I need to carrying two bags

[Greenjoytj]

I stitched together a Tandy Leather Black Powder Shooting Bag, it turned out real nice once I got all assembling and stitching screw ups corrected.

Now when I try to use it I've run into two problems.

1) Lot of dangling leather straps, not sure how to use them.
I suspect their for tying on a powder horn and maybe other accessories.
I don't think I want a lot of item dangling and knocking together so I haven't tied anything on them (yet that opinion may change).

2) Bag size, way too small, if I put all the accessories inside.

So bought a green cotton duck shoulder bag. Looks like a military map bag is 12"x12"x4" to carry all the stuff I can't fit into the shooting bag. So now I have a possibles bag too.

In the leather shooting bag I carry just what needed to make 4 shots:

4 quick load tubes pre loaded with powder only.

6 shot ball board 4 7/8" x 2 3/8" x 1/2" from Track, pre loaded with 4 prb's the two empty holes have 6 lube wads wedged in them.
I may hang is board in one of the shooting bag straps.

Short starter

Small brass priming powder tube.

Vent and pan brushes & pick.

Trimming down the items list to just the above listed stuff is easily carry in the Tandy shooting bag.
________________________________________________________

In the possibles bag I carry:

Two 35 mm film canister stacked with twelve 54 cal balls so they don't rattle about. I have leather ball bag but was worried about the balls bashing together and getting damaged, so I put the canisters in the ball bag.

Patch box by TDC loaded with patches and wads.

Adjustable brass powder measure with funnel attached.

Flint wallet (this takes up a lot of room, 3 layers of thick leather and further bulked up with 3 flints and 3 leather wraps

Pill bottle with lots of pre dampened patches for between shot wiping.

Extra quick load plastic tubes loaded with pre measured powder charge.
I really don't like pouring powder from the horn when I'm in the field or at the shooting range. I bring 24 quick load tubes preloaded, when their done so am I usually.

For hunting I'll toss into possible bag all the legal paper work and field dressing kit bit of para cord and any thing else I might want on that outing.
__________________________________________________________

I'm trying to learn to shoot from the bag, and to carry and use all this stuff in a efficient manner. It's still a work in progress.

 

[necchi]

You'll find as time goes by, you can carry less and still shoot just fine.

I used too have a shooting box kept in the trunk for all the stuff I thought I needed.

Now I can grab a bag and the gun on the way out the door an be fine all day.

 

[Trench]

Yes, I think you'll find the Tandy bag is roomy enough over time for the things you really need to make your piece go BOOM.

 

[Leatherbark]

Simply dont shoot from the bag. Use the bag only to maintain the gun. Use your horn/measure and bullet board for shooting. If you need a short start put it on a wang also. This way you only get into the bag to replenish the bullet board and maintain the gun.

Bob

 

[Birddog6]

Go to a Rondy & look in the bag from a guy shooting on one of the woods trails. You will find you have WAY more than you need....

First thing I would get out is all of those containers & use a powder measure & flask or horn.

When I hunt, I carry 5 balls, powder, flask, patching, patch grease, powder measure, and a few other very small essentials.
Years ago I toted all kinds of stuff with me in a bag.... "What If's" I called them. Well, 99% of the "what if's" now stay in the truck and I carry what I know I will need. Half the time I don't even carry a bag, I stuff it all in my pockets.

Keith Lisle

 

[tg]

As noted time will thin your gear, I also lie to carry a second bag for rope, fire kit and such but for just shooting I can carry everyything I need for a days hunt or a wods walk in the pockets of my weskit + a small bag over my neck for powder. I think that nearly all of us started with 3 times what was needed and slowly pruned down to the basics.I still seem some longtime shooters who cary everything but the kitchen sink, no right or wrong, just personal choice of the path one takes

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yes I agree. I carry a horn, and my bag has all that I need to maintain the rifle. Bullets, extra flints, patches, lube, tools, bullet mold and tiny ladle. My "short starter" I rarely use, and it's much smaller and hand made so not nearly as large as the war-clubs you buy over-the-counter for the same purpose. :wink: Skinning knife, and patch knife, and hunting license with private land permission slip are also in the bag.

When deer hunting I take a small day pack about the same volume as a military haversack, though not white in color. It has my water, food, tobacco, fire starting kit, first aid kit, pipe, and drag rope. There is room within to store my scarf, extra knit hat, and knitted mits, so depending on the weather I can add or remove warmth.

LD

 

[Rat Trapper]

If you want to lighten your load get rid of the horn/flask & measure. For a days hunt all you need is a hand full of quick loads or TC 4 & 1 loaders. A nipple wrench, few extra caps in a TC star seven, a jag, starter and a couple cleaning patches. All this stuff fits very easy into my small pouches. If you are going to the range take a MTM plastic muzzle loading box with all your other stuff.

 

[Coot]

I have a small bag for each gun with the minimum (for me) gear to shoot that gun. A small day horn with a horn or tin measure attached by a cord. In the small bag, a worm & some tow in the bottom. As many balls as I expect to shoot + 2 extra. Precut, prelubed patches. A flint wallet with a period turnscrew (smaller than a modern screwdriver & if you can't turn the jaw screw, there is no purpose in carrying spare flints) & 2 flints & 1 leather - wallet is very thin leather & measures maybe 1&1/4" x 2&1/4"x 1/2". A vent pick stuck into the bag strap. Prime from main (day) horn - no primer device or priming horn needed. Coned barrel - no short starter needed. Tow to clean pan and/or bore if needed. Precut patches - no patch knife needed. All the gear easily fits in a very small bag. Others prefer more & like to use more modern items such as speedloaders. Each to their own but if you keep track of what you actually regularly use to load & shoot & not what you "might someday want", you will find that it is not that much. It is also easier to find in the bag when there is less to sort thru. Double packing items like putting balls in a canister (which will not get any smaller as you use the balls) & then the canister in a pouch just takes up space & makes the balls harder to get out when you need one. Keep at it & you will find your load shrinking.

When going to the range, all the "might want" stuff & extra powder, balls, cleaning gear and tools can go along in a range box.

 

[ebiggs1]

Like everyone has said you will pare it down. This is what I carry almost every time I go out shooting. Hunting or just for fun. It holds around 30 shots.

That bag is about 9 x 9 inches and it has enough room for a snack besides! The only other things I carry are my binoculars, an insulated water bottle and a hunting knife. Plus if I am just shooting for fun, I usually grab my range rod.