30.30 leather buttstock bullet loop cuff

[GardeninginCalifornia]

Hello everyone I am getting ready to start a project to make a 30.30 rifle buttstock bullet loop sleeve and was just wondering what size leather is the best for this

[PastorBob]

12 hours ago, GardeninginCalifornia said:

Hello everyone I am getting ready to start a project to make a 30.30 rifle buttstock bullet loop sleeve and was just wondering what size leather is the best for this

Welcome to the forum from SW Missouri.  I would go no more than 9oz and no less than 6-7 oz on the wrap.  Maybe go 5-6oz on the loops for the ammo.  A couple of thoughts...don't use grommets or rivets unless you have a protective layer between them and the stock.

[DoogMeister]

Made one for a single-shot rifle and used what Pastor Bob said.  8-9 oz for the wrap, and 5-6 oz for the cartridge loops.  Used a piece of scrap 6-7 oz for the buttplate cover.  Worked out quite well.  Used a piece of suede scrap to protect from the grommets.  Will have to post pictures.  

[GardeninginCalifornia]

Thank you everyone for the advice and if you had photos it would be helpful 

[Dwight]

For the last 20 years + I have made cartridge loops mainly for gun belts similar to Marshall Dillon and others like him.

I used a design I copied from some place . . .  I've long since forgotten the originator . . .  although he is certainly an intelligent fellow.

The design uses a loop system . . . where you punch a hole . . . pull the cartridge leather up through the hole . . . around the cartridge . . . then back down thru the same hole. 

You use the actual cartridge . . . NOT AN EMPTY ONE  because they have been shot and have expanded somewhat . . .  and you end it with rivets at each end.

You would not use rivets . . . just make the two ends go out an inch and a half or two . . . allow the leather to dry . . . then contact cement them to the backing leather . . . and it'll never move.

You do the work with dampened leather . . .  slightly wetter than you would if you were stamping it with a design.  Pull the loops tight around the bullet . . . and what I do is take the bullet out once I have gotten about 8 or 10 of them done.  The loop will be set by then . . . and pulling out the bullet allows them to shrink just a very slight bit . . . making the loop tight to hold the bullet after it dries and you put on the final finish.  I use resolene . . . it works great.  Just do not put it inside the loops.

Look at the photos enclosed and holler if you have any questions.  

You will like the finish product I am sure.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[PastorBob]

Thanks @Dwight.  That looks lots easier than other ideas I have seen.  I will give that a try.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, PastorBob said:

Thanks @Dwight.  That looks lots easier than other ideas I have seen.  I will give that a try.

I just looked at it real quick . . . noticed one thing I forgot . . . when you cut the leather for the belt loops . . . cut it about 1/16 of an inch wider than the slots you are using.  

That way when it dries . . . it dries with a nock in the leather at both ends of the slot . . . and does not allow the loops to move.

The fellow who gave me the idea also said he used calf leather.  I've never been able to get any calf leather here . . . so I've just used veg tan cowhide . . . have never had any real problems.

May God bless,

Dwight

[PastorBob]

1 hour ago, Dwight said:

I just looked at it real quick . . . noticed one thing I forgot . . . when you cut the leather for the belt loops . . . cut it about 1/16 of an inch wider than the slots you are using.  

That way when it dries . . . it dries with a nock in the leather at both ends of the slot . . . and does not allow the loops to move.

The fellow who gave me the idea also said he used calf leather.  I've never been able to get any calf leather here . . . so I've just used veg tan cowhide . . . have never had any real problems.

May God bless,

Dwight

thanks for that tidbit.  What is the math behind determining the spacing of the slots? So I can make them for different calibers.  

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, PastorBob said:

thanks for that tidbit.  What is the math behind determining the spacing of the slots? So I can make them for different calibers.  

wouldn't it be the diameter of the case plus the leather thickness x2 at the least, you could probably make them wider if wanted.

[chuck123wapati]

6 hours ago, Dwight said:

For the last 20 years + I have made cartridge loops mainly for gun belts similar to Marshall Dillon and others like him.

I used a design I copied from some place . . .  I've long since forgotten the originator . . .  although he is certainly an intelligent fellow.

The design uses a loop system . . . where you punch a hole . . . pull the cartridge leather up through the hole . . . around the cartridge . . . then back down thru the same hole. 

You use the actual cartridge . . . NOT AN EMPTY ONE  because they have been shot and have expanded somewhat . . .  and you end it with rivets at each end.

You would not use rivets . . . just make the two ends go out an inch and a half or two . . . allow the leather to dry . . . then contact cement them to the backing leather . . . and it'll never move.

You do the work with dampened leather . . .  slightly wetter than you would if you were stamping it with a design.  Pull the loops tight around the bullet . . . and what I do is take the bullet out once I have gotten about 8 or 10 of them done.  The loop will be set by then . . . and pulling out the bullet allows them to shrink just a very slight bit . . . making the loop tight to hold the bullet after it dries and you put on the final finish.  I use resolene . . . it works great.  Just do not put it inside the loops.

Look at the photos enclosed and holler if you have any questions.  

You will like the finish product I am sure.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

i watch the marshal almost every day i just noticed his belt loops the other day, they used two rivets on each end. Gotta love the holsters shown on the series not to mention the surprise actors that came on. there was a really cool one on the other day a double rig and the holsters were put on smaller curved straps that hung down from the main belt if i remember they were hung by rings. Wish i could remember the episode.