Right or left?

[Dogshirt]

Which side do you carry your shooting bag and horn on? I personally, as a right hander,
would think on the left, out of the way of the rifle. But as a carpenter, I'm used to
bags on both sides and once I get used to where something is, it's no problem laying
hands on it and getting it out. Just wondering.

[crazell]

I'm a righty and carry my bag and horn on my right side. Started out that way. I've tried it on the left and was not liking it.

[beowulf]

same here . been carrying my bag and horn on the right for 33 years , dont see any reason to change now !  I figure they were carried both ways , so whatever feels right to you is ok !

[mongrel]

I find things are handier, as a righthanded flint shooter, to have my bag on my left side and my horn on the right. I seem to reach most naturally for patch and ball (when I'm not using a loading block) with my left hand, and locating my horn on the right makes priming easier.

Lest this lead to confusion and the discussion going off on a tangent, as it often does when this subject arises -- I load and prime from the same horn. Simpler and no discernable difference in ignition time to just use 2F or 3F for both main charge and prime.

[Watauga]

I started with a left side carry but changed to A right side it just felt a little less awkward to me.
Plus as a bonus it doesn't interfere with the Long Knife/ Bayonet and Hawk Carriage I am using now.
I also shortened up on the strap so it was hanging in the natural hollow at my waist(Although that open part is getting smaller some how?!?)
What seems to work the best for you is the most important!
I also started using a smaller horn fastened to the bag instead of a large one on a separate strap.

[captkody]

  i carry left

[Dogshirt]

I started with a left side carry but changed to A right side it just felt a little less awkward to me.
Plus as a bonus it doesn't interfere with the Long Knife/ Bayonet and Hawk Carriage I am using now.
I also shortened up on the strap so it was hanging in the natural hollow at my waist(Although that open part is getting smaller some how?!?)
What seems to work the best for you is the most important!
I also started using a smaller horn fastened to the bag instead of a large one on a separate strap.

I know just what you mean about that open part getting smaller. Mine is on the endangered species list!

[old salt]

I shoot left and carry on right

[Watauga]

One question I have wanted to ask is how the Long hunters and Explores carried their kits.
I sound like a Wind Chime in a hurricane with my kit on.
(Now that I think about it every one else is making the same noise more or less?!?)
It looks Good but if I am moving with any speed at all things are banging and rattling quite noisily.
A hunter would have a more stealthy rig I would think.
I know I would have a tough time sneaking up on something in my Gear

[William]

Bag on left, horn on right, I am a left handed shooter.

[beowulf]

One question I have wanted to ask is how the Long hunters and Explores carried their kits.
I sound like a Wind Chime in a hurricane with my kit on.
(Now that I think about it every one else is making the same noise more or less?!?)
It looks Good but if I am moving with any speed at all things are banging and rattling quite noisily.
A hunter would have a more stealthy rig I would think.
I know I would have a tough time sneaking up on something in my Gear

if you take a look at photos of the old bags you`ll notice there is`nt a whole lot just hanging from the bag or strap . knives are usually attached to either the strap or the back of the bag , and powder measures generally are fitted into leather loops on the strap ! no pins ,no beads hanging on fringe, no short starter !makes for a much quieter system .my measures are on a braided string , but I carry it and my capper inside the bag , helps quiet things down a bit ! we tend to have a lot more stuff on the outside of our bags than the oldtimers ever did !

[billh]

I shoot left, and carry on the left as well.

[mongrel]

One question I have wanted to ask is how the Long hunters and Explores carried their kits.
I sound like a Wind Chime in a hurricane with my kit on.
(Now that I think about it every one else is making the same noise more or less?!?)
It looks Good but if I am moving with any speed at all things are banging and rattling quite noisily.
A hunter would have a more stealthy rig I would think.
I know I would have a tough time sneaking up on something in my Gear

I only have two items hanging off my bag strap, a bullet block holding five patched balls and a horn powder measure. These are located so neither can touch the other and tied off close enough to the strap they have only enough free play that I can use them from any position in which it would be possible to load my rifle. The powder measure slips down the front of my shirt in normal movement or while I'm standing or sitting still. There is a patch knife in a sheath fastened solidly to the bag strap. Other than those three items I have nothing hanging from anything except the bag itself and my horn both hanging from their straps. I like the idea of the horn attached to the bag, and photographed evidence shows that a lot of original rigs were set up this way, but, one: I would have to change my setup and what I do now works perfectly after years of repetition; and, two: I would have to get around to actually making the modifications, which means it'll probably never happen.

Generally there are a variety of educated opinions on what was done, and how, back in the day, but I think it's safe to say even the newest greenhorn did away with anything that would rattle, clank, reflect light, or otherwise call attention (or spook game), either by relocating the item or getting rid of it. I personally believe that today the choosing and assembling of an outfit ought to be with practical use first by a long shot, within the bounds of historical accuracy, with other considerations (such as one's appearance to others) being given distinctly lower priority. Especially focusing on the bag and horn as we are in this discussion, anything superfluous I believe would have been done away with or tucked away where it absolutely couldn't interfere with the day-to-day carry and use of one's outfit -- or create distractions or actual danger by calling attention to oneself.

[Rev]

The only thing hanging from my bag is my short starter. I am not a hunter, but if I were I probably would leave it at home. In the woods I suspect anything that might tend to catch on branches, etc. would be a bad thing. A small horn in the bag for powder would eliminate the need to carry a powder horn as well. After all, how many shots are you going to need? If I am hunting small game with my .40, even a small horn would allow for a number of reloads. Using my .54 smoothy for deer I suspect I would need at most two or three reloads...

[hungryjohn]

I shoot right-handed and carry both bag and horn on the right. Nothing outside the bag and everything inside situated or padded to minimize noise.

Last rondy I went to, I was so quiet, that I walked in plain sight with no attempt to conceal myself in any way. And was able to move up alongside a small group of people on the woods walk, wait for them to get done at that particuler station, and take my shot befor they even realised I was there.