I wanted to build a few “Staging Strips” for Cowboy Action Shooting competition. These are used to bring ammo to the loading table during a competition. I was using a plastic ammo box that holds 100 rounds and I was concerned that I might put too many cartridges into my rifle and find myself disqualified at a match. I needed “Staging Strips.
I wanted them to look “Period Correct”. But considering that they probably didn’t shoot CAS in 1860, I’d at least make them look old.
I decided to make them out of wood. And I needed old, distressed wood. Shipping pallets would be perfect. I cut up a bunch of old shipping pallets to have a few pieces of wood to work with. For hinges and closures I’d use leather so a stop at the local Goodwill store found a whole bunch of leather belts for $2 each!
The first type is a Staging Block.
This device holds ten cartridges. Five for each pistol and ten for the rifle. The holes were drilled on my DRO milling machine using a Forstner bit. But they could easily be drilled on a simple drill press. The Forstner bit cuts a very clean hole with no tear out.
For the hinge I used a simple piece of the leather belt and a few small screws I had in my junk drawer.
The closure is more of the belt and a simple brass eye hook to which a clasp can be attached and the block can be hung on your belt or the handle of one of your revolvers.
I think these Staging Blocks are going to work out just fine!
These were a lot of fun to make and took about three hours from start to finish.
Thanks for looking!
(Update!…..I find the new and improved staging strips I am now making and selling to be much better to use during an actual shoot. Check them out here:
http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/cowboy-action-staging-strip-loading-block-for-sale.html