Pistol Box Question??

[LarryE44]

I'm new to bullseye shooting and will start shooting in NRA 2700 matches in a couple of months. I built me a pistol box and have some questions about it. I cannot get everything I normally take to the range with me in my pistol box. Is the pistol box designed the way it is because you can only take one bag or box to the line? I built it with plenty of storage. I can almost get all I need in it but not quite. I didn't want to make it much bigger because it would be too difficult to manage. What do most bullseye shooter do? Thanks everyone. Larry

Here is the box I built.

[Chazzersgarage]

After watching my Dad shoot Bullseye for years, the box is suppose to handle everything you need on the line. Not necessarially everything you need on the range. Good luck.

[Canuck-IL]

I'm almost convinced the main function of a pistol box is to stabilize the scope holder at eye level and provide somwhere to attach a little screening to keep the next shooter's empties out of my shirt collar.

That's a nice looking box - appears heavy though - you won't likely want to tote that around Camp Perry's long ranges too often w/o wheeled support.

As to the original question - you've got a lot of wasted space in the drawer thickness and the dividers in each one. Personally, even w a 5 gun Gun-Ho box, it carry all my ammo in a separate, soft-sided bag of some sort... easier to fish out what you need and it takes the heaviest stuff out of the box so that you're somewhat balanced while carrying everything to the line.
/Bryan

[LarryE44]

Thanks chazzersgarage and Bryan.

Bryan, the drawers look thicker than they really are. They are only 3/8" thick. Any thinner and I worried about having enough glue surface to hold heavy stuff that goes in them. I only have dividers in the one thin drawer so small items like allan wrenches and such don't get covered up by other stuff. It is white oak and the box walls are only 3/8". I have a heavy trunk leather handle on top and I loaded it up with pistols, 200 rounds of .45 and the blue box of .22 and it was not that heavy. I worried about the same thing, but it worked out okay. I do like the idea of a soft bag for the ammo and I will probably do that. Thanks for all the info. Larry

[ClarkEMyers]

When I was active I used a Pachmay 4 gun box - IIRC Gil Hebard suggested that as the ideal size 3 gun too small and 5 gun too awkward. I sold that box after my eyes gave out and I didn't choose to go to optical sights. I later bought a NIB Pachmay 5 gun box in an effort to recreate my youth and do find that too big.

Some of the common accessories two tiered aluminum magazine carriers for rimfire and center fire inside the top ends or magnets and a literature holder inside the top cover and other such may allow getting more in. Rosin bags, sight smoker and a lot more all fit into mine. I do have a wheeled cart for rifle and depending on how far I'm driving and how important the trip I might well carry a vast amount but not with a strap over my shoulder.

[GOVTMODEL]

Originally Posted by LarryE44

I'm new to bullseye shooting and will start shooting in NRA 2700 matches in a couple of months. I built me a pistol box and have some questions about it. I cannot get everything I normally take to the range with me in my pistol box. Is the pistol box designed the way it is because you can only take one bag or box to the line? I built it with plenty of storage. I can almost get all I need in it but not quite. I didn't want to make it much bigger because it would be too difficult to manage. What do most bullseye shooter do? Thanks everyone. Larry

Not that I'm the absolute authority, but I have been shooting NRA 2700's for a while.

A box the size of a Gun-Ho four gun box is pretty typical. It'll hold a .22, a .45, a Service Pistol for leg matches, a revolver for the revolver match, and your spotting scope, oil, and a screwdriver for sight adjustments. I normally have my ammunition in a separate bag.

At Camp Perry the firing line can be quite a distance from where you parked, and you have a bunch of full face targets to carry, so carts & wagons are pretty common there. A lot of shooters bring rain gear because the weather can be quite volatile there on the edge of the lake.

[bsmotril]

I have one of the commercial units, and I carry everything I need for a match EXCEPT Ammo. That goes in a separate range bag which also takes the dirty brass back home. A couple of key design features in my mind for a 2700 box are:

1) Ability to access scoring materials, timers, pasters etc without touching the guns as required during range safe times. This is why many boxes have a separate drawer on the back side of the box away from the gun access panel.

2) Ability to mount a spotting scope at my eye level. There are ratched adjuster mounts that will let you set the scope position. When the main panel is shut, the scope is not dismounted, but fits into the space below the gun shelf and above the bottom tray.

3) Ability to securely hold and clamp guns for travel, must hold two guns for me, some prefer 3. You might also want to add a padded shoulder strap to go along with that nice leather handle.

4) A solvent proof tray to hold cleaning supplies.

Your box is beautiful, but it's gonna be a bear to move around without wheels on it if you have all your 45 ammo for the match in there too.

[LarryE44]

Thanks bsmotril, for the great information. I took the box back to the shop and created a back opening. I can now have the pistols secured and still get to anything I need in the trays. I appreciate you all giving me tips about what I need in the box. Thanks again, Larry

[Shadowdog5000]

You made a beautiful looking box. I bet you get allot of requests to build others.

I just started shooting bullseye and am setting up an old Pachmyer 4 gun box that I picked up last week. I've been spending allot of time during the last two matches checking out other shooters equipment to see what they do. The one thing I'm noticing so far is the the experienced shooters tend to have less stuff in thier boxes than the new and average shooters.

Maybe others could post pictures of thier boxes so we can get setup ideas.

Keep us posted on any changes and modifications, I'm sure they will look great.

Chris

[richpetrone]

I have a Pachmayr 4-gun box I used for many years when I shot Bullseye. I attached a spotting scope to the lid opening, which folds down intact below the 4-gun tray. Also, I made a wire screen from hardware cloth that attaches to the lid using a thumbscrew, bolt and washers. The screen is essential to deflect hot .22 and other brass. The back of the Pachmayr box has an ammo storage area. I think the three most important extras to have at the line is a good timer or stopwatch for slowfire, a spotting scope, and a brass deflector for timed and rapid. If your box is too heavy, you can always make a wheeled cart or small hand truck.