Culling belts and cartridge slides

[Mark R]

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.

G’day Greg, mine is the 1-4 with orange dot #4.

 

[Rule 303]

Thanks

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

The ones you can buy nowadays are a 1-4 and about 4" of eye relief the earlier ones like I have a 5" eye relief. They are also a very rugged scope.

 

[rifletuner]

The ones you can buy nowadays are a 1-4 and about 4" of eye relief the earlier ones like I have a 5" eye relief. They are also a very rugged scope.

5" eye relief would be ideal. Seems most scopes in the 1-4 1-6 range are built for the AR/223 market, so eye relief has come way down on most offerings.

 

[Philip Glass]

Phillip you got enough bullets there?.....planning on starting a war....

When hunting Tuskless you can literally get into a war! Seriously with the light weight Trader Keith belt you don't really notice all the weight of the ammo. If I had worn a traditional leather culling belt it would have been quite heavy with that much ammo.

 

[Tex .416]

This thread nudged me into making a few orders from Els and also Jacques Tredoux for comparison.

First let me make clear, both make excellent quality products. Any preference really is mostly subjective. After an initial order from each maker, I made a followup order from Jacques Tredoux for a few more things. So interpret that as you may, but both are excellent.

I needed a new shaving kit, so gave Jacques’ leather kit a try. It is excellent, large, roomy, and well constructed. Definitely worthy of a mention and recommendation.

Pouches with the leopard are made by Jacques Tredoux. He offers a choice of initials, elephant, Cape Buffalo, leopard, and kudu. I think he also perhaps offers custom laser work, but not sure about that. Tredoux’s work are the four on the right with the leopard.

The Els products, the two on the left, have Els’ logo.

Tredoux uses a bit heavier and stiffer grade of leather with some nice trim on it. Els’ leather is stout and high quality too.

Both use leather retaining loops inside. So they should last longer than elastic loops.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

When hunting Tuskless you can literally get into a war! Seriously with the light weight Trader Keith belt you don't really notice all the weight of the ammo. If I had worn a traditional leather culling belt it would have been quite heavy with that much ammo.

Phil, I have used the Trader Keith culling belt for a very long time. I can put a few rounds of .470 or xtra rounds. Fortunately once upon a time in the Zambezi valley it was full.

One other quality you can can cut the belt tonque stitching and move it out to compensate for drinking to many Castle’s.

 

[Houston Bill]

Murray Leather Cartridge Belt with leather loops. It will hold anything based on the 375H&H (like the 257WBY or even 458LOTT) equally well.

View attachment 556094

I have this same Murray Leather Cartridge Belt except I have the version with the elastic loops. Fits me well and I take it on all my safaris.

 

[Altitude sickness]

for my Jacques Tredoux products. The belts were stiff. Using Lexol and flexing,twisting, working the leather isn’t gotten very supply. I also wear the culling belt during practice to shape it to my hips. It’s much better than when new. I did this with my everyday pants belt also.

I’ll take my culling belt and my cotton belt with slides

 

[HankBuck]

Murray Leather Cartridge Belt with leather loops. It will hold anything based on the 375H&H (like the 257WBY or even 458LOTT) equally well.

View attachment 556094

Nice ammo Belt - looks great and the leather looks strong enough to Tow-a-truck !

 

[HankBuck]

While hunting mule deer in the sandhills of West Texas for 26 years, have noticed many times friends stainless barrels shining from long distances - have since gotten rid of all of my stainless - was very noticeable even at very long distances

EYEdok, I also don’t care for the “shine” of stainless but the function and carefree advantage is a “plus” on some hunts. Since I find most stainless rifles or MZ “ugly” anyway — I run a strip of soft camo tape down the barrel when I hunt with it….then remove the tape when putting it away after the season. It makes the rifle look bad - but it was never a Prom Queen to start with ! (PS - I’d NEVER do this to one of my nicely blued/wood stocked rifles)

 

[Philip Glass]

As a leather-worker I’m always interested in seeing what leather gear folks enjoy and their philosophy of use. There may be another thread where this has already hashed out, but if not.

What is your favorite culling belt/cartridge slide and why?

Hope everyone is doing well. God bless!

Murray Custom Leather ammo carriers for everything up to my .450/400. They are the best and most practical that I know of.When I am using the double I have a Trader Keith culling belt that is very light weight.

 

[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.
View attachment 567587

This Cape buffalo hide ammo slide was designed for 375 but with a bit of effort I made it work for 404J. Oiled it liberally, heating it with hair dryer between coats. Then I forced 404 cartridges into the loops upside down to stretch them top to bottom. The loops just lightly grasp cartridges. Best part is it only cost $30! Stitching is very stout and buffalo hide is like armor plate. Maybe not real glamorous but this slide will do the job and should last several lifetimes. The maker is African Game Industries Inc. They have a huge product line of stuff made from African animal leather and their prices are very reasonable. Find them on ebay. Oh, and they advertise as made in USA. They also make ten-round slides, ammo wallets, skeet bags, etc.

 

[Altitude sickness]

African Game Industries Inc Makes some nice products at a reasonable price. And when using your leather it’s very well priced.

 

[Tex .416]

for my Jacques Tredoux products. The belts were stiff. Using Lexol and flexing,twisting, working the leather isn’t gotten very supply. I also wear the culling belt during practice to shape it to my hips. It’s much better than when new. I did this with my everyday pants belt also.

I’ll take my culling belt and my cotton belt with slides

I actually like the stiffness of the leather he uses. fwiw - I wear a very stiff double thick western Ranger belt or else a Wilderness Instructor brlt with a plastic insert to make it rigid. I carry a full size pistol and the stiffness keeps everything in place.

 

[Altitude sickness]

You’re correct his every day belts could be used like a Ranger belt

 

[Happy Myles]

You cannot go wrong using anything Murray makes

 

[Altitude sickness]

Here is my culling belt, 2 pants belts. And a cotton and leather belt with ammo slide

 

[Velo Dog]

After a lifetime of trying various brands and styles, including a couple of terrible ones of my own design and stitching, this Murray Leather cartridge belt remains my all time favorite.
It is cattle leather (bullhide ?), very pliable and comfortable, handy, etc. yet tough as nails.

Also, just as others here have already said, I’ve never figured out why some makers place their loops on the left side of their products, when the world is primarily right handed.

That makes absolutely no sense to me.
But I guess it’s just one if those mysteries that shall remain unsolved in my tiny little brain.

 

[Altitude sickness]

 

[alby]

Some nice options here, I have an Els & Co and a Galco. Both are great but decided to have a try at knife making and thus sheaths and then an attempt at a cartridge pouch. First effort, great fun and a steep learning curve!