Another patch question

[Dobyns]

The natural colored cotton duck at JoAnn's measures .025" to my micrometer, but the dyed bolts were .020".  The heavy, blue striped ticking I bought there measures .020" after washing.

[hanshi]

I would be remiss not to mention that among the barrels I shoot there are 3 with square cut, shallower rifling grooves.  They take the same patching as the radius barrels and seat just as easily.  Those square cut grooves are not over .012".  I always use a short starter, too.

[hanshi]

I've used lots of the canvas duck and mattress ticking.  But the heavy canvas seats as easily and has a stronger & tighter weaved.

[Gun_Nut_73]

I can only think of one thing to add to all of the above excellent suggestions:  Try a smaller diameter short starter.  My .50 short starter is sometimes very tight when I use thick patches, so I switched to a .45 cal short starter, and the problem went away.

[Clark Badgett]

I can only think of one thing to add to all of the above excellent suggestions:  Try a smaller diameter short starter.  My .50 short starter is sometimes very tight when I use thick patches, so I switched to a .45 cal short starter, and the problem went away.

Now this is one variable I havent tried.

[Daryl]

If you look at the first starter, the one for my 20 and 14 bore guns, there is a hole in the middle. That is the primer-flash channel. The stud is made from ctg. brass, rim turned off and cupped
with a round ground high-speed drill.