silly goose
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2010
- Messages
- 712
- Reaction score
- 2
Had some success recently on a hunt and it caused me to reflect a bit on my gear. Not very impressive compared to some of the craftsmen we have on this forum, but it worked well for me, and at this point I'm quite happy with it.
My bag is a run of the mill cabela's bag that I picked up when I first got started 3-4 years ago. I'm liking it more as it gets some wear, and functionally, it is working out well as my .50 rifle bag. These bags have just about doubled in price since I bought that one. I really like that it is just a plain bag.
Anway, I had a relatively small piece of elk antler given to me. I so wanted to make something out of it, yet was afraid I wouldn't be able to do the antler any justice. After much deliberation, I went for it. My first measure is the short one with the wide spout. Measured evenly to the bottom of the lip, it holds 60gr by volume. If I cant it and half fill the opening it measures 70gr. And if I top it right off it measures 80gr. I may use this with my .62 smoothie, where I will likely use a little more shot than powder.
The long thin measure holds 60gr by volume. This wasn't going to be a measure, I was going to use it as a priming flask, with a small plug. I didn't like how that was going, so a measure it became.
My powder flask. This came from the main beam section. When I started this bp game, I used to use plastic vials holding premeasured powder charges. They worked ok, but didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I haven't been sold on a powder horn for a couple of reasons. One, I hunt some pretty thick areas and don't need to keep track of another thing hanging off me, and wondering if it still has its plug, etc... And two, I don't need to carry all that powder. That little flask holds 350gr of powder, still a little much but I think it turned out ok otherwise. I used a .38 special casing for the pour spout.
Pan brush. This one isn't quite finished. I'd like to shorten the handle, and maybe do something a little decorative with it, before staining and sealing it. It is a piece of left over ramrod that I drilled out, and then cut a slit into. I lashed some horsehair together, fit it into the piece of ramrod, applied a lil super glue and then lashed it with some twine. Not entirely finished yet, but it works just the same.
Vent Pick. Just a piece of copper wire. I ground it down to fit the vent, and then bent the upper part around itself. Pretty simple, yet it works.
Ball block. You've all been there done that. Just 1/2" maple with some holes drilled in and filed a bit larger to hold my patched balls firmly.
Nothing earth shattering here, but I am quite happy with my gear at this point. It worked for me this season, and we were successful. I have two other guns to make up some gear for. I am sure as I grow, my gear will change with me. I am very much enjoying my journey with bp. I plan to save some leg bones and such from my last doe, might make a good measure. Hope you enjoy, at least a little bit.
