Confusing patch reading

[yellowhousejake]

So I have been planning to go to the Fort Valonia Days over the log match next month. I decided to take my squirrel rifle, which I have hardly shot since building it. It needs shot. The rifle has a 36 caliber Colerain barrel, flint lock.

Using a .350 ball and .018 denim patch I got good groups with anything from 30 grains of 3F to 50 grains of 3F. I was feeling pretty good about myself as I had groups touching at 25 yards but threw one shot, only one shot, with every five shot group. A clear case of DCSS (Dave can't see the sights).

I decided to try a tighter patch just because I had the material. When I went to check the patches I discovered that the previous patches were blown apart. It looked like someone had sat down and pulled the warp and weave apart. The thicker patch was in reusable condition.

But, always a but, the patches that were blowing up shot the best groups. By a good margin. My thought was that once the patch was out the barrel it doesn't matter if it comes undone. It has done it's job.

Has anyone seen this before?

DAve

[smylee grouch]

Years ago I  had that happen to me when I used patching that had a " loose weave ".

[bob in the woods]

Old patch material ?  What lube are you using ?   You may need more lube on the patch.

[alacran]

25 yards is not a good reference point. I have seen very good groups shot off a bench with a small caliber smoothbore. I have shot !@*%&@ good groups off a bench in a rifle with no patching at 25 yards. It was an experiment which fouled the barrel to no end.
You will be shooting at 60 yards prone at Fort Valonia. You will shoot one shot at a time and probably 10 to 15 minutes between shots. That's just the way those matches go.
I would practice shooting at 60 yards and see what your patches look like in relation to your groups.

[snapper]

I agree that 25 yards does not tell you much.  I got a rifle last year that I shot 2 shots from 25 yards and they were almost touching.   Took it to a short-range woods walk and took first place.   I was feeling really good about the rifle.    This past week I pulled it out of the safe and was sighting it in at 50 yards.  My groups are terrible.

But, if it groups well at 50 yards and the patches are shredded, no problem.  The sister rifle to the above I have been sighting in this past week as well and it will shoot a clover leaf group at 50 yards, and the patches are certainly not reusable.

Fleener

[Leatherbark]

If it is an over the log match shot at 60 yards like an Alvin York type, then that is the distance I would practice load variables at. If you used old denim from jeans that might be your problem.  Some of that has been washed so much it is actually rotten.

Bob

[yellowhousejake]

I appreciate the responses. I was shooting at 25 yards because the rifle had never been sighted in. I intend to set the sights for 50 yards, ala squirrel. The sights are no matter in this match as you place the target under your group and shoot for closest to the X. If you rifle hits to point of aim, you will blow your aim point out so it is best to have your POI some place other than your POA. If you want to win.

Back to the patch as that was the question. The material is new, washed once. Lube was neatsfoot oil. Patches cut at the muzzle. There was no lead fouling. After 30  shots the rifle still loaded without additional effort. As to the groups at 25 yards, the blown out patches put 15 balls into cloverleafs. The patches that held up shot 3" groups. Odd.

I now know where the rifle is hitting so I will move out to 60 yards. I have other material to try and three other size balls. I will use the .350 ball and patch material that blew out again, just to see what happens.



DAve

[Daryl]

Having patches that don't blow out or burn up is no guarantee of your rifles best accuracy, nor is the instance of re-useable patches. However, having both of those attributes AND the proper powder charge are the first, second and third steps to delivering your rifle's best accuracy. The fourth step is having sights you can see. 5th is shooting ability.