Non-corrosive cartridge loops - ?

[JohndeFresno]

Needed: A functional holster belt for prolonged field use with practical cartridge loops for a .45 Colt sixgun. With a limited knowledge of how metals technically interact with leather and other materials, I am nevertheless aware of how cartridges corrode in the middle when left in leather loops over time. So:

1) How do nickel cases stand up in a climate with just moderate humidity?

2) Is there some recommended material that could be for the loops that would not create a rust problem?
Some plastics are used for boxed ammo belt loops, but they are definitely not a match with leather.
Some loops are made of elastic. It has a shelf life and stretches.

To the many bright and eddicated levergunners here - any ideas for a decent wide leather gunbelt with cartridge friendly belt loops? Thanks.

[765x53]

A canvas web "prairie belt" may be what you are looking for.
Wolf Ears equipment is one company that makes them. http://www.wolfearsequipment.com/Pg6.html

[M. M. Wright]

Most custom makers will do belt loops from canvas that do not corrode your brass. I think it looks very period correct for 1890 or so.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Canvas or nickle plated brass are the only solutions i`m aware of.

[Malamute]

Some types of tanning have more problems than others. I don't know which is which, but have been told that. I've certainly noticed some of my belts crud up more than others, so believe it. What you treat the leather with may have an effect also, but I don't know for sure.

Most of the cartridge belts I use much have been filled with cartridges for as long as I've owned them, with varying results, though none have been all that bad overall. Nickel cases were intended to deal with this, and work well in that role.

I take the rounds out a couple times a year and wipe the cartridges with a rag or paper towel then stick them back in the belt. Some have been in the belt as carry loads for an awful long time, maybe 15 years or so. On the belts that crud up more, or any that seem to need it, I take a smaller caliber plastic bristle bore brush and gently clean the crud from inside the loops and the face of the belt, and call it good for a year or two.

I like leather cartridge belts and use several belts regularly, I don't let it worry me much, just deal with it as described and go on. I have probably 6-8 that have been loaded for 25-30 or longer years without much real issue other than cleaning a bit. It also doesnt bother me if my cases aren't perfectly new looking, I sort of like the slightly aged look of them after loading them a few times and carrying them in belts several years.

I've had this Hunter brand belt since the early 80's. I'm not positive, but I think the loads in it have been there for about 15-20 years. Its one of my favorites, even though it was a cheap belt. Been a few miles together. I've restitched it a couple times. It started life as a 44 belt, then became about perfect for 45's after several years.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Malamute , Yes, vegetable tanned tooling leather will corrode brass much less than Chrome tanned leather will. But eventualy they will turn green no matter what tanning process was used.

[JohndeFresno]

Thank you so much, gentlemen.

These are precisely the answers I (and possibly others) needed. I had been looking online for quite a bit before dropping this question; found one leathersmith who talked about vegetable oils in his loops that minimized the verdigris action, and so on.

As a matter of fact, the only workable solution I could come up with was falling back on G.I. days and remembering that our ammo pouches were indeed canvas - and for a reason.

So - load up nickel cartridges which generally stay available on the belt (stored in a controlled climate), and/or look into your suggested canvas carriers. Excellent!

[Malamute]

Malamute , Yes, vegetable tanned tooling leather will corrode brass much less than Chrome tanned leather will. But eventualy they will turn green no matter what tanning process was used.

True. I've just concluded over the years that it isn't that big of an issue or problem. Occasional cleaning keeps it at a tolerable level.

Actually, it seems over time that any particular belt makes less of the greenish crud and just makes a bit of blackish crud that cleans off fairly easily. The slightly tarnished cases haven't ever cause me any trouble after cleaned off.

As a matter of fact, the only workable solution I could come up with....


So - load up nickel cartridges which generally stay available on the belt (stored in a controlled climate), and/or look into your suggested canvas carriers. Excellent!

The workable solution I came up with was mostly ignoring it and cleaning the belt and cartridges now and then.

[Pete44ru]

.

I once made a cartridge loop belt for a friend that had your concerns, so when I cut the long strip of 1/2" wide leather for the loops, I cut it while it laid atop some canvas & ended up with canvas-lined belt loops.

I sewed the canvas strip to the leather strip, and dyed the canvas with brown leather dye - so nobody was the wiser.


.

[Buck Elliott]

Seriously....??

Carrying the same ammo in your belt for 15 years or more sounds a bit extreme.. Better to shoot it, over time, and replace it with fresh stock..

I do have a small supply (maybe 250) of nickeled .45 cases that i use for belt carry. I've never had corrosion problems with the nickeled cases..

[Malamute]

Yes, serious.

Time flies,....I hadn't really thought about how long they had been in the belt before this thread came up.

Its ammo that isn't as easy to replace at the moment, in the case of the 45's, Lyman cast 260's I cast myself, with 10 grs Unique. I haven't cast in quite a while, and shoot other stuff for general shooting. The bear loads in my 45-70 belt are 400 gr Barnes loads, I don't shoot many of them, or the 44 mag loads with the Lyman bullets I cast.

Havent had any problems with them so far.

I did start shooting up my older 30-30 stuff from the 80's and reloading it fresh. Havent gotten there with other calibers.

I have some of the nickel 45 Colt cases, I use them only for bear loads, so they are instantly identifiable at a glance. I don't shoot many of them either. The couple hundred nickel cases I have will probably last my lifetime. Have scads of brass cases of various headstamps, they get used for most practice stuff. Different loads in different cases makes them identifable.

I have some nickel cases for bear loads in 45-70, but don't shoot many of them and haven't used up the ones in brass so far. With the messed up shoulder that isn't going to happen any time soon,

[Griff]

CANVAS! It's what both my shotgun belts & Sharps belts are made of! Look good, sturdy and no verdigris worries!

I don't care what the ammo is, I don't leave it my belts... That's what ammo boxes are for... If I need armed in a hurry... that's what the loaded mdl 94, the full mags for the AR or 1911s are for!

[Malamute]

One of the pistol belts and a rifle belt go with me pretty much everywhere I go. Where I go determines which ones.

The moral of all this for me is, I've had belts loaded for 25 to over 30 years, not always the same rounds,...but it just hasn't been that big of a deal to keep the rounds and belts clean and functional, nor does it seem an issue if they get a little discolored. I think people worry about it too much.

Load them and leave them, never look at them, it can be a problem. Check them and clean them now and then, hasn't been a problem in my experience.

[MrMurphy]

What Griff said.

Armies went to canvas for ammo in loops in the 1870s....and mostly never looked back. Some kept the leather gear (ammo pouches, holsters, etc) but when it came to single rounds in loops, the Brits, US and other armies went away from leather pretty quick.

[JohndeFresno]

Thank you, all.

[K1500]

As mentioned try nickel cases. What was not mentioned was to try CCI blazer aluminum ammo if you are shooting factory ammo.

[JohndeFresno]

As mentioned try nickel cases. What was not mentioned was to try CCI blazer aluminum ammo if you are shooting factory ammo.

That is a GREAT idea for stuff I just would rather load onto a cartridge belt and store. It's all about convenience, and maybe a last minute chance to run to the range with a limited time to put stuff together, for me.

Now - this solution may be a bit ugly and non-traditional for many here, but I've found the product I need. It is something to fit onto a black leather belt without looking too out of place, and which will absolutely not pose a problem with corrosion, given normal care (keeping things dry, etc).

I purchased two nylon pistol cartridge slides made by Uncle Mike's, and they work will with my plain black leather belt and "Tom Threepersons" basic style holster for the .45 Blackhawk. Here is a photo of similar products from the website:

The elastic used is pretty stout stuff, so it should last a long time if undisturbed.