Best Cartridge Bags

Most shooting people recoil at the thought of being fashionable, but during the last 5 years there has been a considerable shift in cartridge bag colours, we used to sell roughly 50% dark brown and the other 50% were light havana , oxblood and mid tan. Now we are are asked almost exclusively for dark havana ( bourneville chocolate colour ) which makes life easier for us but I do miss the oxbloods and the greens! But please choose what ever colour you want - we can supply cowhide in all colours and in many prints - pebble effect, croc print etc. etc.

Perhaps the construction of a best cartridge bag might be of interest. 100 cartridges used to weigh 10 lbs but if you are an up and under man then your bag may weigh 15lbs - quite a lot, nowadays even Gentlemen shoot 42grms! So gravity is the main consideration in the construction of a bag . It must have a " belly band " this is a broad thick strap that is sewn to outside of the bag around the bottom and finishes at either side with the buckles that connect to the strap; so that the strap is carrying the whole weight of the cartridges via the belly band, the bag itself simply contains the contents.

Cartridge bags whose flaps wont stay open are a nuisance and the rapid load bag with its long steel rod hinge has proved so successful that this is the only model we now make. This full length hinge rod also acts in the same way as the flat bar at the front and helps keep the two sides apart - my 150 bag which takes 175 impax is 28 years old and is still in perfect shape, but of course it doesn't get as much use as I would like.

Linings; bags are lined with suede pigskin and we usually have a wide choice - in order of popularity green, red, blue, grey and brown. Please make your choice, we often have different shades of these principal colours.

All bags have a very wide oval opening at the top and grabbing cartridges is made easy.

You have a choice of sizes, 50, 75, 100, 150, 250 and we have just made a 450.

Our bag patterns were made many years ago ( over 50 ) when most cartridges were rolled turnover. These squibs had bulky powders and were about 1/2" longer than the modern crimped ones. So our 100 size bag will hold about 110 modern cartridges and 150 bag 170ish and pro rata for the smaller ones.

Perhaps I should say that all bags can be matched with new Gun slips and indeed we get many orders from people replacing tired kit with matching bags and slips. As leather varies from batch to batch ordering together does make sense.

Initials are included in the price and we can block crests, monograms etc.If you are fussy about the positioning of dots ( and dashes ) please say so. It seems fashionable at present to have no dots!

Best cartridge bag (Cowhide).

50 size - £220 plus Vat
75 size - £235 plus Vat
100 size - £250 plus Vat
150 size - £280 plus Vat
250 size - £365 plus Vat
450 size - £490 plus Vat

Quick pockets (Not Bag)

100 size - £50 plus Vat
150 size - £55 plus Vat

I have copied one of their cartridge bags which is in effect a small duffel bag. We make this bag with Sedgewicks panel hide, this leather is slightly more supple and heavier than the Spanish leather but we make it this way because it will better stand up to our elements. The bag is 13 inches high by 8 inches in diameter and closed by a very strong leather thong, it has a simple double thickness handle which you would expect in a bag of this nature.

Designed will hold more than 250 cartridges, it is an ideal receptacle for keeping in the car and emptying your pockets into at the end of the day or indeed as the Spanish use it for taking spare cartridges on a really hot drive or when you need ammo for two. This bag has a 9mm plywood disc built into its base, so it will take any amount of weight - I have seen them used for fishing tackle and many other uses - a useful all rounder.