[bedbugbilly]

I tried pre-cut patches one time and really never cared for them.

Everybody prepares their patching differently and of course, you have to find what works best with our rifle. In my rifles and even in my smoothbore Fusil, I've always used pillow ticking.

If you go to a material (yard goods store) you want to be sure that the material you are buying is a "natural" material - cotton or linen. We all know where cotton comes from - linen is woven from spun flax. When you buy yard goods, the majority of cotton is "sized". This allows the material to look like it is pressed and very neat. I found that with any material, you should wash it first to remove the "sizing". Check the end of the bolt for what the material is as well. It should say 100 % cotton or 100 % linen, etc. If someone gives you material and you aren't sure - take a small cutting and give it the "flame test" with a kitchen match. If it contains any polyester, etc. - it will usually "drip" and you'll be able to tell that it isn't 100 % natural.

Over the years, I've tried a wide variety of patch lubricants. Anything from Crisco to tallow to bacon grease. Quite a few years ago, there was a guy advertising in Muzzle Blasts where you could send $ and he would send you his "secret" to patches and lubricant which would improve your shooting scores. My brother and I sent for the info and it was well worth the money. His secret was the use of a water soluble oil that you diluted and soaked your patching material in. After trying it, we found that it worked great. It helped cut down on fouling and it had enough lubricant to easily get the ball down the barrel. Our groups tightened up. I washed my pillow ticking to remove the sizing, cut it into strips that were about a yard long and soaked it in the solution. I'd pull the ticking through my fingers to "wring" it out and then set it in the sun to dry. After it was dry, I'd roll it up and I'd store each roll in the little plastic container that 35mm film used to come in. The last batch I made, I think I used up around 3 or 4 yards of 60" ticking - I still have a bunch of it at home.

Everyone has to work their own system out as far as what work for them. I always keep a strip of the lubricated ticking tied to the strap of my hunting pouch along with a plain, washed strip that I can cut a quick square off of to use as a spit patch between shots. Of course to do it this way, you have to use a short starter to seat the ball and patching material just under the end of the muzzle and then use a patch knife to cut it.

I don't have the name of the water soluble oil with me here in AZ but if you check with an automotive supplier they should be able to help you out. We got it at the NAPA store and a quart of it wasn't that expensive. We mixed it with the water and then kept it stored in an old milk jug for the next time we needed to make patches. It's just another option to give a try.