Shooting Bags

[Thunderchild]

I have always shot civil war muskets and have used the period bags and equipment. I am recently bought a Hawkins and a crocket squirrel rifle. I want to set up a hunting bag or two for when I go out to shoot. I would like to hear recommendation on what I should look for in a shooting bag. What is a good size and how many pockets minimum should it have. I am tall and is that going to be a problem the fit of the bag. I currently use flasks to store powder but I have been thinking about using a horn. I am mainly concerned with the bag. I have a civil war haversack I will use in the mean time. Here is what I am currently thinking about putting in it.

Balls in a ball bag
Prelubed Patches and wads in a musket cap tin
"11 caps in a cap tin
Inline capper
Cleaning jag, worm, bullet puller, breach scraper, bore brush (that fits my ram rod)in a cloth bag
Short starter
Nipple wrench
Barrel wedge three in one tool
Cleaning patches
Small bottle of cleaning solvent
Small bottle of oil

 

[mudd turtle]

That will work. muddturtle.

 

[jethro224]

"What is a good size and how many pockets minimum should it have?"

At least one pocket big enough to hold all your stuff. :rotf:

Seriously, 8"x8" to 10"x10" is plenty big for a hunting bag. Get another small bag to keep all them little tools in so they ain't fallin' all over in there too.

Unless you are on an overnight or longer hunt, you could probably leave most if not all of those tools and cleaning supplies home or in the truck.

I carry a small hunting bag when I go squirrel hunting. When I'm deer hunting I just carry a full capper and a short starter in my pocket with a couple of quick loads plus the load in the gun. :thumbsup:

 

[WV MZL HUNTER]

I use a old turkey hunting vest. :wink:

 

[MikeChapin]

The haversack should work alright but you will have the cluttered purse syndrom. If you don't care about PC, a friend of mine used an old pair of Levis that had the legs cut out and sewn shut. He put a strap on it and used one of the legs for a flap. He had plenty of pockets for stuff in that one. He used it for a couple of years until he went for more period dress.

 

[roundball]

Balls in a ball bag
Prelubed Patches and wads in a musket cap tin
"11 caps in a cap tin
Inline capper
Cleaning jag, worm, bullet puller, breach scraper, bore brush (that fits my ram rod)in a cloth bag
Short starter
Nipple wrench
Barrel wedge three in one tool
Cleaning patches
Small bottle of cleaning solvent
Small bottle of oil

If you're going to carry a nipple wrench, might want to carry a spare nipple because you're sure to drop & lose the main one in the leaves if you remove it :grin:

 

[bwhoffman]

I'm getting into the habit of carrying my "might needs" in a small belt bag. My pouch has balls, patches in an altoids tin, a capper,patch worm, ball screw, short starter and a small flask of powder if not packing the horn. I have gone to a double pouch bag and that really keeps things seperate. balls and patches in front, everything else in the back. clutter free. the "might needs" and tools can rattle in belt bag and work for my other guns as well. Granted, most of my "away from the bench" shooting is on trail walks, so usually there are others whom I can get items from. Let them be the pack mule for awhile!

 

[BrownBear]

I carry roughly the same gear that you list, and like the same size of bag as Jethro224 for hunting and general use. I didn't want to tie up too much money or effort in buying/making until I was sure about size and features, so I initially bought the leather bag that Cabelas sells for around $30-35 as I recall. It's worked so well that it has slowed my desire to build my own. When I do finally build one, its' going to be the same size and share some of the features. I'm 6'4" and 220, and the shoulder strap adjusts plenty long for me.

I've since added a horn I made myself, attaching it to the adjustment holes in the strap with quirts so it hangs just above the bag. I also cut a hole in the flap and sewed in a loop beneath. I push the loop through the hole and push a deer horn tine through it for a clasp. Works great and solves my only complaint with the bag. Coincidentally the bag was shipped with a few scraps of matching leather, so I wasn't out more than the cost of thread to do that.

What features will I add to the bag I make? A series of small game hanging loops along the bottom. I'll also add a sheath for a patch knife to the strap, and probably another for a loading block.

 

[boar]

Heres one better then the pant leg. I made my first one this way. I used a leather welding sleeve my buddy gave me. I turned it inside out and shortened it some ,sewed bottom end,this is end toward cuff, turned it back out, trimed the part that fits up toward the top of shoulder, that became the flap. put two rings on it to fasten a strap.Bag should hang at your ellbow. I make a small bag out of a large welders glove. I was a welder for 27 yrs. Also made gun cases and arrow quivers out of old leather aprons. Dilly

 

[Sherlock]

For info: denim was in common use before the Civil War and would make a fine bag if that's your intrest. The bag usually hangs where YOU want it. For us squirrel killers with the .32, A 38 special case makes a nice quickloader if you put your charge in then plug the end with a lightly seated patched ball. Squills are not PC when you are in camo. Wonky

 

[rice1817]

I have been wanting to hit one of the Goodwill stores and find an old pair of cowboy boots minus the stitching and make a boot bag like what was written up a month or so ago in Muzzleloader. I saw a similar bag in Madison Grant's book. Seems to have been fairly common in the rural mountains.

I got away from carrying the large Mountain Man bags a long time ago. I carry smaller bags now of my own make and design, typically no bigger than 7 or 8 inches in any direction, with just enough stuff in in to maintain the rifle in the field. I carry a loading block with three or 4 patched balls, paper powder cartridges, a spare flint or two, and a worm with tow and a ball screw. What else do you really need with you on a hunt? Unlike Daniel Boone, when I go hunting I don't dissappear for two years!

 

[J.D.]

Here is what I am currently thinking about putting in it.

Balls in a ball bag
Prelubed Patches and wads in a musket cap tin
"11 caps in a cap tin
Inline capper
Cleaning jag, worm, bullet puller, breach scraper, bore brush (that fits my ram rod)in a cloth bag
Short starter
Nipple wrench
Barrel wedge three in one tool
Cleaning patches
Small bottle of cleaning solvent
Small bottle of oil

The only suggestionr I would make is to use a bag of about 7X7 of 8X8,at the largest. The larger the bag, the more junk you need to fill it up. IMHO, smaller is better.

I also suggest carrying prelubed patches in a # 11 cap tin to save space, as opposed to the musket cap tin.

I also prefer the Ted Cash capper[url] http://www.tdcmfg.com/cgi-bin...2944.17443*R18835&p_id=CR&xm=on&ppinc=search2[/url]

I bought one of these probably 25 years ago, and still use it when I shoot a cap gun.

It will hold enough caps to last through the longest hunt, or most of a long days shooting session. In addition, you won't have that tin of caps rattling and scaring game.

I also carry a small PC folding knife. If PC is not a factor, any good compact folder will do.

And as mentioned, an extra nipple or two.

I don't like to dig in a bag looking for necessary items, so I sew pockets in the back, inside of my hunting pouches to hold the cap tins containing prelubed patches, solvent/oil bottles and one verticle pouch, along the side seam, for the folder.

I also carry a short 4" threaded extension for the rammrod, so's I can get a better grip on the rod for field cleaning.

 

[tg]

Bags come in many shapes and sizes most will do whatbyou need, in time you can probably pare down to less stuff and a 3x5 will do for a day hunt, there are some nice canvas bags as shown below from Jas.Towsend many vendors offer basic D bags at a reasonable price, you can roll up your cleaning gear and tie up in a bundle to keep it segregated, loose patches and balls in the bottom of the bag make a quick loading setup with spit patch, it will be a growing process so don't put out the big bucks till you have settled into your groove, bags are easily made if you have some leather at hand the veg tan works best but even brain or chrome deerhides will work but are kind of floppy, some old leather purses at the Good will are suitable with some work,the small market wallet is good with a small patch and ball bag to go with it for ease of loading, give one basic hiome made or inexpensive style a try and grow with the sport and you will find what works for your needs.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I spent a fair amount of time thinking over what I wanted in a bag. In the end I bought the woodland bag from the Leather man. Well made and enough pockets for more stuff than you need. I really like the woodland bag. Oct country also has some good bags. Now I have more rifles so I need to start all over thinking about more bags. Do want a different bag for each rifle so they do not get mixed up. Going hunting with the 54 and end up carrying the 45's bag would not be ideal.