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Possibles bag
- Thread starter fatboy
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jtmattison
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2004
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Mine is about 9 x 9 inches made of cowhide. Holds my accouterments and even has room for a sandwich and some jerky.
Huntin
Huntin
Moose is my favorite, but cow is what I have the most of (one moose, two cow, one cow/deer hybrid). I've got an elk side quiver and I think that would be a dandy bag leather, too. Haven't owned an elk bag . . . yet.
I like the little ones, maybe 7 x 7. I have a belt bag that's a tad smaller than that that I prefer for whitetail hunting (as opposed to small game where I need to carry more balls & fixins). Too big a bag and everything you need is on the bottom. A pocket for the jag, and another for spare flints or caps. if it's for a percussion, I like to have a long loop or tube just inside the gussets for my cappers. For a smoothbore it's nice to have three pockets: two shallow ones for over-shot and over-powder cards, and a larger pocket for fiber wads.
Thinner leather is quieter because it forms around all the objects inside and tends to give more when slapped with a branch or scraping through cover.
The bigger the bag, the more unnecessary stuff you'll leave in it. I keep trying to distill my accoutrements down to the absolute bare minimum. Rolls of tic that can be used for patching or cleaning and multi-purpose lube/powder-solvent in a little one ounce bottle or tin.
I carry a seperate haversack with victuals and other necessities that aren't needed for shootin.
I like the little ones, maybe 7 x 7. I have a belt bag that's a tad smaller than that that I prefer for whitetail hunting (as opposed to small game where I need to carry more balls & fixins). Too big a bag and everything you need is on the bottom. A pocket for the jag, and another for spare flints or caps. if it's for a percussion, I like to have a long loop or tube just inside the gussets for my cappers. For a smoothbore it's nice to have three pockets: two shallow ones for over-shot and over-powder cards, and a larger pocket for fiber wads.
Thinner leather is quieter because it forms around all the objects inside and tends to give more when slapped with a branch or scraping through cover.
The bigger the bag, the more unnecessary stuff you'll leave in it. I keep trying to distill my accoutrements down to the absolute bare minimum. Rolls of tic that can be used for patching or cleaning and multi-purpose lube/powder-solvent in a little one ounce bottle or tin.
I carry a seperate haversack with victuals and other necessities that aren't needed for shootin.
Sure. You've never heard of cowder horns?
Guess I should have said cowhide with deer hide for the inner pockets and flap liner.
Guess I should have said cowhide with deer hide for the inner pockets and flap liner.
I think the design ought to be considered. On a flat, sack type bag I like about 9 x 9 but if the bag has a side panel or gusset then I like about 7 x 8 with a 2" gusset at the bottom that tapers to a point at the top.
We all call these bags, "Possibles Bags" myself included but I think originally they were know as a bullet pouch or hunting pouch. I think the possibles bag was a larger, side bag for carrying a lot of extra odds and ends. "Could you possibly have a wiz-bang-fixit?"
" Well, let me check into my possibles bag"
We all call these bags, "Possibles Bags" myself included but I think originally they were know as a bullet pouch or hunting pouch. I think the possibles bag was a larger, side bag for carrying a lot of extra odds and ends. "Could you possibly have a wiz-bang-fixit?"
" Well, let me check into my possibles bag"
Breakfast Boy
32 Cal.
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I'm still searching for my "perfect" possibles bag. I have one that I purchased on ebay and it serves the purpose. Would like one a bit sturdier though. Next one I purchase, I want to make sure it's PC, in case I get into this reenacting stuff. :redthumb:
Listen to Stumpkiller. I have gone through a lot of bags. I have reverted to the most simple. A soft bag is pretty hard to beat. My ideal bag would be a flat, sack type, about 9 x 9 of soft deerskin type leather with a single compartment. I would take everything I didn't need to reload and roll it up in ticking and keep it in the bottom of the bag. This creates a sort of inside shelf or platform. On top of this I would put a bullet board with an attached short starter. The flap ought to be long and hang down without a button or stud. With this method you first go to the horn/measure and charge the bore. Then quickly and blindly reach into the bag and grab the board/starter. That's it. I keep a leather capper on the bag's strap. This works for me but then again everyone has their own system.
Bill Bounds
40 Cal.
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- Oct 5, 2004
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Hey:
I made a bag about 10 X 10, soft leather. I have a little loop inside to hold the ball starter, and a small pocket to hold whatever. last week I had a chance to make a quick second shot. I had to search around in my bag for the ingrediants a little. It would work better if I had less room for stuff. The next bag will be smaller with a closeable pocket for everything that won't be used for the second shot.
Bill
I made a bag about 10 X 10, soft leather. I have a little loop inside to hold the ball starter, and a small pocket to hold whatever. last week I had a chance to make a quick second shot. I had to search around in my bag for the ingrediants a little. It would work better if I had less room for stuff. The next bag will be smaller with a closeable pocket for everything that won't be used for the second shot.
Bill
Guest
My shoot'n bag is made out'a buffler hide, it's 9"x9" and taper-gusseted (gusset is wider at tha bottom than it is at tha top).
I keep all my liddle "tools" in'a small elk hide bag with draw strings, and carry this small "tool bag" in my haversack.
I don't use'a short starter, and I use "spit" fer lube. I have a short strip'a tick'n tied to'a thong highup near shoulder level on my shoot'n bag strap. I stick my vent pick thu tha lace'n on tha bag strap and carry only a belt knife.
So,..... "what" do I carry in my shoot'n bag????.... Well ther really ain't much stuff left fer shoot'n thet I need, 'cept'a few balls and powder measure, plus my prime'n horn (been think'n of do'n 'way with tha prime'n horn to make things even simpler).
I've found thet wear'n 2 bags with only what I need to load shot after shot in my shoot'n bag and other stuff thet I only need when "work'n on or clean'n" my riflegun in tha other bag, I'm purty well balanced out with no "lopsided" heavy bag on jest one side.
I'm always look'n fer ways to "simplify" things and tha above works real good fer me!! :results:
YMHS
rollingb
I keep all my liddle "tools" in'a small elk hide bag with draw strings, and carry this small "tool bag" in my haversack.
I don't use'a short starter, and I use "spit" fer lube. I have a short strip'a tick'n tied to'a thong highup near shoulder level on my shoot'n bag strap. I stick my vent pick thu tha lace'n on tha bag strap and carry only a belt knife.
So,..... "what" do I carry in my shoot'n bag????.... Well ther really ain't much stuff left fer shoot'n thet I need, 'cept'a few balls and powder measure, plus my prime'n horn (been think'n of do'n 'way with tha prime'n horn to make things even simpler).
I've found thet wear'n 2 bags with only what I need to load shot after shot in my shoot'n bag and other stuff thet I only need when "work'n on or clean'n" my riflegun in tha other bag, I'm purty well balanced out with no "lopsided" heavy bag on jest one side.
I'm always look'n fer ways to "simplify" things and tha above works real good fer me!! :results:
YMHS
rollingb
Guest
A properly coned muzzle used with a prepatched bullet board eliminates all fumbling. Charge the gun, sit the board over the muzzle and seat the ball in a smooth motion and no reaching into any closed compartment for anything. I even use a powder horn with a charger tube to eliminate the powder masure. I do not go into my shooting bag unless something breaks.
:results:
:results:
Guest
I jest never could git used to a load'n block swing'n 'round on'a thong, I tryed slip'n it into my sash and gave up on thet idea, then I started drop'n it in my shoot'n bag 'but didn't like the thong "loop" catch'n on brush, so it was simpler fer me to give up on tha load'n block altogether. I ain't tha most "graceful" person in this world!! :haha:
YMHS
rollingb
YMHS
rollingb
Guest
There's this loop on my bag strap that used to hold the patch knife I don't use any more. I carry a slim 3-ball block that just slips in there and stays put.
I've switched to just carrying the belt knife too, along with a slinder boot knife in my leggin' top, the foulding knife in my pouch and occasionally a neck knife. You don't want to go to extremes! The patch knife on the strap was just excessive!
:crackup: :crackup:
I've switched to just carrying the belt knife too, along with a slinder boot knife in my leggin' top, the foulding knife in my pouch and occasionally a neck knife. You don't want to go to extremes! The patch knife on the strap was just excessive!
:crackup: :crackup:
I only wear one around my neck when there's a lot of shootin afoot. Mine is a gorget or canoe shape that rides better 'cause it's tied from eachend.
I have a straight line five shot block that I made out of purpleheart that slips in a sheath on strap of one of my bags, and I just slip into others. It's about 1" wide, 3/4" thick and 5" long. Simple and handy. In my belt bag I have a front outer pocket that holds a cutting-board shaped seven-shot block with a stub-starter on an 8" tether. Quick and easy, and covered by the flap.
As Ghost mentioned: for hunting, just a small 3-shot block hooked to the horn, along with your powder measure, is the whole day's hunt on one strap. You can even splice it into the strap so it doesn't dangle; just is a part of the strap and the weight of the horn keeps it steady.
Both bags I own are cow hide, one is just a simple pouch 9x8 sorta southern style I guess. The other is larger 10 x 11 gusseted pouch with a front smaller pocket w/flap and button and a back pocket w/a button has a adjustable strap love that bag. I picked this bag up a rendezvouz after looking at some others their price tags scared me, could made a car payment for that money, they were very nice .
Ghost: how well does a coned muzzle work as far as accuracy? As I understand, you can push in a patched round ball with your thumb and then use only the ramrod. That seems like a real benefit in the field. Were most of the original muzzleloaders coned in that manner? Did you do the coning yourself? What angle, Etc?
There is one thing for sure on hunting pouches, everyone really has their own system.
There is one thing for sure on hunting pouches, everyone really has their own system.
INCOMING!
Click on the below links and check your prime! You'll be headin into battle.
Previous thread on Coning - some survivors. Click this
Even earlier thread on Coning - no survivors.
Earlier still thread on Coning - kinder & gentler times
Click on the below links and check your prime! You'll be headin into battle.
Previous thread on Coning - some survivors. Click this
Even earlier thread on Coning - no survivors.
Earlier still thread on Coning - kinder & gentler times
I have a shootin' bag for each of my rifles / smoothbores. Each was made by my friend, who is an accomplished leather worker. Each has it's own feel, quirks and specialities. The oldest one is made from cow hide that has softened over the last 15 years along with aquiring a sublteness that holds all of the stuff inside without a rattle. The lastest bag is for the smoothbore - made from elk, lined with thin deer skin - and is still a 'work-in-progress'. (I mean I'm still working on having all of the things I want in the place where I can find them by feel while on the trail or at a match.)
What makes the bag work for the rifle doesn't necessarily work for bag for the SB.
The smoothbore bag is a wide 'D' shape with pockets on the front for the wads. Inside the bag, with all of the other stuff, are two smaller leather bags, one with 7 and half shot and one with .25 cal. buck for the buck & ball shots. There is only enough for five or six shots - just enough to be ready for any surprises that may arise. The .60 cal round ball are in a seperate bag on the side opposite the shooting bag.
I don't need the shot for the rifle and the round ball are in a bullet bag inside the shootin' bag. Bullet boards are used for speed shots or huntin' - they just get tucked away while walkin' around.
I've had the muzzles of all of my guns coned. Rifles, smoothbores and pistols. I haven't noticed any change in accuracy because of doing so. They all still shoot better than I am capable of shooting. On a good day, they can still shoot one-hole groups at 25 yards off-hand. It is easier to load, so I'm not as tired at the end of a long day of shooting.
What makes the bag work for the rifle doesn't necessarily work for bag for the SB.
The smoothbore bag is a wide 'D' shape with pockets on the front for the wads. Inside the bag, with all of the other stuff, are two smaller leather bags, one with 7 and half shot and one with .25 cal. buck for the buck & ball shots. There is only enough for five or six shots - just enough to be ready for any surprises that may arise. The .60 cal round ball are in a seperate bag on the side opposite the shooting bag.
I don't need the shot for the rifle and the round ball are in a bullet bag inside the shootin' bag. Bullet boards are used for speed shots or huntin' - they just get tucked away while walkin' around.
I've had the muzzles of all of my guns coned. Rifles, smoothbores and pistols. I haven't noticed any change in accuracy because of doing so. They all still shoot better than I am capable of shooting. On a good day, they can still shoot one-hole groups at 25 yards off-hand. It is easier to load, so I'm not as tired at the end of a long day of shooting.
Guest
Stmpkiller is right Crockett, we hashed over coning several times.
Of course that was back before we found out that no one on the forum could really hit a 3x5 card at 50 yds off hand and they were worried that coning would mess up their 1" offhand groups! Guess we can all cone our muzzle for easier loading now that we know no one can hit anything anyway!
It does not seem to affect accuracy in any measureable way. It is actually just a long crown that allows the ball to be pressed into the muzzle.
:imo:
Of course that was back before we found out that no one on the forum could really hit a 3x5 card at 50 yds off hand and they were worried that coning would mess up their 1" offhand groups! Guess we can all cone our muzzle for easier loading now that we know no one can hit anything anyway!
It does not seem to affect accuracy in any measureable way. It is actually just a long crown that allows the ball to be pressed into the muzzle.
:imo:
