Patch Catcher
Patch Catcher on end of AR15 Match Rifle
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Do you clean your rifle on your work bench?  If so do you also cover up the stuff on your work bench with towels and newspapers before cleaning your rifle?  If so here is a simple to make Patch Catcher which will keep the cleaning material drips and spray off the stuff on your work bench clean without covering with everything with newspapers and towels.  I tried just using plastic bottle on the end of the rifle, however each time the cleaning rod came out the end of the barrel it would knock the bottle off.  This easy to make patch catcher is better than duck tape, holds the bottle on the bore center line, and may be your for less than $2.00.  If interested in making one of your own my directions follow.  

Patch Catcher Components
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All that is needed to make this patch catcher is the following:
A. One - 1-1/4 x 3/4 PVC SCH. 40 Reducing Bushing (There seems to be some with more plastic than others.  I found one that was all solid plastic on the 3/4 inch end.  Solid in the area that will be used for drilling and tapping a hole for the retaining screw.
B. One - 1-1/4 PVC Coupling
C. One - One Liter Pop or Soda Bottle (The one with the big top)
D. Some Epoxy Glue

Step One - Cut the coupling in half.  (On left in Picture above is half of the normal coupling)

Using table saw to short reducing bushing
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Step Two - Shorten the reducing bushing.  The large opening portion on the non threaded end may be removed to make the whole unit shorter.   This was done using a table saw.  Held the bushing while cutting with a small piece of 3/4 inch pipe.  Pictured below is the shorten coupling, shorten reducer, and bottle cap.
Shorten Coupling, Shorten Reducer, and Bottle Cap
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Glue shorten coupling to shorten reducer
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Step Three - Glue the shorten coupling (half) to the shorten reducing bushing.
Glue bottle cap
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Step Four - Glue the bottle cap into the assembly.
Drill 7/8 hole
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Step Five - After the glue hardens, drill a hole in the bottle cap cap using a 7/8 in. high speed wood drill.  Easy to center up in the hole from the threaded side. 

Drill 15/16 hole
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The 7/8 inch hole was just to small for my .922 inch barrel so I also drilled the bottle and threaded portion larger using a 15/16 in high speed wood drill.  I used the back edge of the larger drill making the second cut to stay centered in the hole and threads.
Finished Patch Catcher
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Step Six - Drill and tap a hole in the reducing bushing for a Nylon 10x24 screw.  This screw will hold the Patch Catcher Unit on your barrel without marring the barrel.  I also added a little Pine Wood Derby Race Car Wheel to the end of the screw to make it easier to turn.

Finer points of bottles used as patch catchers.  Standard and most common soda or pop bottle has a 13/16 diameter opening.  This opening is somewhat small and used patches do not want to come out of the bottle very easily.  I had a patch catcher that used water bottle with a 15/16 inch diameter opening and it worked okay, however the patches would not fall out of the bottle without some hard shaking.  Main problem with that uint was the water bottle had an uncommon size cap and was discontinued.  So after running out of water bottles the Pepsi Bottle with the larger top appeared.  The larger pepsi bottle cap has a 1 3/16 diameter opening and the patches fall out very easily.







Larry Medler
anyrange@comcast.net

Rifle Silhouette Shooting
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Released October 24, 2003
Revised November 19, 2003