Judge J.R's Gun Cart

Cowboy Action Shooters need a way to pack their guns, ammo, and other goodies from stage to stage during a shooting match. A little like a golf cart eases the load on those who chase a little white ball around a pasture, cowboy shooters have devised various solutions to their storage and transportation needs. Some carts are store-bought, but many are homemade. We Cowboy Action Shooters seem to be a very creative lot.

Initially to save money, I figured I would build my own cart. Well… As the plan grew, so did the cost. I now have a cart that I'm pretty happy with, but at a cost well over that of most store-bought models.


Many carts use wooden ammo boxes; I wanted to be a little different so I scoured the Internet for a source for old-time wooden dynamite boxes. I found a guy down the road a fair piece that is a collector of antique dynamite boxes.   As a collector, I think he found it somewhat distasteful that I was going to cut up his keepsakes, so he would only offer me two of his lesser examples.   Two well worn boxes and a few scraps of a third were acquired from this collector. Some cutting and hacking, a 3/16-inch furniture grade plywood liner, piano hinges, and a coat of varnish, produced the two boxes I needed for this project.


Lehman's the guys who supply the Amish, and other county folks a lot of their old-time tools, had some fine oak plow handles. And my local garden store had a couple of large bicycle-type wheels.

Much head scratching and some plywood, screws, and glue brought my new gun cart to life. As it turns out, the balance is near perfect, and those large wheels let it roll like a dream, even over the roughest terrain.


A sand-filled ashtray, (For our dry ranges.), some club handouts, a few other convenience items, and of course Judge J.R's gavel, are kept right-handy in the smaller top box.


Ammo is heavy. I don't feel ready for a match with less than several hundred rounds at my disposal. Getting the loaded gun cart in and out of my vehicle without a forklift could be a real challenge, so I made the lower box detachable. Four eyebolts and a couple of wooden pins offer me a way to firmly attach the box, but release it for transport.


The pins are constructed from half-inch dowels with shotshells as handles. Pull the pins and lift the box off the cart. (Note that I constructed plastic-pipe tunnels in order to allow the pins to clear the contents of the box.)

Future additions: As an old design engineer, I find it near impossible to let well enough alone. As I use the cart I find things that need to be changed or added.

  • An upholstered seat will be added to the top of the lower box.

  • A gimbaled umbrella mount will be fabricated to facilitate tracking the sun.

  • Better landing gear. The current legs are a little weak, and will be replaced when I come up with something better.

  • More appropriate gun restraint straps. Bungee cords just ain't the cowboy way.

  • Two 5-inch brass shell casings will be hung on the back for spent shell storage.
    By the way, if the reader knows where I can acquire a couple of nice 5 or 6-inch brass shells, please let me know.

  • A little western carving and scrimshaw on various surfaces of the cart.

  • Wireless Internet, air conditioning, and a microwave oven will be considered for future additions.


        I figure, If'n I can't shoot straight, at least I can try and look good.





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