lubed patches I'd used in my .69, then re-lubed and used in the .60 Taylor re-worked (shortened)

 for a lad here. Note in the text, Taylor wrote we used Mr. Flintlock's Lube. That was because these recovered (reclaimed) patches would not taste very good, if stuck in one's mouth.

The use of the slippery lube is why this test was done with more powder than the original best. I have found the slippery lubes require more powder.

[rfd]

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.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A few years ago, at a rendezvous in Ft. McMurray Alberta, someone shooting a too thin patch started a forest fire.  It was discovered by nearby shooters on the line, and an attempt was made to stamp it out, but it got away from us.  Picture seventy-five shooters who have dumped their rifles and gear on the trail and are frantically stamping the bush.  The fire jumped the trail into the bush on the opposite side of the trail, and finally a fire wagon from the club arrived and got busy.  It took nearly an hour of panic to extinguish the fire(s) and all of the suppressant in the trailer.  We had it nearly beaten before a helicopter arrived to assess the fire.  By then, if we hadn't got the upper hand, we might all have been lost in that fire.
Cause, someone who was using a thin cotton patch that ignited upon firing his rifle.  And as Daryl has pointed out, we've seen it in the grass at the BC Rendezvous as well.  Yes, a smoldering patch can ignite a fire.

[OldMtnMan]

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