Giz,
Back in the 70’s when I made my second shooting pouch, I decided to make it in a “Militia Style” because I was shooting a Brown Bess Carbine in competition and could use it to reenact as an American Militiaman or Early War Continental Marine. I did not even attempt to directly copy any one pouch, but used features in it that were correct for the mid to late 18th century. To set the “Military Tone” of it, I used two brass buckles on the strap and cut the front bottom of the flap in a double cyma curve and secured it with a small button hole strap that was sewn on the underside of the flap and attached to a plain pewter button. I used thick leather on it, like was done for cartridge boxes, both so I could put the removable paper cartridge block in it and so it would easily stay open to get at items inside the bag at the range. I sewed loops on both sides of the interior of the gussets to hold my short starter in front and the adjustable powder measure in the rear.
It worked great for both purposes for many years. However, I screwed up on two things. The first was I used “artificial sinew” instead of linen thread. The second was that while the wide gusset I used to attach the front of the bag to the rear of the bag (and it went down one side, along the bottom and up the other side) was OK for the period, I blew it and left the sewed edges facing outwards instead of turning the pouch inside out. I had the gusset sewn all around the rear piece of the pouch when it dawned on me and since I was in a hurry to use it, I just sewed it up the rest of the way like that. I rationalized that a period Militiaman, who was not a trained leather worker, could have made the same mistake. Someday I might pull it apart and use linen thread and sew it correctly.
My third pouch was a direct copy of a Rev War Militia Cartridge Box Pouch. On this one I did sew it for and turned the pouch inside out. However, the cartridge block stays in that pouch and I used it for both Rev War and War of 1812 reenacting as a Militiaman. So I don’t use it for general shooting.
The pouches I have made after those were in keeping with the best info I could get on the periods of the guns they went with and of course for what the owners planned on carrying with them.
As to powder horns, I had no problem using a French and Indian War style horn for both that war and the Rev War, but also for War of 1812. Had it not been damaged, an original horn handed down in a family would or could have been used throughout that 60 year period.
Still, I like the idea of making a horn for a pouch that would be “correct” for the period of the gun they go with. So I’m studying info on powder horns to better do that now that so much info has come out in the last 20 years or so on different period horns.
However, outside 18th and 19th century military leather goods I make that did follow general or specific patterns, I still don’t like to try to exactly copy an original civilian pouch or horn. I will generally follow period styles and techniques, but prefer to alter them to my own or others’ tastes. After all, isn’t that the essence of “Bespoke Work?”
I intentionally do enough things that are Historic Anachronisms at it is. GRIN. I have never learned to shave with a straight razor and as many Purple Hearts as I’ve earned in the “Battles of Gillette” from the old two sided blades to modern three or more blade razors, I doubt I ever will try to shave with a straight razor as my eyes are going bad. I am going to continue to sneak off and take a shower once a day if I can and put on a clean period shirt. I hand wash or have my woolens dry cleaned after an event, so I can at least start off clean for the next event. Though I try not to do it around the public, I will save the “Hale from a storm” to make drinks cold in the Virginia Summer. (Try to imagine four Highlanders from the Black Watch carrying a large piece of tent canvas filled with about 60 pounds of such “Hale from a storm” back to camp at Colonial Williamsburg during the Annual “Under the Red Coat” event. GRIN.) This and too may other anachronisms I do, though I do my best to hide them.
Gus
