I followed your instructions, and not only liked the results in my tightness of groups, but just the very idea, and feeling of using the material. Good advice, about keeping them flat for equal oil dispersion, but the second 1/2 yard of ticking I did today, my wife said, "Why don't you lay them on a window screen or two, so they dry more quickly?" Brilliant!!! -- wish I had thought about it-- dried in no time with air circulating under, over, and through the material!

I learned something at my local fabric store. Pillow ticking had red stripes, and mattress ticking, which measures about .003 thicker, has blue stripes. .015 vs .018. One thing I know though, a properly patched round ball will show the imprint of the cloth weave it it. If it doesn't, it isn't tight enough, and tight is where the accuracy lies. If you can get it started without the use of a short starter it's too loose.

Excellent advice! Thank you. I just started with round ball and patch so this was very helpful.

I've been using a similar formula for some time, but never more than 3 pts water to my ballistol. I came across this video looking for a formula which doesn't hold any embers. When out doing a woodswalk this weekend, we had to quench 3 smoking patches over dried leaves. Which is the main reason why no one should use synthetic materials, they're know as fire starters. I know bore butter is great for not causing any embers, but consistency of even coating is more difficult than unreliable. Reading comments about ticking, yes ticking can be of various thicknesses. Since my guns & I prefer thinner than usual thicknesses for many shooters, I like salvaging through the Salvation Army for my patch material. I carry a small caliper when I shop to measure my desired patch material. I get what I want, and it helps a good organization help others & rotates its stock more often. Since many clothing items made in India, among other places, are made of 100% cotton or linen, one or two shirts or whatever will hold me for a while. And while there, I may find some articles as glassware, tin, brass or pewter that may provide useful articles at a camp out or rendezvous.

I appreciate your informative video. I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers (.36 & .44 cal) for a while and just took the plunge into .50 cal with a Hawkens rifle and a Trapper pistol (all percussion) haven't had the desire to go flint yet, but who knows! Nevertheless this will save me experimentation time as I will be able to settle on a patch lube and assess the other variable's that affect shoot performance. Thank You..

It works! The only difference, I add Lestoil to the formula. If someone is interested I can provide the measures. Thanks for the video, good job!

I’ve also read that patch material (aside from thickness)and lube doesn’t affect accuracy. But I think seasoning the barrel and being consistent are as important. I didn’t consider making a formula like you are doing. I’ll have to check out your suggestion. Thanks for sharing

For long storage, I use 3 plastic bags, each inside the others. This reduces evaporation greatly and extends life. 2 gallon size bags are cheap, can be reused a couple times. I do the same with fish food for our aquarium. Large containers of food from the pet shop are stored inside 3 bags. I remove them and fill a tiny can which last about a week. Those are just in one bag. A few of the gun patches are removed into one small container in the shooting bag before going shooting.

Great video. Adorable puppy😁

Great tip sir, thanks for sharing.

I agree with you on this and Mathew approves it enough said great video thanks

I've used in cleaning patches in a pinch and newspaper

Always measure the stickier product (oil) first. That way, the water will rinse the residue out of the measure and into the mix. This is true with a lot of things you measure, cooking etc.

Always take a caliper with you to a fabric store so you can measure the thickness of the material. You also want to machine wash the material to get the "sizing" out of it. Sizing is sprayed on material to prevent it from fraying and getting dirty during the manufacturing and packaging process. You can also tighten up the weave, which makes the material thicker, by running through the dryer after washing, just like shrinking your clothes. There is difference between pillow ticking and mattress ticking, they're both 100% cotton made of off white material with red or blue stripes. Mattress ticking is thicker material (.020" thick versus .010" or .015"). That's why pre-made patches that look the same are different thicknesses, they're intended for different things. (Soft pillow or rugged mattress) You can also get cotton broadcloth which dress shirts and thin dresses are made of in various densities (.010" thick). I keep wanting to go to a thrift store to get some used cotton sheets and mic them with my calipers. Traditionally, you use a thicker patch with a smaller ball or wider or rounded (or polished/broken in) rifling and a thinner patch with a larger ball or narrower or square sided rifling. Lube makes patches seat faster, allowing for thicker patches, which leads to better accuracy. There's a Goldilocks zone for friction. Too much friction during firing and the patch tears apart and the ball doesn't rotate fast enough, too little friction, the patch isn't imprinted on the rifling enough and the ball doesn't spin right and gets affected by air resistance more. Both increase your group size and inaccuracy. I love the smell of Ballistol, but in a pinch, you can make moose milk out of NAPA cutting oil. Ballistol is actually cutting oil with the addition of clove oil to act as a battlefield first aid disinfectant during WW1, before armies actually had long term care for their soldiers. It also smells nicer than cutting oil. :)

I appreciate that I'm going to try that I shoot a lot of rendezvous

I do the same thing, works great !

How did you settle on 7:1 Water/Ballistrol ratio instead of some other combo..Great video and will definitely give it a try

I went to the fabric section of my local Wal-Mart and asked for a couple yards of 'pillow ticking' material and they had no idea what I was talking about. Apparently, pillow ticking is a specific kind of cotton fabric with such a weave that prevent feathers from poking through.

How does it work with keeping fouling from building up?

Thanks for sharing . I like using a lard /beeswax mixture . Or just lard when I cant find beeswax. But it can be greasy LOL.

Do you wash out the starch sizing for cleaner shooting???

Thank you so much

I use pillow ticking from Jo-ann's fabric I do not know how exact my ratio was I let it dry for about 20 hours and I feel nothing on the patch it feels the same as a dry patch

Good Stuff.

Does the ratio have to be exact

I like the kitties.

Thank you ,and nice dog.

I am trying to develop a good load for my Lyman Great Plains. Do you think a .498 ball and .015 patch will do better than a .490 ball and .018 patch? I have .018, .015, and .010 patches and I lube the same as you. I am using 3f goex and/or 3f pyrodex. What is your load, type of powder, and ball/patch if you mind me asking?

I found linen is superior to cotton patches, especially when using heavier powder charges. Linen won't cut and burn through.

I have an old kit build kentucky style rifle in .45 caliber. The bore is such that it requires cleaning after each shot or it cannot accept another patched ball. Would patching with thin foil or load ball without any patch be useful?

7 to 1! Geez I been using 3 to 2 for years. And I lub just before shootin and use them damp, makes real easy loading. Ballistol is a great patch lub but it shore do STINK!

How does it hold up in cold weather? Being water based I would think it may not be good for hunting?

Good idea, moose milk is great.This will offend the traditionalists, but it's cheaper and neater than mutton fat. Thanks.

What size balls does your Lyman GPR shoot well with? What is the thickness of this patching material? Do you still think the GPR is a good rifle? Thank you for the videos. I am interested in getting started with a local mountain man club and shooting in some rendezvous matches. Thanks again for the great videos!

So do I like this system however... PILLOW TICKING MIKES OUT AT .010 -.012. MATRESS TICKING IS HEAVER AND THE MATERIAL USUALLY MIKE OUT AT .015- .020 THE NOMINCLATURE "PILLOW TICKING" IS USED FOR BOTH MATERIALS THOUGH THEY LOOK THE SAME THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. SO DON'T BE SHY ABOUT MIKING YOUR MATERIAL AT THE FABRIC STORE. Nice Vid liked it. Hope the info helps out some.

What is the lubrication called

4:07 meow! 🐈

Moose milk is what we call it

They call it moose milk for a reason!

🐈 @ 04:08 😏

Use wet patches with dawn and water, forget this method.. Competition shooter for may years

You should have said what thickness you are using , compared to Ball Diameter !!

You sir have got ALL WRONG.Use the same patch and ball BUT.Use a brass tube that reach's breach to load the powder.The pour down the barrel does Not give the same amount at the breach due to fouling.Load to the breach Not the groves in the Bore.

What is he saying i cant hear him. 7 parts water 1 part what?

This information comes from Dutch Schoultzs Black Powder Dry Lube Accuracy System, you should be giving him credit for it at least...

I'm a cheapskate I was told you could just use ballistol as a patch Lube or even Crisco unsalted I always wondered could I go to Jo-Ann's Fabric and ask .015 fabric So I guessed for every 1 oz of ballistol 7 oz of water

no water touches my .54 Green Mountain ball barrel.1:1:1 hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, Murphy's oil soap. can also be 2:2:1. patch and powder solvent. Even boiling hot water cleanup rusts mz barrels.

4:42 woof! 🐕‍🦺