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I have my SMR, bag , and powder horn. What should I carry in my bag to keep my rifle running when in Indian country? Pick, patch knife, what else?
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What is needed in your bag?
- Thread starter Pee Wee
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Everything you can think of including the kitchen sink. If you have a screw in vent then you need a tool to unscrew it too. A nipple wrench if percussion. A patch knife, patch material, lube, jags and other tools for the ramrod too, cleaning patches, spare flints or percussion caps, extra frizzen or nipple, a fire starting kit and a Bic just in case, some pipe cleaners are handy too, powder and or shot measuring tools. Parachute cord as well.
I have been caught out hunting elk or deer and a snowstorm happens. So being able to throw together a camp site is a big plus.
I have been caught out hunting elk or deer and a snowstorm happens. So being able to throw together a camp site is a big plus.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
"Indian country" I'll assume you are asking what would be historically correct.
Tow and worm for cleaning
Round balls
Turn screw
Ball puller
Extra flints
Bear grease or some tallow for patch lube and greasing the gun
Bag mold
Ladle
Lead
Tow and worm for cleaning
Round balls
Turn screw
Ball puller
Extra flints
Bear grease or some tallow for patch lube and greasing the gun
Bag mold
Ladle
Lead
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In my bag I carry a loading block with 8 PRBs, powder measure, extra flints, turn screw, vent prick, pan brush, flint knapper, small can of extra lube, a couple of cleaning patches, jag, and a few extra balls & patches. Short starter, patch knife, and pan primer are in separate pockets or loops on the strap and bag. And a full horn. I'm never far enough away from camp to need more. Luckily I have roomy bag.
Daryl Crawford
50 Cal.
For my SMR I carry a flint wallet with 3 spare flints, knapper, turn screw, jag, tow worm/patch puller, ball puller and some cleaning patches and tow. I have a tin of lube (bee's wax and olive), patches, a few round balls, a short starter, powder measure and a pan primer.
Brokennock
Cannon
I assume by "bag" you mean your shot pouch or shooting bag,,, not some random bag of other possible essentials,,,, as some people seen to think a shot pouch should be. (Thus their confusion with a so called "possible bag")
Seeing as you are outfitting for a rifle all your shot pouch really needs are balls and some lubed patch material, a small tin of lube if the patching is dry. Your belt knife will, or should, be able to cut patches at the muzzle most handily. A small flintwallet, or other small pouch, with a ball puller, patch worm, maybe a pick (but I would keep this someplace more handy), spare flint/s, a turnscrew could be kept in the bag, I also like a "tow-and-toggle," set up,,,, this would be better if the bag has a divided area to put it in so that when your hand enters for a ball and some patching,,,, that is all that is there to grab. I vastly prefer to keep all the stuff for cleaning and dealing with problems in a separate bag,,, along with all the other "essential" stuff folks shove in their shooting bag to complicate the loading process.
Seriously, leave the compass, emergency matches, Bic lighter, tarp, life-straw, cordage, iodone tablets, emergency strobe beacon, sat-com, and tampons to stop hemorrhaging, in another bag.
If you don't want to grab it to make your next shot,,, put it somewhere else.
Seeing as you are outfitting for a rifle all your shot pouch really needs are balls and some lubed patch material, a small tin of lube if the patching is dry. Your belt knife will, or should, be able to cut patches at the muzzle most handily. A small flintwallet, or other small pouch, with a ball puller, patch worm, maybe a pick (but I would keep this someplace more handy), spare flint/s, a turnscrew could be kept in the bag, I also like a "tow-and-toggle," set up,,,, this would be better if the bag has a divided area to put it in so that when your hand enters for a ball and some patching,,,, that is all that is there to grab. I vastly prefer to keep all the stuff for cleaning and dealing with problems in a separate bag,,, along with all the other "essential" stuff folks shove in their shooting bag to complicate the loading process.
Seriously, leave the compass, emergency matches, Bic lighter, tarp, life-straw, cordage, iodone tablets, emergency strobe beacon, sat-com, and tampons to stop hemorrhaging, in another bag.
If you don't want to grab it to make your next shot,,, put it somewhere else.
Some good ideas above.
Eutycus
Cannon
Might want to have that nipple wrench too.
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That’s good advice.
Good point I forgot about my using a second mini-back pack bag. You put your non-essential for shooting stuff in it. I was always concerned about getting injured somehow out in the wilds. It might be several days before help can find you. So obviously you need something to eat water to drink.
If your cell phone works and you call for help then make darn sure you answer all incoming calls. There was a guy in Cali who made it tough for the rescuers to find him. He would not answer the phone for any calls he didn't recognize. Go figure.
If your cell phone works and you call for help then make darn sure you answer all incoming calls. There was a guy in Cali who made it tough for the rescuers to find him. He would not answer the phone for any calls he didn't recognize. Go figure.
Yeah I wound up with all kinds of stuff in my possibles bag. I made this leather one over 30 years ago. The light tan bag next to it, I made as a teenager way back in prehistoric times. I put in specific stuff for the particular gun I plan to carry and shoot that day.
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I like having more stuff in my bags than just what I need for the next shot. See no reason to change. To each his own.
Historically bags were generally small.
Get a haversack, throw all the things you can think of in it
In your shooting pouch just the minimal you need
Leave the haversack near, but if in half a dozen time shooting you don’t need it don’t carry I what looks like two tins in these photos are tin and lid.
My set for my SMR smooth rifle and fusil
Get a haversack, throw all the things you can think of in it
In your shooting pouch just the minimal you need
Leave the haversack near, but if in half a dozen time shooting you don’t need it don’t carry I what looks like two tins in these photos are tin and lid.
My set for my SMR smooth rifle and fusil
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I have a Mississippi rifle and a .58 CS Richmond I use patched balls in
In my bag I'd need :
Balls , about 50
Lubed patches for same
Pre-cut powder measure
A round tubular flask - A Treso large flask holds enough for 50 shots
A tin with about 70 caps
Short starter
Nipple Wrench/pick
Extra nipple
Jag for cleaning rod
Premade cleaning patches like T/C
Dry patches
All of this will fit in a period looking leather bag I use . This would equate to a healthy range session or enough for an Indian fight.
In my bag I'd need :
Balls , about 50
Lubed patches for same
Pre-cut powder measure
A round tubular flask - A Treso large flask holds enough for 50 shots
A tin with about 70 caps
Short starter
Nipple Wrench/pick
Extra nipple
Jag for cleaning rod
Premade cleaning patches like T/C
Dry patches
All of this will fit in a period looking leather bag I use . This would equate to a healthy range session or enough for an Indian fight.
I like to keep things simple. A bag can get really crowded real quick and it can make it awkward to find the thing you need. Count me as one who thinks a shot pouch should include only the items needed to fire and service the gun, not everything up to an including the kitchen’s sink. When those items are needed, a larger separate pouch or haversack is in order.
I shoot a trade gun and use a small Lemuel Lyman divided belt pouch. In the front half I carry round ball and pieces of greased tow rolled up into the proper sizes for wadding. The back section carries two extra flints, a turnscrew, small rag for wiping the frizzen and pan, and a worm with a hank of dry tow for cleaning. Powder measure and vent pick hang off the horn strap.
I shoot a trade gun and use a small Lemuel Lyman divided belt pouch. In the front half I carry round ball and pieces of greased tow rolled up into the proper sizes for wadding. The back section carries two extra flints, a turnscrew, small rag for wiping the frizzen and pan, and a worm with a hank of dry tow for cleaning. Powder measure and vent pick hang off the horn strap.
Brokennock
Cannon
That's fine for your "possibles" bag.
Your shot pouch, or shooting bag, is for the shot.
What does it take to make the next shot?
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Here’s the contents of my shooting bag for my .62 flintlock.
There is a little pocket inside the flap that holds the loose balls. There are a couple other small pockets to keep things organized.
A pocket in the back holds my pocketknife and whetstone.
Patches and ball puller are in the patch box on the rifle.
There is a little pocket inside the flap that holds the loose balls. There are a couple other small pockets to keep things organized.
A pocket in the back holds my pocketknife and whetstone.
Patches and ball puller are in the patch box on the rifle.
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Appropriate and no extra fluff. I like a ball board to keep the balls from wandering around the bag.
I make up a bunch of paper cartridges. If I use those up then it is a slow process. With power pistons or wads it is easy to make paper cartridges.
After you've done this for awhile Pee Wee, you'll discover exactly what you need in your pouch (and what you don't!). Once that happens, make a checklist and print out several copies. That way you can make certain you take what you need and leave the other stuff at home.
