shot/ ball Snake

[kudu]

Im thinking about a Ball "Snake" pouch for my .50 cal rifle .

I would like to make one like a sash over the shoulder, neck/ chest. something just large enough
for about 30- 50.cal balls.

The math is 1/2" times 30 so I figure a full snake pouch of about 17" including the spout, with the strap being the rest of the sash(bandeleiro) whatever?

Anyone have any pics of something like this, or make one?

[Hungry Horse]

What makes a shot snake work so well is the brass valve that dispenses a measured amount of shot. A similar device would have to be made for balls, to make the snake as equally convenient. A shot, or ball snake that takes two hands to operate would not make it any more convenient than a simple bag.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

Good point, Hungry Horse, but the same sort of valve system used as used on an Irish shot snake might work, as long as the 'entrance' to the 'valve' was wide enough to allow only one ball at a time- like 2 to 4 stacked in a line above the valve.

[Standing Bear]

Nope.  I'm w Hungry Horse - an answer to a problem that doesn't exist, imo.   I do use a snake for shot but for balls one at a time?   Just use a loading block.
TC

[Hungry Horse]

I myself have investigated this problem. The Irish style will not work with round balls, the spring loaded gate won't cut off rifle balls. I found the most likely would be a sliding sleeve that captured one ball at a time, and dispensed it when the sleeve was pulled out far enough to drop the ball.

  Hungry Horse

[trentOH]

I guess you have to think like something available already which dispenses spheres one at a time. For example, a gumball machine would be a unique and interesting idea for at the shooting bench, but not too useful when carrying afield.

What else dispenses spheres???

[kudu]

Jeepers ?  Im just thinking of a leather tube with a "nozzel" with a stopper, pull the stopper or twist off - ball rolls out under gravity tilt back and replace the stopper /cap thingy.

[Hungry Horse]

Jeepers, a shot snake hangs nozzle down so gravity aids the dispensing of the shot. So if you just have a simple plug in the nozzle you are going to be picking up a lot of shot, or balls. If it takes two hands it kinda defeats the purpose of the whole thing. These are normally used in hunting, or quail walk, scenarios where one hand has to secure the gun.
 I'm sure if this was an easy fix it would have been done in the 19th century. A cutoff system that meters single round balls is going to be pretty hard to make in a compact enough package to make a ball snake convenient.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

I myself have investigated this problem. The Irish style will not work with round balls, the spring loaded gate won't cut off rifle balls. I found the most likely would be a sliding sleeve that captured one ball at a time, and dispensed it when the sleeve was pulled out far enough to drop the ball.

  Hungry Horse

Spring no, simply need a pushing action, perhaps on an angle, will push the balls up. With practice, you could shove the finger up to let one ball down, then push the gate closed. It's a lot easier to have them loose in the bag, or in a leather ball bag with hard spout - I used to use one for the .69. It let one ball out at a time. I still find it simpler to have them loose in the hunting bag, or already loaded in paper ctgs.

As noted, there is no need for a snake bag arrangement, just a bit of fun figuring how it would work- or not.