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What type cart do you prefer?


Snakebite

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For the first 20 years I used various wooden gun carts. Then I went through 2 of the popular (Baby Buggy) type canvas gun Carts. I started with a small one then moved to a Big one. I used them for 5 or 6 years. They were always in the way inside the garage and took up too much room in the RV or the car. Storing ammo or other items in them was always difficult. Things seemed to always be in disarray.  Combine that with the lack of a good place to sit and it just wasn't working out well for me so I went back to a mid size wooden cart that folds down. It has a much smaller foot print than the (Other) cart, it takes less space to store and is much easier for me to load/unload and haul inside the motorhome or car. I like the removable boxes that keep things in order and can be brought into the loading room to stock without having to bring the entire cart inside. The padded box provides a good place to sit. The Big name canvas cart that is so popular now days have their own merits, but they are a bit pricy and I found them to be cumbersome. For me, I find that I much prefer my fold down wooden cart. To each their own.

 

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got one of the old "Speed Carts"  They sold them about fifteen years ago for guns or for fishing poles.  Really light weight and easy to fold an load in the vehicle. Weighs less than thirty pounds, has places for four long guns, a shelf that's perfect for as many as four boxes of shotgun shells, a tray to put your possibles in, and pneumatic tires. I've seen people build a box to fit the tray tha hods tools ammo and possibles that has a padded seat on top.

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I've never liked putting gear in bags.  No matter how organized you start out, you just have to dig around and upset everything too much to find anything.  It's why experienced horse/mule packers use hard aluminum pack boxes instead of soft canvas panniers. 

 

I also don't like having the long guns in a buggy type cart point right at my gut or heart, so I chose to build a collapsible wooden cart with a roomy box/seat, that carries the long guns directly upright.   The buggy carts are quite a bit easier to push on soft ground, but that hasn't been enough advantage to convert me. 

Recently I saw an innovative cart built by High Cotton.  It's a baby buggy type onto which he built solid gun racks and a nice storage box/seat, including a pistol rack.  If he is reading this, perhaps he will upload a Pic.  It's a very nice design, IMO.  

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Years ago I used one of those Baby carts that folks jog behind to build a gun cart. It was similar to High Cotton's cart, only his is much nicer than mine was. I did like it, but it would impossible for me to fit inside the Minni Winnie. My current carts pulls right inside and there is a spot that it fits. HOWEVER... I do like the one that High Cotton made quite a bit. I could put the rack on the back and carry it. Maybe I'll steal his and change the color..... do you think that he would notice?  :)

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We have a "Speed Cart" and a Papa Dave, both bought used and have less than half the cost of a new canvas tricycle type. I like the low weight, ease of handling and ability to keep stuff straight even after a day of bouncing around at the range. My Pa, Blue Boy used a really nice two wheeled wood cart, unfortunately he chose wood wagon wheels with a steel tire- very authentic, very rough on the contents. The cowboy that bought the cart changed the wheels first thing.

 

Imis 

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Yes... those authentic type wheels are rather tough. I used the never go flat rubber tires on mine. The roll much easier and provide a little cushion.

 

sb 

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I used wood carts for years, then this winter my daughter in law was going to throw away her kids' jogging stroller, so I took it home. After stripping off all of the canvas like material, shortening the wheel base, building in a wood deck and adding a transportable wooden box and a set of Rugged Gear barrel clamps I don't think I'll ever go back to my wood cart. This one is too dang easy to move from one place to another. Loaded with four guns and ammo for same I can push it with one hand...

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3 minutes ago, Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 said:

I used wood carts for years, then this winter my daughter in law was going to throw away her kids' jogging stroller, so I took it home. After stripping off all of the canvas like material, shortening the wheel base, building in a wood deck and adding a transportable wooden box and a set of Rugged Gear barrel clamps I don't think I'll ever go back to my wood cart. This one is too dang easy to move from one place to another. Loaded with four guns and ammo for same I can push it with one hand...

Do you really expect anyone to believe that... without pictures, it didn't happen! ;)

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8 minutes ago, Snakebite said:

Do you really expect anyone to believe that... without pictures, it didn't happen! ;)

Looks like Tyrel beat me to the punch. Those pics were before Winter Range when I had ATV gun clamps on it. While I was at Winter Range I bought 4 Rugged Gear gun clamps and installed them. The take up a whole lot less room and keep the guns separated better.

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5 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Thanks, Tyrel. I was having a heckuva time finding that thread.

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1 hour ago, Snakebite said:

Years ago I used one of those Baby carts that folks jog behind to build a gun cart. It was similar to High Cotton's cart, only his is much nicer than mine was. I did like it, but it would impossible for me to fit inside the Minni Winnie. My current carts pulls right inside and there is a spot that it fits. HOWEVER... I do like the one that High Cotton made quite a bit. I could put the rack on the back and carry it. Maybe I'll steal his and change the color..... do you think that he would notice?  :)

Wait till he has all his guns in it. 

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1 hour ago, Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 said:

We have a "Speed Cart" and a Papa Dave, both bought used and have less than half the cost of a new canvas tricycle type. I like the low weight, ease of handling and ability to keep stuff straight even after a day of bouncing around at the range. My Pa, Blue Boy used a really nice two wheeled wood cart, unfortunately he chose wood wagon wheels with a steel tire- very authentic, very rough on the contents. The cowboy that bought the cart changed the wheels first thing.

 

Imis 

I have the steel-tire wooden wheels.  While they might look old and authentic, they are comparatively quite expensive. 

From a practical standpoint, I really don't like them very much.  The hubs protrude much further than other kinds of wheels, making maneuvering much harder, and the tread is much too narrow.  I rolled a 1-1/2" steel outer tire and welded it over the original 3/4" tread.   It pushes more easily, but it still jiggles everything in the cart unnecessarily.  At  some point, I'll probably switch to more modern wheels.  

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I had a beautiful red oak 4-gun cart custom built by me..:mellow:

I received Lots of compliments on it..

It was finally getting too heavy??:huh::blink::blink:

No?? No?? I was getting to old to lift it..:wacko:

I switched over to a rugged gear 4 gun cart about 

5-6 years ago and haven't looked back..;)

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin that's my Thinkin..:huh:

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Rugged  gear. Folded down I can place the front tire on my tailgate and lift os with the back wheels to load into the bed. Rolls right in and the tonneau cover closes over it. Takes up no room in the garage, just the truck. If I need the bed space, unload th cart and away I go.

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This is my third current cart.  I'm really happy with it.  The only change I've made since this photo was taken is I made a tongue out of a wood broom handle.  I built my first one out of oak.  A standard cart.  Too heavy and the wheels were too small.  Second cart was a wooden folding three gun cart that fit in the trunk of my Camaro.  This cart holds up to 5 long guns.  I really like being able to hold a lot of stuff in it and being able to pull it rather than push it.  Only issue was the spoked wheels that I found in Ebay.  The tires deteriorated and found the only way to replace them properly was to have an Amish wheel maker make a repair on a special machine.  A call to Grainger came up with a more economical fix.  They sell O-ring material that is quite thick.  It glues together with a special glue.  Now have new tires on my cart.

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Yep, takes up a lot of space in the garage, but... as my knee gets worse and worse, I find that takes quite the strain off.

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2 hours ago, Griff said:

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Yep, takes up a lot of space in the garage, but... as my knee gets worse and worse, I find that takes quite the strain off.

 

Now you're talkin', Griff!  :)

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Went back my first and best idea for me...A wagon...Easier for me to pull....I use alumacart out of Florida....Little Cypress, 30 lbs with there wheels....Changed the wheels  and drop 10 lbs....Does not fold up and it will take up space in truck...But it does work well for me....

 

Texas Lizard

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My first cart was a pair of saddlebags that I carried over my shoulder while carrying the long guns for 15 or so years.  I still use the saddlebags if I'm traveling light.

 

After that, I built a cart I call Giddy Up.  I used it for a few years and even carried my old pard into Winter Range on his back.  Two scabbards and the saddlebags from the early years.  The rear trap door comes open for the umbrella and supplies.  It's built strong enough anyone can ride him.  Bulky and hard to load but it's a conversation piece.

 

My last cart is I built for Winter Range because of the "Wind 'r Rain".  It holds two long guns and plenty of supplies.  It's a bit bulky but it rides well under the 5th wheel with ease for the away shoots.

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gun_wagon1 - Shortcut.lnkI prefer a 4 wheels type.  The wind won't blow it over and I'm not looking down barrels when I'm moving it.

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