|
|
Post by artificer on Oct 28, 2023 3:29:33 GMT -7
I can't find the exact quote, but there is a mid 18th century quote that says something to the effect that nearly everyone in Virginia did more (horseback) riding than walking. Though I'm sure this was an exaggeration to some extent; even those who went on somewhat extended hunts may have carried some shooting gear in saddle bags or pockets or market wallets, snap sacks, etc.
I realize our modern equivalent of the horse is an automobile. I think many people often travel FURTHER today to hunt or shoot than most folks did back then in a day on all but very extended hunts. Some of us may thus carry shooting support items in our automobile rather than in our saddle bags or other carrying items on our persons.
I admit I carry things in my shot pouch others usually don't carry and the reason I do so is because I know they are there and won't forget them, as I could or have done when I carried them in other places.
So I'm interested in what folks consider necessary for:
1. Those items carried in their minimalist pouch.
2. Those items that may be considered "shooting support" items they still consider necessary to carry on their persons, but not in their minimalist pouch.
3. Those items one considers necessary or at least advisable to carry on their horse or in their automobile.
Gus
|
|
Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990 
|
Post by Keith on Oct 28, 2023 17:46:07 GMT -7
Ball mould. Lead ladle. Round ball. Bird shot. Gun tools. Wads or wadding. Lock cover & a leather tie for pulling the ramrod. Tow for wiping the bore. Keith.  |
|
|
|
Post by bushfire on Oct 29, 2023 6:04:05 GMT -7
1. Those items carried in their minimalist pouch. 2. Those items that may be considered "shooting support" items they still consider necessary to carry on their persons, but not in their minimalist pouch. 3. Those items one considers necessary or at least advisable to carry on their horse or in their automobile. At a bare minimum I take ball and patch, a spare flint, screw driver, vent pick, jag and a knife. The knife sheath I tie on to my bag. I like to carry cleaning patches, a pan primer and for my rifle a short start. In the car I usually have a range rod, ball puller, patch worm, cleaning patches, ballistol and Allen keys Edit: I forgot to add Point 2 a small sharpening stone. Point 1: few vials of shot and wads for smoothbore. |
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Oct 29, 2023 6:10:43 GMT -7
.... I admit I carry things in my shot pouch others usually don't carry and the reason I do so is because I know they are there and won't forget them, as I could or have done when I carried them in other places.... Gus I keep items in/attached to my shot pouches for the "make sure I have it reason too, but they don't always stay in/on it during a hunt. Flint wallet, that contains 3 flints, turn screw, ball puller, patch worm, amd a few clean/dry patches, is one of those items. It goes in my general purpose shoulder bag while on a hunt. If I need it while out, I'll be stopped for a while, so it doesn't need to be in my shot pouch for immediate access. Same with lead ladle and ball mold, these actually don't even stay in the shot pouch at home, if they get forgotten, not a big deal, I have to travel to hunt, but it isn't a multi-day affair. When I step away from the truck all that is in my pouch is a very small tin of lube for use as patch/wad lube or part of my rain/water protection system, a tin or leather bag of cards and wads, a small bag with about 5 roundball in it or a tin of 1oz shot-cup/cartridges, ventpick is poked into the negative space created by folding over the flap and stitching it, pan brush somewhere in the bottom, a small container of 4f powder just in case there are ignition problems and I need to work some powder through the flash-hole. Not being out for more than a day at a time, and game regulations being what they are, projectile choice of what is in the bag is variable. I don't usually carry both roundball and shot loads. I might have one roundball in my pocket when squirrel or turkey hunting for a defensive emergency, and I might have one squirrel load shot cartridge in my pouch while deer hunting in case I shoot a deer and want something loaded in the gun during my walk out. Turkey hunting is its own special thing but still falls under the category of variable projectiles. The choice of wads and cards in the tin of such changes as well. Also might include a small dowel and strips of paper for forming shot cups at the muzzle when not carrying pre-made cup/catridges. Tool kit, cleaning items, spare parts (if I had them), even my cow's knee, all go in my other bag. That other bag gets thrown over my shoulder last as it is the 1st to be removed, often is, and the shot pouch and horn rcartridges. Sorry,,, lost/loosing my train of thought,,, not enough coffee and no MCT oil yet today... |
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Oct 29, 2023 6:11:32 GMT -7
1. Those items carried in their minimalist pouch. 2. Those items that may be considered "shooting support" items they still consider necessary to carry on their persons, but not in their minimalist pouch. 3. Those items one considers necessary or at least advisable to carry on their horse or in their automobile. At a bare minimum I take ball and patch, a spare flint, screw driver, vent pick, jag and a knife. The knife sheath I tie on to my bag. I like to carry cleaning patches, a pan primer and for my rifle a short start. In the car I usually have a range rod, ball puller, patch worm, cleaning patches, ballistol and Allen keys Rifles are definitely capable of a more minimalist approach. |
|
|
|
Post by Black Hand on Oct 29, 2023 10:55:13 GMT -7
 Bag of Tow (White bag) Leather bag containing 5-6 flints Compass Ball Bag containing 30 roundballs (60 caliber) Tin containing Pillow-ticking (rifle) and Egyptian Cotton (smoothbore) patches lubed with Bear grease, wire worm and extra ball-screw Bottle of Bear oil Copper funnel to fill horn Flint & Steel (from a file) Clasp knife Awl with triangular blade Tin (contains ear-plugs) Knotted Hemp game bag wrapped with a leather thong Whisk & pick attached to strap Cows-knee tied around strap Lead and mold would be carried in my pack, though I prefer to carry the weight as extra cast balls. |
|
coot
City-dweller
Posts: 152
|
Post by coot on Oct 29, 2023 15:35:22 GMT -7
My understanding is that "normal" practice was for each gun to have it's own pouch (kept together as a unit) so as when taking out the chosen gun (assuming more than one to be available) the the items necessary to load & fire that particular gun were at hand. If going out for more than a morning or afternoon, any additional gear would go in a sack, pockets, snapsack, knapsack or a blanket roll. With that said, my minimalist pouch would contain:
Balls
Patches
Spare flint & turnscrew to fit that specific lock
A folding (penny) knife
Vent pick
Powder measure
|
|
