Hello,

I'm a newby from GE and have made my first possible bag on my own out of braintanned leather. Looks pretty good. But how is the best order of the possibles inside? Thanks for all replies.

Well, what do you need the most? That goes in last. What do you only need in camp, but if an emergency arose you'd hate to run and found you left it behind? That goes in first.

At the bottom of my bag is the ladle, extra lead, and bullet mold. On top is a small, drawstring bag that holds extra flints, gun grease, tow, and a spring vise. On top of that rests tools. A small inner pouch holds my ball bag and several loose balls, plus a small turnscrew, and turkey call. My ball-board is attached by a cord, as is my measure, and the patch knife is on the bag-strap.

LD

I keep mine pretty sparce but I shoot huge chunks of lead.
I put a few rags in the bottom,followed by a poke bag with flints,tow, tow worm,a couple of screws for that gun.next to that a small flask of lead shot,and rolled patch.A three sided musket tool is slipped into the back of the pouch.I carry loose balls in a moosehide poke bag tied to my belt as they weigh me dow around my shoulder(75 cal)And I also carry a bellybox with rolled cartridges,Patchknife around my kneck.All my plunder such as bar lead molds are left at the homestead as it would be too much wieght to lug around.Now my haversack we won't even go into ...Mark

My bag order is until now like this:
on the ground laddle and primitive mould, over that a linen bag with RB's, closed with leather string. speed loaders, bullet board, when not worn around the neck. In a little bag at the inside the caps.

Interesting. Some good hints.

Usually when I get done from a days hunt my pouch looks like where a dog has been trying to dig out a groundhog.

Fiddlesticks

Good question but I have one for you. Are you going to use your bag for hunting or target shooting or maybe both? I think it would be important since I only target shoot and wouldn't need all the extra stuff.

I've got a ramrod puller in the bottom with a flint and cleaning tool wallet above that. Then there is enough room for a cleaning fluid flask next to them. Then inside the inner pouch is my oil flask, three way tool, cleaning patches. Then inside the outter pouch under the flap is my balls and patches.

I'm wondering,is this a possibles bag or a shooting bag? I shoot a .50 flinter. In my shooting bag I have a small cloth pouch with Mainspring vise,turnscrew,worm,bullet puller. a roll of patch material lubed with beargrease and beeswax,2 flints, small buckskin pouch with 20 balls. I carry a bullet board,horn and measure. Ladle,mold,leadbars and such,are in my possibles bag. Stumpy

Hey Stumpy, good question, I'm wondering just what is the difference in a possibles bag and shooting bag. I assumed they were the same but the only difference would be it's contents. Maybe there's others here that know the difference in a possibles bag, shooting bag, hunters bag or what ever.

Good question! Mine is a mixture of both. I use it for target shooting and for hunting. So sometimes you carry around things in the forest you really don't need like laddle or mold. But why shooting at the range is training for the hunt I think the content of the bag should be always the same so that you know in every even hectic situation where your needed parts are.

For me, a shooting bag is just that-it holds the "stuff" you need for your firelock
A possibles bag could include-rucksack,haversack,snapsack,market wallet,etc...it's the bag where everythings else lives...Mitch

As a loyal subject of His Majesty, I regularly carry a government haversack, wherein lies my pipe and tobacco, as well as my fire starting kit, sewing kit, and period incorrect first aid kit (plus keys/wallet/cell phone [in the off position]). The rations go on top of that. The pack holds spare clothes, cooking gear, bulk rations, a bible, blanket, extra mocs or shoes, and larger tools.

LD



LD

Kierrmeister,
Go to the picture gallery below and look at shooting pouch under acoutrements. It stays organized no matter how long I shoot or hunt. It may not be PC but it works for me.
God bless.
volatpluvia

I agree that we have to different "bags" here and the time and place would determine the size/useage, many use a small shooting bag and a larger bag for non shooting stuff, it is often best to use two bags as one can travel light for a day trip or half day with only the shooting bag. I like as bag about 8x8 or smaller, one is 3x5 inches, for balls, flints, small tools, a haversack or wallet or other period bag can carry sharpening stones, rope, compass, food and other items and can be left in camp on a sortie, evryone has to make their own choices here, the best idea as I see it is to carry only what you really NEED or you will end up with a gunny sack hanging from your shoulder.

I sure liked "what you need least, put in first. What you need most, put in last." My pouches that I use with my hunting guns (rilfes or smoothies) have nearly everything tied with a thong. Short starter, ball block, capper or priming powder dispencer, and nipple prick. I keep the vent pick tied to the trigger guard.

Items not tied with a thong are the flint knaping tools & pan brush which are in there own little case, extra flints, also in a small extra case. I also have any screw driveres needed, drift pin that fits the hole in the jaw head so I don't have to use a screw driver everytime I need to adjust the flint, and a pliers. That last comes in handy the day it rains cats and poodles and the ramrod swells up. I don't have a pouch that doesn't have a little pocket for the neccessary jags, cleaning, worm, ball puller, breach scraper, and or nipple wrench. I also keep my hunting license in the pouch with my compus.

Having the loading tools on thongs speeds up the loading process. When you have one shot off and you're loading for that second shot, you wouldn't believe how fumble fingered you can become, especialy while you watch a deer get back up and head for parts unknown.

One time I had to reload real fast and I didn't take time to put anything back into the pouch. I didn't have to, it was tied to me so I was able to just drop it. A good hint: Don't put anything in your pockets, that slows you doun because you have to check to find what pocket has what. Keep all you rloading stuff in the pouch.

The only reloading item I keep in a pocket is my capper or prime dispencer. This is tied to the pouch strap but I put it inside my shirt pocket. This way it stays dry and is still quickly assessable and can't get lost because it's tied by a thong to the pouch.

Other stuff I keep in my pockets are wool mittens, surveyor's ribbon, small map, apple, candy bar, & extra hat. If I have a radio, I keep it tied to me though it also goes in a pocket. The extra hat is to allow choices, one is orange and the other is camo. I can sit on one while resting, have a choice of hat to wear, and after an animal is down, put the camo hat on and put the orange hat in a tree so my partner can find me easier. This last works great. Load fast and aim slow.

Hey Kirrmeister, welcome to the fire. As you can see, this is the place to come for advice. Lot's of trails traveled here.

I'm from the old school of "what if." By that I mean what if this or that happens, do you have what you need. I don't borrow trouble but I like to be prepared for the "what if's." I've been around enough to know that the "what if's" occasionally happen. When they do, I'm prepared.

I carry two bags. The main possibles bag over my shoulder carries much of the same things the guys have said. I may not need it all each time out but it's there if I do. I carry a patch knife on the front strap with various tools. There is a large Arkansas Toothpick in a sheath on the back of the strap that I can reach over my shoulder and another large knife on my belt just in case (you never know, ol' griz might be around or the bad guys might attack. And I pray alot that Ol' griz ain't around).

The bag on my belt carries some of the same stuff just in case I'm seperated from my main bag and horn due to unforeseen circumstances. Again, you never know. In it I carry a half dozen balls and enough powder for them in a small charger. Spare roll of ticking, another flint & Steel as well as compass, small bottle of oil and a small knife (maybe I should change my handle to "manyknives") Usually I tote a pistol along as well as the rifle.

Again, I carry much more than I may need but the boy scout in me from long ago is still alive and well. Their motto of "BE PREPARED" still rings true.

Preparedsnakebite

I keep order in my pouch by not carrying much. All my tools and spare flints are in my tool box (roll actually) and all I use is some balls, some pre cut patching and a small bottle of whale oil..... No short starter, priming horn or all the other junk that most people carry around. It fits into a 4x6 inch pouch. Im not going to be out in the woods for a year.

Hello the fire. I organize my shooting bag in order of what is likely to be needed first. I keep tow linen, bag of extra flints, and a small tool pouch in the bottom. Next is a roll of linen patching, and bag of balls. I also keep a leather cows knee in the bag. My powder measure and vent pick are tied to the carry strap.

quote:

Originally posted by Stumpy:
I'm wondering,is this a possibles bag or a shooting bag? I shoot a .50 flinter. In my shooting bag I have a small cloth pouch with Mainspring vise,turnscrew,worm,bullet puller. a roll of patch material lubed with beargrease and beeswax,2 flints, small buckskin pouch with 20 balls. I carry a bullet board,horn and measure. Ladle,mold,leadbars and such,are in my possibles bag. Stumpy

That is one of those never ending cussin' and discussin' questions that keep things around the campfire lively. I call my shooting bag a 'shooting bag' and avoid the use of 'possibles' because of the ire it raises in some folks no matter how you refer to it. I often also carry a canvas haversack on the off-side. It fits with my Rifleman personna. Shootin' stuff goes in the shooting bag and all 'other' stuff goes in the haversack.
BTW, NEVER carry a knife in yer shooting bag. Dangerous practice.

I figure out what I want/need lay it all out so I know it's there,inventory.Then put it in the bag,shake it up,cause it's going to happen anyway so I get the jump on it,no surprises that way.Then when I need something I just dump it all out on a blanket/jacket/shirt paw through till I find what I was looking for and put the rest back.What ever I need will be on the bottom anyway I do it.

Herr Kirrmeister,
I'm of the "two bag" school. ONLY shooting stuff goes in the shooting bag--powder flask, balls, patching, small bag of tools (extra jag, ball worm and the like). Patch knife goes on my belt, powder primer and powder measure around my neck. Sometimes I'll tie a strip of greased patching material on my bag strap. Vent pick and frizzen st all are attached to the trigger guard. Fire starting kit is a separate belt bag (originally from Volatpluvia).

Other shooting stuff goes in a different bag--patch grease, flint knapper, and turnscrew.

It also contains a CO2 bullet discharger in case I happen to run into anyone needing it .

All that said, some stuff does sneak into my shooting bag from time to time.

Sparks