Lightest DIY timber gun cart

[Buckshot Bear]

Anyone DIY built a 'lightweight' timber gun cart?

 

Looking through the pics when Googling 'Cowboy gun carts' there's some absolute amazing and stunningly ingenious DIY built ones but to me they all look like hernia inducing to get in and out of a car. They'd be fantastic for the user once out of the car though. I don't know how some of the fella's with those whopping big hardwood built carts that have every conceivable addition built into them get 'em off and on unless you have a mini hiab crane on your truck  

[Yul Lose]

The ones that I build all break down into 3 easy to handle and load pieces. There are lady shooters than use my carts and load and load them with no issues and almost all of them built from hardwood.

[Buckshot Bear]

1 minute ago, Yul Lose said:

The ones that I build all break down into 3 easy to handle and load pieces. There are lady shooters than use my carts and load and load them with no issues and almost all of them built from hardwood.

 

Do you share or sell your plans by chance Yul Lose ?

[Yul Lose]

2 minutes ago, Buckshot Bear said:

 

Do you share or sell your plans by chance Yul Lose ?

I don’t use plans.

[Buckshot Bear]

1 minute ago, Yul Lose said:

I don’t use plans.

 

Any pics to share?

[Yul Lose]

PM me your email address and I’ll send you some cart pictures.

[Buckshot Bear]

14 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

PM me your email address and I’ll send you some cart pictures.

 

Done and very much appreciated Yul Lose 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Yul's carts are works of art.  Being a humble peasant I am allowed to look at them but not touch them.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

1 hour ago, Buckshot Bear said:

Anyone DIY built a 'lightweight' timber gun cart?...

Does Dusty Leather's guncart qualify? 

 

[Buckshot Bear]

8 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Does Dusty Leather's guncart qualify? 

 

 

 I like that.......simple and light.

[Buckshot Bear]

30 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Yul's carts are works of art.  Being a humble peasant I am allowed to look at them but not touch them.

 

After the pics received via email .....they truly are works of art !

[Dusty Devil Dale]

2 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

PM me your email address and I’ll send you some cart pictures.

BB, get ready to be WOWed!

[Buckshot Bear]

7 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

BB, get ready to be WOWed!

 

Wowed alright.....works of art !

[Dusty Devil Dale]

A durable gun cart can be made from lighter weight pine or other softwood, if you know how to do wood joinery and do it properly.  I made and use a 4 gun cart made from 3/4"pine that collapses and weighs only about 18# with the ammo box removed.  That's with 3/16" thick, 1-1/2" wide steel tread on 18" spoke wheels.  It squeaks and bumps along like an old buckboard when I push it, but it loads very easily-- even into my ridiculously high 4x4 pickup bed.   It's held up very well now for 5 years of hard use - no end in sight.

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

I can carry a little more than Dusty Leather.  If I really need to, I can break it down to 3 pieces, a range bag and two wheels.

 

Chancy

 

[Warden Callaway]

12 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Does Dusty Leather's guncart qualify? 

 

 

Missouri Lefty has a cart much like this but with with a plow handle. I had a picture at one time but lost it.

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

I took some ideas from @Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life to make my cart.

 

 

[Cypress Sun]

Nevermind, couldn't get the pic's to upload.

 

 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

think most folks go through three stages of gun carts:

 

1. build something quick and dirty to get you into the game

 

2. build a work of art . . . which weighs close to a ton

 

3. build/buy a light-weight one that will do the job and not break your back

 

just saying

[Sarge]

I've built 4 carts.  Three for myself and one for my wife.  My wife's is the lightest weight.  I started with a used running style baby stroller.  The running style have larger wheels and I think more stability.  All I did was add two Kolpin gun mounts and it was done. 

 

If you are going to build a lightweight wood cart, it all comes down to the type of wood you use.  My first cart was made of Oak.  Worked great but was heavy as all heck.  Sold that one. 

 

The second cart was built to fit in the trunk of a Camaro.  It is a 3 gun cart that I still use for most matches.  Pretty simple construction.  Basically two rectangles so one fits in side the second rectangle when folded.  The axle acts as a hinge.  Wheels are removeable.  This cart is made of poplar and very light weight. 

 

My third cart is made from a Harbor Freight wagon and holds five guns.  I use this at larger matches where I want to be able to carry a lot of stuff.  It is pretty lightweight and also has removeable wheels making it easier to store. 

[Possum Stu]

My cart uses an ash plow handle, and the box and crosspiece are pine.  The handle unscrews for transport and the whole setup is pretty light, depending on how much ammo I put in the box. 

 

[E.D. BLACK]

What type of wood is a good choice for a one piece base ?

Many carts I see have the axle maybe 7” up from the base , why is this ?

Thanks , just invested like 3 bills in wood wagon wheels, plow handles and Winchester box.

[Chancy Shot, SASS #67163]

1 hour ago, E.D. BLACK said:

What type of wood is a good choice for a one piece base ?

Many carts I see have the axle maybe 7” up from the base , why is this ?

Thanks , just invested like 3 bills in wood wagon wheels, plow handles and Winchester box.

Question 1 - Opinions vary.  I use poplar (light but strong enough and has a nice grain.)

Question 2 - Keeps the center of gravity low.  Most ranges only require 4 or 5 inches of ground clearance.

 

Good luck!

Chancy

[Sarge]

2 hours ago, E.D. BLACK said:

 

Many carts I see have the axle maybe 7” up from the base , why is this ?

 

So you can fit big wheels on the cart.  The bigger the wheel, the easier to push/pull over uneven ground.  I like the spoked wheels that are used on trash carts that look like bicycle wheels.

[Geronimo Jim SASS # 21775]

REAL cowboys use real wood carts!  

[Sedalia Dave]

7 or 11 layer marine grade plywood gives the best strength to weight ratio. Hard to find now a days.

 

Maple is one of the strongest and lightest woods that it relatively easy to find. Stained it has a beautiful grain.

 

I gave up on the narrow spooked wheels for my cart.  They suck in loose gravel.  Swapped then out for these. 

 

 

Filled 1/2 full of Slime they'll never go flat.  

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Light is the way to go but in saying that I went heavy & carry a lot of gear..many  Cowboys use those 3 wheeled strollers & set them up accordingly...get yourself some timber, ply & wheels & go for it !!!

[E.D. BLACK]

Thanks guys - I have ideas but not tools or skills . In actuality, I’m building a gun stand . Our carts never move , and I have a pickup truck . If I can execute my ideas , I will be very happy with it . Basically the only part done is the front face of the base platform . I kept the beaded 7” section of my chopped Winchester 24 , and had my friend weld it to a plate.

Drilled and filed a piece of black walnut so the shotgun barrels protrude out the front. My other friend routered out scrap pine I had to inlay the walnut in . I’m sure more than a couple people have done this , but I thought of this myself .

 

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I have made five from baby jogging strollers and these will fold-up and are the easiest to move over rough terrain.  I made two from 3/4-inch red oak that I think are just beautiful and have spaces for every attachment.  It takes two men and a boy to load them in the truck.  I put an enclosed trailer on our range and leave these there.  I have built six from golf bag carts.  These are the lightest and will fold up like an umbrella.  They will fit in very small spaces.

 

It depends on my mood as to which one I use on any given day and the terrain of the range.

 

I leave some at the range to be used as loaners for those just getting started.

 

I am a retired Tech Ed Instructor who also taught wood working for years.

[Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life]

On 11/26/2021 at 10:59 AM, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

think most folks go through three stages of gun carts:

 

1. build something quick and dirty to get you into the game

 

2. build a work of art . . . which weighs close to a ton

 

3. build/buy a light-weight one that will do the job and not break your back

 

just saying

Yup!  That about sums it up!

[Rolan Kraps, SASS # 24084 Life]

Lots of ideas here, from the "simple" to the "Complex"

 

https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&page=1&pageSize=10&q=Dave+Steier+Gun+Cart+Plans

[Fargo Bill, SASS #4942]

On 11/26/2021 at 12:32 PM, a d said:

Here is the best ‘simple cart’ I have ever seen. 
i think his was made made by someone in  the Northeast!

anyone know the builder?

 

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