Patches

[varsity07840]

I got lazy the other day and tried using some precut patches I had laying around since the last century. The Getz barrel has always been very accurate. The shots were all over the paper. Went back to cutting at the muzzle, same material and lube and it was back to normal. Has anyone ever encountered that?

[Marcruger]

Many precut patches in my book are not worth the time and energy. 

The fellow who taught me said to buy The Minute-Men canvas patching.  It worked (and still works) great, and I cut it at the muzzle.  Dumb me, I then tried out many different pre-cut patches.  Some lubed, some not.  None worked.  All blew apart. 

I have a whole Glad freezer ziplock full of the pre-cut patches.  When I teach a new shooter, I offer pre-cuts to those new shooters to experiment so they can see good versus bad.   To their credit, none have tried the pre-cut patches, relying on my past experience. 

This stuff below is great, and I sure wish I knew his source.  Really, compared to JoAnn fabrics, it isn't that expensive.  I buy the UNTREATED and wet lube.  He offers teflon treated too.   The teflon works great, but a little bug in the back of my brain says "How do you get Teflon out of your barrel when it has no known solvent?"  Also, call the number on the picture in the evenings.  The website doesn't work. 

Hope this helps.   God Bless,   Marc (who has an opinion on patching)

 

[smylee grouch]

Did you check your pre cut/lubed shot patches? If some patches sit too long the lube will weaken the patch material and cause patches to fail. I like to pre cut the patches and not lube them until its time to go out to shoot.

[Daryl]

Did you check your pre cut/lubed shot patches? If some patches sit too long the lube will weaken the patch material and cause patches to fail. I like to pre cut the patches and not lube them until its time to go out to shoot.

Exactly - I shoot precuts that I cut from material I buy by the yard/meter and lube them myself, only as many as needed that day only.  If using a water based lube
and I don't use them all up, I allow them to dry out by leaving the cover off the tin, so they can be lubed anew. If lubed with a grease(mink) or oil(Neetsfoot) I discard
all the extras after the day's shooting.

[hanshi]

I always buy the material of my choice and cut my own.  I've never used a bought patch that I can recall so can't comment on their quality.  I can recommend buying good material and cutting one's own and NOT lubing more than one can fire within a few weeks or so.

[Marcruger]

I agree 100% Hanshi.  Stubborn as I am, I had to test pre-cut and/or pre-lubed patches back in the day.  Glad I already had the answer in The Minute-Men canvas.   God Bless,   Marc

[Daryl]

I did purchase OxYoke patches in the past, from Track. I found the markings on the packages were .003 to .004" over what I measured the patches to be
using my own calipers.  I pinch the tines between forefinger and thumb down on the material about as hard as I can and read the dial.  I have 3 sets of calipers
for measuring material. They give 3 different measurements on the same swatch of cloth, so I now only use the calipers that give the middle measurement. They
are "Hornady" brand, very nicely made & totally repeatable.
I have not bought precut patches for decades now - same as Hanshi, I purchase material and cut my own patches using a variety of tools.

[Birddog6]

I still use pillow ticking.  I have 3 dif thicknesses & I buy the whole bolt & it lasts for many years.

I use a rotary blade material cutter (can't think of what they call it) 32 x 32" material yields
1024 patches in 1" patches in one cutting. And I can cut 3 layers of material at a time,  & cut
3000+ just as quick by just adding 2 more layer of material.
You can spend a hour or so & cut enough patches to last you 20 yrs. Store them in a big empty
 pretzel jar with a lid & mark what they are.

Now it hit me, it is a Diaz or Deiz Rotary cutter.  Basically a round razor blade that will easily
remove your finger tips. (no joke  )  I use the marked cutting board for them & it has a guide
& just lay the material on it, slide the guide to 1" or 1.25 or 1.5 & go to it.  It does a nice job 
 IF  you are OK with square patches. 
My mother was a seamstress & she had one for cutting expensive material.

If 2-3-4 guys go together buying one the cost is minimal for the results & it will outlast you if put
away protected. 

DO NOT leave the blade or cutter out.  A grandkid pick that cutter up & you Will be going to the ER
 to reattach fingers ! 

[MuskratMike]

Like Keith does only I have my wife the seamstress and quilt maker do the same thing for me making all my patches into squares with a rotary cutter. I then take over and nip off the corners with one of her "good" scissors and make them in short order into octagons. For the little .32 I grease strips and cut at the muzzle.

[Daryl]

Scissors work, so do the Diaz cutters.
Many of us up in the Great White North use steel bearings and bearing races of various sizes
and/or arch punches. The 10ounce (.021") to 14 ounce .034" denim material can be as thick as 10
layers and 4 or 6 blows with a decent hammer on the arch punch will cut 10 patches at a time.
Taylor and I use 2" thick pieces of UHMW (HDPE) plastic as a base. This 'chunk' has lasted me about
15 years so far.

[snapper]

I have used Ox Yoke for years and still continue to use them.    I have a tendency to buy a bunch of something if I like it so I dont have to worry about running out.

I like the Ox Yoke, they shoot great.    I lube them at each shooting session.

Fleener