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.

[Dwight]

39 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

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.

Actually . . . I made em so when the belt was laid down on a table . . . the loops touched each other.  Didn't have to worry when it was being worn . . . rounded backsides always separated them a tad.

I tried following the sewing idea one time . . . doubt if I ever will do it again.  This takes about the same amount of time . . . but I like it much better.  besides that . . . sewn loops have to be sewn back somewhat behind the cartridge . . . or over time . . . they get loose and when the belt is taken off . . . clink clink clink . . . bullets on the floor.

May God bless,

Dwight

2 hours 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.  

Check the above post

May God bless,

Dwight

[Hardrada]

7 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

 

Super duper stupier question: with that design, isn't there risk of pulling on one of the loops and making it larger and the others smaller in diameter? I see you're wetting it, so kinda wet-moulding it would make it stay put, but just wondering.

It would also be interesting to see a picture of a but cover fully done. I've been squeezing my brain trying to make a couple of them with an integrated butt pad, and I just can't figure out how to do it properly, specially what to use for closing/securing it—velcro, snaps, zipper....

[Hardrada]

I had run earlier into another method. Maybe worth taking a look?

 

But, yes, you'll need a liner for loops with rivets.

 

The only similar project I've tried is this one:

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Hardrada

[garypl]

25 minutes ago, Hardrada said:

Super duper stupier question: with that design, isn't there risk of pulling on one of the loops and making it larger and the others smaller in diameter? I see you're wetting it, so kinda wet-moulding it would make it stay put, but just wondering.

It would also be interesting to see a picture of a but cover fully done. I've been squeezing my brain trying to make a couple of them with an integrated butt pad, and I just can't figure out how to do it properly, specially what to use for closing/securing it—velcro, snaps, zipper....

I have used this method and it works great.  I always line the belt so once you glue and sew on the lining the loops cannot move.

 

[Hardrada]

Just now, garypl said:

I have used this method and it works great.  I always line the belt so once you glue and sew on the lining the loops cannot move.

 

Again, lining saves the day. Thanks!

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, Hardrada said:

Super duper stupier question: with that design, isn't there risk of pulling on one of the loops and making it larger and the others smaller in diameter? I see you're wetting it, so kinda wet-moulding it would make it stay put, but just wondering.

It would also be interesting to see a picture of a but cover fully done. I've been squeezing my brain trying to make a couple of them with an integrated butt pad, and I just can't figure out how to do it properly, specially what to use for closing/securing it—velcro, snaps, zipper....

Uhh . . . no . . . the loops always come out the exact same size . . . because the "form" that makes them . . . is the bullet that will be held in them.  And yes . . .  wet molding would probably describe the process accurately.

OK . . . why would you want to integrate a rubber butt pad with a leather butt cover and shell holder . . . with a possible cheek riser on it??  The cheek riser and butt cover  . . .  they go together well . . . 

A butt cover . . . and cartridge loops . . .  they go together well . . . cover, riser, and loops all go togetherwell . . . 

But a rubber butt pad???  

I actually make cheek risers for scope shooters and they work well for some iron sights . . . I just lace em on like the pics enclosed.

This one in the pic used brass grommets . . . it was a test run . . . didn't work out.  We just punch holes in em now . . . and lace thru the holes.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Charley1]

I make and sell 35-45 cartridge belt slides a month, and use the same method shown...punch the oval holes, then thread the strap through the holes, using cartridges as the forms for the wet leather strap. As mentioned, fired brass can cause problems, unless resized to factory spec. Cowboy action shooters seem to like them..

[Hardrada]

2 hours ago, Dwight said:

why would you want to integrate a rubber butt pad with a leather butt cover and shell holder

Recoil.

[stsears]

I always try to use 6-7 oz or heavier for Butt Stock covers especially if they are to support a big caliber bullet. Here is a picture of 1 I did with a Recoil pad cover. This one had no bullet loops.However, I have been building and selling Bullet loops since 1999 and I use the Sewn in method for the Bullet loops. Once you learn this method I think you will be well pleased with it. Richard Black has a real good video on YouTube on how to sew bullet loops. Everyone to their own but I prefer sewn loops to the other style.My shop is a fully Custom Shop so we all the tools that we have to make the customers items. The Stock cover in the picture was sewn on a Cobra Class 4 machine, all 1 piece of leather. Enjoy your work

Steve Sears/Rock'n S Leather Works

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by stsears
add picture

[stsears]

Here is a picture of a Butt Stock Cover I made with as many bullets as I could get on it.  At the Customers request. I think those bullets was .308's Have fun with it.

 

Steve Sears/ Rock'n S Leather Works

[Bert03241]

I assume that the customer must learn to lace it on the gun himself?