Deerskin rifle bag.

[Forty Rod]

I'm thinking maybe I got my deerskin too thin...2 1/2 - 3 ounce.  Seems like the sights will cut right through it.  Should I look for something heavier?

I'll go ahead and finish this one, but may have to use it as a learning project.

[Kid Terico]

Chuck your first reply was very informitive. I learned a lot from the post.KT

[Mogorilla]

Hey 40-rod, I doubled the thickness on my tip (if you follow the Link in Chuck's first reply, mine is in there).   The tip was where I put the bead strip.   I made one for a friend and did a tip that had red wool with a leather over that that had cutouts to show the wool.   Unfortunately I did  not have a camera at the time.  Essentially if you look at my original pic, instead of beads, it was leather and red wool.    His was thin deer skin, mine was elk, so his I put a rosette of wool and leather at the rear sight/hammer area.   That was a couple of years ago and he would have told me if it had a hole.  the "rosette" at the rear was more oval to encompass the area (it was a henry just like mine), I did cutouts on the leather so the wool shown through, and had some pieces cut like fringe with beads and feathers attached. 

[Forty Rod]

I'll have to look at that idea.

I get so many good ideas and hints here I may have to hire a girl to come in a couple of times a week and do some filing.

Thanks to everyone.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

And here I thought I'd killed this thread...... - figured I'd come off like a know-it-all puke....

Actually, Chuck, that's more my job. In fact, I'm a  member of the KIAPA (Know-It-All Pukes of America).  My shop steward will be contacting you...

 

[Forty Rod]

Could I maybe line it with thin canvas or denim, and if so, how would I do it?  Glue it in or sew it...or both...or something else?

[GunClick Rick]

What if ya went to a thrift store and got a long leather belt for a quarter and stitched it in there.That's the problem i have with my blanket one,the sites hang up on the wool.Or what about that stuff tie downs are made of nylon belting..

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Rick;  That is a good idea.  Even some commercial guncases I have get torn by sights.

[Forty Rod]

Kind of a related topic: decoration on the bag.

I have a hundred or so each of some beads that I've heard called "melon beads", one string of red and yellow striped beads, an one of apple green and white stripes.  Four stripes of each color per bead.  These are about 3/16" diameter, much larger than the 10/0 beads that I have used before.  All of the others I've seen used here and elsewhere are solid colors 

I think they are spectacular-looking and I've had them for about 30 years trying to find a use for them. 

Are they authentic to the period, and what suggestions does anyone have for using them?

Thanks.

[GunClick Rick]

Sounds like nice beads,i put a few on the flap on mine but they aren't that nice.