What is the proper name for "possibles bag"?

[Grenadier1758]

When I started shooting muzzleloaders all those many years ago, it was called a "possible bag" because it carried all the possible items one needed to go shooting. This was fine except the bags became quite large and when it was time to reload from the pouch, it was nearly impossible to find what one really needed because so much stuff was possibly there such as fire start kits, ramrod pullers and cleaning gear along with a tin of tallow. As we used our equipment more and more research was done through looking at paintings and other forms of documentation, it became apparent that the pouch was much smaller than those thought of as "possible bags". My cartridge pouch is fairly large because of the two rows of cartridges carried in the wood block. My shot pouch for my from the load from the pouch is fairly small to find the ball, patches and spare flints along with a turn screw, vent pick and knapping tool.

It was a "possible bag" back in the 1970's. Now it is better to call it a shot pouch or hunting pouch. When I am wearing my regimental uniform, it is a cartridge pouch.

 

[Tumbledown]

But isn't it reasonable to assume that some people years back would call their bag they carried their possibles in, a possible's bag? I think some get too much into being PC just because there is nothing wrote down to prove something.

Show me a document, be it a journal, diary, memoir, or article, where it is called a possibles bag and I'll accept it as a historically accurate term. Until then, we cannot assume anything is so just because we wish it.

We debate just what a longhunter shirt or hunting frock or rifleman's shirt is, but there's evidence they existed in name and description. EXACTLY what each is remains arguable as the terms seem to be blurred by time and region, but we do know they are not a modern contrivance.

 

[87TT]

When I was a young kid 50 some years ago, I was really in to "Mountain Men". I read everything I could get my hands on including some very old books (which I no longer have). I bought my first BP shotgun in "68". If I remember back, the "possible bag or sack was a large bag where one carried a sundry of items including sewing stuff, tools for repairing things, extra flints and lead, maybe a book or Bible, writing stuff etc.
Then the blackpowder stuff became very popular in the 70's and rendezvous started all over. That's when I first heard the term for a shooting bag as "possible bag". It always struck me as wrong and I never could use it. I think someone heard the term and applied it to a shooting bag as it sounded cool. I kind of got out of the whole thing when it became a fad. I have just recently taken it back up.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Possible bag was a term very commonly used by the Mountain Man references used in the publications of the 1970's. It was meant to reference a bag that contained all the items one could possibly need, including shooting items. As such it was way too large and more in line with a knapsack or snapsack than a shooting pouch.

 

[sawyer04]

Any nomenclature is better than calling it a purse.

Let's call it a man bag with the image of a guy with a little man bun carrying it.

Seriously, the geographical area is responsible for the different names. Mountain men, all I see is called a possibles bag, however, could that be derived from cinemas. My grandfather, in the Midwest always called it a shooting bag or fowlers bag.
I am to believe the haversack was actually used like we use a back pack in modern times with food an essentials contained.
A possibles bag would be things possibly needed, like a tooth brush and paste, perfume, well, you get my jist.
It is hard to pin such a question down without every answer being correct, well, of course the man bag is a bit far.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I read in another post that using the term "possibles bag" is incorrect and bothers some folk.
Is it really incorrect; and if so, what should one be called?

It depends upon the time period, old boy.
Some seem to think it a term for the folks who resurrected muzzle loading from a very odd and obscure past time to a well attended recreational pursuit, beginning in the 1960's.

Now for the 18th century, an all-in-one bag WAS an idea, but it did not catch on. In the military it was tried, and it was the New Invented Knapsack, which was a combination single-strap-pack, and a haversack. It did not replace the ammunition box, however, but the fact that it is well documented as being a replacement for a pack and a haversack, gives proof that the two items were specific, different pieces of gear.

From 18th century artwork we clearly see a difference between the fellow with his gun and his shooting pouch, or rifle pouch, or shooting bag, or rifle bag, etc and those with the shooting pouch AND their pack. The shooting pouches always being too small to hold much more if any more than is needed to tend and operate the rifle or the gun. So what would be a proper term in the 18th century would be, "pack" be it a single strap snapsack , or something like a German 18th century tornister, or a double strap knapsack or rucksack. No idea about the fur trade era.....,

AND as long as you're not portraying a Frenchman..., don't EVER call your pack a "haversack".

LD

 

[Pete G]

Most historical documents say shot pouch.

 

[bisleyjohn]

As an ex-Matelot, I remember a 'Kit-Bag' as a large brown sack (almost as big as me at 15) in which all my 'kit', (clothing) fitted.

I bought a small leather knapsack thingy, from Buffalo Arms years ago, they called it a 'Possibles' bag, so I call it the same. I have a smaller one into which I put my round projectiles, I call that my ball-bag. At the risk of being shot down, what, may I ask, is wrong with 'Possibles Bag'?

 

[Stophel]

The truth is, nobody really knows the answer to this. Guys are set in there ways and are repeating things they’ve heard from rondivous from 20-30-40-50 years back, but where is the proof? Where is the hard evidence?

Until then, it’s all conjecture.

Actually, there's plenty of hard evidence. IF you just look for it.

"...the shot bag and powder-horn, carved with a variety of whimsical figures and devices, hang from their necks over one shoulder..." ~ J.F.D. Smyth, "Tour In The United States of America", 1784

"...a handsome shot pouch and powder horn..." ~ Major Henry Bedinger in a letter to a son of General Samuel Finley, describing the riflemen of his unit in 1775

"The belt, which was always tied behind answered several purposes, besides that of holding the dress together. In cold weather the mittens, and sometimes the bullet-bag, occupied the front part of it"
"This awl with its buckhorn handle was an appendage of every shot pouch strap, together with a roll of buckskin for mending the moccasons." ~ Reverend Joseph Doddridge, "Notes on the Settlements and Indian Wars of the Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania 1763-1783"

 

[atllaw]

Glad this was brought up. I've wondered why the term would upset some folk ever since I learned it did.

I have heard and used the term "possibles" for as long as I can remember, and it seemed appropriate as I carry a lot more then shooting supplies in my bag! I also carry it whenever I'm hunting, with whatever I happen to be hunting with!

'course my hunting partner calls it my purse...

 

[Cobra6]

Yup.

Going to buy my wife a "possibles bag" to carry her lipstick and nose powder.

Cobra 6

 

[Eterry]

Ned Roberts was born in 1866, his first firearm was a 30 cal muzzle loader given to him by his Uncle Navarro.

In his 1940 book, he refers to a Hunting Bag and Bullet Pouches.

He states he spoke with many old timers who said carrying bullets in their bag was a mistake, as one fall could cause the loss of your bullets. So most carried a bullet pouch, with a stopper to keep from losing their balls!!

I think possibles bag is something someone thought up as being folksy.

 

[Brokennock]

To my dumb old country boy brain the term "possibles" evolved from "possibly need this, possibly need that, so anything you might need was a "possible". Still a clumsy term in my book, sounds made up to confuse cartridge shooters

That would be the lame excuse given by folks for the term "possibles bag." But, if it is a bag for the stuff to make your gun go bang, you should have a bunch of, "might possibly need this, might possibly need that," crap in it.

There are no period references to a "possibles bag." However there are a couple references to, "gathering up one's possibles," but these items were not shooting gear. So, if one is referring to a bag they keep their miscellaneous paraphernalia in, I guess "possibles bag," would fit the bill. Still sounds like nails in a chalk board, and still going to cause confusion.
This is a good example of what I am talking about when I say, "I don't care what people use or wear, but it matters what language and terminology people use when they describe what we do and what we use to do it, to other people." And it matters when we make lame justifications and reasonings to these people for these incorrect items or terms. These terms, and the lame justifications for them, then stick.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Oral tradition in many families or areas of the country is many times not recorded. It is possible (pun) intended some folks in the resurgence of muzzleloading in the 1960s and 70s heard the term from an old timer in their family and aquaintence and passed it on. That still doesn't make it correct. An example of an earlier farming implement, is it a go-dig, go-devil or cultivator? All were used to identify the same farm implement that is generally not used any more.

 

[nkbj]

You can call it what you want to like everybody else has for hundreds of years.
But you doesn't has to call it Ray.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Language changes and is fluid. Names for things get popular and then change. Who cares what people call it, probably 75% of people now and just getting into the hobby call it a “possibles bag” and there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

[Coot]

I read in another post that using the term "possibles bag" is incorrect and bothers some folk.
Is it really incorrect; and if so, what should one be called?

For my purposes, "possibles bag" is the correct term - just not for the bag holding the essential gear to shoot a gun. I think of "possibles bag" as a good sized bag that holds items that might possibly be needed on an outing - fire starter kit, compass, cleaning gear, sewing kit, spare mocs or socks, a bit of food, maybe some twine. The smaller bag that lives with the gun, holds balls, patches, a spare flint or caps & possibly nothing else not needed to get a few shots off - certainly not cell phones, car keys& candy bars (which go in the "man purse"). The small bag with the gun has been called a hunting pouch and a shooting bag. I will guess that Hollywood came up with the use of "possibles bag" because it sounded neater.

 

[Barrie Dale]

To us at my club its a Possibilty Bag. You carry all the supplies for your gun in there for any POSSIBLE occasion. Goes back for many years this term. Add your lunch on long days and its possible thats all you will have to eat.

 

[Brokennock]

Language changes and is fluid. Names for things get popular and then change. Who cares what people call it, probably 75% of people now and just getting into the hobby call it a “possibles bag” and there’s nothing wrong with that.

There is something wrong with it. It is incorrect, a fantasy term, and people keeps perpetuating something that isn't right.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

There is something wrong with it. It is incorrect, a fantasy term, and people keeps perpetuating something that isn't right.

Okay sure. Why aren’t we all talking like Shakespeare? Language evolves.

No matter what this little thread on the net says, the bulk of people in this nation (and the world) would call the bag a muzzle loading shooter carries to hold shooting supplies along with his powder horn as a “possibles bag”.

It isn’t going to change anytime soon despite the griping. Just learn to deal with it.