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Shotgun bandoliers for CAS? Pros and Cons


DeaconKC

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Okay folks, step right up and let's hear your opinions on shotgun bandoliers for CAS? I haven't seen folks running them, so when one wound up in my trade box, I got to wondering about them. Thanks!

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The ones with shells sticking out both directions are successfully used by some shooters.  I think they look stupid (you asked for opinions!).   But I think a lot of gamey gear looks stupid.  However, they are legal and my opinion doesn't count. :)

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20 minutes ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

Quickly Down Under, Marie Lavou use them...I believe they do.

Others just wear them for the look.

I would think, as you can not 'tie' them down to anything, you'd want a very snug one?

With my girth, it would wind up snug... :(

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I love mine and I’ve been using it for over 10 years now. 

 

It has never caused me a problem. I keep the back of it loaded up as ballast and that reduces how much it moves around. 
 

Dutch

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I  LOVE mine.  I am a very obese woman and if I wear a shotgun belt properly (in regards to belly button) then I can not see my shells.   I see many, many who do not wear shotshell belts properly but I do not want to be that person.  The bandolier not only allows me to see the shells but also means my band has to travel less distance to load the shotgun if I have properly gotten it to my shoulder.  Important to put the shells perhaps only about 1/3 of the way down into the loops.  Also, do not pull straight up but instead when you grab lean them forward and rock them out.  One other thing is to pull from the bottom up so that your hand is free of obstructions (such as other shells in the way if you pull from the top down).  Another advantage is if you want to take that weight off it is so easy to lift it off.  When I do that I drape it over my shotgun in the gun cart so I do not forget to put it on.  I fill ten in the front and then put another nine on the back to help weight it down.  Another advantage to having it off is that with a regular shotshell belt I can not easily reach to the ground to get something I have dropped.  I did not watch the video above yet on Smokestack but have seen a video where he ran out of shells and spun the belt around to have more.  He is a great guy to message.  I also have my rifle reloads on it but do not think that is any better than on  one's belt.  Must admit I do not practice rifle reloads much.

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Been using one for about 10 years and wouldn’t go back.

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49 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

Oh and here's a link to probably the best one made:

 

http://knightsleatherproducts.com/TUPELOBANDO.html

You’ll notice in the second Smokestack video that Tupelo Flash, who the bandoleer is named after is in the video wearing one of his namesake bandoleers.

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Lake Stone successfully used one until he left it on his cart and the spotters slowly tossed him shells for the stage. He probably should have took the misses. But we all got a good laugh with the ‘deer in the headlights’ look on his face when he reached for something that wasn’t there. Leaving it on your cart would definitely be a con.

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I've been using my Tupelo Bandoleer for the last 7 years, once you get used to them most won't go back to a waist belt..I just think they are so easy & functional to use...&  iffin' ya havin a bad day  knockin them targets down you have a stack of shells to still get the job done !

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I use one...made myself-not one of the fancy "2 stack" kind. I patterned it after an 1800s advert I saw.
I like it because: I can load it up and keep it hanging on my cart til Im getting ready for a stage..the belt always had shells falling out and making movement harder doing posse duty. In the southern heat-its nice to get rid of as much as possible between stages.
The one I made has brass holders which I can adjust the tension on for each shell by giving a little squeeze or pull.
As Im getting older Im getting more of a belly-so there's not another piece of leather digging in to my "gut"
One less thing trying to pull my britches down
Ive just gotten used to it now...I do have a shotgun belt-but I dont even know where it is anymore.

Only con is remembering to put it on before going to the loading table!

IMG_4147.JPG

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9 hours ago, Baltimore Ed said:

Lake Stone successfully used one until he left it on his cart and the spotters slowly tossed him shells for the stage. He probably should have took the misses. But we all got a good laugh with the ‘deer in the headlights’ look on his face when he reached for something that wasn’t there. Leaving it on your cart would definitely be a con.

You're correct, he should have taken the misses because now he earned a "P" for using illegally acquired ammo plus the misses for any targets hit with illegal ammo.

 

IMHO

Randy

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13 hours ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

 

 

 

 

I aint sayin smokestack aint fast, but that video was speeded up in a couple places.  It had to be.  At about 10 seconds and 19 seconds. 

 

Oh and my opinions on bandoleers is they look cool.  Only reason I don't wear mine is that I don't like it rubbing against my neck.  One of these days I'll figure that out and switch over for good.  I do keep the bando next to the home defense shotgun though. 

 

 

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5 minutes ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

 

 

I aint sayin smokestack aint fast, but that video was speeded up in a couple places.  It had to be.  At about 10 seconds and 19 seconds. 

 

Oh and my opinions on bandoleers is they look cool.  Only reason I don't wear mine is that I don't like it rubbing against my neck.  One of these days I'll figure that out and switch over for good.  I do keep the bando next to the home defense shotgun though. 

 

 

 

That video wasn't sped up, he's that fast.

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15 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

Okay folks, step right up and let's hear your opinions on shotgun bandoliers for CAS? I haven't seen folks running them, so when one wound up in my trade box, I got to wondering about them. Thanks!

I've got one if you want to try it out next week. 

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5 minutes ago, Nichols Creek, SASS #77627 said:

I've got one if you want to try it out next week. 

Thanks Pard! I will be traveling next week but will be there on the 27th. I think I will try this one I've got then. At least I know it won't slow ME down!

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1 hour ago, Lunger Dan said:

I use one...made myself-not one of the fancy "2 stack" kind. I patterned it after an 1800s advert I saw.
I like it because: I can load it up and keep it hanging on my cart til Im getting ready for a stage..the belt always had shells falling out and making movement harder doing posse duty. In the southern heat-its nice to get rid of as much as possible between stages.
The one I made has brass holders which I can adjust the tension on for each shell by giving a little squeeze or pull.
As Im getting older Im getting more of a belly-so there's not another piece of leather digging in to my "gut"
One less thing trying to pull my britches down
Ive just gotten used to it now...I do have a shotgun belt-but I dont even know where it is anymore.

Only con is remembering to put it on before going to the loading table!

IMG_4147.JPG

 

Not intending to be argumentative, but are you sure those shell holders are SASS legal?

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55 minutes ago, Marshal Chance Morgun said:

 

Not intending to be argumentative, but are you sure those shell holders are SASS legal?

Yes

SHB pg 3

Quote

 Cartridge loops must not have a metal or plastic liner. However, the entire loop may be made of metal.   

 

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2 hours ago, Lunger Dan said:

Yes...and more authentic than elastic

Not really. Elastic was invented in 1820 by Thomas Hancock and elastic bands were introduced in 1845 and elastic was in fairly broad use in the late 1880’s.

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2 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Not really. Elastic was invented in 1820 by Thomas Hancock and elastic bands were introduced in 1845 and elastic was in fairly broad use in the late 1880’s.

For gloves, shoes and suspenders of the fancy folks in big cities, yes, it was a new thing...I'd love to see an example of it in use in holsters on the frontier or out west. I couldn't find any.

 

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7 minutes ago, Lunger Dan said:

For gloves, shoes and suspenders of the fancy folks in big cities, yes, it was a new thing...I'd love to see an example of it in use in holsters on the frontier or out west. I couldn't find any.

 

So you don’t think some enterprising individual would have taken some suspender elastic and adapted it to cartridge loops? I had the same conversation with Capt. Cooper a number of years ago and he produced an old picture of a cartridge belt with elastic suspenders sewn on for cartridge loops. I can’t remember where he found the picture but it might have been at the museum in Wickenberg, Az. He was adamant that elastic wasn’t created in the 1800’s until he started researching it. He didn’t like the elastic loops on my Tupelo Bando and insisted that they weren’t legal but they are.

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6 hours ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

Yes

SHB pg 3

 

I happen to think your right, but that is referring to cartridge loops, not shotshell loops.  Just a technicality I'm sure, but the SHB discusses cartridge loops AND shotshell loops and there's no mention of metal shotshell loops.

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2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

I happen to think your right, but that is referring to cartridge loops, not shotshell loops.  Just a technicality I'm sure, but the SHB discusses cartridge loops AND shotshell loops and there's no mention of metal shotshell loops.

 

So can a shooter mount a shotshells to their shotgun forearm as the prohibition is only against cartridge loops?

 

SHB pg 4

 

Quote

Use of ammo from cartridge loops mounted on a firearm’s stock or forearm is not allowed

 

 

Of course not. A shotgun shell IS a type of cartridge. In the strictest sense, a cartridge is just a preassembled collection of primer, powder, and projectile in a single package.

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I have to own up..I have left my Bandoleer sitting on the gun cart 3 times, you'd think I'd learn after the first.

Never happens when I shoot smokeless .45 ...BUT' when 44-40 BP they fall out of the loops  so I carry my ammo in a pouch to the loading table..so yes 3 times I've been like a startled rabbit in the spotlight..it still amazing to me that I can forget something that I always wear  !!

I have decided that when shooting BP I will drape the Bandoleer over the shotgun in the gun cart.

Dang RO & spotters you'd think they would notice:D...nah just a dumb injun  !!

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1 hour ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

 

So can a shooter mount a shotshells to their shotgun forearm as the prohibition is only against cartridge loops?

 

SHB pg 4

 

 

 

Of course not. A shotgun shell IS a type of cartridge. In the strictest sense, a cartridge is just a preassembled collection of primer, powder, and projectile in a single package.

I agree, a shotgun shell is a type of cartridge, which is why I agree that the bandolier in question is fine. However, the SHB does use both terms, but the exception only mentions one, which is probably what lead to the Marshal’s question.

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I can easily find examples of brass shell holders from the period...plastic infused $600 dollar custom made holster sets with adjustable tension screw settings-not so much :)

thumbnail.jpg

18253292_6.jpg

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On 3/7/2021 at 6:05 AM, Nichols Creek, SASS #77627 said:

I've got one if you want to try it out next week. 

 

I'm going to warn you about this, it's NOT going to be a good indication of whether you will or won't like the bandolier.  When you first switch you're going to spend a great deal of time grabbing for shells from your waist where they used to be.  It'll take quite a bit of practice and match time to get used to the new location of both shotgun shells and rifle/pistol reload shells.  That learning time can be very frustrating.

 

You asked for pros and cons.

 

PROS

1. Shells are closer to your shotgun breech.  Less distance equals less time. Same goes for pistol/rifle reloads

2. Shells are held at a more advantageous angle.  Makes grabbing them easier.

3. Shells are much more visible for us folks that enjoy a second helping of dessert. :P

 

CONS

1. Not allowed to secure bandolier in place.  When stage requires a lot of movement the bandolier can shift a bit.  Most folks prevent this by having both sides fully loaded with shells.  The extra weight helps keep it in place

2. Shells tend to fall out of the loops.  This has been a problem on a few stages when I went to grab shells but they weren't there.  I seem to be in the minority on this.  Don't know of other shooters who have as much of a problem with it as I do.  I'm working on trying to secure the shells in the loops better but don't want them to get stuck either.

 

Those are MY pros and cons.  Not saying they're universal and not saying you'll feel the same.  Just offering what I've noticed.

 

P.S.  Love mine.  Won't ever go back. 

P.P.S.  Yes, Smokestack really is that fast.  I hate him. :lol:

Smokestack.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/7/2021 at 6:16 AM, Lunger Dan said:

I use one...made myself-not one of the fancy "2 stack" kind. I patterned it after an 1800s advert I saw.
I like it because: I can load it up and keep it hanging on my cart til Im getting ready for a stage..the belt always had shells falling out and making movement harder doing posse duty. In the southern heat-its nice to get rid of as much as possible between stages.
The one I made has brass holders which I can adjust the tension on for each shell by giving a little squeeze or pull.
As Im getting older Im getting more of a belly-so there's not another piece of leather digging in to my "gut"
One less thing trying to pull my britches down
Ive just gotten used to it now...I do have a shotgun belt-but I dont even know where it is anymore.

Only con is remembering to put it on before going to the loading table!

IMG_4147.JPG

did you make the brass holders yourself or buy them somewhere?

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