ball bag

[squib load]

Hi,I just finished making a bullet bag for myself.Now do I put the rice in first,and then put it in hot water,or put it in hot water,and then put the rice in?How long do I leave it in the water?Thanks,Squib

 

[Rebel]

Why ya wanna cook rice in yer new ball bag? :grin: :grin: Seriously, i'm not sure. I have heard of using hot wet sand, but not rice.

 

[bwhoffman]

I've had good luck soaking the bag and then filling with 7 1/2 birdshot,working it in, squishing it around, adding more, pouring more water in ect, set to dry/drain. has kept shape well.

worked for me,
Brett

 

[wolfers]

Rice is a starch and my guess is that the starch helps the bag maintain it's shape.

 

[JWP]

Rice, sand (or shot) is used to keep the shape of the wet rawhide until it dries. I just wet/soak the bag then add dry rice/sand to the desired shape. Hope this helps :hatsoff:

 

[timbuckII]

Are you thinking the rice will swell and stretch/round out the bag? Sounds like a good idea but wetting/soaking the leather and packing it with sand or shot until you get the shape you want is the way to go.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't quite understand why you want a stiff ball bag. Why not leave it soft and pliable? If you think you need a " stiff " neck, to make it easier to get the balls in and out of it, fine. But all you need too do there is stitch a second piece of leather around the neck area of the bag. You can even use a heavier thickness of leather for this to give the neck extra strength.

 

[dlemaster]

Paul
I've seen originals both ways, soft as well as formed. The formed ones were made from rawhide, bladders, small gourds, and stiff leather.
They all can be made with a metal, horn, bone, or antler spout all according to the makers whim.
Several types are illustrated in Madison Grants book "The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch".

Regards, Dave

 

[paulvallandigham]

Dave: I have seen these, too. I even made a leather one where we filled it with sand to allow it to dry out stiff. Silliest darn thing I own, as it doesn't seem to fit anywhere! I can't even put in down my back pant's pocket easily, which is why I now use a soft ball bag, as well as a soft shot bag. I have a snake shot bag on a shoulder strap, but only because the bag was a gift. I use it, out of respect to the giver, but I am much more comfortable using my soft bag in my game pouch, or one of the cargo pockets.

Paul

 

[CrackStock]

I have filled them with some small shot and left them on the dash of my truck facing the sun for a few days.

I would think that the rice would be hard to clean out.

CS

 

[paulvallandigham]

Crackshot: The rice cleans out easily as the sand, if you put a couple of round balls- I used casting rejects that are going to be re melted anyway- in the bag, and spin them around until all the sand, or rice. is knocked off the sides, and pours out. I still have my stiff, round ball bag, but I don't use it anymore. I keep it to show people who are curious as to how to make one, and then show them my soft bag, and let them decide.

 

[dlemaster]

Paul
I think you pretty much right.
For me right now I'm shooting .58 and .62 cals and a stiff bullet bag, it seems to me, would just be ungainly in my shot pouch. I think they maybe alright in the smaller calibers though, and some I've seen are cuter than a popcorn fart.
The bag I carry for the large cals is a soft bag I bought from Golden Age Arms back in the late 60s and its been used so much it looks like an original, its kinda like an old friend now.

Regards, Dave

 

[squib load]

Ok guys,Thats the reason I ask you fellows,I know you wont sugarcoat the answer.The popcorn fart brought me around to my senses.A soft bag it is.Thanks,squib