The patches flair quickly when leaving the muzzle, usually dropping within 20 feet or so. I suppose a wad might push one a bit farther at times.

The nice thing about patches, is they can turn a slightly undersized ball, into the correct size quite easily. Just be sure to use linen or 100 % cotton, no synthetics, especially with black powder loads. Thus a 15 or 16 bore ball can be shot in a 14 bore gun, just as a 14 bore or 13 bore ball can be shot in a 12 by adjusting patch thickness. I like denim as there are so many thicknesses on the market, usually denoted by weight in ounces, ie: 6, 8, 10 and 12oz. The 'above' loads I pictured are 15 bore balls (.675") with 10 oz. denim, which measures .020" with my michrometer. They are a perfect fit inside MagTec 16 bore brass hulls. 2 x .020" + .675" = .715". My right barrel measures .703" in the grooves. This shows .012" compression total, or .006" per side. This snug fit keeps the bore clean of any buildup of fouling, and the lube, ie: mink oil from Track) lubricates the bore and keeps that shot's fouling soft.

Too - I would stay away from the percholate/clorate (phoney black powders) powders ESPECIALLY in original guns.