Possibles bag, hard or soft?

Getting ready to pick up new possibles bag, any preference to hard bag vs soft leather? What is your reason for preference. Appreciate your view

Have both,like soft better hangs closer to body so does not hang up on brush as much and quieter if it drags on anything

What Terry said... I find that I prefer soft bags for the same reasons. Just not a fan of a stiff bag unless it is designed to wear on a belt. Shoulder hanging bags seem to serve me better when medium to soft. And soft doesn't mean wimpy. I've made several soft bags that have been put through the ringer and haven't ripped one yet.

I've had soft Deer and Elk hide bags that just flopped around, and found I prefer a "stiffer" bag somewhere around the texture of a good boot shaft.

I've had both. I started with a cheap soft bag which I didn't care for, so I decided to make my own out of some thick cow hide. I found it more accessible and allowed me to make a couple of compartments for my lube tin and patches. It's lasted some 35 years so far!

Are you talking about a canvas bag (haversack) used as a carry all or the leather shot pouch used to carry what you need to reload your rifle?

I like very soft. Elk hide is my favorite. Such a pouch fills out in accordance with the amount of stuff in it but gets no larger. But I can see how a hard bag might make it easier to find things faster. Me, I don't put anything in my possibles bag that does not pertain to loading and tending to my rifle. Other items go somewhere else.

I like soft. I make my own and find 2.5 to 3 oz veg tan to be perfect. I always build by turning and I'll say that turning a heavy thick leather bag is extremely difficult no matter how wet they are. They are never soft enough to collapse.

Bigdaddykane said:

Getting ready to pick up new possibles bag, any preference to hard bag vs soft leather? What is your reason for preference. Appreciate your view

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I prefer a bag that is somewhat stiff, (open if you will) because then the item you are seeking is more visible as well as assessable.
Larry

ooooh I deplore the term "possibles bag". It is a shot bag or shot pouch or hunting bag or hunting pouch, or maybe rifle bag, etc. To say "possibles bag" to me is like scraping your fingernails down a chalk board. AAAAH
LOL hehehe. No offense intended. I'm just getting more and more crotchy in my old age, and rebelling against a world where I don't belong but am forced to reside. But I really doubt that "possibles bag" was a true historic term. I think it was invented in the 20th century, possibly by film makers.
Yeah, I'm on a crusade. Get rid of that term!

But, anyway, who says a shot pouch has to be made of leather? Downsize a haversack slightly and you have a shot pouch.
As a lifelong hunter, prone to crawl through thickets on my hands and knees, and sometimes taking off on a dead run jumping over logs and rocks for one reason or another (when I was young), I sure do not want a stiff, open bag. Things get lost that way.
I have three bags; each goes with my three primary hunting arms. Percussion and flintlock rifles and flintlock fowler. Two are fairly soft leather. The other, my fowler bag, is canvas. All of them have button closures. I can work the single button with one hand while not looking. Inside, I have the various items in specific locations. I can find what I want just by the feel of it. I made all of my bags myself. One of them is now over 30 years old, and still going strong.

Bigdaddykane said:

Getting ready to pick up new possibles bag, any preference to hard bag vs soft leather? What is your reason for preference. Appreciate your view

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While your shopping, I bought a bag from : https://rockypointleather.com/shop and couldn’t be happier.

I guess I prefer a softer POSSIBLE bag, this one is nearly 50 years old. A couple of others are a bit stiffer leather and works fine, I’m adaptable.
IMG_0428 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Recently came across this article The “Hunting Bag” of the 18th-19th Century American Frontier that talks about the term “ possibles bag”. Found it interesting.

Rancocas said:

But I really doubt that "possibles bag" was a true historic term. I think it was invented in the 20th century, possibly by film makers.
Yeah, I'm on a crusade. Get rid of that term!

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I'm ready to March with you on your crusade!

@Staredge that's an interesting site. I couldn't help but recall an entry in Osborne Russell's journal where he refers to his bullet pouch.

Here is the title and header from @Staredge 's reference.

The “Hunting Bag” of the 18th-19th Century American Frontier​

Updated: Aug 21, 2021

What were the Basic survival Essentials Carried in the Frontiersman’s Hunting Bag? Our ancestors more commonly called it a ‘Bullet Pouch’ and here is why you should never call it a ‘possibles bag’.

Look at the Lewis & Clark journals...They called it a shot pouch...

My preference is for a thin but stiffer leather as seen on any number of original pieces - I make the majority of my pieces from a veg-tanned leather in the 3-6 ounce range and only recently replaced my first one from 1998.
Jay

Staredge said:

Recently came across this article The “Hunting Bag” of the 18th-19th Century American Frontier that talks about the term “ possibles bag”. Found it interesting.

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That book is available to read through Google books if you search for it. There looks to be alot of great online reading in that book. I want to read the chapter on Simon Kenton in that book. Thanks for the link !!
Ohio Rusty ><>

Soft they do not rattle when I walk. Hard ones do in my exp. At the range I use my range box it definitely rattles whether I walk or not.

I prefer Canvas for my Possible Bag, I suppose a wool one would be okay in winter but Canvas is my go to.

However for my Rifle or Shot bags I prefer Leather. My favorite has a rather stiff back panel with softer front, welt, and flap.
I just made my own from German tan buckskin with cloth lining and used Groundhog for the flap. Served well now 6 or 7 years and still going.

But like I said: Canvas or better yet waxed Canvas for a Possible Bag.

Mike in FL said:

I like very soft. Elk hide is my favorite. Such a pouch fills out in accordance with the amount of stuff in it but gets no larger. But I can see how a hard bag might make it easier to find things faster. Me, I don't put anything in my possibles bag that does not pertain to loading and tending to my rifle. Other items go somewhere else.

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"I don't put anything in my possibles bag that does not pertain to loading and tending to my rifle. Other items go somewhere else."

THIS.