What sized round ball for use with .018 patches?

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

in .50 cal? .485 or .490? Thanks.

 

[BHP FAN]

I use .015 with .490 in my Hawken.With the varience in thichness of the ticking I'm useing,some of mine are probably .012,and some .018.It matters very little as the cloth compresses between the ball and the rifleing,anyhow.I did try some commercial patches that were .010,and I wasn't getting much compression.More ''POOF'' than ''BANG''.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

What gun or rifle, or how deep are the grooves at the muzzle? Deeper grooves need thicker patching. Not all barrels are cut the same, and even from a manufacturer, different production runs may produce different results. Then depending on custom, semi-custom, or factory guns, new and used, some folks have polished the heck out of the barrel, and that too makes a dif.

LD

 

[madcratebuilder]

I use the same as BHP FAN, .490 rb and a .015 patch. I would start with the .490 rb, if it's to tight you can go to a thinner patch. This is with a T/C Hawken .50.

 

[BigG]

They typically use .490 in .50. Your patches may be a little thick if that is the nominal thickness because it's double when it's wrapped around a ball or .036 thick.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

A .490" ball and .018" pillow thickin' with spit, or mooses milk, Thompsons Liquid, or Hoppes liquid work just fine in a T/C Hawken or a Tennessee Poorboy Mountain Rifle .50...

SG

 

[.38 Special]

IMO groove diameter is critical. I like to find a patch/ball combo that just fills the grooves. This has always given top accuracy and is much easier to load than the traditional "short starter/leaning on the loading rod" business.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Ok, fellas, I'll measure and get back with ya.

 

[arcticap]

I think that I'm having a case of deja vu deja vu vu!

Seriously though, it's easier to start off with the most popular size round balls and then determine the best fitting patch for them then to go about it the other way around.
Any extra leftover .018 patches can always be used for experimenting with and may even shoot the best, but you'll never really know unless you try them as previously described.

The .490 RB's have been recommended by most folks once already.

Is this about a different rifle than was described in your last thread below?

Why not take a look at post #3, or the whole thread again?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=421872

 

[Zeke/PA]

I would think that you would want to fit a patch to a ball size and not visa-versa.
If you have a Machinist/ Toolmaker friend with a Dial Thickness gauge, patch measurement is very easy.
In my .50cal T.C. Hawkin I use a .013" patch with a .490" ball.
Once you are locked into a patch thickness, take the said thickness gauge to you nearest fabric shop, select what suits you and have at it.
Zeke

 

[mykeal]

Zeke/PA - do you measure compressed or uncompressed thickness? If compressed, how much force? How do you know if the force you are using is the same as that exerted by the gun barrel when the ball/patch combination is inserted?

 

[Zeke/PA]

mykeal,
The Dial Thickness gauge that I mentioned is about as close as you can get to measure UNCOMPRESSED thickness simply because of the design of the gauge.
When I decided on a patch thickness years ago, I bought about 2or 3 yards of fabric.
At 1&1/8" diameter per patch, the material has lasted quite a while.
Zeke

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

articcap, I was given recommendations in that thread to use a .015 patch. I cannot find them anwhere (locally). All I can find is the .018 lubed patches. So I had to fine tune my question. So thank you.

 

[bobby n.]

i use the .489 roundy with mine. hits hard and knocks em down. they dont get up and bum a smoke from you

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I was given recommendations in that thread to use a .015 patch. I cannot find them anwhere (locally).

Go the the local fabric store, and buy one yard of pillow-ticking, and take it home and wash it twice in very hot water, then tumble dry on "high" and it will be close to .015 if not .015. Make sure it's 100% cotton, no polyester!

LD