Cowboys in the old west had horses. They carried their guns, ammunition, and equipment on them. We don't have horses. If we did, we would be in mounted shooting. And we carry 2 long guns, ammunition, tools, food, water, soft drinks, cameras, etc.
This resulted in the invention of the Gun Cart, something to carry your long guns and stuff in.
Early Gun Carts were Little Red Wagons, wheeled golf bags, baby strollers modified, etc.
The problems of the little red wagons were their difficulty of pulling through rough terrain and the fact that you could easily sweep other contestants with your guns when putting guns in and taking them out of the wagon. This resulted in the addition of vertical gun racks.
Now we had a really unstable platform with a high center of gravity. The Gun Cart shown at right had all terrain wheels and inflatable tires for the bad terrain — BAD idea. I was fighting flat tires all of the time. Additionally it tipped over when I was trying to get out of the way of a pickup truck on REALLY bad terrain, breaking the stock of the Marlin. It was quickly replaced.
I went looking for a commercial gun cart. Most were too expensive. Cal-Graf built one of the earliest commercial gun cart, and people who bought them then are still using them. They are solidly built. They are not cheap. I am.
Cal-Graf's Original Range Kart with Range Box
Then they came out with "The Simple Cart." It was inexpensive, disassembled to fit in the back of an SUV or trunk, and had a lot of storage room.
Shown next door is the current version of the Simple Cart, with the revised handle and front foot and hardware that wasn't included then.
As I used it I discovered some shortcomings, at least for me. I shoot Black Powder. Thus I carry a LOT of stuff. You'll note the 6-pack (soft drinks) cooler is hanging on, not integral.
The cart disassembled into 2 pieces, but the bottom piece, loaded with ammo, BP cleaner, etc., was HEAVY to get in and out of the truck.
Additionally, a fault of all of the 2 wheel carts is that you tilt them back to push/pull them. You're always supporting some of their weight. Remember this one was heavy. Eventually I took off the front legs and added front wheels.
About when I got that cart about right, I started work on one better designed for my usage, a 4 wheel cart with 2 removable boxes that could be folded up to fit in a 24" x 24" x 36" space and still carry everything I wanted, including my cooler and Nikon. When putting it in the car I could take off the two boxes, fold the verticals, and only have to pick up three reasonable pieces instead of 2 heavy ones. Ditto taking it out.
I used the "mule" version for about a year and started on a more refined version of exotic woods and improvements from the mule
The result is a big, strong Gun Cart that will hold 5 long guns, a cooler, a big bottom box and a top box. It was not cheap. The dark wood is mahogany. The light is poplar and some baltic birch plywood. Finish is multiple coats of Danish oil, then multiple coats of spar urethane.
The wheels are by Dave Johnson, AKA Gripgrabber SASS # 22674 Old West Wagon Wheels.
A Gallery of Gun Carts:
Off-The-Wall makes an extensive line of well-designed and built 2-wheel carts.
This is my attempt to improve the Little Red Wagon concept. The vertical gun rack is repositionable depending on the terrain. In this position it is near the front of the cart for balance, but still is fairly high.
This position lowers the center of gravity for poor terrain. It does require that the box up front have some ammo in it or something to counter the weight.
Texas Paladin used this most basic of gun carts for years until some friends built him a new one with a vertical rack.
Lassiter Thunder sells this 4 wheel cart. It disassembles to a small size and is easy to push.
Painted wagon with 5 gun rack, Wendel’s Tool Rental, 375 East Hwy 6, Alvin , Texas 77511, 281-331-5766
Deadwood Doc Smith is a cabinet maker by trade. He built his wife Buckeye Lady's cart. The main part is high-quality multi ply, veneered with book matched Birds Eye Maple, with contrasting book matched Burl Walnut veneer and wooden banding inlays. All the edges of the ply are capped with handmade black walnut moldings. Gun supports are also Burl Walnut and solid Black Walnut with imported brass fittings. The main Cart handle is inlayed with faux pearls. Seat is upholstered in the traditional style. Oh yes, and Birds Eye maple hub caps! You might also note Buckeye Lady's Yellowboy with a matching stock.
Prairie Runner by Off-The-Wall Guncarts, The Prairie Runner is 40" long. Rear wheels are 20", front 14". Ammo box, seat and rifle rack are removable. Off The Wall Gun Carts, 224 North Howard Street Greentown, IN 46936, Phone (765) 628-2050 / Fax (765) 628-1899.
The Concord coach was the project of Amos T. it was built using the original blue prints from the State Archives in Concord, N. H.
Sheriff E. M. Horton, SASS 7534 built what may be the ultimate gun cart. It won best gun cart at EOT until they made him a judge. When vertical gun carts became de rigueur, I guess he had to add a trailer to his gun cart!
Safety Equipment:
Hearing Protection:
Hearing protection is mandatory. Cowboy shooters use in-the-ear protectors. This isn't as good as ear muffs. You need 31 decibels sound reduction. It can be throwaway foam ear plugs or expensive, molded-in-the-ear devices costing thousands. But you should get good ear plugs with a high dB rating, 31 or so, and wear them.
Walker's Game Ear
Bright orange molded in the ear protection with a clear tube to a Walker's Game Ear I gives 31 decibel protection and the ability to turn the Game Ear on and off, volume up and down, to hear the stage briefing and not hear loud noises. Not what I would call comfortable. This set up isn't cheap, but it's far from the most expensive electronic devices. Plain foam ear plugs are the best bang, or lack thereof, for the money.
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SportEar
Before I retired and started shooting a lot of SASS matches I bought a pair of Sport Ears, in the ear protection, adjusted to my audiogram, with individual volume controls and a button that switches from shooting to conversation to amplified conversation (eavesdropping) and "fast attack, machine gun"
Very expensive, so not many people have them. Just don't buy that CodyMatic this month. Comfortable. Effective.
But the "Fast Attack, Machine Gun"? Worthless. I didn't shoot any faster using that mode. Went back to shooting mode.
Safety Glasses with Side Shields:
Safety glasses and ear protection are mandatory when near the line. Use good, full coverage glasses. Don't use small round glasses just because they look period correct. One story: I was working as timer at Showdown at Buck Creek 2000. A lady was shooting a .38. The targets were relatively close and were not properly tilted down. She shot a low velocity round and hit the target. The round came straight back at me. My glasses had slipped down my nose because I was reading the timer. The round went above my glasses but into my eye, cutting the lid and bruising the eye. A visit to an ophthalmologist was necessary, and it was a near thing. Now I use an elastic strap to keep my safety glasses tight on my eyes. Cowboy Action Shooting is a very safe sport. The most common injury of consequence, however, is metal fragments in the eye. This is preventable, however. There will be lead splatter. You will be hit. Wear safety glasses with side shields.
The source I used for these glasses is no longer selling them. I had an optician replace the flat Polycarbonate lenses with polycarbonate lenses with focal point at the front sight for the rifle.
Since then I've had cataract surgery and can shoot with plain safety glasses.
Note the side shields.
WRAP-AROUND SAFETY GLASSES
You can pay $300+ for a set of really nice safety glasses. But they meet the same ANSI Z.90 regulations as these $5.95 glasses from Lowe's. The main rules are simple:
1. ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES
2. ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WITH SIDE SHIELDS. Bounceback comes from many directions.