Jury rigged rifle scabbard?

[EastHumboldt]

Anybody have a cool hack for turning this into a saddle scabbard? I'm riding into camp with my brother, and this will be our back-up rifle. I don’t need to be able to get it out of the case quickly because the season doesn’t open until two days after we get to camp. I don’t want to sling the rifle across my back because we’ll be riding along a creek with plenty of overhanging branches to duck, which will be bad enough without a rifle on my back.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I'd find a different case

 

[EastHumboldt]

You mean as in a real scabbard? trying not to spend any more money.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Do you really need a spare rifle?

 

[Steve300xcw]

You mean as in a real scabbard? trying not to spend any more money.

yea.

I suppose a guy could tie off through the grab handle, and then onece more lower down around the barrel if you really needed to.

 

[Ralphie]

Will you have pack horses? If so would be easy to pack

 

[wyosteve]

Sew some nylon webbing with ‘D’ rings in the ends at the stock and barrel locations and then just lash it to your saddle.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Will you have pack horses? If so would be easy to pack

We have three pack horses, but I’m reluctant to put a scoped rifle on one. I had one of my horses try to take down a 4” aspen tree with his pack a few years back and damaged my scope. Speaking metaphorically, Since then my rifles have an “I ride inside!” Bumper sticker on them.

Another horse tripped and rolled on his pack on another trip. ( Rifle was with me so no harm). And I’ve seen many a rodeo where a pack horse has smashed his pack into a tree. For the same reason I also don’t let them carry the eggs. Those go in my pack.

I feel a lot better with the rifle under my leg, where at least I stand a chance of reining the horse away from any obstacles.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Do you really need a spare rifle?

Yeah…. We’re paying for a drop camp, and it’s a once every 20 years Nevada bull elk tag. 4 hour walk and an 8 hour drive home if something happens to my brothers rifle or scope. So yeah, definitely.

I really like wyosteve’s idea. Time to get out the needle and thread. Unless somebody gives me an easier fix.

 

[RockAndSage]

Yeah…. We’re paying for a drop camp, and it’s a once every 20 years Nevada bull elk tag. 4 hour walk and an 8 hour drive home if something happens to my brothers rifle or scope. So yeah, definitely.

I really like wyosteve’s idea. Time to get out the needle and thread. Unless somebody gives me an easier fix.

Wonder if that outfitter supplying the drop-camp has an old one you could borrow?

 

[huntsman22]

A 'once every 20 years' hunt? and it ain't worth the cost of a real scabbard? What is wrong with this picture?

 

[EastHumboldt]

A 'once every 20 years' hunt? and it ain't worth the cost of a real scabbard? What is wrong with this picture?

Now you got me thinkin’. I was looking at a really cool one before I came here. It would be so much nicer than tying a soft case to my saddle with 550 cord. And I won’t look like the financially challenged old fudd that I am.

I used to be a happy boy with just one rifle,, a fudd 1960’s walnut stock blued R700. And I hunted in jeans and a $39 Cabelas fleece hoodie, wearing an AlpsOutdoors $89 pack, and a pair of LLBean pak boots. Killing deer dead as doornails with Federal blue box 165’s. Now I have three tikkas, a $2,000 pile of Sitka clothes, 3k worth of projectiles, primers, and brass, 40lbs of various powder, and a $900 pair of boots ( don’t ask). That’s off the top of my head without walking out in the garage and looking in my cabinets.

YOU M()+@&F:$KERS ARE KILLING ME !!!

 

[mntnguide]

I pack my rifle on my pack horses all the time. If an outfitter doesnt have good enough stock to get you 8 miles without a wreck, then you have much more to worry about than a back up rifle

 

[RockAndSage]

I pack my rifle on my pack horses all the time. If an outfitter doesnt have good enough stock to get you 8 miles without a wreck, then you have much more to worry about than a back up rifle

I don't know man...unless each of those horses has just been bomb-proofed extensively, all it takes is one suddenly flapping bit of wilderness trash like a mylar baloon or walmart bag to send even good horses bolting, if the wrong thing happens at the wrong time. Dudes can have a great pack-string, but step on a yellowjacket nest? It can happen to the best of horses.

It seems a backup rifle or a hard-sided scabbard of some kind are simply prudent in the kind of hunt he described.

 

[mntnguide]

I don't know man...unless each of those horses has just been bomb-proofed extensively, all it takes is one suddenly flapping bit of wilderness trash like a mylar baloon or walmart bag to send even good horses bolting, if the wrong thing happens at the wrong time. Dudes can have a great pack-string, but step on a yellowjacket nest? It can happen to the best of horses.

It seems a backup rifle or a hard-sided scabbard of some kind are simply prudent in the kind of hunt he described.

Wrecks can happen in all sorts of ways yes. But, If you have a major wreck, isnt gonna matter which horse your rifle is on. I pack my rifle on top my bear boxes all the time, have rode hundreds of miles, and never had an issue. Just saying, as a backup rifle, I wouldnt try to reinvent the wheel, id pack it on a pack horse

 

[RockAndSage]

Wrecks can happen in all sorts of ways yes. But, If you have a major wreck, isnt gonna matter which horse your rifle is on. I pack my rifle on top my bear boxes all the time, have rode hundreds of miles, and never had an issue. Just saying, as a backup rifle, I wouldnt try to reinvent the wheel, id pack it on a pack horse

Ah, gotcha.

 

[Ralphie]

Wrecks happen. If you are constantly having them the solution is not to carry your eggs on your saddle horse. Or your extra rifle.

I’ve packed a rifle on top of my panniers as mtnguide said countless times in and out of the thorofare, along with other places.

Also agree with huntsman. Buy a trail max scabbard. Sell it when you’re done if you have to.

I’d still pack it.

 

[Wrench]

I have a trailmax longrange and it's worth the money. Horses love to rub on stuff....usually not to the benefit of your stuff.