Your TMA Officers and Board of Directors
Support the TMA! ~ Traditional Muzzleloaders ~ The TMA is here for YOU!
*** JOIN in on the TMA 2024 POSTAL MATCH *** it's FREE for ALL !

For TMA related products, please check out the new TMA Store !

The Flintlock Paper

*** Folk Firearms Collective Videos ***



Author Topic: Possibles Bag  (Read 2985 times)

Online Winter Hawk

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2574
  • Location: Chauncey, OH
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #15 on: February 06, 2018, 09:46:59 PM »
And now I read the Ruxton quote from RobD in another thread:

"Ammunition, a few pounds of tobacco, dressed deer-skins for moccasins, &c., are carried in a wallet of dressed buffalo-skin called a possible-sack. His "possibles" and "trap-sack" are generally carried on the saddle-mule when hunting....

Over his left shoulder and under his right arm hang his powder-horn and bullet-pouch, in which he carries his balls, flint and steel, and odds and ends of all kinds...."

So from this it would seem that the "possibles sack" was fairly large to contain "ammunition, a few pounds of tobacco, dressed deer-skins".  Especially the later would make it, in my imagination at least, pretty substantial, to be carried on the horse.  The bullet pouch on the other hand sounds like what we now term the possibles bag.  Wow, confusion reigns supreme!

-Kees-
NMLRA Life
"All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse and a good wife." - D. Boone
USN June 1962-Nov. 65, USS Philip, DD-498

Dues paid to 02 Jan. 2025

Offline Uncle Russ

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 7342
  • TMA Founder. Walk softly & carry a big Smoothbore!
  • TMA Member: Founder / Charter Member #004
  • Location: Columbia Basin, Washington State
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #16 on: February 07, 2018, 02:54:12 AM »
And now I read the Ruxton quote from RobD in another thread:

"Ammunition, a few pounds of tobacco, dressed deer-skins for moccasins, &c., are carried in a wallet of dressed buffalo-skin called a possible-sack. His "possibles" and "trap-sack" are generally carried on the saddle-mule when hunting....

Over his left shoulder and under his right arm hang his powder-horn and bullet-pouch, in which he carries his balls, flint and steel, and odds and ends of all kinds...."

So from this it would seem that the "possibles sack" was fairly large to contain "ammunition, a few pounds of tobacco, dressed deer-skins".  Especially the later would make it, in my imagination at least, pretty substantial, to be carried on the horse.  The bullet pouch on the other hand sounds like what we now term the possibles bag.  Wow, confusion reigns supreme!

-Kees-

You make a good point Kees!  :bl th up
From what I'm reading, I strongly suspect that I will do my best to call all my bags "Hunting Bags" from now on.

My lovely wife has another name altogether for my "Hunting Bags".
She refers to call all of 'em, even the one real nice one I have, as your "Man Purse"...somehow I feel a wee bit of plain disgust every time she says it, but say it she will!
She who must be obeyed knows a thing or three, and she ain't backward one bit when it comes to saying it either.

Uncle Russ...
It's the many things we don't do that totally sets us apart.
TMA Co-Founder / Charter Member# 4

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #17 on: February 07, 2018, 08:24:51 AM »
Kinda odd when one thinks about it that the bag that goes with the rifle and horn isn't simply called a "loading bag" - though I have heard the term used "Rifleman's Bag" something we don't hear very often. 

I guess the "bag" itself (before it's put to use) is a Possibles Bag as it has several possibilities to be used for various things, so I guess the new/empty bag can't be titled until it's put to use for something or another, so is a possibles bag until this happens.  :shake
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 08:54:27 AM by Ohio Joe »
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online Bigsmoke

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 4286
  • TMA: Charter Member #150
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #18 on: February 07, 2018, 12:59:49 PM »
Well, Joe, that's kind of a Yes/no, kind of, sorta type of question that deserves the same sort of answer.
But don't forget the presumptive assumption of intended use.
The manufacturer of the bag sells it with a presumed use in mind, that of a shooting bag.
The dealer in fine leather goods buys it with a presumed use in mind, the same thing.
Then the retail customer buys it with a presumed use in mind, usually what everyone else is thinking about.
Hence, it would make no sense at all for a person wanting a shooting bag to go into a high end ladies' shop looking at Gucci bags with a shooting bag in mind.  Discount if you will, the guy who goes into a second hand store looking for a woman's purse with the intention of turning it into a shooting bag. 
So, intentions play a big part in this.
And Russ, Mama Bear can call it whatever she wants (which she will, thank you), we all know it is not a man purse, but a righteous shooting bag.

Exception:  We designed a nifty shooting bag oh so many years ago and they sold pretty well.  It was only later that we found out that women, accompanying their husbands into the gun shops, discovered these bags and started buying them for purses.  So much for the presumed end purposes of a product.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
TMA Charter Member #150  
NRA - Life
Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders - Life

Offline PetahW

  • TMA Forum Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 505
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2018, 04:08:22 PM »
.

I fashioned this one from a woman's leather purse I found @ a Salvation Army store ($2).  :toast





.
NRA Life Member since 1971
USAF Vet (Vietnam era)
Boy Scouts of America

EVERYONE HAS A HIDDEN TALENT THEY DIDN"T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL TEQUILA...

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #20 on: February 07, 2018, 08:00:53 PM »
Nice looking bag, PetahW!  :bl th up

Yes John, it all hinges on the intended use for sure, and I would say that a Possibles Bag does stand on its own, and a, Range / shooting / hunting / Rifleman's Bag, all stand on their own. Not sure if there's anything left to call 'em?  :shake
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online Bigsmoke

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 4286
  • TMA: Charter Member #150
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #21 on: February 08, 2018, 11:28:49 AM »

 a, Range / shooting / hunting / Rifleman's Bag, all stand on their own. Not sure if there's anything left to call 'em?  :shake

Give it time, Joe, someone will come up with something.  Oh yes, you did forget Man Purse.   :lol sign  :Doh!
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest Up to God.

BigSmoke - John Shorb
TMA Charter Member #150  
NRA - Life
Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders - Life

Offline Ohio Joe

  • TMA BoD
  • ****
  • Posts: 7660
  • TMA Founder / Charter Member# 8
  • TMA Member: Founder
  • Location: Nebraska
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #22 on: February 08, 2018, 01:46:52 PM »

 a, Range / shooting / hunting / Rifleman's Bag, all stand on their own. Not sure if there's anything left to call 'em?  :shake

Give it time, Joe, someone will come up with something.  Oh yes, you did forget Man Purse.   :lol sign  :Doh!

 :Doh! What was I thinkin'......... :lol sign
Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous / "Ol' Candle Snuffer"
"Museum of the Fur Trade" Chadron, Nebraska

Online Winter Hawk

  • TMA Contributing Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2574
  • Location: Chauncey, OH
Re: Possibles Bag
« Reply #23 on: February 08, 2018, 03:00:02 PM »
When Carol and I got married she saw my shooting bag and wanted a purse just like it (she also referred to it as my "purse") so I made an exact duplicate.  Now she doesn't use it anymore because it doesn't hold all of her plunder, but I can't have it back because it's special! :laffing

-Kees-
NMLRA Life
"All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse and a good wife." - D. Boone
USN June 1962-Nov. 65, USS Philip, DD-498

Dues paid to 02 Jan. 2025