In the field question

[kmeyer]

For those of you that hunt with shot in your smoothbore, do you carry a shot snake in the field to hold the shot? Please post a link of a good one to purchase. Also, I need to pick up a shot measurer and cannot find one. Thanks all.

 

[musketman]

You can use equal amounts of powder and shot with great effectiveness, so the measurer you use for your charge of powder will also double as a shot measurer...

Track Of The Wolf Snot Snake Link #1
Track Of The Wolf Snot Snake Link #2

Now if you are not too concerned with being PC and need something to carry shot in before your shot snake gets to your house, you can carry pre-measured shot loads in 35mm film containers...

Pop open the lid and squeeze the sides of the container to make a pouring spout...

 

[Ridge]

I have a large(ish) ball bag that I keep my shot in. It was wet molded and the leather is "hardened". Works fine for me.

 

[Rebel]

I use an Irish style shot flask with a removeable head for pouring the shot. It is adjustable for 1 oz, 1 1/8 oz, and 1 1/4 oz of shot. Mine is a CVA made flask. I have had it for years, and it still works fine. About $30.

 

[riarcher]

Try "sporting goods" --- "shot measure" on Ebay. Usually between $11 & $15.

 

[Dave K]

It is a personal thing, but I prefer shot pouches and English heads. I have a shot snake (from TOW, made very good though) and I found it to be in the way when I mounted the gun and it would want to scratch the gun, if I didn't pay attention.
I have been using old original shot pouches for a few years. I like the way they meter, but the leather and stitching is old and fit more for decoration then use. The new ones with the Pedersoli heads have BAD springs in them,the gates don't open far enough, but the leather is good. At Friendship, Circle Fly, was selling a new shoot pouch that is made in India, I think. Very, very good pouch! Good spring, the gates of the measure open as they should and good leather. They were selling them for $45. I will buy a couple more of them.( each gun needs two of them on a "hot day" of dove hunting) They measure in 1 1/4 and 1 1/2oz. I only shoot 1 oz. loads,in my 12ga., so I go to a hobby store and find brass tubing that is a nice snug fit into the flask head and make a sleeve. I then trim the sleeve to length until it meters the amount of shot I want. Real simple to do, and you can make sleeves for any amount you want to dispense. I have one for my 20ga. that is sleeved to 7/8oz. etc. I have both shot pouches and shot flasks from Circle Fly, that are copies of the old Hawsley shotgun pouches and flasks. GOOD STUFF!

 

[Flint50]

Not very PC, but when hunting I carry shot in plastic cigar tubes with screw off lids. Each tube is marked with the size shot it contains.

 

[Blue Smoke]

I've been taking Premeasured Loads out.But I have Powder Horn,and Wife just made me a Leather Bag to hold some Shot in,just measure out of the Bag.Haven't used it yet but I'm sure it will be fine.

Thinking of making Measurers out of Bamboo,I think they will work ok.

Blue Smoke

 

[Stumpkiller]

I carry an Irish snake (scoop is the measurer) but it was one I made from a Tandy pattern. For most purposes and gauges, a heaping measure of shot and a flush measure of powder from the same measure will be a good load.

My favorite little shot pouch for my Bess has an 80 gr antler measure that serves as the plug for a 12 shot (just over one pound) leather shot-bag. It fits in my hunting bag. I pull the stopper, leaving the pouch in the bag, load the powder, pull out the shot bag and fill the measure heaping full, then replace the measure/plug and replace the pouch in the shooting bag.

How many hunting trips do you really need the 25 shots out of a shot snake? Doves maybe?

 

[Ohio Rusty]

When I pheasant hunt, I use a 12 gauge SxS and use an irish charger with the removable spout that pours and measures the shot. For everything else, I made several small shot bags with antler spouts. They carry different sizes of shot, and they will probably hold 14 oz.'s max of bird shot, more than enough for a days hunting. I don't pack them full, I may only carry 8 or 9 oz.'s of shot in the field as the limit on squirrels is 4 and the limit on turkeys is one. No sense carrying alot, just enough for a couple of reloads if necessary.
Ohio Rusty

 

[Rat]

Bore-size paper shot cartridges.

Tear open a paper powder cartridge, pour in the powder, ram a shot cartridge down, prime the pan and I'm reloaded.

The limit for grouse here is three, so I might carry a total of six shot cartridges. Nice and light. Of course I carry a few extra powder cartridges and a few round balls, "just in case".

Rat

 

[Maestro]

I have a large(ish) ball bag that I keep my shot in. It was wet molded and the leather is "hardened". Works fine for me.

... me too.

 

[Dave K]

I know some of you aren't carrying allot of shot, but when the doves are flying, I have been known to go through about 3lbs. of shot in one easy morning shooting 1oz. loads. No I don't get all I shoot at, but I do get my share. It is amazing how good you will get reloading when the action is heavy and your gear is set up to be efficient. The barrels do get HOT.

 

[Rebel]

Yep, them doves can use up some powder and shot can't they Dave? What ya mean you don't get ll that you shoot at? I thought you and Birddog never missed. :: You are right about learning to load fast. When dove huunting i carry pre-measured powder and shot in empty .12 ga hulls that i cut down. Use black hulls for powder, and a different color for shot. I usually carry about a dozen of them. I use a cork with a piece of heavy mono fishing line run through the center and a big knot tied in it so it don't come back through the cork, Then leave it long enough to get the cork off and knot the other end and run a piece of black electrical tape around the hull and the line. Just pop the cork out and dump the powder, put your wad in, pop cork and dump shot, and put in overshot card wad and cap and fire.

 

[Dave K]

For me, so far anyhow. There is hardly anything more fun than a hot dove hunt. You and your buddies (2-3 others) watching the decoys, shootin' the bull, as you wait and then all of sudden a flight comes through, flares at the decoys and every one is shouting, birds from the west! Look behind you coming in low. Great shot! You missed that! It is a ball! I hunt out of turkey vest actually. With all the pockets, I can really gain spead reloading. Then all of a sudden it is quiet for a little bit as we all laugh about our good shots and our screwed up shoots. I can't wait. In the lulls I will fill up little vials with powder, but shot comes right from the shot pouch.

 

[Rebel]

I use a hunting vest when bird hunting too. I put the pre-measured powder charges in the left pocket, and the shot in the right. The wads i keep in my shooting bag. The caps in a brass straight line capper that holds about 25 caps. Keeps me going for a while, and i reload the pre-loads during slow times from the Irish shot flask and a brass powder flask.