ball patch material ?

[rebs]

What is the reason for pillow ticking as compared to cotton patches ?
I have been shooting .015 thick cotton patches with no burn or anything, they look real good after I shoot them. Would there be a reason I should start using pillow ticking ?

[Hawg]

Ticking is a tighter weave.

[T. O'Heir]

Ticking is a tighter weave to keep feathers from escaping. Pillow ticking is cotton. Used to be a lot cheaper than it is now.

[rebs]

So is pillow ticking any better than cotton shooting patches ?

[ShootistPRS]

Rebs,
Any tightly woven fabric can be used but you have to find out what thickness is best for your combination. Cotton patches for cleaning are loose weave and are not typically used for patching round balls.

[rebs]

I have been using TC cotton prelubed patches which are tight weave, would I be gaining anything by going to pillow ticking ?

[Hawg]

Probably not unless you start cutting patches at then muzzle.

[rebs]

I looked for pillow ticking in the local fabric shop and the thinnest they had was .030 measured with a micrometer so I'll just keep using the TC prelubed patches for now.

[Model12Win]

I used cotton cleaning patches in a pinch when I ran out of "piller tickin" patches as it were.

Results were "not so good", as the old hands say. They were "done blown through" as the old hands also say.

A good tickin' patch is a strong material, able to withstand the firelock's discharge and present to the ball and fine surface to spin with the rifling.

[thallub]

My long time favorite material for patches is unwashed khaki drill cloth. The stuff is very strong and takes lube well.

[rebs]

I just found .015 pillow ticking at Hobby Lobby for 5.99 a yard. When I wash it should I use liquid laundry soap or what ? Should it be line dried or put in the dryer ?

[Hawg]

Just run it through the wash like you normally would and dry it however you see fit.

[rebs]

ok I washed it and hung it on the line to dry. It seems to have blown up in thickness, maybe I should have thrown it in the dryer. It was .015 before the wash and .022 after the wash with line drying.
This is starting to get more involved than I thought it would be. Maybe I should just accept my 3 inch groups and have fun shooting. With my 70 yo eyes maybe 3 inch groups with open sights is all I can do. With a 1/48 twist this is not a PRB target rifle.

[mehavey]

that 22-thou/washed is still the same compressibility as 15-thou unwashed. don't sweat it.
if you have any unwashed ticking left, just cut it in 5-colored-stripe strips and use it as-is.

you might also go down to (most any) fabric store w/ your micrometer and pick up some 18-20 thou ticking (standard-as-issued) for a tighter fit. Denim also works well (comes in different weights/thicknesses) but doesn't come with it's own Cut-Here straight lines.

PB/48 twist can be fine -- just keep load mid-range.

Oh... and run a damp patch in/out/in/out between rounds....

[rebs]

I tried some .018 ticking and needed a mallet to on the short starter.

[Hawg]

I use an .018 patch with a .530 ball in my .54 for a hunting load. It is a booger to load but it's dead nuts accurate.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by mehavey

that 22-thou/washed is still the same compressibility as 15-thou unwashed. don't sweat it.
if you have any unwashed ticking left, just cut it in 5-colored-stripe strips and use it as-is.

you might also go down to (most any) fabric store w/ your micrometer and pick up some 18-20 thou ticking (standard-as-issued) for a tighter fit. Denim also works well (comes in different weights/thicknesses) but doesn't come with it's own Cut-Here straight lines.

PB/48 twist can be fine -- just keep load mid-range.

Oh... and run a damp patch in/out/in/out between rounds....

You'll want to always wash it.

Remove the sizing.

[mehavey]

Never have....
(and still get single hole groups at 50 with the 54 -- my "Black Gold" standard.)
(Besides -- I'm either a spit patch fan (and apparently eat totally tasteless sizing--if there is any), or a 7:1 water/cutting-oil fan (in which case the sizing gets wrung out just before I blot things totally dry)

But "wash" the patch (shudder)
NEVER !

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by mehavey

Never have....
(and still get single hole groups at 50 with the 54 -- my "Black Gold" standard.)
(Besides -- I'm either a spit patch fan (and apparently eat totally tasteless sizing--if there is any), or a 7:1 water/cutting-oil fan (in which case the sizing gets wrung out just before I blot things totally dry)

But "wash" the patch (shudder)
NEVER !

I've heard for years to wash it to remove the sizing. Sizing is a chemical coating they put on the fabric in the stores. You should remove it to be sure.

[rebs]

If it takes a small mallet on the short starter to drive the ball into the muzzle what are the chances the ball will get stuck part way down the barrel and not seat all the way down to the powder ?

[Hawg]

If it takes a small mallet on the short starter to drive the ball into the muzzle what are the chances the ball will get stuck part way down the barrel and not seat all the way down to the powder ?

It won't. By the time the short starter has reached it's end you should be able to push it on down with the ramrod. I had to make a longer one to use with my hunting loads but never got one hung. I don't use patches that tight when just shooting but my hunting loads are exceptionally accurate.

[mehavey]

Textile warp sizing (Wiki)

Sizing of the warp yarn is essential to reduce breakage of the yarn and thus production stops on the weaving machine. On the weaving machine, the warp yarns are subjected to several types of actions i.e. cyclic strain, flexing, abrasion at various loom parts and inter-yarn friction.

With sizing, the strength — abrasion resistance — of the yarn will improve and the hairiness of yarn will decrease. The degree of improvement of strength depends on adhesion force between fiber and size, size penetration as well as encapsulation of yarn. Different types of water soluble polymers called textile sizing agents/chemicals such as modified starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), acrylates are used to protect the yarn. Also wax is added to reduce the abrasiveness of the warp yarns. The type of yarn material (e.g. cotton, polyester, linen), the thickness of the yarn, type of weaving machinery will determine the sizing recipe.
The sizing liquor is applied on warp yarn with a warp sizing machine.

After the weaving process the fabric is desized (washed).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The above is consistent w/ both logic, and the inherent softness of ticking material as sold from fabric stores.
In any case, patches are never shot dry. They are either spit-patched, or 7-to-1 patched after wring-out/drying.
Anyone got other real data that says factory washing needs repeating?

[Hawg]

After the weaving process the fabric is desized (washed).

Maybe so but new it's stiff and hard. It's a lot softer and more limber after washing.