Cloth shooting bag opinions

[French Colonial]

I have several all leather shooting bags that I have made but have always been curious about those made completely or partially of cloth of some sort.

For those of you with bags of cloth, how do you like them, how do they hold up under use and what to avoid if you please.

I find myself in need of another project....

 

[Rifleman1776]

I've had several (called haversacks) but I used them mostly for odds and ends and some survival items when hunting. I just preferred leather for my shooting bag. Yer preference.

 

[user 48679]

When hunting, I used a compartmentalized canvas haversack - in which I used one compartment for shooting stuff ( bullets, capper or priming tool, etc, etc) and the other compartment for the various things useful for hunting ( scents, game call, small multitool, compass, small flashlight, etc)

I liked the way I could easily slide it around on it's strap to the back of my hip when accessing thick brush and-or climbing

 

[Red Owl]

My first bag was canvas dyed in tea to a fawn tan. Excellent in everyway. Lightweight, bright interior, used upholstery webbing, 3" doubled over for the strap. (1 1/2" wide). The soft shape conforms to the body, the horn doesn't audibly bounce against it, etc.

 

[French Colonial]

I have plenty of canvas, maybe I will try to throw something together, need to decide how many pockets etc.

 

[Hermit Tim]

I've never used a cloth bag for a shooting bag. But folks have been using cloth and canvas haversacks for centuries. Should work just fine.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Might be a fun project anyway.

 

[Nazgul58]

I have an interest in how they sewed sails of the old sailing ships. Saw pics of the edging and reinforced loopholes on the corners that intrigued me. Was looking at a big piece of the heavy sail cloth and wondered what a sailor would make if it was a shooting bag. It is about 1/2 done, haven't had much time lately and don't have any pics. I will post some when it is done.

Lots of heavy needle work involved, but they had lots of time when out to sea.

Don

 

[loflyr55]

They will work but any sharp objects will poke through in no time, screwdrivers, vent picks, worms, etc. best to use a leather pocket for such items or a leather draw patch or flint wallet to stow those edged tools.

 

[French Colonial]

They will work but any sharp objects will poke through in no time, screwdrivers, vent picks, worms, etc. best to use a leather pocket for such items or a leather draw patch or flint wallet to stow those edged tools.

Yes, after thinking about it for awhile and even thinking about using a combination of leather and cloth I decided to just make another leather bag, I have some bison and just need to settle on a design.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[user 48679]

Besides my haversack, I also use this canvas bag with a rubberized lining and two interior pockets.

I decorated the flap with an old patch I had hanging around because it matched the bag color

 

[Jay Templin]

This is a photo of a 1776 linen canvas shot bag in the state museum in New Hampshire. They were pretty common- Jim Mullins discusses them in “Of Sorts for Provincials.” One compartment was for buckshot and the other for ball.
Jay

 

[Kev308]

This bag is pillow ticking, wood buttons amd cloth strap, dyed in walnut hulls and waxed. I made it about 25 yrs ago. I use it as a range bag now, carrying all my gear for a day of shooting.

Ialso have a waxed cotton snapsack that carries a boiler and other stuff for a day of small game hunting. I’ll have to get a photo of that
Kevin

 

[ArmorerRoy]

Canvas and wool stained with coffee and waterproofed with 50/50 blo/low odor paint thinner.

 

[Red Owl]

I don't know how to post photos but my bag is like the others. One large compartment. The seldom used items I roll up in ticking (used for patches) and that goes in the bottom of the bag-like a shelf and then the frequently used items on top.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

I use mine as a shooting bag for my bess. Since I shoot paper cartridges I don't load from my bag.