Taking One's Shooting Bag For Granted

[Ohio Joe]

Over the last 3 weeks I've been working on another new Shooting Bag (7.25" wide x 8.25" tall w/ 1" gusset) to take to the Range with me to shoot my monthly targets, and to use at Rendezvous shoots, and to take hunting with me as well... Just a small bag for general purpose use, nothing fancy at all...

Well when stocking this new bag (and tying things on the carrying strap) with what I feel I would (or may) need for the above mentioned events, I didn't really realize (even after 40+ years in this game) just how much stuff a person does take with them (in or tied on) to their bag,,, just in case you may need it.

I've pretty much taken these items tied on and stored in my bag for granted because I knew/know that when I'm done with my shooting I'll be back in my workshop or in my camp cleaning my rifle... I seldom use 80% of what I take with me in my shooting bag,,, but that doesn't mean there won't be a day come that I'll need that one or the other item(s) in the bag,,, so it's kind'a like "better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it."

Anyway, the above got me to thinking??? What if I somehow found myself having to rely on my rifle and bag for survival, much like our forefathers? What if I found myself - days, weeks, or even months, away from civilization for one reason or another? What if I got hurt and had no cell phone service to call for help, or the phone may have got broke? There could be any number of reasons you might find yourself out on your own out here where I live, and pretty darn far from civilization.

So,,, when setting up my new bag I stocked it in such a way that I'd at least have a fighting chance should that million to one (or more) ever happen. I don't ever foresee anything happening, but if you're prepared you'd have a fighting chance to eat and protect yourself from wild critters, or perhaps something much worse.

It's the little things in one's shooting bag that could make a difference in keeping your smoke-pole operating... Extra patch and ball in a small bag, spare ball blocks, caps, leather cap holders, flint, flint leathers, vent pick, cleaning fluid and lubricant items, tools you may need to "pull or shoot out a fouled load,,, flint hammer, spare Nipple and Nipple Wrench, Nipple Charger, small screw driver (or metal pin) for your flintlock jaw, q-tips, cotton balls, cleaning patches, jag, bore brush, patch puller, short starter, general purpose rag... There's probably other items in my bag I'm forgetting about already - but I'm set up for 46 shots... Of course I always take my powder horn, powder measurer, knife and hawk as well. I even take along an extra short starter in case my main one would get broke or lost.

AND,,,, probably something I should start carrying with me on my belt is my (char-cloth, flint and steel striker pouch)...      

 

 

[rollingb]

Joe,... you're right about all the stuff "ya might need" should something happen that you're not expecting.
That's why I also take a haversack along when I'm hunting, or even just out trekin' and shootin' for a day.

I usually split all the "tools'n stuff" up between my shootin' bag and my haversack, which makes for a more balanced carry when I wear a bag on each side as well as limiting things "just fer actual shootin'" to my shooting bag.
Since my haversack is just a smidgen bigger than my shootin' bag, it has plenty enough room for any "extras", plus a sandwich'er two, should I ever find the need for'em.   

[Ohio Joe]

Joe,... you're right about all the stuff "ya might need" should something happen that you're not expecting.
That's why I also take a haversack along when I'm hunting, or even just out trekin' and shootin' for a day.

I usually split all the "tools'n stuff" up between my shootin' bag and my haversack, which makes for a more balanced carry when I wear a bag on each side as well as limiting things "just fer actual shootin'" to my shooting bag.
Since my haversack is just a smidgen bigger than my shootin' bag, it has plenty enough room for any "extras", plus a sandwich'er two, should I ever find the need for'em.   

I should try a haversack, Rondo. I do have one... I'm so use to carrying one bag that it would take some getting to.  Normally out on the hunt I have a backpack with me. Makes a good pillow as I nap a'lot...   

[rollingb]

I should try a haversack, Rondo. I do have one... I'm so use to carrying one bag that it would take some getting to.  Normally out on the hunt I have a backpack with me. Makes a good pillow as I nap a'lot...   

Naps are important. 

[Uncle Russ]

Joe,... you're right about all the stuff "ya might need" should something happen that you're not expecting.
That's why I also take a haversack along when I'm hunting, or even just out trekin' and shootin' for a day.

I usually split all the "tools'n stuff" up between my shootin' bag and my haversack, which makes for a more balanced carry when I wear a bag on each side as well as limiting things "just fer actual shootin'" to my shooting bag.
Since my haversack is just a smidgen bigger than my shootin' bag, it has plenty enough room for any "extras", plus a sandwich'er two, should I ever find the need for'em.   

That's me thinking too Rondo.
It does balance the load when you're going be gone from base camp for a day or two.

My old Haversack has been used for everything from a Game Bag, to a Peanut Butter / Jelly sandwich hauler, Biscuit & Bacon hauler, Spam and Saltines hauler, Skwerl hauler, and about anything else I could stuff down in there.

I made that old thing back in the 70's, so she's well over 40 years old.
It's lined in "Oil Cloth"..I have re-lined it once, 'cause it got considerable blood in it one time, and it ended up stinking pretty bad.
Other than that I have this one pretty clean, and I'll never put Quail in my Haversack ever again...that's what they make Bird Carriers for.
I used to like a lot of that Southwest decor, had it about every thing....my wife did too, it was pretty cool 50 years or so back when we live in Texas & New Mexico, and hung around with a bunch of other idiots all with the same Southwest theme. but not so much anymore...here in WA State it's a toss up between members of the Lewis & Clark team, Voyageurs, and Free Trappers.
 
I found a picture of my old Haversack.



Uncle Russ...

[Roaddog]

I like a bag fore each fifle and that amounts to a lot of plunder.I don't ger it all at one time,just a piece here and ther but I don't get more than one rifle at a time so it spreds price and all out just fine.I take a belt bag for thing like cell phone keys and meds I may nead.This is all for a hunt.Fore range I have a nice range box Brian Kendall made for me.I shoot off my porch so that no problem.All I nead there is air in my lungs to make it out to put up targets.

[prairie dog]

I have a haversack, possibles bag, game bag, or whatever you want to call it for all that "might need" stuff.  Stuffing everything you "might" need to survive into your shooting bag becomes a pain when shooting a woods walk corse.  I image it would have been a bigger pain if I was being attacked by a tribe of Crow or Blackfoot's.


My shooting bags only hold what is necessary to operate and maintain the gun and each gun has its own bag.  I quickly tired of having to swap out everything when I changed guns. 
I do have two powder horns, one for 2-F and one for 3-F.  This helps me not get confused about what I'm stuffing down a barrel.  I figure the old trappers only had one grade of powder and that wasn't a problem for them.