Show us your range box!

[Bob McBride]

A shooting box would never have crossed the mind of a rifleman in the 18th or early 19th century. Everything would have been carried in pockets or the shooting pouch. When we look at paintings of shooting events, there are no range boxes or tool caddies shown.

90% of the time I go to the range it’s with the bag and horn that goes with the gun. However, when I take several I use a smoothbore or rifle box that has extras including the jags and powder I need for any gun. Beats taking 3 horns and bags for a day on the bench, even for an old holler boy who’s all about being PC.

 

[Capnball]

90% of the time I go to the range it’s with the bag and horn that goes with the gun. However, when I take several I use a smoothbore or rifle box that has extras including the jags and powder I need for any gun. Beats taking 3 horns and bags for a day on the bench, even for an old holler boy who’s all about being PC.

I absolutely want to put together a period correct bag and horn for the flinchlock and a paper cartridge ammo pouch for the 61Bridesberg. I find all the acoutrements just as interesting as the gun itself. The more accurate the better.

 

[Bob McBride]

I absolutely want to put together a period correct bag and horn for the flinchlock and a paper cartridge ammo pouch for the 61Bridesberg. I find all the acoutrements just as interesting as the gun itself. The more accurate the better.

Me too.

 

[Capnball]

That is a wonderful box and my remarks were more in line with the shooting habits of a hunter who occasionally goes to a target range for recreation.

@Capnball, that is a wonderful box that appears to be well suited for a long range target shooter from the late 1800's in the era of target shooting practiced after the American Civil War. I observe the bullet mold in the foreground and the bullets in the box. I can't read the dates on the shooting cards in the box. The rifle in the background if it is contemporary with the box is post 1860.

A more casual shooter could have a open caddy box with the articles needed for the shooting session.

I am not the one to demonstrate what should constitute a range box. Mine is too heavy. Contains too much stuff as I might be shooting several different rifles and pistols.

I have room for the revolver/pistol loading stand and all my accessories. Seems as if it gets heavier every time I go to the range.View attachment 39916

Wow, you get the prize for the most comprehensive range box ever!

 

[Desperate Lee]

That is a wonderful box and my remarks were more in line with the shooting habits of a hunter who occasionally goes to a target range for recreation.

@Capnball, that is a wonderful box that appears to be well suited for a long range target shooter from the late 1800's in the era of target shooting practiced after the American Civil War. I observe the bullet mold in the foreground and the bullets in the box. I can't read the dates on the shooting cards in the box. The rifle in the background if it is contemporary with the box is post 1860.

A more casual shooter could have a open caddy box with the articles needed for the shooting session.

I am not the one to demonstrate what should constitute a range box. Mine is too heavy. Contains too much stuff as I might be shooting several different rifles and pistols.

I have room for the revolver/pistol loading stand and all my accessories. Seems as if it gets heavier every time I go to the range.View attachment 39916

I see you have a Tingle or a CVA target pistol on the side. I need to build a loading stand for my CVA Prospector. I like your look. Got any close up pics of it i can go by?
DL

 

[Stony Broke]

I bought this box from a guy at a gun show about 25 or 30 years ago. It has most everything I'd ever need to shoot my guns, but it's getting pretty heavy to haul from my vehicle to the loading tables at the matches. I guess maybe some day I need to empty out about 30 lbs. of stuff or downsize !

 

[Desperate Lee]

I bought this box from a guy at a gun show about 25 or 30 years ago. It has most everything I'd ever need to shoot my guns, but it's getting pretty heavy to haul from my vehicle to the loading tables at the matches. I guess maybe some day I need to empty out about 30 lbs. of stuff or downsize !

Dont downsize, make it portable. Add some wheels or a cart to haul it with. Looks pretty good to me.
DL

 

[Stony Broke]

Dont downsize, make it portable. Add some wheels or a cart to haul it with. Looks pretty good to me.
DL

It is certainly a box full !!

 

[Oldbear63]

After seeing the beautiful creations posted here and considering my last post about "historical accuracy" I was thinking about my ideal range box.
I went out to the garage and looked at my own pile of primitive and shooting paraphernalia and realized: I was trying to create what I already had!

My range box:

This is a utility crate from a hardware store. I have considered using wood from two of these to make a more sealed and lidded box, but this is quite functional and somewhat historically accurate.

 

[Capnball]

After seeing the beautiful creations posted here and considering my last post about "historical accuracy" I was thinking about my ideal range box.
I went out to the garage and looked at my own pile of primitive and shooting paraphernalia and realized: I was trying to create what I already had!

My range box:
View attachment 40007

This is a utility crate from a hardware store. I have considered using wood from two of these to make a more sealed and lidded box, but this is quite functional and somewhat historically accurate.

Go for it, can't wait to see what you come up with. I've been so jammed up with seasonal repairs to the house, camper camping, riding that I haven't gotten any further on the range box I'm building. I haven't even been able to shoot. Just too busy!

 

[rp77469]

It's a different approach. I've seen a similar box. In fact I've seen a set of plans for a box like that. I'd like to be able to carry a small spotting scope I'm my box as well.View attachment 37967

I really like that box, and would like to build something like that. Can you share the overall dimensions? Anything you would change if you built another? I shoot at a public range and typically carry a large tool box and milk crate of stuff when I go. Be nice to get it down to one box. I have separate bags for each caliber, but range box covers everything from .32 to .75 and a spotting scope. Great looking range box there.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Yes it is messy - I shoot a lot -

 

[Caterpillar Hunter]

I love Crow-Feather's domed range box. Here's mine, made of cypress wood.

 

[Capnball]

I love Crow-Feather's domed range box. Here's mine, made of cypress wood.View attachment 40231View attachment 40232

View attachment 40230

That box will be around long after we're all gone! Very well done!

 

[Capnball]

That is a wonderful box and my remarks were more in line with the shooting habits of a hunter who occasionally goes to a target range for recreation.

@Capnball, that is a wonderful box that appears to be well suited for a long range target shooter from the late 1800's in the era of target shooting practiced after the American Civil War. I observe the bullet mold in the foreground and the bullets in the box. I can't read the dates on the shooting cards in the box. The rifle in the background if it is contemporary with the box is post 1860.

A more casual shooter could have a open caddy box with the articles needed for the shooting session.

I am not the one to demonstrate what should constitute a range box. Mine is too heavy. Contains too much stuff as I might be shooting several different rifles and pistols.

I have room for the revolver/pistol loading stand and all my accessories. Seems as if it gets heavier every time I go to the range.View attachment 39916

There's clearly no one set way to do it. The first time I ever seen a guy use a range box was out in West Virginia in the early 80s. I don't recall what the gentleman was shooting beyond a target cap lock from Europe but the gun and acoutrements we're all original and had been owned by at least the man's father for as long as anyone in his family could remember. I loved watching all the prep work and detail between shots with all the little brass Doo dad's in fitted slots in the top of the case. The single nodd to modern times was the sucretts box with a couple extra nipples and screws in it. He shot five sets of three balls each at around 100 yards. I don't recall anything better then iron sights but his groups were tidy and very clearly intentional with one group in each corner and one in the middle. I think that gentleman (and probably Boon and Crocket) were the begining of my interest in the sport. I've fired just about everything that goes bang in my life from zip guns to anti tank missiles but nothing really draws you in like black powder guns. I have an original 1861 .58 and every time I look at a ding in the barrel or stock I wonder who put it there and what that gun saw in it's life. So, that's the box I'm building. Something that will stand the test of time for generations.

 

[ZUG]

Range boxes are great on the target range but a bag works better for most other shooting scenarios. Most if not all of the range boxes are made too heavy and as such most might be left in the car if the shooting bench is far from the parking lot. I would grab my shooting bag, rifle, targets and leave the box in the car and go back to the car if I need anything else that I can't carry.

 

[RonRC]

My box (now boxes) are used for transport from home to the range. Sometimes, I bring a bag with what I need to load and fire. But the other items are in the box. My larger box also holds ear and eye protection (not required in the old days), eyeglass wipes, bi focal sunglasses, some patch lube and cleaning patches, a powder horn and more. I use a spotting scope and a detergent bottle with water and a few drops of dish detergent.
For hunting, then the box stays back in the car.
Ron

 

[Carl in France]

There are some stunning boxes here that are making me quite jealous.
My range box is pared down to what I always use and need as I do not want to carry anything I do not need. It is an old resuscitator kit box stripped out and re-purposed.
Clearly we all use what suits each of us on an individual level, love those purpose built wooden boxes though.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I use this at my shooting range. I will shoot from the bag when hunting this year.

 

[Capnball]

View attachment 43752
I use this at my shooting range. I will shoot from the bag when hunting this year.

Love that round top lid.