How about measurements for a 12 gauge belt..

[Tommy tornado]

Started working a scout 12 gauge belt kind of like one shown in Paking Iron above John Slaughter.  Going to have the leather loops slightly narrower than the belt and have it hold 10 to 12 shots.  Was wondering if you pards could help this cowboy figure out the length of leather needed for each individual loop and sewing distance for each 12 gauge loop on my belt?

[Luke Short]

I haven't made one yet, but here's how I'd probably figure it out.  I'd take a piece of leather the same weight as i planned to use on the loops and cut it to the right width then lay out a couple of shotgun shells and mark the loop leather where it touches the belt,I'd also probably hold it down with a clippy clothespin, lay it up and over the shotgun shell and mark where it touches again when it's as snug as I wanna make it.  From what I've seen around the loops seem to be sewn around an inch apart on the belt, so it might help to mark them out first then check the size of the loop.  this should give you the length needed for one shell, from there just work the 'rithmatic.  Luke

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Sorry It took a couple days to answer but I had to find my sample loop to get the dimensions. I make my loops from 3-4 oz strap leather. I allow 2" of strap for each loop plus another 1/8" at each end for the stitching. The distance between loops where they are stitched is 15/16". Example: for 10 loops, the length of strap used would be 20 1/4". The distance covered on the belt would be 9 3/8".

I make a little mark on the belt for each loop (remember that there will be 11 stitch lines for 10 loops) and mark all the stitch lines on the strap wiith a stitch marker before sewing anything. Then it's just a matter of doing the stitching. Note: I also double stitch the first and last stitch on each loop so they don't pull out easily. Even then, I still need to re-do one now and then.

[38-72]

I have the same question but for a 10 gauge loop.  Can anyone supply the length of leather needed to create the loop?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I never made a 10 guage belt. It isn't too hard to measure, though. The spacing of the loops is the diameter of the shell plus double the thickness of the leather used. The loop length would probably be ( D x 3.1416 - D ) , where D = the diameter of the shell plus two times the thickness of the leather. Using that formula, my 15/16" diameter (12 ga shell diameter + double thickness of leather) comes out to 2.00775" per loop. I just round it to 2".

Damn, that's a lot of figgerin'. Just lay the leather across the shell for the length.

[Tommy tornado]

Thanks Marshall!    I can always count on you for help.