Bullet loop tutorial of sorts

[badger]

Centre to centre, the loops are spaced slightly over one round-width apart.

I usually measure one and them step off the lengths with wing dividers along the looping, then do the same with the slots. Another advantage of this system is that looping can be skived and joined invisibly in the bits between the slots under the leather, glued and then secures with the rivet, if you run out on a 30 loop belt.

I usually skive the tail end and glue it to the underside of the leather and secure it with a final rivet.

All you see from the outside is a single rivet, then a row of neat loops and then another rivet, nothing else. Neat and tidy.

Cheers,

Badger

[rhall]

I also use one loop per cartridge but I use four stitches between each loop a lot of needle work but I like the final product!

[JohnD]

Sorry to revive an old thread, But, I was asked to make a shotshell holder for a 12ga. I did a search and found this thread. As I was working out my measurements with some scrap, I came up with this, which I thought some folks might be interested in if you didn't want to use rivets. I plan on using Badger's method of one slot per loop..

I cut my loop material the same width as the belt. Then I trimmed the areas for the loops.

Then I pushed the trimmed areas through the slots and checked the fit of the shells.

[JohnD]

This makes it so you can just run your stitching along the top and bottom of you loops, or just stitch everything when you sew your lining. I thought this might be a nice clean way to get your cartridge loops in without any extra fastening.

Just wanted to share with anyone who might be interested. Sorry about the crappy pics, this is why I don't post much in the way of work I've done.

And Thanks Jbird for starting the thread. The people on this site are the reason I can feel comfortable trying new things with leather.

John

I case anyone is curious: my slot spacing on the belt was 7/8" ( 3/4" would probably be a little tighter though). The loop length was 2-11/16" and is a nice snug fit to the shell. I plan on using 2/3 oz leather for the loops, unless someone thinks it's a bad idea? The customer was worried about it being too bulky. And the loops will be a bit deeper when I do the real one.

Edited June 22, 2009 by JohnD