Culling belts and cartridge slides

[Red Leg]

I expect that having cartridges on the left would be ideal for a double rifle, perhaps less so on a bolt action

My belt is also from Jacques Tredoux. It was stiff when it arrived but a coating of neatsfoot oil sorted that.

I prefer having the cartridges on the left. It stops the cartridges scratching my stock and if I am using a shotgun, I always load from my left pocket, so having the cartridges on the left is instinctive to me.

I am very happy with mine, other than that the design of any such belt exposes brass to sunlight.

It would not work for me.

I have tried the wandering about with two rifle cartridges suspended between the fingers of the left hand and find it so annoying that it is not worth the effort. But that would indeed be a left-hand load.

For me, and I own and shoot a lot of SxS's, rifle and shotgun, the right hand load is far more natural. Of course, I shoot many thousands of rounds more with a shotgun than a rifle. I break open the gun, maintain the left-hand hold, grab two rounds (rifle or shells) from the right hand pouch, pocket, or shell holder, drop them in the chambers, close the gun, and am ready to fire.

I should note, I also do a lot of driven bird shooting where I am carrying a shell bag. It is impossible to shoot naturally right-handed with a shell strap crossing the pocket of the right shoulder to suspend the bag on the left side.

The left hand drill could work on SxS rifles and shotguns that are assisted opening like the Boss, H&H, and especially the Beasley action used by Purdey. Often OU shotguns will wear in sufficiently for the barrels to drop under their own weight when the latch is moved to the right. That is rarely the case with the vast majority of SxS actions which are non-assisted - at least in my experience. However, when using a shell bag, one would still have the mounting issue.

A left-hand ammunition carry would be particularly onerous with a bolt action.

 

[Rare Breed]

I don't hunt around my waste - tends to frighten game.

Lol!!!! Where is spell check on here when I need it!!!! Too funny!!!!!

 

[BeeMaa]

I carry a shell bag for shotgunning while waterfowling or even just shooting clays. I wear it crossbody under my right arm for quick loading and to keep it out of the water. For rifle shooting the rounds are in the cartridge belt on my right hip for easy access.

It'a a personal preference that's easy to slip into and can be difficult to break.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If I can't kill a buffalo with four 400 grain 404 Jeffery in the gun and five on the belt, I guess I deserve to be stomped to death. I can see no sense in carrying fifteen rounds in the field. My five round ammo wallet is made of Cape buffalo leather.

 

[eyedok]

Agree Ontario, mine holds 10 but usually only have 4-5 in it

 

[Borderer]

If I can't kill a buffalo with four 400 grain 404 Jeffery in the gun and five on the belt, I guess I deserve to be stomped to death. I can see no sense in carrying fifteen rounds in the field. My five round ammo wallet is made of Cape buffalo leather.
View attachment 567587

My vie is that it isn’t the one buffalo, it’s the time you drop the rifle on the way and need to re-zero and the other opportunities you come across on the way.

I agree it is unlikely that you will need more than 10 rounds in total but I stalk on an estate in Scotland that insists you have a minimum of 15 cartridges with you when you set off.

Part of the reason I chose the belt I have is that it carries 10 rounds and I don’t want to carry any more with me.

 

[Sideshow]

It would not work for me.

I have tried the wandering about with two rifle cartridges suspended between the fingers of the left hand and find it so annoying that it is not worth the effort. But that would indeed be a left-hand load.

For me, and I own and shoot a lot of SxS's, rifle and shotgun, the right hand load is far more natural. Of course, I shoot many thousands of rounds more with a shotgun than a rifle. I break open the gun, maintain the left-hand hold, grab two rounds (rifle or shells) from the right hand pouch, pocket, or shell holder, drop them in the chambers, close the gun, and am ready to fire.

I should note, I also do a lot of driven bird shooting where I am carrying a shell bag. It is impossible to shoot naturally right-handed with a shell strap crossing the pocket of the right shoulder to suspend the bag on the left side.

The left hand drill could work on SxS rifles and shotguns that are assisted opening like the Boss, H&H, and especially the Beasley action used by Purdey. Often OU shotguns will wear in sufficiently for the barrels to drop under their own weight when the latch is moved to the right. That is rarely the case with the vast majority of SxS actions which are non-assisted - at least in my experience. However, when using a shell bag, one would still have the mounting issue.

A left-hand ammunition carry would be particularly onerous with a bolt action.

@Red Leg I can’t get on with a cartridge bag. You stuff your hand in and the cartridges are all over the shop. Much prefer a belt, on driven bird it’s so much faster. I find the trick is not to look at the on coming birds but to concentrate on the reload. In the lulls I’m stuffing more into the belt from my pockets.

 

[Sideshow]

Better head out looks like I’ll be getting a wet ass today cats and dogs out there at the moment……think I’ll take the 101 the sidelock can stay at home.
I think that belt was one of the first things I brought after my first shotgun

 

[Mark R]

Locally Aussie made.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

My vie is that it isn’t the one buffalo, it’s the time you drop the rifle on the way and need to re-zero and the other opportunities you come across on the way.

I agree it is unlikely that you will need more than 10 rounds in total but I stalk on an estate in Scotland that insists you have a minimum of 15 cartridges with you when you set off.

Part of the reason I chose the belt I have is that it carries 10 rounds and I don’t want to carry any more with me.

If I drop the gun, the scope is coming off. If I dropped it hard enough to mess up the iron sights, I'm probably done hunting and on the way to hospital.

When buffalo are on the menu, everything else is off the table. 404 ammo is too expensive to waste on plains game. I may be rich but I'm not wasteful.

 

[Red Leg]

Locally Aussie made.View attachment 567623View attachment 567620

Very nice. Would be great for deer and PG. Does he build one for right side carry?

 

[ftrovato]

Jacques Tredoux double prong belt and two of his 5 round slides:

View attachment 556119

View attachment 556120


My short review:

Leather Belt & Pouch Review, Jacques Tredoux Leather

For my hunt this year, I wanted to get a dedicated belt with 2 ammo slides, one for soft and one for solids. My father has had an ELS culling belt for about 5 years and it's quite nice though rather pricey now. I was hoping to find something about as nice, but hopefully quite a bit less in...

www.africahunting.com

I bought a few products from Jacques. All of excellent quality!

 

[Mark R]

Very nice. Would be great for deer and PG. Does he build one for right side carry?

The one on the elephant is. A shame but he isn’t doing leatherwork anymore.

 

[TTundra]

When buffalo are on the menu, everything else is off the table. 404 ammo is too expensive to waste on plains game. I may be rich but I'm not wawasteful.

Not necessarily. When on a mixed DG hunt you may change course on the stalk. You may be tracking Buffalo but if you have a Elephant tag and the right one crosses path with you, or you have fresher sign, you may switch gears. I very much appreciated having a carrier for each solids and softs as well as the 4 in my rifle.
The type of hunt dictates for me what my gear will be. PG, cull, lone DG, mixed bag, etc....personal preference and situation at hand all play a factor.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Not necessarily. When on a mixed DG hunt you may change course on the stalk. You may be tracking Buffalo but if you have a Elephant tag and the right one crosses path with you, or you have fresher sign, you may switch gears. I very much appreciated having a carrier for each solids and softs as well as the 4 in my rifle.
The type of hunt dictates for me what my gear will be. PG, cull, lone DG, mixed bag, etc....personal preference and situation at hand all play a factor.

Right. An elephant tag will never be in my pocket. If I'm hunting plains game there's five or six rounds in the Springfield and as many in my pocket. Good Lord, if I can't bring down an animal with six shots, I need to go back to the lodge and fix my gun. Only once have I emptied that gun at an animal. Just five rounds in the rifle and the bull moose soaked up four of them: two in the neck, one bounced off his hip, one shot missed, then last round in the magazine went in the poop chute. Then I had to go back to my pack to reload where I discovered the box of ammo was all empties ... but one loaded round at the very end. Tracked that bull down and attempted to walk up and ensure a lethal shot. Bugger jumped up and came for me about fifteen feet away. Shot it in the head. Didn't have time to look through the scope ... or soil myself.

 

[Rafiki]

I would like to get one of these that caries 8 shells with custom inlays or script available.
View attachment 555846

I would like to get one of these that caries 8 shells with custom inlays or script available.
View attachment 555846

HH

I got mine from African Creations. All they had at the time was the double rifle version as pictured here even though I shoot a Ruger No 1. My PH shoots a Blazer S2 so I gave it to him when I left. IMHO these are the best on the market. Sits very comfortably on my right front hip for instant access. I will be getting the 8-cartridge version on my next trip.

 

[rifletuner]

Locally Aussie made.View attachment 567623View attachment 567620

Sorry for the thread hijack, but that first photo is a ripper.

Can I ask how you find the Trijicon scope?

 

[Mark R]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but that first photo is a ripper.

Can I ask how you find the Trijicon scope?

Thank you. Yeah it’s great. Good eye relief, light and tough. I could do with a little more than 4x at the top end for longer shots that the 416RM allows on antelope sized game.

 

[Rule 303]

Thank you. Yeah it’s great. Good eye relief, light and tough. I could do with a little more than 4x at the top end for longer shots that the 416RM allows on antelope sized game.

Sorry for the continued thread hi jack. G'day Mark which of the Trijicon's do you have. Mine is a 1.25-4 green picket post.

 

[rifletuner]

Thank you. Yeah it’s great. Good eye relief, light and tough. I could do with a little more than 4x at the top end for longer shots that the 416RM allows on antelope sized game.

Thanks

The Trijicons seem like a good option. Shame they are almost impossible to buy in Aus these days.