How tight should the patch and ball be?

Got the smoker out after a 20 year run with the inlines. I have a .54 cal. Lyman trade rifle, watching Idaholewis and others got my thirst up for more smoke. My question is,  how tight to patch the ball. I have .530 balls and .018 pillow ticking. It loads sorta easy with a quit hit on short bullet starter, then easily pushes down bore to powder. I am going to joan fabrics with my calipers today. I am going to try to buy 100% cotton pieces at .022 and .024 to try. Am i on the right road? My gun shot pretty good groups at 50 yds. With the .018 but i want  a better group. Thanks shorty..

Whats more important, is what the recovered patch looks like. Normally, if its load easily, the patch will be cut, burnt, or blown out. I like a very snug load, but one that i can reload on multiple times without ever swabbing the bore. I'd go to .020" and give that a try before using the thicker .022-.024" patching. Look for those patches on the ground, they'll tell you if theres a problem.

Found a couple, there was fraying around the edge. That was all. Forgot to take pics. Ty

Got the pic, found 3 or 4, they all look like this..

I certainly respect Mr. IDAHOLEWIS, for all the valuable work he has shown us. But i live in a noncomputer world, my wish. The damn smart phone kickes my but. BUT this sight is very, very difficult for us old guys to maneuver around in. Is there any secret or am i just to old fashion? Am i the only one who is having this trouble?

Looks good to me. Never hurts to try a tighter patch though.

No trouble moving around on the site. Whats the problem?

Trying to oost pics. Gave me 3 different options. Then wants me to join a place to store my pics. Do not need that. I guess i am not familiar with site and need to spend more time just maneuvering on it. Ty

Patches look Great Shorty Do you live anywhere near a Joann’s Fabric store? If so, Give their Drill Material a Try, I swear by the Stuff! It is pretty much all i use

This is the one, I took this picture of it recently when i picked up another Yard of it. Here is a Link to it as well, i see it’s on Sale right now to boot

https://www.joann.com/jo-ann-stores-unbleached-drill-fabric/683532.html

That Drill Material measures .020 Thick, It is Some AWESOME Patch Material

If you end getting some of that Material, I advise you to Wash and Dry it one time, No soap, Just a Normal Wash cycle without Soap and simply hang it up to Dry

Mr.idaholewis, thank you for the reply, i did actually buy some of that same material the other day. Took calipers and went in, great place to shop.  Having wife wash as we speak. Will let you  know the results this week, thank you...

Shorty wrote:Mr.idaholewis, thank you for the reply, i did actually buy some of that same material the other day. Took calipers and went in, great place to shop.  Having wife wash as we speak. Will let you  know the results this week, thank you...

I am looking forward to your Results Shorty. Aim small, miss small  and have fun

I agree with Lewis and Jon. those patches look great to me. I like my PRB tightness to be where I have to give it a fairly smart smack with the short starter then a good push with the longer end of the starter. By then the patch/ball should be into the rifling and a firm even push down to the charge. You don't want to be banging the ball down the bore. Just a solid firm push. You get your patches too thick and you may have trouble getting the ball seated.
Like Jon said a fairly tight patch will also reduce the fouling in the bore.

Got to shoot the drill material. It loaded fine but the snow, wind, and cold  made it unbearable to shoot for groups. Having a new problem of cutting the patches. I see that everyone is using a modified hole saw. Looks slick to me. What size hole saw with the .54 cal. Would you use, and then can i use my hand drill? As i never bought a drill press.  Ty all..

Seems to me a hole saw would rip the material unless the edge was more like a knife edge than a saw blade. If you want to cut at the muzzle just cut the material in 1.25" (or there abouts) strips. Or you can cut the material in 1.25" squares.
You'll waste less material cutting it into squares. The patches don't need to be round.
I use a fabric roller type cutter and board you can buy at Walmart.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-Fabric-Cutting-Set-2-Piece-Rotary-Cutter-and-Cutting-Mat/17354461

Just watch your fingers. that blade on the roller is super super sharp.

Lewis has a good post of him making one of the hole saws into a fine cutter. He grinds the teeth off, rotates it with a drill and uses a file on the outside at a bevel to create a cutter. Finishes with sandpaper. What i want to know is the size cutter i need for the .54 cal. Ty..

These They are super easy to make, and you can cut a PILE of Patches in a Hurry, I use my little benchtop Drill press.

Shorty wrote:Lewis has a good post of him making one of the hole saws into a fine cutter. He grinds the teeth off, rotates it with a drill and uses a file on the outside at a bevel to create a cutter. Finishes with sandpaper. What i want to know is the size cutter i need for the .54 cal. Ty..

The 1-1/4” is perfect for .54 Cal

Thank you Lewis, that is what i have been waiting to hear. Will get one today. Found the german number 1075 caps, and black powder at the back creek gun shop, nice people..good prices..ty

P.s. love your videos lewis, they are spot on and very informative. We are following what you put down. I quit facebook a couple years ago because i am for a free vioce in a free country. Srew u tube for what they have done to you also, their are other sites that will welcome you. Thanks again for all your contributions...

Lewis are you using the 1 inch patch for 50 caliber?

Thanks Rob

Made my patch cutter yesterday, just as Lewis makes his. Folded drill material up so i did not have to drill so many holes. I used an old plastic cutting board and my cordless drill. Wow, this is definitely the way to go, made 450 patches in about 15 minutes, every hole you drill got 8 patches.  Great idea..ty

Yes I think I am also going to do that. I got to thinking when I said you get more material waste making round patches but that wasn't accurate. When you shoot with square patches the corners are not used so in either way you'll use the same amount of material. Us old guys know what I'm talking about when I say sometimes my brain just locks up!

I washed my drill material the other day (wow does that stuff shrink). Going to Ace Hardware today and picking up a 1.25" hole saw and file and sandpaper (I don't have many tools here and my winter nest) and make my patches also.

Well I started with a 1.25" hole saw and got it all ground down and an edge put on it. But when I cut the patches they came out at 1.125". I didn't account for the interior diameter. These are pretty close to being too small for my .58 cal. (by my calculations a 1.125" patch will give me less than 1/4" extra. That's not much on each side of the ball.) I may have to go with a 1.5" hole saw.