Ball & Patch Management

[Glenfilthie]

I just got one of the possibles bags from the turkeys at Track Of The Wolf and I couldn't be happier with it unless I had made it myself. It looks great and rides well too!

The only problem I have is space...I ordered it off the internet and when it arrived, I found myself seriously crunched for space. The biggest problem I have is containing my ball and patch. I use a big pipe tobacco tin, and I keep my swab patches and a small tool kit in two other small tins. I didn't realize these bags were so small.

What is in your possibles bag? I suppose I could leave some stuff behind but I just feel better having a nipple wrench, spare cap and a bottle of moose juice along.

Any tips on load out would be muchly appreciated!

 

[BrownBear]

I bet those tins are your problem. Lots of wasted space unless they're absolutely full. I'd replace them with drawstring bags that will squash and conform to the bag when not full, or at least to smaller tins.

My principal bag is 7" by 8" without a waft, and it holds all I need with room to spare. That includes a bag of balls (20), loading block (3 hole), patch strip and small tin of lube, cleaning patches, cap dispenser, nipple wrench, knife and spare glasses. There's also the tail end of a roll of electrical tape for wet weather and a small compass, come to think of it.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Carry the extra balls and patches in a leather ball bag. That fits most any space. I put the tools in the bottom of the bag, and don't worry about them. I can always reach them if they are needed. I did carry my jags- ball puller, and patch puller in a pocket on the inside of my bag for awhile, but decided that the bottom of the bag made more sense, and use the pocket to carry cleaning patches, now.

Consider making a loading ball block, where you put your needed extra patched round ball, already lubricated, in the blocks. Depending on how long or large you make the blocks, you can carry from 3-10 extra balls, ready to load. I prefer carrying several small blocks, so I can leave most of them at my car, or in the range box, if they aren't needed. I load from my range box, rather than from the pouch at the range. I only use the bag when hunting, or doing a hunter's walk. On a hunter's walk, it makes sense to use the loading blocks- multiples, to carry whatever the course requires- rather then tote along all the loading and cleaning components in your bag.

Oh, my nipple wrench stays in my range box in my car, or at the loading bench, rather than taking a hike through the woods with me. I have only once needed the wrench, and that was during a parade my club was marching in. My box was in the back of our covered wagon, where I obtained the wrench, to remove another member's nipple to clear it, and to clean the flash channel underneath it. We did this while walking in the parade, and we got his gun back into shooting condition. We were shooting off blank charges of powder to scare the Cicadas, and irritate the Anti-gunners. We had a very good time, and the number of people along the parade route who applauded us when we fired the guns far exceeded the number who gave us dirty looks.

You too will find, in time, that you are trying to carry too much stuff, and that there are better ways to carry things than those large tins. ( I use smaller, 2.5" diameter brass " tins" sold by Tedd Cash Products for my precut patches, and cleaning patches. They provide more than enough patches for my use in the woods, with no threat of running out.)

I have a ball bag, and I carry the lead balls, and the precut patches in that bag. I use spit as a lube on hunter's walks, so the patches don't foul the inside of that bag. You can buy the ball bag from many suppliers, including Dixie, and track. You probably can buy loading blocks from them, too, for that matter. Its more fun to make your own, tho'. The drill sizes for each caliber is listed on the Index page, under Member Resources, and " Charts".

When I am shooting percussion, the two biggest items I carry in the bag are my short starter, and a pair of needle nose pliers. I could buy a smaller pair of pliers, but I have several of the standard size given to me by my father,and I just can't see any reason to spend the money for something smaller.

I keep promising myself that I will sew in a loop to hold both the short starter, and the pliers, but I have not gotten around to it. They just don't get in the way enough to motivate me to do that work. Its your bag. Shape it for the way you want to use it best.

 

If you coned the muzzle then - you could get shed of the short starter. Also, if you used a loading block and had it strung on your neck or hung from the bag strap then that would free up some room as well. :thumbsup:. I will stand fast whilst the broad sides on the coned muzzel are fired. Things are getting kind of quiet arround here anyhow :haha: .

 

[Claude Mathis]

If you coned the muzzle then - you could get shed of the short starter. Also, if you used a loading block and had it strung on your neck or hung from the bag strap then that would free up some room as well. :thumbsup:. I will stand fast whilst the broad sides on the coned muzzel are fired.

I agree. :thumbsup:

 

[bwhoffman]

I let my balls go loose in the bottom of my bag, keep my patches(precut and oiled) in an altoid tin and essential items in the pocket(worm/ball puller).
I dont keep un needed items in the shooting bag any longer and have opted to carry the "man purse" for all the extra stuff I "might" need on a trail.
Sometimes, its just a belt pouch for the extras if any.

 

[Walks with fire]

I use a belt pouch that I bought at an Army/Navy store. It holds everything I need but is still compact; light and is even covered by a jacket. I just use production grade guns and am not really into the PC thing. I live in PA where we have a special flintlock season for deer.

My belt pouch holds a small screw driver, extra flint and leather, 5 speed loaders holding patched round ball and powder, a small short starter, pan charger, a small bottle of denatured alcohol, a snuff container with clean patches, a snuff container with ball puller, worm, and the recent addition of a patent breech brush, a .50 cal bore brush. The cleaning jag stays on the ramrod and electrical tape is wrapped around the barrel or cut into strips and stuck on the stock. A belt drag with the rope in a tube and a folding belt knife are also kept on my belt.

Extra stuff is kept in the truck for replenishing the bag if needed.

 

[Cutfingers]

I have the problem of carrying too much "stuff" in my shooting bag. I solved the problem by making a double pouch as pictured in the Mountain Mans Sketch Book by Hanson.The main difference is mine is actually two bags in one. The front bag is welted and the back has a gusset. In the front I carry the items needed all the time and in the rear those items infrequently used such as ball mold, small amount of lead and cleaning material. This way whenever I stick my hand in the front bag all I contact is what is most needed such as balls in a leather pouch, primming horn, patches and tools for the flinter.
This way the bag becomes a true "Possibles" bag.

 

[biliff]

Balls go loose in the front pocket. Depending on pouch short starter either has its own loop on the outside of bag or goes in front pocket with balls. Greased patches are in the rifle patch box. Powder measure either hangs off bag strap if its dry or if raining (or hunting) gets tucked into back bag pocket (my bags have one large front pocket and two smaller rear pockets). Brass priming horn rides in same back pocket. Other rear pocket gets flint wallet with extra flints, worm, ball puller, knapping hammer, leather, screw driver and small rag. Vent pick hangs off trigger guard on trail walks, if hunting it goes in wallet.

 

[Ridge]

Dump the tins, they take up a lot of space and make a lot of noise. Also, shoot a smaller ball so you can drop the short starter.

When I first started muzzleloading I packed my shot pouch like I was going hunting for a year at a time. I've learned over the years that I really don't need all of that stuff. These days I carry about 20 balls, 2 spare flints, a bag of tow (or cleaning patches), a small tool kit (tow worm, bullet puller, screwdriver, extra leather for flints), a roll of patching material, a cap tin full of patch grease, and a cows knee. I usually keep a 8"x8" piece of patching material that is already greased on top of the bag. I've never needed anything else.

 

[Many Klatch]

I often wind up going on woods walks that are 20 to 30 shots long. For the .54 rifle I carry about 40 ball in a leather pouch with a wooden spout. I have a small tool kit with all the tools needed to take a lock apart and put it back together, the tool kit rolls up and ties tightly and doesn't take up much room. I have a spare roll of patching rolled up and sitting in the bottom of the pouch. I also have a small flint wallet. That is all I carry for the rifle.

For my smoothbores I carry up to 60 rounds in a leather pouch. I also have a small cloth bag with shotgun wads. I have a small leather bag with bird shot and one with buckshot. I also carry a toolkit and flint wallet and spare patching.

I use spit patching exclusively so I have a strip of patching attached to the pouch strap and my patch knife is worn separately around my neck.

I don't use a separate priming horn so that simplifies things as well.

I have had to use my tools quite often when in the woods just to help other shooters out of difficulties. It is surprising how many people go in the woods without even a screw driver.

Many Klatch

 

[bucktales]

My store bought pre-lubed shooting patches fit just fine in an old #11 cap tin.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

If you look at the original bags in Madison Grants books, most of them are very small. If you were just hunting you would not need to carry 60 rounds and patching.

Some folks I know who use these little bags put just the basic stuff in the bag, balls, patches
knapping hammer/ screwdriver
The other stuff extra balls, ball puller, bag mould, bulk lead, tow worms, mainspring vise and spare parts...they carry in their haversacks. If your are just going on a 12 round trail walk or hunting you can leave the haversack in camp. If I am hunting the only ball and patch I have is in my loading block which is hanging off my bag strap.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Mine's relatively small: 7" wide & 8" deep heart-shaped moose hide bag. I carry only what I need to get off 25 shots. No short starter but I have a little "stub starter" of a design I carve from single pieces of scrap maple that serve to pop a ball out of the ball block or kick-start a reluctant ball.

I keep a three shot ball-block on the horn strap as well as my powder measure with a soft-iron vent pick on the same lace and a small priming flask in a loop behind the block on the back of the strap. That's the first three shots without even needing to get in the bag.

There's a sheath on the back of the bag (originally for a knife) that I keep a five-shot ball block in.

A little tin of Moose Snot wax lube and a roll of Moose Juice pre-lubed in a waxed deerskin pouch. The ball bag is moose hide (what else?) and will hold 60 balls if I jamb them in. The tool roll holds five spare flints and the only pocket inside my main hunting bag is a little one that holds two more.

If I'm out for a lot of shooting that doesn't require "load from the bag" I toss in a six or eight-shot ball block with pre-patched balls.

 

[longcruise]

I keep it simple and the simpler it gets the better it seems to work!

As many balls as I need are put into the bottom of the bag. Also loose in the bottom of the bag is a lost patch puller and a nipple wrench. Precut square patches go in a separate small pocket sewn into the inside of the pouch where they are pushed to one side and then wiping patches are put in the same pocket and pushed to the other side. I carry a small (very small) plastic (sorry, still looking for a non plastic one) squeeze bottle with liquid patch lube in it. The liquid lube wipes as it's loaded so the wiping patches are almost never needed. If used, dampening with spit will serve well to wipe. Short starter goes on top of everything in the bag. I have a patch knife in a sheath on the bag strap but rarely have any use for it since I try to carry enough precuts with me. I do keep a strip of patch material in a pocket in case I run out. Measure and capper are carried on a loop around my neck.

Sometimes, such as for small game hunting, I carry a three ball bullet board with slightly oversize holes so the patches fit kinda loose. That way they get loaded in the board dry and the lube can be dripped on the patch before loading.

I can't imagine putting anything in a tin since that would call for retrieving the tin and then opening it to retrieve the item needed and then closing it up to return to the shooting bag.

Carrying precut patches Makes reloading much faster than using a strip of patch material and then cutting at the muzzle.

Anyway, that's the way I do it and of course there have been many equally good suggestions previously posted