Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: Stormrider51 on February 12, 2015, 05:12:21 PM

Title: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Stormrider51 on February 12, 2015, 05:12:21 PM

After working up loads for my smoothbore I've settled on using over-powder, cushion, and over-shot wads for both ball and shot.  It gives me the best accuracy with ball and of course also works with shot.  I've tried other things and nothing worked as well.  But I'm learning that carrying all this around is a little more complicated than it was for a rifle.  For rifles I used the bag shown here.

[attachment=0:1c3fy25p][/attachment]horn and bag.jpg[/attachment:1c3fy25p]

It was more than adequate for carrying a couple of tightly rolled strips of shooting patch material and a couple more of cleaning patches along with some extra flints, balls enough for the average weekend, etc.  The problem with wads is that I need them handy but separate in the bag.  I also need room to carry all the rest of the stuff I need.  So what do you do?  I'm thinking a haversack with inside pockets.

Thanks,
Storm

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: biliff on February 12, 2015, 05:41:05 PM

Quote

I'm thinking a haversack with inside pockets.

 Bingo! Plus a hard "ball bag" for the shot, carried on the side opposite the horn.


(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/biliff/CIMG1395.jpg) (http://http)

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Kermit on February 12, 2015, 05:58:07 PM

I recently sold my 20-bore flintlock fowling piece, but I can tell you what I did. Shot rode in a snake, Irish head. 2f powder in a horn, for both main and priming when hunting. I used 4f in a tiny horn for range priming. I only carried "overshot" (thin) cards and put 2 over the powder and 1 over the shot. The cards went in my waistcoat pocket.

I made a canvas double bag (a la T. C. Albert) and carried basic tools like turnscrew, knapping hammer, ball pulling accessories... You know the drill. Also had a ball bag that dispensed .600 RB, and patch material cut at the muzzle with a straight razor patch knife. Spit lube at the range, mink oil prelubed and precut afield.

I hated keeping track of all those cards and cushions that rose out of shotshell thinking, and enjoyed the freedom and simplicity of V. M. Starr's loading advice. Oh--horn, snake, and bag each had their own strap, bag and horn to the right, shot snake left.

Must have left something out........

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: prairie dog on February 12, 2015, 10:02:13 PM

This is what I did.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393 (http://traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393)

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Stormrider51 on February 14, 2015, 12:11:52 AM

Quote from: "prairie dog"

This is what I did.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393 (http://traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393)

Thanks, Steve.  I ordered one of their bags today.

Storm

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Stormrider51 on February 15, 2015, 12:17:51 AM

Quote from: "prairie dog"

This is what I did.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393 (http://traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19393)

Thanks!  I have one one the way.

Storm

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: prairie dog on February 15, 2015, 12:36:56 AM

You are going to really like that bag.  

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Dewey on February 15, 2015, 05:19:35 PM

I have a NSW Chief's gun coming toward the beginning of summer and am thinking of ordering one of their bags.
The Hunter Beavertail appeals to me - any big advantages you see of the Eastern Game bag over the Beavertail ???
Or the Jute over the leather strap ????

Decisions, decisions ....

Thanks!

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: prairie dog on February 15, 2015, 05:37:38 PM

The number of pockets.

I also have a woodland possible bag and the 802 belt bag.  I don't know about the jute strap, mine are both leather.  But I like the products, a bit expensive but very well made.  I expect these bags will out last me.

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Dewey on February 15, 2015, 08:15:54 PM

Thanks for the info, Steve!

Still enjoying your Chief's gun?

Can't wait (but I must) for mine!

According to V. M. Starr (and Kermit's post above), you can get by with only one size wad: "I use only one kind of wads and those I cut from cardboard like display signs that are extra thick, about 3/32 is about right and use two of these on the powder and one on the shot. I have had several pretty wise gun men tell me that that is not enough wads before they saw the results but never have had one say a word further on the subject after they had seen one of my guns perform so loaded."  

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/starr.html

He was talking shotguns, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for trade guns.

Have you (or anyone else on the forum in addition to Kermit) tried this method?
Sounds like using only over powder wads would be close to the right size (0.125" vs Starr's 0.094"), being thicker than overshot cards (0.025")?

It sure would cut down on the supplies needed!

I am concerned about lack of any lube, however.

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: prairie dog on February 16, 2015, 11:53:31 AM

Yes, I really like my Chief's gun.  It is very reliable.  It is shooting round ball well enough to put me in the top three at every club shoot and I have a good turkey load.  I am always looking for opportunities to take that gun hunting.  

I am working on a clay bird load now.  I am still using the standard Circle Fly cards and wads but I am about to try cork wads I cut out with a punch.  My 12 gauge double barrel shoots good patterns with cork wads, I just haven't taken time to try them in the Chief's gun yet.

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Stormrider51 on February 19, 2015, 06:57:19 PM

Here's the bag.  I opted for the one without the game straps.

Storm

[attachment=0:3euicr1h][/attachment]Newbag.jpg[/attachment:3euicr1h]

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: Dewey on February 19, 2015, 08:04:49 PM

Looks like yer set now !!!

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: prairie dog on February 20, 2015, 09:51:28 AM

Nice, you can't go wrong with that.

Title: Re: How Do You Carry Your Smoothbore Supplies?
Post by: wattlebuster on February 28, 2015, 12:05:57 PM

In my bag. The overpowder and overshot cards I keep in a old square tin. The shot is in a Curt Lyles shot pouch. Curt made the bag from bark tan deer hide and the southern banded horn is a Scott Sibley. The flintlock is self made in 2012
(http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j466/wattlebuster/Achilles/006_zpsttbvd7dz.jpg) (http://http)