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I'm a Free Trapper. My bag, horns and accouterments.

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The extremely talented artisan who brought my vision to life is David Moore. I am forever in his debt.

I've been trapping North America since the end of the Revolutionary War. I've traded with all the Fur companies over the years. I stay out year round so have sized everything to my needs-and I'm 6' 5" so easily handle over-sized.

You might have seen my powder horn before. It is a battle horn. It holds two pounds of powder. Because I was born in 1755 and went through the golden age of horns it is a "transition" between that era and the plain horns of the later Rendezvous era which isn't quite here yet as it is 1822.

My possibles bag is also over-sized. It too maintains just a little frontiersman influence, again a "transition" between eras. The bag is gusseted and has two sewn in pouches.

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On the back of my bag hang my over-sized patch knife (doubles as a utility knife) and a bag axe that weighs 12.8oz.

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I'm still putting together the accouterments. But here are three. A percussion cap holder (for when percussion caps are available), a cleaning rod for my pistols, and a very small flat priming horn (I can prime from my battle horn if I so choose).

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Perhaps your like a gentleman I hunted with in the Plaster Rock area of New Brunswick Canada in the late 80’s. He dressed in a trappers regalia and carried a flint lock a few days of the 10 day period. I thought he looked splendid if not a bit cold. The rest of the five party group were dressed in all the latest thinsulate gear. He did wear the latest in insulated log John’s I believe.
 
@Daveboone it weighs 6lbs 8oz. I have not shot it yet. As soon as the snow melts which might actually be within the next few weeks which is crazy but we are in the 40's every day and that is forecast to continue.
Wow! I am amazed! I was thinking it would be easily much more than double that! Boy those hammers/cocks are beefy! (that statements sounds sooo wrong).
 
The concept of percussion caps date back to 1800 and were starting to be introduced by the early 1820’s. So our intrepid trapper may have been able to acquire or convert his long rifle to percussion.
Supplies of caps at the time may have been spotty at best, kind of like today, so more than likely he stuck to his trusty flintlock.
Just like today, right. The flinter is working O.T. the last few months and the caps I do get (or make) belong to the revolvers. Hard times in this century too!
 
Hi Cornstalk, as I said really liked the bag, well mine is almost done went to get leather dye today, I did not completly copy your bag but took key elements from it, mine is made of elk and lined with a correct type material, turned out very nice and once the finishing part is done (dying and treating the leather) it will be a fine bag. I would of had it done bye now but been nursing the wife with her knee re-placement surgery last saturday. So I have been taking a hour or two while she naps to work on it. I would very much like to post pics. on the site but am very computer illerate. Do not even know how to get them from the phone to the proper place on the devil machine. If you are interested send me a p.m. with your e-mail adress and when finished I will send you pictures and if you want you can put them on the forum.
 
Hi Cornstalk, as I said really liked the bag, well mine is almost done went to get leather dye today, I did not completly copy your bag but took key elements from it, mine is made of elk and lined with a correct type material, turned out very nice and once the finishing part is done (dying and treating the leather) it will be a fine bag. I would of had it done bye now but been nursing the wife with her knee re-placement surgery last saturday. So I have been taking a hour or two while she naps to work on it. I would very much like to post pics. on the site but am very computer illerate. Do not even know how to get them from the phone to the proper place on the devil machine. If you are interested send me a p.m. with your e-mail adress and when finished I will send you pictures and if you want you can put them on the forum.
PM sent
 
After thinking long and hard I decided on putting the cap holder on the bag strap after all (time will tell if the powder horn strap interferes). I secured it with the powder measure lanyard and routing the lanyard as I did allows me to keep the lanyard long so I can put the measure in the bag, or adjust the length of the lanyard, or I have an extra length of lanyard I can cut off if I need some elsewhere. Hopefully I got this right.

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Good ideal for a percussion shooter, are you thinking about perhaps a cover over the exposed caps in case of wet weather. Just a thought.
 
I believe yes it would need to be pretty damp, are the posts that hold the caps wood or leather, they might act as wicks allowing moisture acess to the inside of the caps, just thinking.
 

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