Guncart Supplies (for BP)

[Grizhicks]

All -- Good Morning from central Indiana.  Recent thread on the SASS-Wire dealing with items to carry in/on your guncart.  List responses were good (but, maybe too much), but I really interested in making sure I don't forget anything I might really need with BP.  What do you guys carry, that you wouldn't, if not for BP?  Thanks, in advance..... Grizhicks

[wildman1]

Probably need ta know what yer shootin there big guy, C&B, cartridge ? WM

[Grizhicks]

Sorry about that; shooting C&B pistols (Colt Armies); 1866 in 45 Colt & 12 Ga SxS... Thanks, Griz

[Mako]

Grizhicks,
These are some of the things I have in my cart and a few I keep in the truck.

• Ear protection stays in the cart (carry extra foam ones that you can give away).
• Eye protection stays in the cart.  Carry at least one spare pair of cheap wrap arounds  in your shooting box.
• Dark colored hand towel for your hands.
• Light colored hand towel for a disassembly, emergency maintenance mat.
• Rubbing alcohol for your hands and stocks on the pistols, rifle and shotgun after shooting a while.
• Waterless hand cleaner wipes (follow with alcohol to get the lanolin off)
• Patches for .45 and 12 ga, these work for the pistols too.
• .45 caliber bore snake for the rifle.
• 12 ga chamber brush, the tubes can wait until you're finished.  The chambers get fouled and the hulls don't drop as well.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1248/Product/_HANDLED__CHAMBER_BRUSHES

• Rosin bag (get at a sports store).  Keeps your hands from getting slick, especially in the summer.

http://www.rawlingsgear.com/Softball/Softball-Accessories/ROS1.html?s1=amazon

• If you have a place on the cart carry a one piece rod for the rifle, as thick as you can buy.  This also serves as a squib rod if you get a blooper that launches one into the barrel.
• A section of rod that will fit in those 8 inch barrels to push a ball out.
• A wrench to remove those tubes from your cylinders.
• A rod small enough to fit through the threaded tube hole to push out a ball in a cylinder.  The most common reason to do this would be forgetting to charge the chamber before seating a ball. You unscrew the tube, dump any powder that might be in there and then introduce the rod through the hole and tap the ball out.
• A small block of wood.  1" furring strip about 8 " long makes a good knocker.  Or you can get a small wooden crab mallet.
• Keep an extra can of FFFg on the cart to refill your powder measure.  Rotate them out but always have a can on the cart it will prevent you forgetting  it at home.
• Keep and extra tin of caps on the cart. Rotate them out but always have an extra 100 on the cart it will prevent you forgetting  them at home.  I use Remington #11s, but I keep a tin each of CCI #10, #11 and a tin of Rem. #10s for pards that may need some or we can trouble shoot their C&B pistols after a match.
• Keep an extra 100 balls on the cart, always have a them on the cart it will prevent you forgetting  them at home.  I shoot Army models as well, but I actually carry a box of Ø.380 balls (since you can use those on almost any .36) for pards that may have forgotten balls.
• Keep a tube of your over ball lube or lubricated wads on the cart. AND...keep extra ones, or a tube of lube.  I use lubricated wads , but I always have a tube of bore butter which I can use if I ran short of wads or forgot them.
• An extra cap seating stick with a slight angle cut on the end.  A  Ø5/16 dowel works well.  Also have one with a handle on it or antler or whatever on your belt to seat those caps at the loading table.
• A loading strip with 10 loops or holes for  your rifle ammo.
• An extra cash snail capper(filled).  I keep one in a cartridge pouch on my belt as well.
• Powder flask, I have two on the cart.  I keep  20 and 22 grain spouts  in the shooting box in case a pard shoots .36 caliber and forgot his.  My flasks have 30 grain spouts on them.
• Tweezers, keep a pair on your person and a pair on your cart.
• J-Head Bridgeport 2 hp variable speed  Vertical Knee mill and generator with 3 phase convertor for quick repairs or modifications.
• Screwdrivers for the rifle and pistols

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=621146

• Small bottle of Ballistol, I also have a small aerosol can of it with a straw which is nice.  But I have a small dropper tube with a stainless needle I keep Ballistol in.
• Small container of grease.  Your choice of brand, use it on the toggles and such and innards of the pistols.   Use the bore butter on the cylinder arbor and if you pull the cylinder you can relube , or just add a drop of Ballistol after every couple of stages.  I know some people swear by axle or bearing grease, but I find the bore butter never gets a hard build up.  I actually have my own very small can where I added ½ part beeswax to stiffen it for summer use.  Bore butter already has beeswax in it.  I need to mix my own lube some day, I just don't have the time to experiment.
• Bottled water, one to drink one to wash if necessary.
• Bag for your shotgun hulls
• Bag for your rifle brass
• Umbrella for the cart.  Big golf umbrella.  Can be used in the sun or on rainy days.
• If you have the original style flat springs on your hands invest in a pair of new hands with springs and match them to each revolver.  Put them in small plastic bags and mark by serial number.  They are $17 with the spring.  You may be able to get away with one, but I find the timing is hard to match between two different pistols.  It is too hard to change the spring in the field.

I always carry a pair of cartridge revolvers for rainy day guns.  I have shot matches with C&B in the rain successfully but it is stressful.   I sometimes end up loaning the pistols to someone wanting to try real gun powder or in some cases they have forgotten their pistols.  I keep an extra LONG 2 ½" belt and holsters for the pistols.  And a shotshell holder that fits over the buckle on the belt.  I actually keep these in the truck unless needed.  

A spare rifle and shotgun kept in the truck.

Some of the item that I listed as in the "shooting box" are actually in the truck.  For instance I don't carry the balls and such I don't need.  I just have it there for an emergency.  C&B shooters need to stick together.  I have had shooters leave home to drive about 200 miles to a match and realize they had forgotten something while driving and they just came on knowing I was going to be at the match.

I also carry ear muff style protectors in kids sizes.  People will show up for a match to watch and we give them foam plugs.  Kids don't know if they are in correctly, or not.  Smaller kids do better with muffs.  Girlfriends and wives who have come out to watch and are not shooters tend to do better with muffs as well, I have an adult pair in the shooting box.  I also have smaller kid sized eye protection and several pair of $1.99 adult protective glasses.

I bring 5 gallons of water for after match cleaning and several trays I formerly used for photography and cleaning supplies.  I often clean before I go home.  I keep a spray bottle full of moose milk for the clean up as well.  I have a Shooting box, a cleaning box, 5 gallons of water (most ranges we're at don't have running water), my gun cart, a box for all of the leather gear, all of the pistols are in brief case sized hard cases.  We put the rifles and shotguns in soft zippered cases to save space. A roll of paper towels.  Ice chest with water and soft drinks.

I'm sure there are items others can add.

~Mako

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Mako, great list and many thanks ... but from looking it over, instead of a shooting cart, I think I will get a couple mules and a chuck wagon. 

[Sacramento Johnson]

Hi!
I'm fairly new to C&B (but not Frontier Cartridge).  My gun cart is pretty heavy as it is, so when I went to Cap and Ball, I decided to keep it to just what I needed for a regular 6 stage local match.  
I put a small wooden loading stand (foldable) in the gun cart, and a small leather black powder bag in which I put:
100 round ball
100 or so wonder wads (I use these as opposed to over ball lube)
150-200 caps in a small tin
nipple wrench
cap seater (home-made; little dowl rod with a piece of leather wrapped around the tip)
2 spare nipples in a small tin
small bandana (to wipe hands, grips, use on loading lever etc)
filled powder flask with one appropriate spout
nipple pick (which I place in my hat band when the match starts, for easy access)

I haven't needed extra lube or ballistol save what I prep the guns (Remmies) with the night before, to run 6 stages without a hitch.

At the line, I have my cap seater and tin of caps in a chest pocket incase I need to recap a recalcitant cylinder.  I also have a small cap pouch on my belt with extra caps and another home-made cap seater (half (with the eraser end) of a yellow #2 pencil) stuffed in it as well incase my shirt is pocketless! I also put a small folding knife (which I can open one handed) in a pocket, incase I need it to pull off a dead cap.

I suspect I'll add more stuff as I go along (you know how that is!), but this has worked well for me the last few matches I've used C&B.

[Grizhicks]

THANKS guys, that really helps.....  now to load up my cart -- Grizhicks

[wildman1]

You also might want ta get one of those CO2 powered thingys (I forgot what ya call em) but Traditions sells em. They look like a mace canister about 3-4 inches long, in case ya dry ball one of your revolvers (no powder). They have several adapters with them. Ya just put one of the CO2 canisters in, put the nozzle to the nipple and blow the ball out. Don't have ta unscrew the nipple. WM

[jefff]

i carry balls caps powder lard.what could go wrong?

[wildman1]

As long as ya leave out the human element, nothing. WM

[Fox Creek Kid]

Gee Mako, I want to to see you schlep all that crap to the buffalo wallow from your horse after the Indians shoot it from under you!! 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Well, I'll use up a few less electrons than Mako did. I won't mention the stuff that I keep in my cart that has nothing to do with Black Powder, just the stuff needed to keep my BP guns rolling and the stuff needed for BP cleanup.

Small bottle of Murphy's Mix
Really small jar of Ballistol
Cleaning patches
Bore brushes and jags (I keep them in a handy compartmented little plastic box like fishermen use for their lures)
A few red 'mechanic's' rags
Short cleaning rod for the pistols
Long cleaning rod for the rifle
Jug of water with a squirt of dish soap for the spent cases.

That's really about it. I usually clean my rifle at the car at the end of the match.
Spent cases go into the water jug back at the car.
Shotgun and pistols can wait until I get home, but sometimes if it's a big match, or I have time to kill I will clean the pistols too. Even if I do clean everything, the stuff I mentioned is plenty for me to do the job.
Part of the secret to easy cleaning is to use Big Lube bullets lubed with a good BP compatible bullet lube. If you keep the fouling in the bores soft with plenty of lube, it doesn't require much effort, or much Murphy's Mix to clean it out.

[Mako]

Gee Mako, I want to to see you schlep all that crap to the buffalo wallow from your horse after the Indians shoot it from under you!! 

Actually several of the things should have been listed in the shooting box which stays in the truck.  For instance the extra balls and powder remain in the truck once I have what I need on the cart. I really don't pull around much more than anyone else except for my loader which I intentionally didn't.

I quit pulling the 800 pound cart around with the mill and generator after the posse kept complaining about the machinIng noise and the sound of the generator.  I tried to bribe them with the portable fans and the portable refridgerator but they are a bunch of ladies.

I keep the cart or cart box ready with the items I listed but I have three other boxed that are those plastic "footlockers.". One is the shooting box with ammo and most of the items I mentioned that stayed in the truck.  A leather box with our holsters, spurs, one girl's chaps, etc.  Another box has cleaning gear, all trays, etc.

When the horse goes down I grab my possibles bag with a box of rifle ammo, a flask and balls (I have caps on me) and water.  I'm not letting them get to shotgun range.

~Mako

[Fox Creek Kid]

Mako, it's obvious that you need a caddy.  

[pony express]

I used to shoot C&B and carry everything to the range on a Harley, so I didn't carry the Generator and Milling Machine.....

Basically for the pistols, I carried a flask of powder, and an extra can, balls, snail capper and an extra tin of caps, grease for over the balls, (carried in plastic livestock wormer tubes) small can of ballistol, a screwdriver, nipple wrench, and usually an extra pistol! For the Rifle and shotgun, just add appropriate ammo and something to carry the empty brass and hulls home. Hardest thing about the whole motorcycle idea was finding a place to carry a hat on "my style" of a bike!

[Cash Creek]

Am I the only one that has a cell phone and laptop in his gun cart???

[Fox Creek Kid]

Am I the only one that has a cell phone and laptop in his gun cart???

That reminds me of the following GREAT British car joke:

An GT6 pulled alongside a Rolls-Royce at a traffic light.
"Do you have a car phone?" its driver asked the man in the Rolls.
"Of course I do," was the haughty reply.
"Do you have a fax machine?"
The Rolls driver sighed. "I have that too."
"Do you have a double bed in the back?" the GT6 driver wanted to know. Ashen-faced, the Rolls driver sped off.
That afternoon, he had a mechanic install a double bed in his car.
A week later, the Rolls driver passed the same GT6, parked on the side of the road with its back windows fogged up and steam pouring out. The arrogant driver pulled over, got out of the Rolls and banged on the GT6's rear window. "I want you to know that I've had a double bed installed," bragged the Rolls driver.
The GT6 driver rolled his window down and frowned at the Rolls driver. "You got me out of the shower to tell me that?"

[Montana Slim]

Other than guns & basic safety gear.....my cart contains: fixed cartridges for my rifle, shotgun & pistols....when I ain't shooting C&B tha is. When I am using C&B I bring the essential: round balls, caps, flask, capper, crisco-based lube "mixture", multi-tool & a rag....oh, yes, I have a small pad of leather to protect me hand from the edge of the loading rammer from digging-in to the palm of my hand - it slips over the loading lever.

Should mention I keep a cleaning rod on my cart also...never know when a less fortunate pard is gonna stick one of them squib smokeless loads in their gun...or maybe a BP shooter who don't know about big-lube bullets.

In the car: spare revolver (in case things really go south) & cleaning supplies/tools for after the match.

Slim

[Grizhicks]

Again, THANKS to All !!!  And the winners are:  Mako (what a list) and Fox Creek Kid (with Mako's list, I will need a caddy).  Between the wife (who always carrys too much stuff) and I, I think I'll need a bigger truck ... Grizhicks

[Noz]

Shells for the rifle and shotgun.
Flask, ball bag and wad container, Ted Cash capper w/pusher.
Folding pistol stand for loading.
Small parts container.
Small bottle of Ballistol.
Rain cover for the cart.
Bottled water.

If gun stands are provided, all of this goes easily into a set of canvas saddlebags.