Shotbag - 1607 Jamestown

[M38]

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question. I bought this reproduction of a matchlock that would have been used at the Jamestown colony in 1607 last Spring.

Now I'm thinking about trying to bag some squirrels with it. What type/style of a shot bag would a Jamestown settler have carried?

 

These photos should give you some idea:

Jamestown matchlock images

 

[Salty_Possum]

:bow: Very nice matchlock, I'm jealous

 

[M38]

Thanks!
I got lucky.
Unfortunately matchlocks are so hard to find.

 

[rickystl]

Here are some photos of original pouches..........
:hatsoff: Rick.

 

[M38]

Excellent!
Thanks

 

[Alden]

Buck's matchlock handiwork.

The 12 Apostle's are the noisy and dangerous period standard -- lol.

Call Loyalist Arms in Canada -- tell the nice lady a friend of theirs down here sent you to ask about their bandolier on sale!

 

[M38]

Thanks!

 

[robinghewitt]

ask about their bandolier on sale!

If you want some 1640's original parts set up a watch on ebay. The metal detectorists wander over English civil war battle sites and sell off what they find. Pewter apostle caps are common, occasionally you get a priming powder spout but most of the "musket balls" are actually canister :thumbsup:

Here's an ebay powder horn featuring Romulus and Remus no less, (probably not Roman though)

 

[Bilbo]

Very cool stuff!

 

[Canute Rex]

I got a bandolier/apostle set from Sykes Sutlery. With a bit of black milk paint and some leather dye it will look just like those photos.

 

[Alden]

...not unless Sykes changed from all-lathe-turned round bottles to the ones with flanges like the ones actually IN the picture.

 

[Darto]

Muscat apostle set.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Ci...736?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3383fb41a8

This ebay seller has several Youtube videos, here he is at an old lathe turning a powder charge box:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7P9UIxaZYI

 

[Canute Rex]

Yes, Sykes bottles have flanges.

 

[Alden]

This is Sykes' original bandolier.



I know, I have one that's probably half the age of the younger half of the members here. LOL The bottles are simple, round, turned ones. See how the rings of wood go around the whole bottle? parallel sides at the bottom of them!? Cheap. Easy. Fast on a lathe in semi-mass-production... But not period correct.

Their current ones are better. As are Loyalist's which I also own on their bandolier. As are the ECW ones cited and available from the UK.

I will say that Sykes' leather is heavy though I had to lengthen it and the bullet bag leaves something to be desired as far as closing -- very poor design. What I appreciate most about their bandolier is the proper stringing of the bottles such that when you tug on one the others around it are shortened up...

 

[pargent]

There are 24 sets hanging on the wall in the weapons room in Hampton Court (originals ) :thumbsup:

 

[Canute Rex]

Hi Alden,

Was that kind of stringing standard at the time? That's the one thing I don't like about the bandolier. The bottles don't hang quite straight. I want to restring them individually, the same as the ones in the other photos.

A friend of mine has a set he made himself. He strung them with 3/4" brass rings in between them so that they don't tangle. When he grabs one bottle the two rings either side of it slide up and when he lets go they slide back down and hold it in place. Very slick, but HC?

 

[Alden]

I am no expert but I have read that that stringing was standard and when I thought about it it had a couple of benefits it seemed to me...

One was that the roughly equal full (or empty) weight bottles would ultimately reach an equilibrium and level themselves out. The shortened string (shorter than when you tug it) should make it more difficult for the cap to work its way up and off thereby exposing the charge to spilling, fire and sparks, rain or snow.

Also, as there are two separate strings per bottle, when a single string breaks (and they do -- waxed flax I believe) you do not lose a bottle. Both strings on a bottle would have to surprise you and break to lose at least one of them.

I have also see them with rings connecting two adjacent strings -- this too would probably help keep the string effectively "short" above a powder bottle top unless someone decisively pulled up that bottle to pop its top (which is so much fun).