Cruzatte
50 Cal.
Left handed
Bag on left side, short strap
Horn on seperate shorter strap, left side.
Cruzatte
Bag on left side, short strap
Horn on seperate shorter strap, left side.
Cruzatte
-
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Shooting bags - do you dress left or right?
- Thread starter AZ-Robert
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Right handed.
Bag is on the left, with the short starter in a loop on the right side of the bag
Horns both ride on the right side, usually over the possible pouch tucked into my belt on that side.
vent pick and brush hanging from the strap, so I can reach them easily while Im standing there, holding my flinter, pointing it downrange while I clean the pan, pick the vent, and re-prime, praying that I didn't drip sweat down the barrel while loading (again) and that it might go off this time and that I won't have to pull the ball again and dig the gummy powder out and...
(looks around embarrasingly)
but that never happens to me.
Damascus
Bag is on the left, with the short starter in a loop on the right side of the bag
Horns both ride on the right side, usually over the possible pouch tucked into my belt on that side.
vent pick and brush hanging from the strap, so I can reach them easily while Im standing there, holding my flinter, pointing it downrange while I clean the pan, pick the vent, and re-prime, praying that I didn't drip sweat down the barrel while loading (again) and that it might go off this time and that I won't have to pull the ball again and dig the gummy powder out and...
(looks around embarrasingly)
but that never happens to me.
Damascus
Guest
When I first started out I set my bag up for left side carry (I am right handed) and my horn on the right. Seemed natural to me. Later I read Mark Baker and others who advocated a high right side carry for horn and bag. So I switched with my new bag (I kept my old one set up for left and still use it when hunting)....I think it works either way--depends on what you get used to. The trekker/militiaman/soldier carries a haversack and it makes sense to put it on the opposite side of your ball bag and horn....lately I have been wearing a belt pouch front right to place balls and patching in for the range and prefer that to searching in the shoulder bag for components...
Hi,
We've been building shooting bags at October Country since 1977. In that time, we've literally made thousands of them. Wish I knew just how many. Thinking of the safety aspect, we made the standard design to be worn on the left side, with the adjustment in the back. Of course, we offer the option of having a right side carry, as well. I would say that we get a request for a right carry bag at the most, maybe 1 in 50.
That tells me that either:
1)people don't care;
2)most people are wearing them left side;
3)people are wearing them right side with adjustment in front;
4) they are getting them and switching front and back straps to reverse the carry side.
People are more decisive in which side the horn hangs on. Probably about 50-50 left/right side.
Personally, I am right handed and wear my bag/horn on the left side. It did take a bit to get used to that arrangement, but now I prefer it. As was said, it saves a bunch of switching things from left to right hand, etc. Also, I wear the bag/horn so that the horn sets above the bag and the bag bottom hangs just lower than my belt.
Big Smoke
We've been building shooting bags at October Country since 1977. In that time, we've literally made thousands of them. Wish I knew just how many. Thinking of the safety aspect, we made the standard design to be worn on the left side, with the adjustment in the back. Of course, we offer the option of having a right side carry, as well. I would say that we get a request for a right carry bag at the most, maybe 1 in 50.
That tells me that either:
1)people don't care;
2)most people are wearing them left side;
3)people are wearing them right side with adjustment in front;
4) they are getting them and switching front and back straps to reverse the carry side.
People are more decisive in which side the horn hangs on. Probably about 50-50 left/right side.
Personally, I am right handed and wear my bag/horn on the left side. It did take a bit to get used to that arrangement, but now I prefer it. As was said, it saves a bunch of switching things from left to right hand, etc. Also, I wear the bag/horn so that the horn sets above the bag and the bag bottom hangs just lower than my belt.
Big Smoke
Hey Big Smoke,
It was browsing October Country's web site and noting you offered your bags in both right and left versions that prompted me to ask the question. I never considered swapping the straps around (don't know how easy that would be without wrecking the original handiwork) and reckoned it was one of those decisions one sort of had to get right the first time 'round.
It was browsing October Country's web site and noting you offered your bags in both right and left versions that prompted me to ask the question. I never considered swapping the straps around (don't know how easy that would be without wrecking the original handiwork) and reckoned it was one of those decisions one sort of had to get right the first time 'round.
Johnny Tremain
Silversmith in training
When I used to carry a bag, It was on my right, under the gun.
Horn to the left away from sparks falling.
Today I use a belt system. bag attached to right side,
horn on left.
Somethings never change
Horn to the left away from sparks falling.
Today I use a belt system. bag attached to right side,
horn on left.
Somethings never change
Speaking of possibles/hunting bags ... does anyone have a template or pattern for making these bags (or picture of one before being sewn togther)? I have a strong perhaps misguided, desire to make one ... and it would make life much simpler in the making of one .. rather than cut up a whole side of leather to figure out I goofed!:curse:
Davy
Davy
Michael Dolney at www.freetrappers.com sells possibles bag kits pretty cheap.
Buckskinner #1 (I think) had a pull-out pattern by Wayne Zurl. One of the "Book of Buckskinning" series has a very good article and pattern.
My favorite is as basic as can be. Just one big pocket, with a small pocket in the front for flints. Nothing more than a pant-leg type tube sewn shut across the bottom in a curve and one side left long as a flap.
Make a pattern out of grocery bag paper and figure a 3/8" seam allowance if you are going to turn it inside-out to sew and right-side out afterwards.
My favorite is as basic as can be. Just one big pocket, with a small pocket in the front for flints. Nothing more than a pant-leg type tube sewn shut across the bottom in a curve and one side left long as a flap.
Make a pattern out of grocery bag paper and figure a 3/8" seam allowance if you are going to turn it inside-out to sew and right-side out afterwards.
Stophel
75 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2005
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I wear the bag on the right, with the bottom of the bag about belt high. Horn attached to the bag strap for two reasons: first is the advantage of being able to "grab it and go"...in one grasping motion, you have aholt of all you need to shoot the gun...of course, since I am in no real danger of sudden Indian attack, this point is kind of moot 
Second, I HATE loose manure hangin' offa me. When I wear a horn on a separate strap, every time I bend over even slightly, that sucker swings around in front of me. VERY irritating. I have to have everything absolutely secure on my person. The strings for the horn are just long enough to be able to tip the horn up to pour out powder in my measure and in the pan.
Swingin' straps has been a constant problem for me. I used to wear a bag with a real long strap that made the bag hang just below the belt and I put the belt over top of the straps. That holds 'er secure for sure, BUT I find the bag kinda gets in the way when squatting or sitting. SO, now I carry it in the way described above. A leather strap I have found to be more "grippy" than any type of woven strap, which helps hold the bag still. Of course, when you put another strap over top of it, like carrying a canteen on the left side, that holds it pretty well still too...of course, the canteen swings around... :curse:
I don't keep patching in the bag. I tuck a hunk of fabric greased at the end, under my belt and cut patches off this.
One thing that has always freaked me out about old bags: ALL the old bags that I have seen that have horns attached, and all the old pictures I have seen of people wearing bags and horns (which are actually rather few) show the horn laying over top of the outside of the bag. This blows my mind. I tried this when I first started shooting ML's. IT DOESN'T WORK. The horn is simply in the way. You just can't get your hand inside the flap. Not only that, the weight of the horn on the bag makes it impossible to rummage around in there to get anything out. Never been able to figure this out... :hmm:
Second, I HATE loose manure hangin' offa me. When I wear a horn on a separate strap, every time I bend over even slightly, that sucker swings around in front of me. VERY irritating. I have to have everything absolutely secure on my person. The strings for the horn are just long enough to be able to tip the horn up to pour out powder in my measure and in the pan.
Swingin' straps has been a constant problem for me. I used to wear a bag with a real long strap that made the bag hang just below the belt and I put the belt over top of the straps. That holds 'er secure for sure, BUT I find the bag kinda gets in the way when squatting or sitting. SO, now I carry it in the way described above. A leather strap I have found to be more "grippy" than any type of woven strap, which helps hold the bag still. Of course, when you put another strap over top of it, like carrying a canteen on the left side, that holds it pretty well still too...of course, the canteen swings around... :curse:
I don't keep patching in the bag. I tuck a hunk of fabric greased at the end, under my belt and cut patches off this.
One thing that has always freaked me out about old bags: ALL the old bags that I have seen that have horns attached, and all the old pictures I have seen of people wearing bags and horns (which are actually rather few) show the horn laying over top of the outside of the bag. This blows my mind. I tried this when I first started shooting ML's. IT DOESN'T WORK. The horn is simply in the way. You just can't get your hand inside the flap. Not only that, the weight of the horn on the bag makes it impossible to rummage around in there to get anything out. Never been able to figure this out... :hmm:
Guest
I'm right handed so I carry my bag and horn on my right but I push my horn around to my back side because I don't want sparks falling anywhere near the powder.
TheGunCellar
TheGunCellar
Choctaw
40 Cal.
My bag goes on my firing (right) side, as does my horn. Both are worn high on my side.
