Gun Cart Substitutes

[Judge Lewis 0]

I am new to CAS and have been gathering the required guns, ammo, leather, etc. I have also started to reload. But I have looked at gun carts and don't know which way to go with these. I have been pondering whether there are any substitutes for gun carts. I went over to the barn and retreived my old saddle bags. I cleaned them up and wonder if it would work to use them to carry what I need while holding my rifle with action open, pointed upward and my break open shot gun open.

[Grizzly Dave 699]

Yup, that will work, I've seen it done. You need to make sure that the range has racks on each stage to put your long guns in when you aren't shooting. But sooner or later I think you'll want a cart especially at ranges that are a bit bigger and have a longer walk from parking.

[Rooster Ron Wayne 1,093]

The most Inxpencive way I have seen

Is a 30.00 Dolly with a wood box and a bunge cord.

And With your saddle bags you will be all set till you moove up.

[Kidd Krystin 0]

A couple of people I know use wheel barrows. You would, of course, need scabbards for the long guns.

[Grizzly Dave 699]

A cheap used jogging stroller can be modified into a dandy gun cart without too much work as well.

[Ace_of_Hearts 646]

I have seen a gentleman that used an old golf bag.

[Creeker, SASS #43022 1,691]

Ask ANYONE on the posse that has space for your guns and no one else on their cart if you may share?

And if you offer to push the cart from stage to stage in exchange, that will almost always receive an affirmative.

 

At away shoots, Buffalo Sam and I have had this deal for years - We use his cart - I push.

 

Now that Desert Scorpion is shooting with me - she uses my cart and... I still push.

Hmm, I need to think about this.

[Marshal Chance Morgun 449]

Yep, An old golf pull cart will work as a short term fix.

[Hoss 691]

My first cart was a heavy wooden one, bought it used. It was fine, but was too heavy for me to westle in the back of the Expedition. After throwing my back out loading it in December, I broke down and bought a rugged gear cart. Haven't been sorry I did. The are a little pricey, but definitely work. If you're handy with tools you can probably convert a jogging stroller. Or build a lighter weight wooden one.

[Badlands Beady 60]

You're going to want a cart. Do the math: revolvers alone are 2.5 lbs each, short rifle and shotgun say 6 lbs each, five stages-worth of cartridges and shotgun shells 4(?) lbs, water bottle/canteen 1 lb. I make that 22 lbs, minimum. Doesn't sound like much, but some of us old farts have trouble hauling ourselves around, let alone our guns and gear. And what happens if you trip and fall? Not very many ranges are manicured like putting greens. Or, you're walking along and you drop something; how are you going to pick it up?

 

My first couple of shoots, I used a luggage cart with a milk crate at the bottom, and bungee cords to keep everything in place. It worked, but I also volunteered for overtime at work so I could get a Rugged Gear 4-gun cart as soon as possible.

[Big Whiskey Jim SASS 74667 0]

I use a welding cart I got from harbor freight that I modified with some scrap wood. We are saving up for a rugged gear cart though.

[spittoon otool 0]

I made mine, its small, lite, and holds everything.

 

[Outrider Outlaw 213]

Longshot Lillian and I have been using a used jogging stroller that she found alongside the road in somebody's cast out trash. We're in the process of making it a little more usable as a gun cart, but so far it has worked just fine for us.

[Straight Arrow Hombre 193]

think of the smallest size that will work and then get something smaller.

[Anvil Al #59168 110]

I am new to CAS and have been gathering the required guns, ammo, leather, etc. I have also started to reload. But I have looked at gun carts and don't know which way to go with these. I have been pondering whether there are any substitutes for gun carts. I went over to the barn and retreived my old saddle bags. I cleaned them up and wonder if it would work to use them to carry what I need while holding my rifle with action open, pointed upward and my break open shot gun open.

 

 

Seen a few shooters start that way.

Did not take them long to get a cart.

 

carts don't have to cost a lot. I made my first few our of scrap wood I had laying around.

 

Check with the local club. Some might have a few old ones they would sell you cheap. Or let you use

for awhile to get you started.

 

If you lived around here. I have some of my old ones I would give you.

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163 20]

while holding my rifle with action open, pointed upward and my break open shot gun open. I would use a couple of soft cases. Once the long guns are in the case, they would be considered safe. You would not have to worry about sweeping anyone. You could lay them down anywhere without worrying about finding a rack.

 

Your best bet is to look around for someone with a large cart with some slots open and ask for a ride. You will have to push the cart.

 

I started out with a bright yellow 2-wheel dolly with a red milk crate bungied to it. It was apparent I was in the market for a cart and received several offers on used carts.

 

Chancy

[Buckeye Pete, SASS # 29941 8]

Judge,

 

You have received some great suggestions above. I would add that whatever you come up with, it is not too heavy and awkward to load. I have a tank of a gun cart built by a local cowboy shooter. It holds everything, but is way heavy and difficult to load into my pickup. After hurting my back a couple of times, I built a set of ramps out of 1x8 pine and it solved the loading problem. I'm still looking for the ultimate gun cart, have not found it yet. Good luck.

 

Buckeye Pete

[Griff 934]

A cart is NOT a necessity. It is however, a great convenience. I didn't have a cart until 2006. (I started shooting in 1985), means I went a LONG time without a cart. In fact, I actually view them as a evil contrivance. I remember their first appearance at an End Of Trail... I still remember and admire the gent who built the first one... I even own one of his later models. But, that doesn't negate the fact that they are bulky, more often than not, in the way of easy, safe ingress/egress around loading and unloading tables... generally only attractive to their owner, seldom of use to anyone but the person that parks them, usually in everyone else's way. If the rare person parks theirs to allow ease of access for others to loading and unloading tables, be sure that the other 14 folks on the posse will surely park theirs in a solid line between the one courteous person and the loading/unloading table. Effectively sealing off access as if it were a line of police cars with "do not cross" tape strung between them.

 

Before a friend took pity and gave me an old one... I used my saddle bags and carried/held shotgun and rifle, except for those few (and far between) places that had gun racks. Or, as Creeker suggests, I have, when traveling to distant shoots (or just luckily happen upon one), asked to share a cart with another shooter, or borrow one if the club has loaners (which some clubs do).

 

Oh, and I'm not always the courteous person I'd like others to be... just so that we're clear.... I don't have

painted on the driver's door of my truck for nothing!

[Grizzly Dave 699]

Griff - I'm lucky to shoot at clubs with wide and deep bays, lots of room to park carts without getting in the way. During the summer months I often try to park my cart so that the shade thrown by my umbrella falls on the cart where the score keeper sits, they sure appreciate that.

 

Absent racks or putting your long guns in another cowboys cart, holding them all day really isn't a viable option in my mind. Kinda hard to do posse chores holding two long guns, or get a drink, or visit the outhouse, or or or.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 5,153]

Rugged Gear is well worth the $$$

Their CS is GREAT.

http://www.ruggedgear.com/

 

My wife and I use a 'delux' model.

You will want 'muzzle-up' style.

LG

[Noz 1,196]

My cart is built on a free jogging stroller. Rugged Gear is nice but mine was free.

[evil dogooder 704]

Ive used a couple hard cases, strollers appropriated from my kids, and made my heavy cart from a torch cart

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 5,153]

My cart is built on a free jogging stroller. Rugged Gear is nice but mine was free.

So was mine ......................My wife bought it for us..........

LG

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974 105]

You will tire of carrying your guns and gears quickly and want something to carry them. The absolute cheapest starting gun cart is to go to Good Will or equivalent and purchase the biggest golf bag you can find and a pull three wheel golf cart. Should be able to get both for a total of less than $20 or so. Cut all the insides out of the golf bag t and it will easily hold the rifle and shotgun.

[SOUTH-PACIFIC,SASS #59402 14]

three wheel strollers can be modified verry easly and can look just like a rugged gear only won't have the purdy rugged gear logo. do a good look around.i have a couple baby carts in my storage shack now

[Grizzly Dave 699]

I picked one up off of craigslist for like twenty bucks, I'd been thinking of making a cart out of it, and still may, but would up just using the easy detach wheels on a wooden cart instead.

[Russ N. Hound # 0]

http://www.cowboyandcowgirl.com/assets/images/houndcart01.jpg

This is my cart based on a jogger stroller. Had it a long time. I also have plans for a simple cart that fits together easily. Feel free to download the plans free.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974 105]

http://s274.photobucket.com/user/mickeyboat/media/012.jpg.html

 

This cart made from a baby stoller with three wheels.

 

The above photos shows a slightly different type of gun cart. Wife and I
needed a cart that would haul the most in the lightest weight cart we
could find. To roll over pea gravel easily a three wheel cart was
chosen. The entire cart is made from quarter inch plywood. Bought the
baby stroller from Goodwill for $15. Had to put on new heavy duty
tires, heavy duty tubes, tire liners, and green slime to allow it to be
pushed around the cactus in the desert. My son has built another cart
using this cart as a model. The photos show a foam core mockup I had to
make to get all the angles correct.

 

I still use this cart, but once Rugged Gear came out with their 4 gun cart

I bought one of them and use it mostly in Az and the above cart in Wa.

[Blastmaster 0]

You can case and uncase your longguns into soft cloth zippered case at each stage. Just hold long gun vertical straight up as you slip the case over the barrel. Then lay the cased guns in a gun rack, if available or on ground pointed into side berm and out of the way of traffic. Carry ammo in a duffle bag of sorts. A gun cart sure is nicer, but it also requires a truck or larger SUV to haul around.

[Badlands Beady 60]

 

A gun cart sure is nicer, but it also requires a truck or larger SUV to haul around.

I permanently store my 4-gun Rugged Gear in the trunk of my Subaru Legacy sedan, along with all my other range gear (targets, stands, etc). For a shoot, I throw in my Cowboy gear, guns and ammo, and I'm off. Sometimes I take enough that I have to put stuff in the back seat.

[Chili Ron 540]

Howdy,

I first bought a ready made cart that just barely fit into my Honda.

After a while I had some bigtime back problems and sold the wood cart

for about what I paid for it. And the pard was very happy to git it.

The problem with a lot of carts is they use way too thick and heavy boards.

I saw a PAPA DAVE hooligan cart and bought one.

I found it too small but the addition of saddle bags took care of that.

My back problems persist and I don't shoot near like I want.

Ive wondered if a gun rack could be attached to a folding chair.

This would allow a good place to sit and good control of long guns.

Good luck finding that perfect cart.

Best

CR

[Judge Lewis 0]

Thanks for all the good ideas. Both Russ and Gold Canyon Kid did great jobs and give me incentive to look for a jogger stroller and have at it. The Rugged Gear carts don't look very Western, but look like they will do the job. The prices are a little high, but with all I already have invested in CAS, I guess a little more won't kill me.

 

Luckily, my pard, Slate Mike, who has been guiding me through the reloading maze, has told me that he has room in his cart for my stuff. So, I can take my time and not rush into buying a cart.

[Guest Jess Money]

When I first got interested in CAS I went to a couple matches not tooo far from where I live to talk and take pics. I was amazed at the good looking outfits the men and ladies, buckaroo and buckarettes were wearing, all the guns, leather, different style hats and....WHAT is that thing? I was told those "things" were carts and it made life much easier when you started getting serious about shooting Cowboy Action matches. Since I knew only one person at each range, I figured it would be best not to bother them as a hitch hiker in their cart! I was fortunate enough to have a couple pistols that fit the bill and I was able to borrow a shotgun. Found a guy selling out and bought a Marlin in the same caliber as the revolvers so I had the guns to start shooting and measure for making my own cart. I studied the pics I had taken and decided I wanted a wooden cart, but very narrow and utilitarian. Had to have a seat, too. 12" wide will allow you to carry two rifles and two SxS without touching. I could have made it out of thinner wood, but at 210 lbs and wanting a seat, I used fir that is described as 1" x 12". Not! 11/16" x 11 3/4" is more like it.

 

At any rate, I've had a great time making, modifying and, hopefully, improving my cart. I consider building my own cart a part of the adventure of CAS and I'm happy to use it at the matches I attend. I've come consider my cart sorta like an 1890's cowboy having a horse with rifle scabbard, a saddle horn for hooking a gunbelt over, saddlebags for holding ammo, tools, and perhaps some jerky and other acourtements needed to do the job. The bumps, dings, scrapes and scratches my two wheeled "horse" has incured tends to give it charachter. And, Im never without a place to rest my weary feet when I sit on the saddle of my "horse".

[Rio Brazos Kid 38]

Until you get the cart you want, whatever the configuration, you can easily get by with a two wheeled dolly, and a milk crate. Add a little padding where needed and a couple of bungee cords and you are good to go. Actually such rigs work pretty well. Besides your guns, there's room for ammo, and a few essentials, and will suffice for you till you can find, buy, or build one that suits your particular likes and needs. No need to do without, or have to rush in getting the cart you want.

 

RBK

[Forty Rod SASS 3935 3,478]

So was mine ......................My wife bought it for us..........

LG

Y'know, she's too good for you.