I would like to buy a scabbard for my saddle to carry a marlin 1984C in, but probably get a scope ready one so I can carry the muzzleloader during deer season. How important is it to get one that is lined? Will 3-4 uses a week over the coarse of a couple summers wear the finish off a gun?

Thanks.

From my experience, the short answer is yes. The rifle will begin to show wear at leading & trailing edges, such as muzzle, front sight, scope ends, etc. A liner helps to slow the process, but does not fully prevent it. A heavy liner will also protect against dings.

Get one with a liner. Just a few times in and out of plain leather will wear your bluing, and wood finish right off. Just the movement from riding a horse will cause some wear to your rifle as well. Barbors use leather to sharpen razors, so it is quite abrasive.

What about the snow flaps they put over the top of the opening on some. Are those practicle enough to get a scabbard that has one, or do they just get in the way? Would they shed the rain well?

Quigly, I never used one with a flap, but would think it would be good for keeping weather off your rifle.

Get one of the high quality cordura nylon ones. Leather looks better, but the oils and salts in the leather is bad for your gun. You can get waterproof synthetic ones. (and this is coming from a guy that sells gunleather!)

I would suggest that you get one lined with sheepskin or the synthetic equivalent. It wil cost more and might become a custom job but it is superior to any other kind of lining I've come across. At the very least get pigskin, but also remember that leather will trap and hold moisture around your rifle, so it is not for long term storage. An even better idea would be to have a zipper closure instead of an open end, but that will be expensive, although it works very well. I have one made of leather lined with faux sheepskin and a zipper that goes 3/4 of the way around, but it has handles rather than straps. A better way would have a shoulder strap and have the zipper just on the larger top end for easy access, but that wasn't what I had in mind when I had mine made. I also traced my rifle with the scope on so it would fit either way, but I am not aware of any leather makers that have scabbards with shoulder straps and designed for scoped rifles, so you may have to have a leathersmith make one for you.

As far as the type of leather used, modern leather is stable and won't corrode the metal, it's the moisture retention that is the problem. Also, you might think about getting some leather yourself so you can design everything around your particular rifle, then if there's a leather shop near you it wouldn't be that expensive to have them stitch it together. Elk hide makes great rifle covers, and you can buy it over the internet.

These are all just suggestions and I will try to post some links that you might find helpful later on.

Links you might find useful;
http://www.obenaufs.com/oil.php?osCsid=2476092f1704d26f27c1adbb692a3820
http://www.kirkpatrickleather.com/index_ow.htm
http://www.leathergunsetc.com/links.html
Four eyed Bill replied to my question and he does make rifle scabbards to your specs. His gun rigs are great too, so I know he does quality work.

http://www.rodkiblersaddlery.com/mounted.html

New products for July include leather scabbards;
http://www.westernandwildlifewonders.com/shop/catalog/index.php?cPath=3_48
http://www.westernandwildlifewonders.com/shop/catalog/images/rifle%20scabbard.JPG


http://rustedfables.com/index.php/vmchk/Scabbards-and-Bandoliers.html
http://www.circlekb.com/page/CKCG/PROD/RifleScabbards/RSRifleman

This place does custom orders;
http://www.grizzlytuff.com/index.htm

Hope this helps;
William

I would suggest that you get one lined with sheepskin or the synthetic equivalent. It wil cost more and might become a custom job but it is superior to any other kind of lining I've come across. At the very least get pigskin, but also remember that leather will trap and hold moisture around your rifle, so it is not for long term storage. An even better idea would be to have a zipper closure instead of an open end, but that will be expensive, although it works very well. I have one made of leather lined with faux sheepskin and a zipper that goes 3/4 of the way around, but it has handles rather than straps. A better way would have a shoulder strap and have the zipper just on the larger top end for easy access, but that wasn't what I had in mind when I had mine made. I also traced my rifle with the scope on so it would fit either way, but I am not aware of any leather makers that have scabbards with shoulder straps and designed for scoped rifles, so you may have to have a leathersmith make one for you.

As far as the type of leather used, modern leather is stable and won't corrode the metal, it's the moisture retention that is the problem. Also, you might think about getting some leather yourself so you can design everything around your particular rifle, then if there's a leather shop near you it wouldn't be that expensive to have them stitch it together. Elk hide makes great rifle covers, and you can buy it over the internet.

These are all just suggestions and I will try to post some links that you might find helpful later on.


Pretty much all of the above is about as wrong as it could be.

The lanolin in sheepskin will corrode the heck out of your guns, in addition to being alot slicker. The first time your horse lunges up a hill, your rifle will sail into a nice little arc, ending abruptly onto the biggest hardest rock around. (This is NOT good for accuracy!) If you insist on going this route, however, use the sythetic fleece. It's a heck of a lot cheaper. One bark tanned fleece hide, last time I looked, was going for about $85, with my discount.

Pigskin is very pourous, and soaks up leather worse than most other leathers.

Modern leathers are still tanned with salts and acids, and they are still very hard on a gun's finish. I "permanently loaned" my grandad my '94 and an old scabbard that was pretty dry. Predictably, he left the rifle in the scabbard, inside his pickup, which obviously reached extreme temperature here in southern Kansas. It now has pits in the receiver.

I make and sell gunbelts, and if you put cartridges in the cartridge loops, they turn green rather quickly.

Links you might find useful;
http://www.obenaufs.com/oil.php?osCsid=2476092f1704d26f27c1adbb692a3820
http://www.kirkpatrickleather.com/index_ow.htm

Four eyed Bill at Leather, Guns & Etc. makes rifle scabbards to your specs. I know he does quality work as the black powder rig he made me a while back was incredible.
http://www.leathergunsetc.com/images/SlimJims.jpg



http://www.leathergunsetc.com/links.html


I was wondering if you make other leather products such as rifle scabbards?Sincerely; William


Yes I do.

Bill lgetc@cableone.net (lgetc@cableone.net)


http://www.rodkiblersaddlery.com/mounted.html

http://www.westernandwildlifewonders.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=349

http://rustedfables.com/index.php/vmchk/Scabbards-and-Bandoliers.html
http://www.circlekb.com/page/CKCG/PROD/RifleScabbards/RSRifleman
This place does custom orders;
http://www.grizzlytuff.com/index.htm

Hope this helps;
William

Once you've chosen the design and gotten your scabbard, don't forget to post a pic if you can.

Modern leathers are still tanned with salts and acids, and they are still very hard on a gun's finish.

Chrome tanned leather, yes, but most of the better leather smiths won't use it for just that reason. Bark and vegetable tanned leather doesn't turn your brass green or pit the metal, unless of course you forget that since it attracts and holds moisture, leather is not meant for long term storage of guns. Having veg or bark tanned leather lined with chrome tanned suede leather is a very bad idea too.

Vegetable tan and bark tanned WILL screw up your gun's finish. Most of the sheepskins used are bark tanned.

Another thing to consider is the leather treatments used. I haven't found any yet that weren't harmful to a guns finish, over time. Personally, I just don't sweat it, as I clean my guns religiously. Also, I pretty much have two dedicated saddle guns, as they tend to take quite a bit of abuse being hauled around on a horse.

Not to add to the debate, but I have had a leather scabbard with sheepskin lining for 30 years and have never had any problem with it bothering my guns. Every time me and a horse goes out one of my Marlins goes with me in that scabbard. I don't leave them in the thing. I bring my guns in the house with me and leave the scabbard on the saddle. Has a tie down and have never had a rifle come bouncing out onto a big rock

I would NOT use the leather scabbard as a storage unit, but they work very well when mounted on a horse, tractor, motorcycle and so on to do what they were intended to do. Carry your rifle around.

Not to add to the debate, but I have had a leather scabbard with sheepskin lining for 30 years and have never had any problem with it bothering my guns. Every time me and a horse goes out one of my Marlins goes with me in that scabbard. I don't leave them in the thing. I bring my guns in the house with me and leave the scabbard on the saddle. Has a tie down and have never had a rifle come bouncing out onto a big rock

I would NOT use the leather scabbard as a storage unit, but they work very well when mounted on a horse, tractor, motorcycle and so on to do what they were intended to do. Carry your rifle around.

Not really a debate, as you are just relating your experience with your sheepskin lined leather scabbard, which is the topic of the original post.

Thanks for adding this.

Not to add to the debate, but I have had a leather scabbard with sheepskin lining for 30 years and have never had any problem with it bothering my guns. Every time me and a horse goes out one of my Marlins goes with me in that scabbard. I don't leave them in the thing. I bring my guns in the house with me and leave the scabbard on the saddle. Has a tie down and have never had a rifle come bouncing out onto a big rock

I would NOT use the leather scabbard as a storage unit, but they work very well when mounted on a horse, tractor, motorcycle and so on to do what they were intended to do. Carry your rifle around.

Good post. I've been thinking for quite a while, trying to come up with a scabbard design that would work well for carrying a rifle on a tractor. The best thing I've been able to come up with would be a rectangular case for a takedown model, but I'd really rather use a normal rifle.

Between the leather and the synthetic, my preference is the synthetic. Have both and must say, the Uncle Mike's Sidekick cordova scabbard is far superior when it comes to keeping the rifle safe and secure. It is very tough, has lots of tie straps and an end closure that can be removed either by strap, snap or zipper. Have only carried bolt guns in scabbards, so my experience is limited to that aspect.

A hunting guide I know usually carries a '94 in a leather scabbard. He has done it so long in this pucker brush that the stock looks more like a scarred up boat paddle than a stock. If you leave the buttstock exposed while hunting, be prepared to get lots of scratches and scarfs.

Not to add to the debate, but I have had a leather scabbard with sheepskin lining for 30 years and have never had any problem with it bothering my guns. Every time me and a horse goes out one of my Marlins goes with me in that scabbard. I don't leave them in the thing. I bring my guns in the house with me and leave the scabbard on the saddle. Has a tie down and have never had a rifle come bouncing out onto a big rock

I would NOT use the leather scabbard as a storage unit, but they work very well when mounted on a horse, tractor, motorcycle and so on to do what they were intended to do. Carry your rifle around.

My saddle guns are ones that I don't particularly care about their looks. As long as they function and put the bullets where I want 'em, that's all I ask.

You might want to check out Lever at Lever Gun Leather as he's been there and done that and could answer any questions you may have.
Jeff Quinn over at Gunblast.com sure likes it. Recommendation enough for me.

spurrit, he's even made one for Jeff's tractor.

http://www.levergunleather.com/
http://www.gunblast.com/LevergunLeather.htm
http://www.gunblast.com/Levergun-Scabbard.htm tractor scabbard

blackfly

I remember reading about that. I believe it was for an open top kinda tractor. I need to come up with a design that would work with or without the cab, but am in no hurry right now, as I'm still trying to recover from back surgery.

Another source;
http://cows.com/accessories.html

I remember reading about that. I believe it was for an open top kinda tractor. I need to come up with a design that would work with or without the cab, but am in no hurry right now, as I'm still trying to recover from back surgery.


Spurrit, I am usually on a open tractor, and I strap my scabbard right to the fender. I wrap the lower strap around the bottom of my fenders, and the top goes through the hand whole in the flat f the fender to keep it in place. I will try to get a picture of it before long. My oldest son has my scabbard right now, but as soon as he brings it back I will mount it on the tractor for pics.

I made a good scabard out of an ofcut of foor carpet . works well sewed up with poly baleing twin with the carpet loops on the inside , offers a little bading to the rifle is stiff like leather and very cheap .

I don't think I'm at all interested in wrapping my rifle with wet carpet.