Shot Pouches.

Prompted by Karl's post where he mentions carrying the shot pouch high, I decided to make this post. First let me say that I totally agree with Karl, the shot pouch should be carried as high as practicable. I have seen shot pouches literally hanging down to the knees. But being too high can also be a problem when you come to use it, even if it does ride well.

Photo Curtesy of "The Complete Black Powder Handbook By Sam Fadala.

This may be okay for shooting on the range, but it is a little too low for using in the woods.

The only way you can judge is to try the pouch out. Can you get your hand into the pouch easily? My youngest son's shot pouch is much larger than mine, so it can be worn higher if he wishes. This shot pouch was originally designed for use with a Brown Bess musket. Smoothbore shot pouches tended to be larger because they had a little more to carry. The smoothbore can use round ball, swan shot (buckshot) or bird shot, or any combination of two of these. Kaelem uses this pouch now with a .32 cal flintlock rifle, so he has plenty of room inside.

Kaelem's Shot Pouch.

My shot pouch in comparrison is much smaller, even though it is designed for use with my .62 cal fusil. But I like a small pouch, and I have got used to it over the years and can find anything I need by touch. I carry my pouch as high as I can and still be able to get my hand inside.

The Author's Shot Pouch.

The powder horn should also ride high, higher than the shot pouch. You do not want the powder horn on top of your shot pouch & getting in the way of accessing the pouch. In use the gun can be liftet/raised to the powder horn to prime the pan, & it is no problem filling the powder measure.

Author's Powder Horn.

Here you can see that my shot pouch rides high on my hip. Any higher & I can't comfortably get my hand inside. The powder horn you can just see under my arm, and it rides high above my shot pouch. Both are easily kept under controle when stooping or running as can be seen from the following video.

The 18th Century Shot Pouch.