I need a cartridge box

[pacanis]

Can someone point me in the direction of a brown cartridge box with white-ish fabric strap for my Brown Bess that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

I bought one off Fleabay from the only seller that listed they were from NY in their description and he ended up being from Pakistan like the others. The holes were too small. Not even .75.
I'm hesitant to buy from another seller because for all I know they are all being made in the same place. Which is a shame, because it appeared very good quality with the exception of the too small holes. Especially for sixty bucks plus shipping.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more as long as I know it's going to work.

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Since you have the box can you ream/drill out the holes or get another piece of wood and drill holes of the correct size?

 

[Some_Mook]

Watching thread.

FWIW, not impressed with Lapierre Leather products. Saddened that VMA shut down operations before I could have received the expense pouch I had ordered.

L.D. Hanning might be worth a look, but expensive. Blockade Runner carries buff slings, and also has some unpainted canvas slings.

As SmokepoleSam has indicated, if the leather meets your expectations but the wood block does not, it isn't too hard to make your own block

 

[MAPMFF]

On facebook some of the 18th Century Reenacting buy/sell/trade group could be a place. Most of the quality stuff is being made "in house" by reenactment groups/individuals

 

[pacanis]

I had thought about drilling them out, but that would involved a lot of work indexing each hole that measures approx .72, then switching to a 13/16 (that I read was the correct size). Plus, there isn't enough wood between a lot of the holes to do that anyway. The holes would cut each other or run off the edge.
And it's an extremely tight fit to the pouch, so a larger piece of wood is out. Unless I want to see if I can stretch the leather... Or just lay out fewer holes.

I'm going to call that a no-go. Which is why I put in for a return.
And today, over a month later, I finally got the return label. The seller got a hold of me and it will be delivered to someone else... Good luck to them if they use it for .690 paper cartridges.

Someone contacted me about making one I think. Just waiting to hear back after answering some of their questions.

 

[pacanis]

On facebook some of the 18th Century Reenacting buy/sell/trade group could be a place. Most of the quality stuff is being made "in house" by reenactment groups/individuals

I was hoping some of those folks were here.
I'm not on FB or IG or any of those.

I'm surprised no one on Etsy makes something like this.

 

[Coot]

Can someone point me in the direction of a brown cartridge box with white-ish fabric strap for my Brown Bess that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

I bought one off Fleabay from the only seller that listed they were from NY in their description and he ended up being from Pakistan like the others. The holes were too small. Not even .75.
I'm hesitant to buy from another seller because for all I know they are all being made in the same place. Which is a shame, because it appeared very good quality with the exception of the too small holes. Especially for sixty bucks plus shipping.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more as long as I know it's going to work.

Contact Dave Kasmerik (sp?) online at "Pepe's Possibles" in Tenn. I have two of his boxes & one of his portmanteau. He does excellent leatherwork. I got him to send me the boxes un-drilled since I use them with a naval blunderbuss that is larger than musket bore. (I was only able to get 5 holes in the little belly box and 17 in the standard box).

 

[appalichian hunter]

Make it youe self, really not a difficult job.

 

[flconch53]

If you can go to events and buy from craftsman. Pepe is good and there are others around the country. I like the idea of ordering without holes so you can make it fit your needs

 

[Boatncamp]

Just a simple question, are you using this for reenacting? If so, wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to just reduce the size of the dowel rod that you form your cartridges around? If you are making actual cartridges with projectiles perhaps you could taper the dowel and therefore the cartridge so that they sit ball up in the block?

Was there a proper way to put cartridges in the box ball up or ball down?

Just a thought

Woody

 

[pacanis]

Pepe is a little too pricey for me. Fine work I'm sure, but I'm more of a TOTW and Crazy Crow guy. Just something simple that works.

No reenacting. Live cartridges.

The caliber of the BB is .75.
The holes measured .72~
Maybe it was made for reenactors using skinny cartridges, but it didn't say so. I'm using the kit from Jefferson Arsenal. I always order their kits to get me started with balls, dowel, string, paper and pattern.
From I've I read searching the web, it might have even been here, the holes should be 13/16". That would allow me plenty of room to put them in the box in either direction.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

My block was a too small for my cartridges too so I made them bigger with a dowel wrapped in sandpaper.

 

[pacanis]

My block was a too small for my cartridges too so I made them bigger with a dowel wrapped in sandpaper.

That would certainly allow you to "drift" the hole if it's too close to another hole.
But it should have come the right size.

 

[Barry Strickland]

This might be in the line you are looking for.
https://www.theblueboxsutlery.com/leatherequipment
Barry

 

[pacanis]

This might be in the line you are looking for.
https://www.theblueboxsutlery.com/leatherequipment
Barry

Perfect!
Lots of nice stuff there. Including the cartridge box at what I consider a decent price.
I'll get a hold of them tomorrow to verify hole size so they know I am using it with live rounds.

Thanks for the link!

 

[Timber Wolf]

I bought my box second hand and have no idea who made it. The holes were too small for my paper wrapped .69 balls and the block was too snug in the leather. I sanded the holes with a sanding drum in a Dremal and I sanded the sides of the block until is was snug but easily removable. Works fine now.

 

[TedNTexas]

Can someone point me in the direction of a brown cartridge box with white-ish fabric strap for my Brown Bess that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

I bought one off Fleabay from the only seller that listed they were from NY in their description and he ended up being from Pakistan like the others. The holes were too small. Not even .75.
I'm hesitant to buy from another seller because for all I know they are all being made in the same place. Which is a shame, because it appeared very good quality with the exception of the too small holes. Especially for sixty bucks plus shipping.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more as long as I know it's going to work.

Try BuffaloArms.com
Or my favorite is ShilohRifle.com

 

[pacanis]

Sounds like mine from Pakistan. It fit really tight in the leather. Really tight.

It's sounding like some people were complacent with the cartridge box not being made correctly. No wonder they haven't corrected the holes themselves before shipping.

 

[pacanis]

Try BuffaloArms.com
Or my favorite is ShilohRifle.com

Thanks. I'll try them, too.
Blue Box hasn't gotten back to me yet.

 

[MAPMFF]

Another option:

https://www.jgkeller.ca/reenact/leather.html

Jim has done some work for me including an entire set of accoutrements for my cannon, and is working on some other projects for me, priced fair and his work is great.