Range Bag?..Your Choice

That Gunmate is the one I have, purchased at a local Galyans.. cheap and fine for me, though I now could use something slightly bigger.
 
When I go to the range I take a 24" toolbox to hold stuff like my staple gun, ear plugs, cleaning and maintenance supplies. I also take a musette bag which holds targets, more ammo, a small spotting scope and table top tripod, plus a handgun or two in cases.
 
I started with a bag from Wal-mart, when it was just a .22. Now that I have a few more toys, I have been using a "tool bag" from the local Army/ Navy store.

This is a link to the same bag, but NOT where I bought it from, so I can not recommend this site:

http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/store/item/FA1994

HEAVY green canvas, and it is rectangular. I put the ammo boxes accross the bottom, then the targets at an angle in a manilla folder of FedEx envelope, then my guns in those cheap triangluar bags, then thats it. I think I paid $15 for it.

I recently bought a strap from a camera store ($10), so now I sling it over my shoulder and go.

It has little holders on each side for tools, but I find that mags fit real well in them, too. I have removed the stitching between some of these pockets to make them double wide, and they will hold my range glasses, bug spray, whatever.
 
I've got the expensive ones as well as the frugal ones and they've both worked well. It is a bit like holster choosing in that you just have to go through a few until you find what you like.

One observation would be: Don't get one that is TOO big. I made that mistake once and it ends up being a realy pain. I generally take 2 or 3 bags to the range depending on what I'm shooting. My pistols rarely go in the range bags, instead they are in hard side cases. The range bag is for lots of ammo, cleaning, glasses, ears, targets, Snickers, etc.

Best of luck.
 
I had the original (overpriced) Waller and Sons range bag, but one of the Fastex buckles broke after about five years and then the "self-repairing" nylon zipper broke just a month ago, so that the bag falls right open (!) while being carried. The bag is only six years old, gets weekly use, carries 1-4 guns at a time, maybe 2-5 boxes of .45ACP ammo plus glasses, hearing protection, hat, etc, and hasn't been abused, so I'm not very satisfied with Waller quality.

I replaced it with a bigger "Tournament" I-Shot bag for half the price.
 
I have one of the blue Dillon bags and Im pretty happy with it. I've had it forever now... my only 2 gripes are:

1. The arm strap, I wish that the clips swiveled. Im always untwisting it
2. Its a bit small for a day on the rifle range. Its a bit small if your carrying a mild sized or bigger spotting scope in it.

Over all, its perfect for the pistol range if your using a hard case for multiple handguns (though if your bringing just 1 or 2 its just dandy). There are better deals out there no doubt about it though.
 
My wife actually bought our (that's right!) OUR range bag. It's an Uncle Mike's shotshell bag really meant for skeet shooters, but I like it because it is a Cordura bag, but has hard plastic sandwiched in between so it holds it's shape. It holds her Glock 19, my Glock 29, 300 rounds of ammo, eyes, ears and has a pocket on the outside that hold extra mags.

Not only did my wife buy the range bag, she also bought me the G-29 for my birthday last year and an 11-87 Premier for Christmas this year. I guess I found a good one.
 
I have a Galati range bag (large). It has been very adequate and holds 2 pistols and all related gear. I think it was about 38$.

Dave
 
Back
Top