Shooting Bag And Wads

[musketman]

RussB stated in another post:

Of course this "cut" is made when I put the cards in my bag so they are handy when loading.
Russ

Now I was thinking, do you have a separate compartment for each type of wad (over-powder, 1/2 inch fiber, over-shot) or are they all just thrown in the bottom of the bag???

I like to keep the 1/2 inch fiber wad separate from the other two, only because they're lubed...

I also dislike fishing around for a thin over-shot wad when I'm out in the field...

So I mutated my loads to film containers with pre-measured shot and all three wads in one container... (wads on top of shot so I can grab them first)

 

[Rebel]

My shotgun bag has 2 compartments. In one side i put spare caps, spare nipples, nipple wrench, and a bunch of overshot card wads. In the other i have 2 heavy leather bags that stand up and stay open. In one i put overpowder wads, and in the other lubed fiber cushion wads. I split all my cushion wads in half before putting them in the bag, as i only use a half a wad. Seems to help with preventing holes in the pattern. I also punch a hole in the overshot card wads before putting them in the bag. I carry my shot in a leather Irish style shot flask, and my powder in a large brass flask that is enclosed in a piece of buckskin with a leather thong to carry over my shoulder. I have my powder measurer in a leather pocket on the bags shoulder strap and my brass straight capper in another leather pocket on the strap.

 

[RussB]

Musketman...When you say; "Now I was thinking, do you have a separate compartment for each type of wad (over-powder, 1/2 inch fiber, over-shot) or are they all just thrown in the bottom of the bag???"

Why not have your cake and eat it too?
Here is my solution. Capatchee got me started back in the spring with "paper cartridges", well..since grouse season was creaping up on us real quick, i tried my hand at paper "shot shells" here is how it works...several pictures to follow...I hope.
My components are made up into a "shot capsule" made from a brown paper lunch bag at .002 thickness.
First, I cut out paper squares 3" x 3".

Then, using a dowel that is .670 in dia. I roll a paper square with a fiber cushion wad into a tube. I do use Elmers on the inside edge of the tube.

Then, I make a folded crimp, with glue on the last fold, on the end of the tube with the fiber wad.

Then, I pour 82gr of #5 or #6 shot through the other end, which is about 1.5" longer than the space required for the shot.

If you were to see it spread out, un-assembled, this is what it would look like.

I lube the OP wad, and the fiber wad with anhydrous lanolin.
I leave a "tag" on the end of the "shot shell" that is glued together...just a spot of glue works fine.
When ready to load; I tear the "tag" end from the paper of a similar made "powder cartridge", set the base of the "paper shot cartridge in the muzzle with my fingers, tear the "tag" end of the paper off, and set a OS card on it pushing it home with the ram rod.
I carry both my shot, and powder cartridges, in a belt pouch. I also have my possibles bag and powder horn, or powder bag...both have a cutoff with a 82gr measure/dispenser on them.
I have fired three "aimed shots" in just a bit under 50 seconds using this method.
None of this is my own doing. Just bit & pieces I've picked up here on the forum and put together for my own application.
Capatchee was a lot of help...the man has patience!
Anyway, That's my cake, and how I eat it too.. FWIW
Russ

 

[Stumpkiller]

Seperate for each. I made the bag with a doubled layer in front of the gusset. The outer of heavier leather and behind that a thin buckskin full-width divider with two pockets sewn into the upper half of that layer. The two upper pockets I put the over-shot and over-powder in, and the larger pocket formed behind the outer panel has tow in the bottom and a later of greased wads on top of that. The main compartment is then still open and uncluttered.

I have another shotgunning bag I made from a Tandy pattern book that also has seperate pockets for each wad/card. Works well enough but the leather is stiff and I never much cared for the way it turned out.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Great technique Russ! Saw a similar one in an old shooting magazine years back that differed only in the fact that the fellow made them longer and glued the fiber wad in the middle of the tube and had powder in one end and shot in the other. He painted lube on the upper end with a brush in similar fashion to the way you do yours. His method was to tear the bottom, pour the powder, push the whole paper cartridge into the muzzle up to the pig-tail twist on top which he cut off with his patch knife before setting on a card and pushing it all down with the ramrod. Your method might be even more effecient since it doesn't bunch up extra paper below the wad...good job!

 

[musketman]

Nicely demonstrated with the pics Russ, pictures do go a long ways in the understanding of a concept...

Great reply... :redthumb:

 

[RussB]

Wes/Tex...When you say; "Your method might be even more effecient since it doesn't bunch up extra paper below the wad"...I tend to think you're right.
I'm still trying to do a "1 piece shot & powder cup" that I can load as fast, or maybe even faster than this.

I think, right now, all I'm doing is making a paper shot cup with shot, that...along with the convenience of a pre-measured powder charge in a handy, throw away, biodegradeable, container, which makes a lot less clutter in the bag.

The problems I've run into, with a "1 piece", is the powder getting into the shot making for a "weak" charge, and loosing as many components as I get made up into a final product, due to me own clumsiness, and old stiff hands.
The paper must be thin enough (.002) that you can load it into the barrel with the fiber wad & shot in place...consequently, that makes it somewhat flimsy, when it's also long enough to contain the powder.

Maybe Capatchee will come along shortly and offer us some more of his good advice.

As a side note, when I first started this I wasn't tearing the "tag" end off of the shot capsule...my pattern at 30yds was about the size of a 1/2 gal milk carton! Someone refered to it as a "Dangerous Game Load" :crackup: :crackup:

I thought the action of seating the shot capsule on the OP wad would tear the paper and allow the pattern to open up...it don't! :hmm: I guess the restriction of the barrel prevents this...I dunno.
Russ

 

[Rebel]

Russ, if you want to use a thicker paper that isn't so fragile you might try using a .24 ga. wad in a .20 ga. I have heard that this work well. Have never tried it personally though.

 

[Deadeye]

I use a 24 ga. wad for my 20 ga Fucil and make cartridges almost like yours but I put the overshot card in the tube and glue the paper over it, get good patterns. Carry my powder in a horn.

 

Musketman,
I made a shotgunning bag 2 years ago to accomodate my wads and such.

The center wad compartment is black because I made it seperately and soaked it in melted bees wax so the bear grease would not leach out of the cushion wads into the leather. I then sewed it into the long pocket that I had made effectively deviding the pocket into three. I also waxed the inside of the inner flap to prevent grease from leaching into it as well.

What doesn't show in the picture is a barrel button sewed to the inside of the main flap. When I'm out in the field, I button the inner flap to the main flap so when I open the main flap to retrieve wads, everything opens. When I'm not in the field the inner flap is buttoned closed so when I put the bag down the wads don't spill out but I can still access the rest of the bag.

The little compartment sewed to the front of the bag is for tools. knapping tools, screw driver, flint wallet, that sort of thing. Easier to acces than digging around in the bottom of the bag. I have the powder measure and a priming flask on the strap with the measure right at the bottom of the strap and the primer high enough that the strap for my shot snake passes between them.

Cody

 

[Slowpoke]

I sent you a private message on how to do it.... really easy.

SP

 

WOO-HOO....thanks Slow poke. I know you wanted me to make the rifle picture BIGGER, but with my new found knowledge decided to make it smaller. I'm so excited I'm going to post the newly reduced picture of the other side of the guns

Thanks
Cody

 

[RussB]

VERY nice bag Cody. Looks to be VERY functional. Everything right at the finger tips. Very nice.
Russ

 

[Slowpoke]

WOO-HOO....thanks Slow poke.

No problem Cody, glad I could help. It looks a lot better and easier for people to post replys and such... I should be a mod..... :crackup:

 

[roundball]

Cody, well organized bag...do you know if there are any commercially made bags out there similar to that layout?

 

do you know if there are any commercially made bags out there similar to that layout?

Roundball, I've never seen anything like this before but if you are interested in making one and need some measurements or have any questions I'ld be glad to help out any way I can.

Cody

 

[roundball]

Cody, that's right neighborly of you...but the WORST thing you could do would be to send me measurements...then I'd think I could do that sort of work and would end up with lord knows what.

No, I've learned my limitations...the closest thing to leather work I can do OK is cutting flint leathers!

But thanks for the offer...great looking bag for a[url] smoothbore...in[/url] fact, maybe you should start making / selling them...many a good start-up business has sprung up from just that sort of thing

 

[gordy]

For what it's worth!I tried several systems to keep the wads handy and seperated.The bag pockets work well,but still can be kind of awkward.What I did was to take a pc.of wood about 1& 1/4" thick x3" long and 2&1/2" high.I drilled 3 holes in the 1&1/4" side that came within about 1/4" from comming out the bottom,cut a slot down each tube and bent a sheet brass cover that pivots on one end and swings out when I need access ,I then can pick a wad out of the top of the tubes.At first I put the over -shot in one tube and the over -powder in another the felts in the other,this worked pretty well but then I just stacked them in the tubes in set-ups ,over powder, felt, over shot Etc.Etc.This works out to be fast and handy.I fastened a belt loop to the back of the block and Can wear it on a belt over my coat and the brass cover keeps the wads clean and dry.My first idea was to have them come out the bottom like the old coin changers but the idea required too :: :results: many springs and levers to be practical.If any are interested I'll post a drawing to go along with the discription.Its possible that someone way back may have used a simular set up?

 

[Wes/Tex]

I know Roundball makes similar shotcups without the attached wads that work for him. There's another version that's about the same as his but uses 3X5 note cards instead of paper with both ends folded over like rolls of coins. They're loaded on top of standard fiber wads with a OS wad on top. The maker who published the article says they're really tough on stationary targets...no kidding!

 

I use the old 5-10 grandma,s leather change purse with two compartments. I mosty use 3-4 thin overshot cards over the powder and one over the shot. The thick wads and over powdercards I hardly use them anymore. I get good power and patterns without them. I buy the overshot cards by the bag of about 500. If you are geting burn through on your ball patch loads try a thin overshot card under the patched ball.