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Typical number bullet of loops on belts


Swift Justice

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I’m looking to  have a rig built and would like to ask how many bullet loops is average on most belts? Is there even an average? I know people have a different number preference but I was just wondering what some of you all have on yours.  Thanks 

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Hi SJ,

     I like my 6 bullet loops on my shotgun belt but I also have bullet "slides" that can fit on the holster belt or my shotgun belt.

You sound like you're looking at getting a B-Western belt with the loops in the back.

 

     I think you can get anything you like but it mostly goes by how big and long the belt is.  :lol:

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My first belt had 20 loops , I think.  4 reloads. After about 4 or 5 matches I discontinued carrying ammo in them. Packing weight just to look good.:lol:

Nope , next three rigs had no loops , use a slide on the shotshell belt.

Rex :D

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A cartridge belt might have 20-25 loops, while a gun belt will often have none. A gun belt/duty belt from the 70's would have a pouch slide with a couple speed loaders. Today, extra mags.

It would have to be a train wreck from hell to ever need even 6 extra rounds for this game.

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The Mernickle rig I got 20 years ago has 40 loops for .45's.  And of course I filled it up back then!  Not any more!  Switched to one every other loop, looked good.  Now I carry 2 or 3 rounds.  :)

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All my extras are on my shotgun belt.  No use more weight on holster belt.

I suggest the deciding factor is how you want to load "off your belt" for a reload of rifle (thru loading gate or on the carrier, and with left or right hand).  My personal favorite is six pairs of shotgun (double shooter) with one or two .38 cartridge loops in middle (three pairs on each side) and a couple .38 cartridge loops at each end  (two before first pair and two after last pair of shotguns).  The end ones are really for emergency use like maybe at loading table if I find a round in loading strip that I feel not suitable for whatever the reason, the extra on belt can be used as replacement..

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When I had my gun belt made I had 24 loops put on it and loaded 'em up. After 2 matches carrying around 24 cartridges I quit carrying them around because of the extra weight. Now I have 24 empty loops on my gun belt and no extra weight. Next gun belt I get made will have no loops.

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The gun belt I had made has 12 loops.

There are 10 45 caliber loops with 2 38/357 loops. One at each end of the row.

The 45s are pistol and the 38/357 are rifle.

 

Now I actually carry pistol reloads in a shirt pocket that is low on the shirt.

I do reload rifle from the belt is it is 1 or 2 rounds.

Other wise I carry a possibles bag on my shotgun belt.

 

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I carry enough extra weight on my birthday suit that I dont want half a box of ammo on my belt. I use a slide with three rounds for the infrequent reload/jacked round. The slide is moveable and can be easily replaced for different caliber. I also have one that hold 2-.45 and 1-.38.

 

Imis

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Sidebar on slides: check the position of the slide every time at the loading table.  They have a way of slipping out of position.

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Ever since my very early days in Law Enforcement, I've been a staunch minimalist when it comes to gear hanging off my gun belt.  At only a 33 inch waist, there is only so much real estate available for extra stuff, so no extra ammo loops on the belt.  I don't particularly care for additional shotgun belts, so I wear two shot shell slides in the front of my gun belt.  Each has 4 shot shell loops, and a single .45 cal. loop.  I figure that if I have to use more than 2 rounds to replenish my rifle, I'll just take the misses and move on.  The extra ammo on the back of the belt looks cool, but as others have mentioned, the weight is not worth the "cool factor".

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When you see the old Tin Types of frontier lawmen, they had cartridge loops/cartridges everywhere.  Keep in mind, those cartridges were/are some HEAVY.  I only own ONE gun belt with cartridge loops.  I only use that one for Plainsman.  Put rifle cartridges innit.  Otherwise, for me ZERO.  Too damn heavy.

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My gun belt has no loops.  It carries two 51 Navies in Army flap  holsters, a 10” knife, a cap box and a MacKiver (sp)  cartrage box that can hold 20 rounds but most times has only 3 extra rifle rounds (.44-40).  Yes I do the twist draw and have never been called on it. 

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As many have already said..

My first rig had maybe 20 cartridge loops..

I kept them  full and showyB) fer about 3 matches.. B) Then I took them all out..

I already had  5 loops on each side of my shotgun belt..

I use them for my rifle reloads.. (Nickel plated cartridges so they don't mold)

When I had a new rig made.. NO cartridge loops on the belt at all..

I Still use my same old shotgun belt for rifle reloads..

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin I had enough weight to carry around :huh: me :D

 

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Since the discussion has evolved around to weight,   I see some guys put their gun belt on and holster their pistols as soon as they get out of their vehicle - even though the shooting won't start for 30 or more minutes. 

 

I wait until it's my turn to go to the loading table.  After the stage is shot,  I unload the pistols in the cart. After I shoot my last stage, the belt and holsters come off.  

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2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Since the discussion has evolved around to weight,   I see some guys put their gun belt on and holster their pistols as soon as they get out of their vehicle - even though the shooting won't start for 30 or more minutes. 

 

I wait until it's my turn to go to the loading table.  After the stage is shot,  I unload the pistols in the cart. After I shoot my last stage, the belt and holsters come off.  

Have you considered that some folks like to get their rigs settled into place...

 

Have you considered that the extra time it takes to fiddle your rig into place on every stage takes away time you could spend helping the posse run smoothly?

 

Phantom

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59 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Warden said nothing about taking the rig off between stages. I wear my rig but keep my pistols in the cart until needed. Makes it easier to do posse chores like pick up brass and reset targets. 

Yer right -  miss read/understood/didn't pay close enough attention to his post.

 

Oops...my appologies.

 

Phantom

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4 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Since the discussion has evolved around to weight,   I see some guys put their gun belt on and holster their pistols as soon as they get out of their vehicle - even though the shooting won't start for 30 or more minutes. 

 

I wait until it's my turn to go to the loading table.  After the stage is shot,  I unload the pistols in the cart. After I shoot my last stage, the belt and holsters come off.  

Same routine I have.... and to the original poster, I too have no loops in my gunbelt and carry a few reloads in my shotgun belt. 

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no need for a large number unless you rotate them constantly they accumulate verdigis , nothing you want , one reload for rifle is all i ever needed , the revolvers have never required it and why on earth would we carry more than we need ? 

shotgun loops are another story , we cycle those regularly , amazing how i miss those targets with that but it happens often enough in my experience to need extras , ive been using slides but new belt has them built in - 10 rounds , hope i never need them on a 4-6 round stage but who knows what will present itself next ? 

 

i object to carrying in two separate belts after the first couple years , im small frame and all that bulk is cumbersome , ive a couple times needed spares for comfort but so far managed to get thru , but there are a lot of folks that pull it off in good stead , the rifle/pistol cartridges is just added weight on me - started with a full belt and realized it was dumb for me , 

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Three loops on each side on the gun belt for rifle and revolver reloads, just behind holsters. Yes, we have stages written with reloads now and then, a welcome variety in our game :)  I have also three loops each side on my shotgun belt, but I'm not always wearing that second belt.

 

Cartridge loops can also be convenient for other things, I often attach my SASS badge to one as I don't own a badge holder.

 

Equanimous

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Also depends what you’re doing. I only have one rig, so it needs to do more than just cowboy action matches. I wear my crossdraw gun and my rig a lot in my woods or when I’m screwing around at my old man’s farm. I like to have extra rounds in case I need to shoot or decide to shoot for fun, whether that be with my pistol or one of my various .357 lever guns. 
 

Mine has 27 as that was all that the maker could fit with the measurements I gave him. 

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Howdy

 

I have been using this custom Duke rig for close to 20 years now.  There are 25 cartridge loops on it. Notice that they are mostly empty with just a few 44-40s on my strong side in case I need a rifle reload. Haven't done a pistol reload in years. Yup, I stopped carrying extra cartridges on the belt a bazillion years ago. 25 250 grain 45 Colts get pretty heavy after a few hours. Two four shell shotgun slides do me for most stages. If I was going to get a new rig, it would only have a few loops for a few 44-40 cartridges. I'm thinking I could probably get rid of the knife too.

 

pmxi4JTRj

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