Frequently Asked Question: Patches
Here is a question that comes in frequently from customers to the Sinclair International Technical Center:
I have the right size jag and patch! Why doesn’t it fit down the bore?
What most people are taught is to center punch the patch and run it down the bore of a dirty rifle .This can sometimes result in a bent or stuck cleaning rod in your rifle because of the bore being restricted from the powder fouling (carbon) and copper left in the bore. Some shooters try to remedy this by utilizing a smaller patch; this is not the best solution because the patch may not make full contact with the inside of the barrel. This is especially true if you use the same size patch to dry out your bore. An alternate solution is to use two different size patches – a smaller one for wetting the bore down at the start and then a larger patch for pushing out debris loosened by your brush and to dry the bore. This would mean spending extra money on more patches! While we would appreciate that from a business concern, you really need not spend the money for extra patch sizes.
When the patch is too tight, stab the patch slightly off center
The solution to the problem is quite simple. Using the correct size patch, position your jag so the point is positioned about ½ to ¾ of the distance from the center of the patch out towards any of the outside corners or on a round patch towards any edge. By positioning the patch in this manner, the patch doesn’t overlap as much on the jag and it goes through the bore snugly, but not so tight that all the solvent is squeezed off the patch as it enters the bore. The purpose of the first couple of wet patches is to thoroughly wet the bore with solvent and push out any easily loosened debris. Then the cleaning solution along with the mechanical action of the wet brush that will follow will loosen the hard stuff. Don’t worry about the jag making contact with your bore because even though the whole jag is not covered with patch there will be enough of the patch around the jag to center the jag and hold it off the rifling. Even if it did contact it would not cause any harm because the brass jag is much softer material than the barrel steel. As you clean the barrel, alternating between brushing and patching to remove the loosened material you should start moving the jag back towards the center of the patch in a few steps until you are back in the center of the patch. With the jag back in the center of the patch, the patch will be making uniform contact with the bore as it follows the rifling. As we wet patch after brushing we look for either a blue stripe (copper) or a black stripe (carbon/powder) on the patch. If we see either we know the barrel isn’t completely clean and we clean some more. If there is just a faint bluish hue to the patch it is probably the solvent just pulling some copper out of the jag.
We included our patch selection chart below that may help you with selecting the right size patch to begin with.
| Catalog # | SIZE | CALIBER |
| #CP-34 | 3/4” Square | 17 through 22 caliber Rimfire |
| #CP-1000 | 1” Square | 20-22 Rimfire |
| #CP-1100 | 1” Square | 20-22 Rimfire |
| #CP-118 | 1-1/8” Square | 22 caliber Centerfire |
| #CP-10118 | 1-1/8” Square | 22 caliber Centerfire |
| #CP-1200 | 1-1/4” Square | 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-1300 | 1-1/4” Square | 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-1400 | 1-1/4” Round | 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-1500 | 1-1/4” Round | 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-138 | 1-3/8” Square | Oversize 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-10138 | 1-3/8” Square | Oversize 22 caliber to 6mm |
| #CP-1600 | 1-1/2” Round | 6mm-6.5mm caliber |
| #CP-134 | 1-3/4” Square | 6mm through 30 caliber |
| #CP-10134 | 1-3/4” Square | 6mm through 30 caliber |
| #CP-2 | 2” Round | 30 through 38 caliber |
| #CP-2000 | 2” Round | 30 through 38 caliber |
| #CP-1700 | 2” Square | 30-35 caliber |
| #CP-214 | 2-1/4” Square | 38 through 45 caliber |
| #CP-3 | 3” Square | Shot-gun & 50 caliber |
| #CP-3000 | 3” Square | Shot-gun & 50 caliber |
This is just our look at a regular question that we get on our tech line. Cleaning is one of those subjects that there are more opinions on than there are grains of sand on a beach. Please feel free to share your thoughts on this subject on the Sinclair International blog with your fellow shooters!
Phil Hoham
Sinclair Technical Staff
August 13th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Good info, especially the table of patch sizes. Thanks.
August 13th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Good information that I can use—Thank you.
August 13th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Regarding the article on patches; much of the black residue that comes out on a patch is not carbon from the powder but copper. If the deposited copper in the barrel has not been acted upon by any chemical process it will come out as copper. If it has been acted on by “solvents” such as ammonia it will come out green. If it has been oxidized by the powder combustion and its associated temperature it will be black copper oxide.
August 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I prefer to use the Parker Hale style “wrap around” jags, but they typically don’t work too well with square patches. What I find works great is to cut a 3″ square shotgun patch into 5 equal width strips. You can then easily adjust the fit of the patch in the bore by varying the amount of overlap as you wind it onto the jag.
The only dowside is that I have to spend a lot of time every year cutting up patches into strips. I’d like to suggest that you talk to your patch vendor about supplying pre-cut patches for use with these jags. 3″ x 5/8″ would be perfect.
Thanks!
August 13th, 2009 at 11:47 am
How many time should I cycle the brass bursh through the bore? Thanks /DJ
August 13th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Excellent tip on the patches and barrel cleaning in general.
August 13th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I love the chart for patch size for calibers.
Thanks!
August 13th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Thanks for the info on the patches. This is something that I have struggled with for years. Your answer makes it so simple to understand..
August 13th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
I stumbled on this trick ~ 20 years ago. So simple (once you are doing it). I accidentaly stuck a patch off center, and voila, it worked like a charm.
August 13th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I recommend your reloading book with all it’s tips including cleaning to new shooters at club. Must check to see if you have revised edition.
A question I have is there a grease which is denser which you would recommend for pistol slides and may double for bolt lugs. I use Rig for storage but find it does not stand up under heavy shooting sessions. Likely wasn’t designed to.
When second best won’t do there is Sinclair International. Thanks for your support to the shooting sports! Cheers! Ken White Rock BC Canada
August 14th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
The most reliable way I’ve found to fit the patches to the jag is to simply wrap them around the jag much like a “roll your own” cigarette. If you wet them with your solution first, then wrap them, they stay in place better. I get maximum use of the square patch, and more important, it doesn’t get stuck.
This method also is the recommended way by Dewey.
August 14th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I’m partial to boresnakes, myself. Primarily because you can always clean from the breech to the muzzle regardless of the type of firearm you’re cleaning. Also because you can put a heck of a lot of solvent and cleaning fiber through the barrel quickly and easily. And thirdly because they don’t get stuck. And fourth, because they cost less in the long run, since they’re washable and reusable.
The fact is that a patch is a highly overpriced piece of common flannel. If you really want to use patches, and you want to save money, take your favorite patch to a fabric store and have them match it to their stocks of flannel. Then buy a few yards of that flannel. You’ll have enough to cut off the patches you need for years.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Doug White almost has the answer. Instead of the Parker-Hale jag, try a nylon brush and wrap the patch strip spiraly around the brush. It’s been working for me for over 20 years.
August 17th, 2009 at 5:31 am
Before i stumbled onto the Frequently Asked Question about Patches; I ordered some from Sinclair international and agenized over the right size to get for 30 caliber, Thankfully i managed to pick the right ones, It may have been helpful if that chart was some how linked to the patches section as a reference guide to aid in the right selection of patches.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I used to use the patch around a nylon brush like John Bogard recommended. It works fine if you run the rod all the way through the bore.
I now use a process recommended by Krieger, where he strongly warns against letting the patch/brush completely exit the muzzle. This would let the rod contact the crown, and could cause barrel damage.
This means you have to reverse the direction of the rod in the bore, which is difficult to do with a brush. That’s why I switched to just using a patch.
August 19th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Dear Ken,
The grease I use on my Colt 1911s is the Mil-Comm grease.(#01-880). It works great on the slide rails and the barrel bushing. Don’t use it in the trigger as it is to heavy. You can also wipe down your pistol with it after you use the degreaser and it will rust proof and water proof the metal. As far as using this for bolt grease, I use the Mil-Comm only in my AR-15 rifles for this application. In my other rifles I stick with the TM bolt grease (#100-530). It stays on the lugs no matter what and does a great job of lubricating cold or hot.
Phil H.
Sinclair international
October 11th, 2009 at 9:47 am
I have found that the patch list is just a place to start. Rarely have I found a patch size listed to match the jag that I have. And that is not just here but other places also specially patch manufacturers. So rule of thumb: the right size patch is the one that just goes through the bore with out bending and banging on the rod on the bore. And if you still can’t find the right patch/jag combination, chuck up the jag in a cordless drill and turn down the OD with a piece of sand paper. Just be sure to mic the diameter constantly. And record the size of what is now your custom jag. Just my 2 cents worth. Slim
February 6th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Parker Hale makes some high quality rectangular patches (4 X 2 inch). Some of those were provided with my AI .338 Lapua. I have been searching for a supplier of those patches in America or that will ship to America and have not had any luck. Perhaps Sinclair would consider actually supplying those patches and other Parker Hale products.