Speaking of ball bags...

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I found myself now having two calibers of balls I need to carry. 50 for my pistols and 20 bore for my smoothbore. When I was just carrying one caliber my favorite was to put the balls loose in the bottom of my shooting bag along with patches or patch material. So question for those of you that carry more than one caliber, what is your preferred way?
 
I had the same question. I just got a .54 renegad. I'm not using my cva .45 mountain rifle deer hunting, but I still carry a .45 backup pistol. I sanded my little patched ball loading board holes larger so the .54's will fit, and left one hole for the .45 patched rb.
 
I found myself now having two calibers of balls I need to carry. 50 for my pistols and 20 bore for my smoothbore. When I was just carrying one caliber my favorite was to put the balls loose in the bottom of my shooting bag along with patches or patch material. So question for those of you that carry more than one caliber, what is your preferred way?
If I were to do this, I think I'd ask my favorite liquor store for a few of the cotton bags that come with Seagram's Crown Royal. They come in different sizes and colors (royal blue and maroon) and are quite rugged.
 
If , going Historically correct........Every gun should be served by it's own shot pouch. Beyond that , whatever goes ln pouch is up to you. When hunting , I prefer 6 ,or 7 patched and lubed balls in a ball board in my pouch. Hunting , it's powder in powder tubes in pouch. Extra patches stored ,pre-lubed in a container in the pouch. At the shooting range............Powder in a horn , over shoulder strap. Horn has a brass valve to prevent spillage into measure. Spare flints ,10 to 15 balls loose. tools. A rag to keep my fingers from getting too gooy. Plunger type primer device.
 
I'm a chronic over-packer. Patches, balls, extra flint, turnscrew, ball puller, jag, lube tin, measure, ball starter.... You can see where this is going. 😄

It's not quite as bad when hunting, but admittedly it's not much better either. So, I prefer a separate ball bag no matter what to keep things "organized" - or at least less cluttered.
 
My first attempt at a shot pouch , 1970 issue, was a modified Tandy Leather "back pack " pattern. LOL :doh: That rig was big enough. I stitched her up and even put belt loops , as well as over shoulder strap. Only thing I liked about it , that I still use on future pouches now , was the enlarged flap to keep out the weather. Since we hunted deer in the Pa. January cold and snow , our capotes had no pockets that was the reason for the 10" by 10" by 8" big "shot pouch". These days ,it's nice tidy shot pouches from the Crazy Crow catalog. Just the necessities ................oldwood
 
Alexander Ross, Pacific Fur Company and North West Company, carried two pistols, a double gun, and a rifle. They might have been the same caliber- but maybe not. Nearly all the trappers that have been written about carried one or two pistols plus whatever long gun they had. Again they might have been the same caliber- but maybe not. Since they weren't at war maybe it wasn't a problem keeping all the balls together. No doubt they chose the simplest solution that worked-most of the time.
 
Old round tobacco tins make good ball storage containers. Although can be a little loud while hunting.
I use Skoal cans(cleaned) for patches. I tried them for balls and maxi ball bullets for a while but they really are too noisy. Now I leave them in one or more areas of the main bag. If I needed more than one caliber I think I would opt for a ball flask for one or the other.
 
I mold these in leather. Tedious to make. Especially the Brass neck fill tube and antler stopper. They hold plenty n small enough that having two isn’t an issue.
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Copied this from a design put out by Dualist 54, it has a divider and you could carry ball in each side
 

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I have brought and sold a number of early ml rifles , most came with canvas or linen ball bags with a draw string mouth . I tried this over a molded leather bag , the best thing is the cloth bag itself takes up little space in a hunting pouch , doesn't swing about and is noiseless .
 
I made a ball bag to help keep things a little more organized. Got the idea from one of Mark Baker books. The thicker leather at opening keeps the balls in. You could make it any size you want. You could use the ball bag for one size and have the other size loose in your pouch.
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