How to carry .45-70 ammo on this gunbelt?

Doug.38PR · July 08, 2011, 06:15:43 PM

This is a Rio Grande belt with a John Wesley Hardin Crossdraw holster all made by El Paso Saddlery. The gun is a Cavalry .45 Long Colt Uberti Schofield Replica. You can't see them in these photos but the back of the belt has 24 .45 Long Colt cartridge loops.

In the next month I am probably going to match this Cavalry pistol with a Pedersoli Trapdoor Carbine. Based on what I have, what would y'all recommend for getting or using for carrying .45-70 ammuntion?

Thank y'all

Niederlander · July 08, 2011, 06:19:34 PM

You might try a Dyer pouch (1874?) I think they're supposed to carry forty rounds. Might be an option!

SGT John Chapman · July 08, 2011, 06:21:02 PM

Two McKeever Boxes,.......40 rounds,....or a second belt....

Niederlander · July 08, 2011, 06:31:18 PM

Quote from: SGT John Chapman on July 08, 2011, 06:21:02 PM
Two McKeever Boxes,.......40 rounds,....or a second belt....

Another good option!

SGT John Chapman · July 08, 2011, 06:37:07 PM

I did this so I had shotgun shells handy too.....

Doug.38PR · July 08, 2011, 06:54:33 PM

Nice! But wouldn't a second belt get in the way and become cumbersome?

SGT John Chapman · July 08, 2011, 06:58:13 PM

It was and is done a lot....

SGT John Chapman · July 08, 2011, 07:17:21 PM

This one is all 45-70....

Drydock · July 08, 2011, 07:42:07 PM

There are several places to get good equipment, One of my favorites is here. http://www.cooncreekoldwest.com/

and here: http://www.gunfighter.com/trailrider/tr_belts-buckles.html

I'd look at the M1876 Prairie belt to start. Slide your holster over that, then add a pouch for your pistol ammo.

You can also check out the M1887 Mills belt. Hazen Loops are a quick addition to your existing belt, as is the mentioned Dyer pouch.

Basicly, for our game, i reccomend some sort of web belt for the rifle ammo, and a pouch for the pistol.

SGT John Chapman · July 08, 2011, 08:07:55 PM

I'm a poor boy,......I make my own everything.......

pony express · July 08, 2011, 09:23:13 PM

Quote from: SGT John Chapman on July 08, 2011, 08:07:55 PM
I'm a poor boy,......I make my own everything.......

I'm a no-talent boy. If I made it myself it'd look like a 2nd grade project.

Coon Creek has several options, mentioned by Drydock. Some of the other leather makers have similar belts. If you want a civilian look, some of them have similar belts with non-military buckles.

Niederlander · July 08, 2011, 10:30:11 PM

Quote from: pony express on July 08, 2011, 09:23:13 PM
I'm a no-talent boy. If I made it myself it'd look like a 2nd grade project.

Coon Creek has several options, mentioned by Drydock. Some of the other leather makers have similar belts. If you want a civilian look, some of them have similar belts with non-military buckles.

Mine generally don't look even THAT good!

Doug.38PR · July 09, 2011, 01:36:48 AM

I like the idea of two McKeever boxes. BUT how can I be sure they will fit my particular belt. I checked on one of the websites referenced and it doesn't ask to specify belt size.

How would one wear a second belt and it not be in the way? The only practical way I can really see is to sling it over your body like a bandolier

Mossyrock · July 09, 2011, 10:08:20 AM

OK...silly question...how MANY 45-70 rounds do you want to carry? If it is just a few, put five in the first five loops on your right side. The loops will stretch to fit them, and they will be right at hand for a quick reload.

pony express · July 09, 2011, 10:21:48 AM

Quote from: Doug.38PR on July 09, 2011, 01:36:48 AM
I like the idea of two McKeever boxes. BUT how can I be sure they will fit my particular belt. I checked on one of the websites referenced and it doesn't ask to specify belt size.

How would one wear a second belt and it not be in the way? The only practical way I can really see is to sling it over your body like a bandolier

If you order from Coon Creek, just call then. He can tell just how big the loops are, and he can have them made different if you need it. They made me a pistol cartridge box with extra large loops to fit on a Mills belt, and also a holster with loop that would fit it.

Two belts isn't a problem, lots of CAS folks wear a seperate shotgun belt. You can wear it right above the pistol belt.

Hangtown Frye · July 09, 2011, 10:34:36 AM

Quote from: Doug.38PR on July 09, 2011, 01:36:48 AM
I like the idea of two McKeever boxes. BUT how can I be sure they will fit my particular belt. I checked on one of the websites referenced and it doesn't ask to specify belt size.

How would one wear a second belt and it not be in the way? The only practical way I can really see is to sling it over your body like a bandolier

McKeever boxes were made with belt loops to fit the standard leather sword/pistol belt (no cartridge loops). Its probably going to be too tight a fit for your cartridge belt with loops already on it, unless you wet the leather and stretch it out some.

As per wearing two belts, yeah, it can be a bit uncomfortable, but that's what they did. Tom Horn said that wearing a pair of cartridge belts full of "100 rounds of .45-70 ammo at the beginning of a campaign weighed 11 pounds. By the end of the campaign the same belt weight approximately the same as a small locomotive." Add a large revolver to it and it does get heavy.

Awkward as it is, it's still the most efficient way of carrying lots of large-bore ammunition.

Cheers,

Gordon

Doug.38PR · July 09, 2011, 01:47:17 PM

Quote from: Mossyrock on July 09, 2011, 10:08:20 AM
OK...silly question...how MANY 45-70 rounds do you want to carry? If it is just a few, put five in the first five loops on your right side. The loops will stretch to fit them, and they will be right at hand for a quick reload.

I like the idea of carrying 40-60 rounds. I'd rather not stretch the cartridge loops so as to keept them sized for .45 Long Colt. Since there are only 24 cartridge loops and not 50, there is a bit of room on the right side of the belt.

The width of the belt is is 2 3/4"

Niederlander · July 09, 2011, 09:17:13 PM

At our club shoot today, I used a Carbine Cartridge Box without a block to hold loose .50-70 rounds. It worked very well with an 1868 Trapdoor Springfield. I didn't experiment yet with how many rounds it will hold, but I'm quite sure it's more than the twenty rounds it's made to hold. I wore it on a looped cartridge belt that's also made to fit .50-70 rounds. Now I just need to come up with a pouch for pistol ammunition. You can see my rig on the Department of the Missouri Facebook page. I will admit that between the forty rounds in loops and the loose rounds in the box, not to mention two and a half pounds of pistol, it gets a little heavy.

Drydock · July 09, 2011, 09:30:30 PM

For what we do, you only need one belt, one holster and one pouch.

Marshal Deadwood · July 09, 2011, 09:41:19 PM

You guys that have Coon Creeks cartridge belts,,what do ya think of the quality of them ? He seems pretty dang reasonable on his prices.