Deerskin rifle bag.

[Forty Rod]

It's been over 35 years since I last made one of these and my memory is slowly disappearing like my hair and my memory.

I picked up a beautiful deerskin yesterday...a bit thinner than I would have liked...that is big enough to make a one piece sheath for my Henry, '66, '73, and '92.....one at a time, of course.

It seems that all I did before was to fold it over so it covered the rifle completely with an extra 4-6" for a closing flap and enough for a 1/2" strip on each side to sew it together.

Turn it inside out (Smooth side out on the finished item so I'll be working on the flesh side.) with the fringe part between the two and sew it together, then turn it right side out and cut the fringe.  Not planning on a carrying strap.

Add any decoration as wanted.

What am I missing?   This seems to be a lot simpler than I remembered, but my memory is slipping.  I may have mentioned that before.  Do I need to reinforce anyplace special?  Cement the edges before sewing to hold it together while I'm working, maybe?  Any tips will be welcome, too.



Thanks.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Forty Rod,

I am pretty sure this is not a normal thing to do, but I have alwasy thought of taking a silicone-impregnated gunsock and cutting the seam until it is not unlike the shape of the  unmade rifle bag ....then sewing the sock to the inside of the rifle bag and then finshing the rifle bag in the normal way.

That way, it would act as padding during transport, and one could wipe down the rifle by just rubbing down the rifle while inside the bag ....

[Forty Rod]

Might be a good idea.  Would the silicone bleed through the hide and would it ever need replenishing in any way?

[Kid Terico]

Forty Rod something like this?KT

[ChuckBurrows]

The subject was discussed here - should give you some ideas and hints.....
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,22894.0.html

[JD Alan]

KT that's a fine looking rifle cover there.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Forty-Rod,

I may be way off base here, but shouldn't the rough side be out, so the smooth side is what contacts the firearm?

My concern here is that, over time and use, the rough surface will gradually pick up more and more impurities (sand, dirt, grit, etc.), so that it begins acting like sandpaper against the wood and metal.

Also, with the smooth side in, the bag's water-repelling characteristics will be protected.  If the smooth side is out, the first snag will create a hole through the surface of the smooth side and - Merde! - school is out.

Just my $0.02.

-- Nighteyes

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

+1

   Daniel's is right, IMHO, you don't want anything like suede or the flesh side of leather on the inside, like Daniel said it's a magnet for dirt and crud, I won't line a holster or a gun belt with suede for these reasons, it just gets cruddy after a while, and in a holster it doesn't do anything to help the finish of a gun.

        Regards

    Ten Wolves   

[Kid Terico]

DN and TW u are absolutely right to a point. All unlined holsters are suade side in and harder on finish, not to the extreme as deer hide but same princple.Holsters are smothed out and can be sealed.KT

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

KT, I'm aware of the finishing of an unlined holster, I finish the flesh side of a holster using GT, and a piece of rounded Plexiglas, and then I seal with Tan Kote, but what DN, and I are referring to is having the rough side on the inside of a rifle cover, because the deer skin is more porous on the flesh side, it collects more dirt, and will tend to stay inside the cover, where as the smooth side doesn't have this problem, you can just shake it out, having the flesh/rough side on the outside is also the way the Indian's and Frontiersman made there's, I'm sure they didn't care about there things getting dirty, but a little brushing and dusting off the outside would take care of it, suede presents the same problems, it's fine for concealed carry holsters, where they are protected from the elements, but they don't hold up well in the outdoors, and with heavy use the dirt and gun powder/ grime just gets ground into the suede, and before long it is shinny and flattened out, I much prefer a smooth leather lined holster over suede. IMHO

           Regards

       tEN wOLVES   

[Kid Terico]

TW I couldnt agree more with you. The piece I posted is a show piece for parades ect. Is is not for every day use. Thanks for the info u gave me while talking. KT

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

KT what are pards for

[ChuckBurrows]

having the flesh/rough side on the outside is also the way the Indian's and Frontiersman made there's

Not really - all most all of the original rifle scabbards of this type were made from Indian made braintan leather which has no smooth side, both sides are "sueded" because the hair is scraped off and along with it (most) of the smooth grain.

Water absorption - the smooth side will absorb water just about as fast as the flesh side, especially with buckskin or elk hide - this is based on actual testing - the difference is generally in less than a second and it wicks through from one side to the other in a very short time after that dependent on how wet it goods.- good "theory" but unfortunately in my experience it's just that.
On the other hand either side can have a water resistant finish applied. Plain and simply though there is NO guaranteed way of waterproofing leather.....do like the old timers did and keep your guns well oiled and well cleaned when you can.....

As for suede lining - I don't use it either,but as noted above - how many unlined cow hide holsters do ya'll make with the smooth side in? Yep you can smooth the rough side by burnishing, but it really doesn't make a big difference in the long run. No matter what you do, even a good smooth side lining like calfskin will eventually pick up grit, etc. and on "soft' hides like buckskin the smooth side is not that different from the flesh when it comes to picking up grit - it has a much more open grain and is thus quite porous compared to cowhide. Heck even Kydex picks up and gets embedded with grit after a while.

As for being dirty on the inside of the case - I  use black powder exclusively when using my "period" guns (except for M1911 and Ruger BH,period guns are the only thing I own/use - including flint locks) and I've just never seen that big a deal about the inside getting dirty. FWIW - my experience includes 1,000's of miles on horseback in all kinds of weather while working/hunting - but then again I consider my guns tools and don't worry about pretty. You can always rinse it out with warm water and let dry to remove most of the grit - I do this on my unlined holsters failry regularly.
Long time holster maker Thad Rybka used to put in his catalog regarding wear on the bluing, etc. - "if you're afraid of wear and tear on your guns leave them in the box."

On the other hand when using commercial tanned buckskin with a smooth side if you want to approach the "look" of the originals, then use the rough side out, but in my experience don't kid yourself into thinking it will add more real protection with the smooth side in.

As always take my thoughts as you will, but IMO the overall difference is negligible in my experience........

[GunClick Rick]

Will a buckskin or other skin scabbard stretch over time?

[Gun Butcher]

  Rick, I am sure Chuck will jump back in here but in the meantime I will give ya my two cents worth.
All buckskin or elk hide should be pre-stretched before you cut an article out and in my experience you will still get some more stretch out of them. If they ever get wet the stretch seems endless. I have a pair of elk pants that will gain 6" in length when I get caught in the rain.

[Kid Terico]

GB , one of the picts. I showed were of my fringed elk skin shirt and pants. I had them nylon lined. Not origional but it worked. The first pair I had made stretched big time just from sweating. Still wouldnt want to get them wet but they dont stretch from sweating. KT

[GunClick Rick]

I made one from a hudson blanket for my kentucky rifle,of course my sis sewed(how do ya spell sode) it for me,i wonder how it would work if i covered it in skin  ?

[ChuckBurrows]

As GB and KT noted pre-stretch and/or line them - on commercial tan hides I pre-stretch twice and leave them hang both times at least 48-72 hours out in the sun when possible - if not use a fan on low and a keep the room warm...

Covering the wool should be OK as long as you don't get it sopping wet - the wool will tend to hold the moisture in and keep the leather from drying out properly.....

And here I thought I'd killed this thread...... - figured I'd come off like a know-it-all puke....

[Gun Butcher]

 Aw heck  Chuck, you know leather will last forever ifn its took care of right and we do keep up with it around here

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Know it all?

More like know far more than the average bear  ....

And you have learned by going it .... so if people like me don't listen, to parapharase that hisroian, we are all destined to make the same mistakes over and over ....

I thank you for sharing your experiences with us ...