What kind of Shooting, Possibles, Black Powder bag do you have?

[Rockrivr1]

I've finally collected all of the components needed to shoot my BP Flintlock. I've put everything into an old plastic toolbox to take to the range, but for some reason that just doesn't seem right. Because of that I'm starting to look for a Shooting, Possibles, Black powder bag that I can put all of these components into. There are a LOT of different bags out there with prices ranging from cheap to what I would consider outrageous for a bag.

I'm wondering what you have for a bag and where did you get it from? Also, is there any specifics/configurations that I should look for in a bag?

Thanks for the information

 

[RC]

Swamp Rat made mine and I Love It! very handy, carries well and looks awesome!...and it's from a friend! :grin:

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[Dphar]

I've finally collected all of the components needed to shoot my BP Flintlock. I've put everything into an old plastic toolbox to take to the range, but for some reason that just doesn't seem right. Because of that I'm starting to look for a Shooting, Possibles, Black powder bag that I can put all of these components into. There are a LOT of different bags out there with prices ranging from cheap to what I would consider outrageous for a bag.

I'm wondering what you have for a bag and where did you get it from? Also, is there any specifics/configurations that I should look for in a bag?

Thanks for the information

Look at contemporary or antique hunting pouches for idea.
A "possibles" bag/sack is not a hunting pouch. Though some modern possible bags are a lot like hunting pouches.
Look here http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/
Be aware some have been excessively antiqued.

Or under leather good here. http://trackofthewolf.com/(S(hwcf2zb0iqgnxl55rleedk55))/categories/catList.aspx?catID=1#6
For stuff that is for sale.
Dan

 

[omarick1948]

Check out the CLASSIFIED section on this forum!

Seems like there are almost always a bunch of bag makers there!...Also do a SEARCH on the forum and you will see alot of bags and get some idea's!

GOOD LUCK!
Rick

 

[paulvallandigham]

When you shoot your gun for some time, you will learn that you don't need to take everything you carry in your range box with you in the field. The range box can be left in your car or truck, and only those things you actually need to load, fire, and clean the gun in the field need to be in the bag. That reduces both the size and weight of the bag immensely. If you pre-measure your powder, and carry them in separate tubes, you can even dispense with carrying your powder horn in the field. Just how much shooting do you expect to do on any given hunt, on any given trip or day in the field? Most of us carry far too much " stuff " in our bags, and pockets the first time we go out. Then, as we realize that we didn't use an item, it goes back into the range box on the next hunt, until we finally figure out that we don't need to carry 50 RB in a bag,( a loading block with 3-5 balls is more than enough), we don't need a pound of powder in a horn smacking us in the hips or ribs, all day long, and we don't need the screwdriver, wrench, pliers, spray can of oil, quart bottle of cleaning fluid, 1/2 pound can of wonderlube, a dozen flints, or 100 caps in our bag.

you will figure it out. :hatsoff:

 

[MikeC]

See This Link

 

[Robert Egler]

I carry 2 bags hunting, one is my "hunting" bag, the other is my "general" bag, which I carry hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, rock hounding, etc.

My hunting bag I made, it is brown leather with a fox skin flap on the front, and fox tail (different fox) hanging on the side, its about 10 by 10, and has one large central area and one internal pocket for the stuff I use most.
I carry powder measures (two fixed value, one for shot and one for prb), a shot flask, some paper shot cups and over powder/shot cards, 10 round balls, some patches, an extra flint and a patch puller and a ball puller.

My "general" bag is larger and made from heavy dark green canvas, about 14 long by 6 deep and 6 high. In that I carry food for the day, a belt axe, a couple of small towels, topo maps, brass lensatic compass, small selection of first aid stuff (which I tend to us A LOT, actually! :grin: ), waterless hand cleaner (I’m not skinning a squirrel in the morning and eating lunch with my hands later without making very sure my hands are clean!), a small sharpening stone, wooden whistle, water purification tablets, and my flint & steel tinder horn.

I obviously don’t need all the stuff in the general bag every time I go out, but this way I don’t have to wonder what I should take on a given trip, I just grab the bag and I know what’s in it. I use pretty much all that stuff at some point over the course of a hunting season, except the water tablets and the whistle, which are there for emergencies. And yes, the contents aren’t exactly PC. :haha:

 

[bwhoffman]

Like others here, I used to carry lots of everything. I took out what I didnt use and settled on a bag. I got a pattern from a forum Member (goldhunter) and made up some nice double pouch bags out of heavy canvas(thats what I played with for a mock-up) and liked it so much, made it my bag of choice. I made one for each gun!

On the hunt, you can carry extra stuff in a haversack, your pockets or whatever.
I now keep the shooting pouch just for the gun, and all else in a haversack, where it can be got IF needed.
there are some pics in the photo gallery at the top of the main page.

I find now that smaller is better for me as I dont like the bulk.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I now keep the shooting pouch just for the gun, and all else in a haversack,...

As do I. To me, after reading a lot and from my own experience, this makes the most practical sense. IMHO

Picture yourself grabbing your gun and bag in an emergency. All you want is your shooting gear - your "shooting bag".

To me, a "possibles bag" is your haversack or general purpose bag. It would contain anything that wasn't in your shooting bag.

I know this will not sit well with some, but calling your shooting bag a "possibles bag" is like calling your tool box a "tackle box". They are two different things. Again, in my very humble opinion. :v

 

[David G]

Rockrivr1, I find it practical as you mentioned to put all my shootin' items in a toolbox and haul it out to the range for informal shooting of say 30 to 50 shots. That seems to work best for me as I know everything is there. However, for a day hunting, a pouch with the necessary tidbits is all that I take. Just go at it as you are doing and you'll figure out what you really need. Then research and determine what style pouch you really like and you'll be set.

 

[longcruise]

I made several of them and found it not to be all that difficult. Herre are two that I made this year

I gave the black one to my grandson and use the brown one for general use. Really need a separate bag for each gun so gotta make some more. At least that's my excuse! :wink:

Both these bags were from patterns out of Tim Albert's book "Recreating the 18th Century Shooting Bag". It's available at Track of the Wolf.

 

[Bountyhunter]

Inside compartments

What it holds.

I made this bag after seeing a bag like it in a book. This was said in that book to be a French Trade Bag like what might have been traded from HBC. The French were making machine sewed bags a bit before 1800 and using them in trade goods.

 

[rabjr]

Absolutely put everything into a tool box for range use. Make yourself or buy a nice bag for a day afield hunting. :thumbsup:

 

[crockett]

Rockrivr 1- I think you are sort of trying to figure out what kind of bag to get or make. As you can see from the various answers, everyone has a bag that suits their individual needs and you'll sort of have to do the same. Let's say you want to keep balls inside a pocket-inside the bag and then patches in another compartment and all the tools, etc in yet another compartment- that would be one system. On the other hand a percussion shooter using a bullet board may only need the bullet board and a short starter- that's how I shoot- so for me I want a just a large single compartment with the bullet board/starter on top. I cap from a capper on the strap.

One thought- make a cheap canvas bag and use doubled over upholstery webbing for the strap. Such a bag will cost you maybe $2-3 and you'll get a better idea of what you'll need. If you use leather, you'll face the issue of thin pliable leather versus heavy leather. On heavy or stiff leather a gusset between the front and back panels is a big help.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I learned what I needed in a field bag( possibles bag, by any other name! :rotf: )By shooting at a club firing line where they had a reloading bench for your gear. I soon learned what order I needed things in, where I felt best about where I placed them, and what things I needed in my range box, but could be best left in the bottom of the box, and not up in the top tray where all my current needs were placed. These including patch, Balls, Powder measure, cleaning patches, and cleaning solvent( I was using Hoppe's #9 Black Powder Solvent and cleaner then). Oh, I was shooting percussion then, so I also had my caps in a tin, and later a Tedd Cash capper, a pair of pliers, to remove stuck caps, and my nipple wrench, with its wire to clear out a clogged nipple.

When I finally bought my first bag, I put in it only those things I would need in the field. I was given a nice leather bag for balls, so, of course, I carried far too many of the things with me, along with 50 or more pre-cut patches. I am now converting to loading blocks with just the number of balls I need for an expected hunt. I would rather carry a block with 3 extra balls, and have several of them, in my range box, so that if I need more shots to do a hunter's walk at the club, I can take several pre-loaded blocks with me, instead of the usual one. The idea of having one block that holds 12 or 20 balls in it hanging from my neck is not appealing to me at all. :surrender: :hmm: By loading from a block, I can eliminate both balls and patches from my pouch or bag. I now shoot flint, so I have a flint wallet with a couple of spare flints, and another flattened piece of lead to use for a flint wrap, in the bottom of my belt pouch, or bag. I have a patch jag, and a ball jag, if needed, but leave the scraper in the range box. I have a Hawken shop flint tool to use as a screw driver, if needed. I like it because its flat, and is attached to a thong so I can pull it out of the bottom of my bag quickly. Powder may be in pre-measured tubes, or in my horn, depending on what I am hunting, or what kind of trail or hunter's walk I am doing. I have cleaning patches in a brass can, and a 2 oz. bottle of moose milk to clean the barrel if spit doesn't get it done. I put a towel in one of my pockets, or game bag, for cleaning my hands off, and I am ready to go. I presently have a short starter in my bag, but that is going to be gone when I get the muzzle coned.

 

[Coot]

[
I made this bag after seeing a bag like it in a book. This was said in that book to be a French Trade Bag like what might have been traded from HBC. The French were making machine sewed bags a bit before 1800 and using them in trade goods.

Where did you see a description of French machine sewn goods prior to 1800? Patents for sewing machines were issued in England (1790), France (1804), Germany (1810), Austria (1814) and the US (1818). But the first sewing machine considered to actually be functional (as opposed to an idea which was patented) was that of Barthelemy Timonier in France in 1830. His factory was burned down by angry tailors worried about unemployment.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I wouldnt even begin to argue that. All I can tell you is that I had a book from the library, it was a rather large book, had many pictures, and that is what I remember it saying. I have looked and looked for that book again, and I cannot find it. It had maybe a hundred BW and color pictures of actual bags from various museums and collections in it.

I have no idea where the author got his information. All I know is that I copied this bag after a picture in the book. I added extra compartments inside for things that I wanted handy. I am thinking that I made this bag about 1983. Al Gore had not invented the internet then and I didnt have MLF to refer to, so, I had no way of verifying anything. Dang I wish I could find it again.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Swamprat Possibles bag!


For some odd reason, mine does not have all those fancy pockets inside the bag like RC's. :hmm: May just have to complain to swamprat about that
:blah:

 

[rabjr]

:haha: Thats cause RC's is a "Woods Walk" bag, not really intended for hunting but I don't see why he couldn't use it for hunting too.

 

[RC]

:haha: Thats cause RC's is a "Woods Walk" bag, not really intended for hunting but I don't see why he couldn't use it for hunting too.

IT IS a hunting bag,,but I use it fer woodswalks,,it's a long way back to camp in the Adirondacks,if'n somethin happens.. :wink: and seems somethin is always missin on a situation woodswalk! :cursing: :haha: (and Kentucky,,,he made yers first, i learned what i wanted from them made afore! :grin: )