Cowboy Single Action loading strips

[noobleather]

G'day all.

I finally got round to making some more .357 mag bullet loading strips for some guys at my club.

Started off measuring up and punched out the slot ends

 

 

 

Then stamped my designs

Edited August 12, 2019 by noobleather

[noobleather]

Then died the leather and cut out welts.

 

Next came threading the loops and then punching holes for stitching the loops in.

 

[noobleather]

[noobleather]

All glued up and edging done.

[RockyAussie]

Well done @noobleather. Thanks for sharing the processing steps with us all.

[Scoutmom103]

Those look nice.

 

[Dwight]

OK, . . . I'm confused, . . . how do you use them?

Looks like something you would load up, . . . toss in a shooting bag, . . . 

Are they worn in any way on the body?

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

[dikman]

Dwight, normally Single Action stages use 10 rounds for pistols and 10 for rifle, so a loading strip holding 20 rounds is used to take the ammo to the loading table (firearms are only loaded immediately prior to shooting the stage). It also ensures that you have the correct number of rounds to load - I once accidentally loaded 11 in the rifle, which only left 9 for the revolvers.

Most use a loop of leather/lace to hang it from the belt or the hammer of a revolver.

Noob, did you stitch between each loop? I've never found it necessary to do that as once it's fed through the slots it doesn't move.

[noobleather]

Great explanation Dickman thanks.

Yes I stitched between each loop. Just to make sure they never move. I hate stitching but don't like making things for mates that break.

[dikman]

Fair enough. What about using those double-cap rivets instead? Might be easier and quicker than stitching and be decorative too.

[fredk]

A very functional item made extremely nice looking. It'll be a pleasure to the owners to have these

[noobleather]

Thanks for the kind comments.

Dikman I did make up a prototype with riveted bullet loops. It will suit some cowboy shooters rigs but some people like their leather works plainer. Personal choice I guess. Happy to use rivets as it means less stitching time for me

[Dwight]

Thanks noobleather and Dikman, . . . I am not into Cowboy action shooting, . . . so that was WAyyyyyyyy  over my head.  But they still are darned nice.

AND . . . noobleather, . . . I make those loops in every gun belt I make, . . . never had to stitch even one of em.  I use 3/4 calf leather, . . . cut it about 3/32 wider than the slot, . . . pull it thru and around the bullet, . . . back out the same hole, . . . once it dries, it'll never move.

Of course, . . . I help that along with a couple light coats of Resolene, . . .  mixed 50/50 with  water, . . . makes em solid as a Republican judge.

May God bless,

Dwight

[noobleather]

6 hours ago, Dwight said:

Thanks noobleather and Dikman, . . . I am not into Cowboy action shooting, . . . so that was WAyyyyyyyy  over my head.  But they still are darned nice.

AND . . . noobleather, . . . I make those loops in every gun belt I make, . . . never had to stitch even one of em.  I use 3/4 calf leather, . . . cut it about 3/32 wider than the slot, . . . pull it thru and around the bullet, . . . back out the same hole, . . . once it dries, it'll never move.

Of course, . . . I help that along with a couple light coats of Resolene, . . .  mixed 50/50 with  water, . . . makes em solid as a Republican judge.

May God bless,

Dwight

Thanks for that advise Dwight. A little wider would make it tighter to pull through and then it would grip nice and snug. I will have to give that a try on my next bullet loading strip for sure. Thankyou

Yes holsters and gun belt are next.

[Rockoboy]

Really nice looking job. Very well finished.

[noobleather]

29 minutes ago, Rockoboy said:

Really nice looking job. Very well finished.

Cheers Rockoboy

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, noobleather said:

Thanks for that advise Dwight. A little wider would make it tighter to pull through and then it would grip nice and snug. I will have to give that a try on my next bullet loading strip for sure. Thankyou

Yes holsters and gun belt are next.

This is not any kind of fancy, . . . it is my personal holster and gun belt, . . . as of now it is about 15 yrs old, . . . feels better each time I put it on.

AND of course it is made the way I described to you.

May God bless,

Dwight

[noobleather]

34 minutes ago, Dwight said:

This is not any kind of fancy, . . . it is my personal holster and gun belt, . . . as of now it is about 15 yrs old, . . . feels better each time I put it on.

AND of course it is made the way I described to you.

May God bless,

Dwight

15 years old? Still looks in great condition, must be due to the workmanship 

Like the matching buckles

 

[Dwight]

6 hours ago, noobleather said:

15 years old? Still looks in great condition, must be due to the workmanship 

Like the matching buckles

 

Actually, . . . the story behind that buckle set is I saw the belt buckle hanging in the Tandy store, . . . bought it for my own personal dress buckle.  

Got it home, . . . took a better look, . . . decided to break down and make my own cowboy rig, . . .  kinda sorta like the Duke's rig he wore in the last 5 or 6 westerns he did.

Then I had to go get the little buckle and the conchos to finish it.

Opening up the little buckles bag, . . . finally saw the design name on it "Diablo", . . . had to laugh that here is a church pastor with a cowboy rig, . . . buckle set is the "Devil" in spanish.

Still chuckle about it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[noobleather]

3 hours ago, Dwight said:

Actually, . . . the story behind that buckle set is I saw the belt buckle hanging in the Tandy store, . . . bought it for my own personal dress buckle.  

Got it home, . . . took a better look, . . . decided to break down and make my own cowboy rig, . . .  kinda sorta like the Duke's rig he wore in the last 5 or 6 westerns he did.

Then I had to go get the little buckle and the conchos to finish it.

Opening up the little buckles bag, . . . finally saw the design name on it "Diablo", . . . had to laugh that here is a church pastor with a cowboy rig, . . . buckle set is the "Devil" in spanish.

Still chuckle about it.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hahahha 

Don't wear the rig to church do you??

[dikman]

I was about to ask the same thing.

And " makes em solid as a Republican judge. " made me laugh.

[Dwight]

5 hours ago, noobleather said:

Hahahha 

Don't wear the rig to church do you??

Actually my church gun is also a .45, . . . but it is the more modern style, . . . more easily concealed, . . . more quickly reloaded, . . . and holds 9 to start with, . . . a 50% improvement over the old West favorite.

I can also hit something with it, . . . the cowboy gun will hit a gallon milk bottle in my hands if it ain't over about 10 feet away, . . . lol.

May God bless,

Dwight

[dikman]

Dwight, the gun control crowd here in Oz would go into screaming hysterics at the thought of a pastor wearing a concealed firearm in church! I love it!

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

Dwight, the gun control crowd here in Oz would go into screaming hysterics at the thought of a pastor wearing a concealed firearm in church! I love it!

If you are going to poke the Oz bear, . . . poke him with the idea that you "heard of" a pastor that not only carries concealed, . . . but has been known to don a set of body armor as well.

Make up your popcorn and milkshake ahead of time, . . . the show should be fun to watch if you have enough snacks.

May God bless,

Dwight