speaking of cleaning

DD4lifeusmc · October 27, 2012, 10:26 AM

we already have a thread about the best cleaning solution (water or store bought)
So.
What do you all use for cleaning patches? And do you use once and throw away, or clean and reuse?
Way back in the day store bought were actually a cloth material, now I see they are a type of paper or some such.

Hawg · October 27, 2012, 11:58 AM

I got a fairly large supply of Outers shotgun patches years ago during a clearance sale I'm still using. When I run out of those I'll probably cut up an old bed sheet.

DD4lifeusmc · October 27, 2012, 12:04 PM

I see.
I normally use an old holey flannel shirt. Cut patches as needed and use the rest to wipe the gun down. Eventually need another new shirt anyway.
I put the patches in an old pair of nylons and run through the wash. Reuse them at least twice before tossing.
well Happy Shooting!

arcticap · October 27, 2012, 02:34 PM

I cut patches from old tee shirts.
I use an undersize jag, cut over size patches and fold them over several times to fit the bore more tightly.
These large patches can be re-folded several times in different ways to use another part of the patch that remains clean.

TylerOutdoorsman · October 27, 2012, 02:39 PM

I cut old t-shirts into patches of a appropriate size. Then you can control the exact size for a snug fit in your bore.

DD4lifeusmc · October 27, 2012, 02:49 PM

Thanks for the replies guys!
Happy shooting!

mykeal · October 27, 2012, 04:04 PM

100% cotton.

When I run out of old shirts, skivvies, etc. I just stop by the dry goods store (a Ben Franklin in my area) and buy a couple yards of white cotton flannel. Thousands of patches for a couple bucks and a couple hours with a sharp knife.

bedbugbilly · October 27, 2012, 05:39 PM

I'm lazy so I just buy ready made cotton patches. You can still get 'em at most LGS. I usually buy them in the larger quantity bags. Since I shoot a lot of 38 spl. etc. - they work well for my Navies as well. For what they cost, it's a whole lot less time consuming than sitting and cutting and the time I'd use for that is better spent in other pursuits. If I'm in a pinch, I'll use old tee shirts, etc. or various material that I have on hand - as long as it's 100% cotton.

For shooting patches though - it's the old standby of pillow ticking (cotton) as that works the best in my rifles/smoothbore.

Captainkirk · October 27, 2012, 11:39 PM

That's where my old Tee shirts and skivvies go

shortwave · October 28, 2012, 12:05 AM

Don't believe I've ever bought a cleaning patch in my life.

As with many here, the old T-shirts are my patch's.

Wild Bill Bucks · October 29, 2012, 11:41 AM

Mrs WBB likes to use old t-shirts and underwear for her wood staining hobbies, so the first time she caught me cutting them up for patches, she went to the local gun shop, and bought every cleaning patch they had on the shelf.

That was close to 30 years ago, and I still have a pillow case full of them.

Doyle · October 29, 2012, 01:13 PM

This is where I will differ from most of the others. For black powder cleaning, I really like using pre-cut patches made for a .50 cal. They are cheap and I don't have to guess whether they are the right size or not. A few bucks at Walmart will get you enough to last for a couple years (more if you catch the post-season clearance rack).

Sure Shot Mc Gee · October 29, 2012, 02:28 PM

At times I do think its good to spur the economy. And this is one of those occasions I have in mind OP.
I'll buy the BIG economy size bag of Ox-Yoke G.I. square patches from TOTW every few years. No washing and/or hanging them out on my wifes clothes lines to dry. Nor dry cleaning. No saving a good look'in used one for a rainy day either. "B/P patches. When used Sir. "Always somehow end up pitched in the trash" by me or at the disappointment of my wife occasionally. Reason to hoard my flannel shirts: I save those flannel shirts torn up patachings for my more modern hunting equipment. Example: Iver Johnson 410 single shot or my Steven's model (Favorite) 22 cal. _

Pahoo · October 29, 2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

I cut patches from old tee shirts.

I especially like this type of weave for M/L use as it has such an open weave that helps to trap powder-mud. The flannel type, I use mostly on rim and center fire. I don't even give the thin paper types a second look. I once had a small piece break off into one of my M/L bores and it was just enough to start giving me hang-fires. .....

Be Safe !!!

DD4lifeusmc · October 29, 2012, 08:35 PM

I had to buy a new cleaning kit couple weeks ago. It had everything in the kit.
rods, tips, wire brush, cotton swabs on a screw in fitting, hoppes, and patches.
That's when I noticed they went to a type of paper.
I never throw anything out that is still usable, so will use them for the revolver.
But otherwise the flannel shirt.
Time cutting is not wasted. it's still time spent on our hobby.
And provides eye hand coordination!
Have fun shooting!!

October 27, 2012, 10:26 AM	#1
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	speaking of cleaning we already have a thread about the best cleaning solution (water or store bought) So. What do you all use for cleaning patches? And do you use once and throw away, or clean and reuse? Way back in the day store bought were actually a cloth material, now I see they are a type of paper or some such.

October 27, 2012, 12:04 PM	#3
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	cleaning I see. I normally use an old holey flannel shirt. Cut patches as needed and use the rest to wipe the gun down. Eventually need another new shirt anyway. I put the patches in an old pair of nylons and run through the wash. Reuse them at least twice before tossing. well Happy Shooting!

October 27, 2012, 02:49 PM	#6
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	cleaning Thanks for the replies guys! Happy shooting!

October 27, 2012, 05:39 PM	#8
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	I'm lazy so I just buy ready made cotton patches. You can still get 'em at most LGS. I usually buy them in the larger quantity bags. Since I shoot a lot of 38 spl. etc. - they work well for my Navies as well. For what they cost, it's a whole lot less time consuming than sitting and cutting and the time I'd use for that is better spent in other pursuits. If I'm in a pinch, I'll use old tee shirts, etc. or various material that I have on hand - as long as it's 100% cotton. For shooting patches though - it's the old standby of pillow ticking (cotton) as that works the best in my rifles/smoothbore. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

October 29, 2012, 02:28 PM	#13
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	I'm not that frugal. At times I do think its good to spur the economy. And this is one of those occasions I have in mind OP. I'll buy the BIG economy size bag of Ox-Yoke G.I. square patches from TOTW every few years. No washing and/or hanging them out on my wifes clothes lines to dry. Nor dry cleaning. No saving a good look'in used one for a rainy day either. "B/P patches. When used Sir. "Always somehow end up pitched in the trash" by me or at the disappointment of my wife occasionally. Reason to hoard my flannel shirts: I save those flannel shirts torn up patachings for my more modern hunting equipment. Example: Iver Johnson 410 single shot or my Steven's model (Favorite) 22 cal. _

October 27, 2012, 11:58 AM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,191	I got a fairly large supply of Outers shotgun patches years ago during a clearance sale I'm still using. When I run out of those I'll probably cut up an old bed sheet.

October 27, 2012, 02:34 PM	#4
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	I cut patches from old tee shirts. I use an undersize jag, cut over size patches and fold them over several times to fit the bore more tightly. These large patches can be re-folded several times in different ways to use another part of the patch that remains clean.

October 27, 2012, 02:39 PM	#5
TylerOutdoorsman Member Join Date: October 21, 2012 Location: Waxahachie, TX Posts: 49	I cut old t-shirts into patches of a appropriate size. Then you can control the exact size for a snug fit in your bore.

October 27, 2012, 04:04 PM	#7
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	100% cotton. When I run out of old shirts, skivvies, etc. I just stop by the dry goods store (a Ben Franklin in my area) and buy a couple yards of white cotton flannel. Thousands of patches for a couple bucks and a couple hours with a sharp knife.

October 27, 2012, 11:39 PM	#9
Captainkirk Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2012 Posts: 144	That's where my old Tee shirts and skivvies go

October 28, 2012, 12:05 AM	#10
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Don't believe I've ever bought a cleaning patch in my life. As with many here, the old T-shirts are my patch's.

October 29, 2012, 11:41 AM	#11
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	Mrs WBB likes to use old t-shirts and underwear for her wood staining hobbies, so the first time she caught me cutting them up for patches, she went to the local gun shop, and bought every cleaning patch they had on the shelf. That was close to 30 years ago, and I still have a pillow case full of them.

October 29, 2012, 01:13 PM	#12
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	This is where I will differ from most of the others. For black powder cleaning, I really like using pre-cut patches made for a .50 cal. They are cheap and I don't have to guess whether they are the right size or not. A few bucks at Walmart will get you enough to last for a couple years (more if you catch the post-season clearance rack).

October 29, 2012, 08:35 PM	#15
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	cleaning I had to buy a new cleaning kit couple weeks ago. It had everything in the kit. rods, tips, wire brush, cotton swabs on a screw in fitting, hoppes, and patches. That's when I noticed they went to a type of paper. I never throw anything out that is still usable, so will use them for the revolver. But otherwise the flannel shirt. Time cutting is not wasted. it's still time spent on our hobby. And provides eye hand coordination! Have fun shooting!!