What tools do you guys carry in your go-to range bag?

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Mark1964

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What do you guys carry in the way of tools in your go-to range bag?
I’ve been trying to pare down the range bag contents to lighten it up a bit and went over which tools live in the range bag. Here’s what I’ve decided to retain:
- Screwdrivers: Boxed bit kit, little micro diver with multiple heads, one small 4-way driver, one bit handle (the one in the Felo box is pretty small)
- Pliers: Small pair of needle-nose
- Two-head (nylon, brass) hammer
- A brass punch
- Allen wrenches (hex keys) in little vinyl pouch
- Brass dowel pointer, scraper
- Spare pocketknife
- Little pair of scissors
- Small flashlight with bore-light tip
- Small tape measure
- Not pictured: Stapler and staples, small roll of duct tape, roll of masking tape, take-down cleaning rod, some blue Loctite and some super glue (in tiny Ziplock in the cleaning kit)
IMG_20200301_055634724.jpg
 
I keep a mechanics bag of most of what you listed plus an assortment of adjustable wrenches and a ratchet set. It’s part of the automobiles on board emergency equipment that stays forever in the car. Therefore always at the range also.
 
I have an emergency set of tools in my shooling stool, which include allen and torx wrenches and a four inch channel lock pliers. I always carry a leatherman on my belt and have used the needle nose and standard screwdriver an amazing number of times.

oCooRRO.jpg

my face looks more beat up than the scabbard.

8KiAiq0.jpg

But, in the vehicle, I carry a briefcase of tools. Brass punches and small brass hammer, magnifying lenses, jewelry's screwdrivers, small files, larger pliers and channel locks, and now, gunsmithing screws. The largest item in the briefcase is a a wheeler screwdriver set.

562194-3-4th.jpg

Gun related items have so many slotted screws with non standard width's that a massive collection of bits may be the only thing between going home, or getting your firearm back in order.

Also very, very important, a cleaning rod to fit the firearm of choice. Generally a 22 lr will fit most pistols and clear most failures to eject. Had one recently at an indoor Bullseye match. The last round on timed fire failed to eject but locked the slide back. On the load command, the next round jammed the fired case hard into the chamber and I needed a 22lr cleaning rod to knock out the case. I have a 45 and 22 lr rod in my shooting box. For rifles, if you don't carry a cleaning rod, and a case neck stays in the chamber, you are not getting the thing out.

cexVcc4.jpg


These were in a bolt rifle. This was new powder loaded in the 1990's, but 20 years later, it has deteriorated, outgassed nitric acid gas, and the cases are cracking.

4mhdPOz.jpg

A worn bristle brush on the end of a cleaning rod is usually sufficient to extract the case neck.

this was in a Garand

1GYBWdC.jpg

The next round managed to jam itself on the case neck, I don't remember if I had to use a cleaning rod to eject the round, or was able to pull it out with pliers. Luckily the case neck stayed on the case.

Stuck cases are extremely common at long range matches as shooters are pushing the rounds as hot as they can. And every so often, one won't come out!
 
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Oh, yeah, got two med kits -- one basic, one blowout -- in the bag.
Also got a larger tool bag (and med kit) in the car..
These are the tools that live in the range bag.
 
Since I got in the habit of carrying a separate Armorer's kit to the range in the Army, I have one I bring with. I end up working on others gun's more often that mine, just simple stuff.
There are punches, (roll and straight) a screwdriver kit, some cleaning supplies, a bottle of CLP, an Otis kit, shop rags. I have regular tools and a med kit in the truck.
 
Both of my autos have first aid kits that were installed in the car by the auto company. Ones a 96 however the other a 2013.
Think I better check and up grade them. :what:
 
Fix It Sticks, my favorite tools for working on guns right now. I will post pictures of my range/hunting tool box in a bit but look up Fix It Sticks they are pretty awesome.

ETA: Gratuitous pictures and overkill toolkit.

So this tool box goes with me anytime I head for the range, shooting match or out to the hunting property to hunt or work. So its a little over the top as a strictly range toolkit but has proven to be useful countless times. It has evolved some and no doubt will continue to evolve as need and opportunity allow.

The box is a Plano field box I picked up at Academy.
UHbu2JL.jpg
Yes everything on the table came out of the box.
VgX9G2s.jpg

Left to right, top to bottom:
Top Row: Safety Glasses, Walker electronic game ears, regular foam ear plugs, glass cleaning stuff, Nikon Laser Range Finder, Vortex 8X monocular, Garmin 62S GPS with case and sighting compass. mount for using phone camera on spotting scope.

Middle Row: Batteries (AA, AAA, 9V, coin-cells etc) Memory Cards for Game Cameras, min tool roll [spare blades for my Leatherman Surge (on my belt normally), Leatherman bit set, bit extension, Leatherman 3/8" - 1/2" Wrench, Leatherman Piranha, Sharpie, Pencil] and Leatherman MUT multi-tool, Scissors, 6-inch adjustable wrench, screw-drive with multiple bits, Fix-It-Sticks (All in One Torque Drive Kit), first aid kit (combination of store bought and custom).

Bottom Row: Small digital multi-meter, battery for phone, fabric tape measure, head lamps, M-Lok flashlight mount, Lenser MT10 1000 lumens flashlight, stapler and spare staples, large fix blade knife (Kershaw), small axe (Fiskar), screw hooks, screw in game camera mount, diamond file, bastard file, bag with para cord, zip ties, and wire, gloves (Mechanix wear impact, cut resistant nitrile, leather)
 
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Needle-nose Multi-pliers, set (four) of small screwdrivers, and a fabric sleeve (GI WWII issue) of cleaning rod sections.

Not much else. As things don't seem to break much in a way that I'm like to repair at the range.

Now, the bags have all sorts of things in them, that's the nature of going to the range. All the bags have first aid kits affixed to them.
 
mcb said:
Fix It Sticks, my favorite tools for working on guns right now. I will post pictures of my range/hunting tool box in a bit but look up Fix It Sticks they are pretty awesome.

ETA: Gratuitous pictures and overkill toolkit.

So this tool box goes with me anytime I head for the range, shooting match or out to the hunting property to hunt or work. So its a little over the top as a strictly range toolkit but has proven to be useful countless times. It has evolved some and no doubt will continue to evolve as need and opportunity allow.

The box is a Plano field box I picked up at Academy.
View attachment 895755
Yes everything on the table came out of the box.
View attachment 895756

Left to right, top to bottom:
Top Row: Safety Glasses, Walker electronic game ears, regular foam ear plugs, glass cleaning stuff, Nikon Laser Range Finder, Vortex 8X monocular, Garmin 62S GPS with case and sighting compass. mount for using phone camera on spotting scope.

Middle Row: Batteries (AA, AAA, 9V, coin-cells etc) Memory Cards for Game Cameras, min tool roll [spare blades for my Leatherman Surge (on my belt normally), Leatherman bit set, bit extension, Leatherman 3/8" - 1/2" Wrench, Leatherman Piranha, Sharpie, Pencil] and Leatherman MUT multi-tool, Scissors, 6-inch adjustable wrench, screw-drive with multiple bits, Fix-It-Sticks (All in One Torque Drive Kit), first aid kit (combination of store bought and custom).

Bottom Row: Small digital multi-meter, battery for phone, fabric tape measure, head lamps, M-Lok flashlight mount, Lenser MT10 1000 lumens flashlight, stapler and spare staples, large fix blade knife (Kershaw), small axe (Fiskar), screw hooks, screw in game camera mount, diamond file, bastard file, bag with para cord, zip ties, and wire, gloves (Mechanix wear impact, cut resistant nitrile, leather)
Click to expand...

Holy smokes, that's one heck of a packing job!
 
I used to carry a full set of all the tools I thought I might need when I went to the range.

No more.

Now I carry my Victorinox multi-tool and Swiss Army Knife, a set of S&W screwdriver and bits and that’s about it, besides markers, tape and a notebook.
 
screwdriver set, sqib rod (used alot on other peoples guns never on mine yet) small pall peen hammer, leatherman always on my belt , spray can of clp.
 
An almost never used screw driver for rear pistol sight. A small wrench for mounting M1A scope.
First aid trauma type kit with blood clot and a couple tourniquets.
Any necessary fixin is done on the bench at home.
 
+1 on the Fix it Sticks, the set that is self-contained in a rubber holder with my custom mix of bits, a mini channel locks, mini crescent wrench, mini set of hex keys (std & metric) three various sized mini screw drivers, one mini Phillips head driver, a S&W hillary-hole key, and a Kershaw knife. A few extra tools in the truck to whack sights back where they belong and to bang out sqibs, but if my range incident requires anything more, I'll work on it in my garage.
mcb said:
Fix It Sticks, my favorite tools for working on guns right now.
Click to expand...
 
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I carry a full tool kit capable of taking any gun down to component level if need be, smaller than what one would think, all fits in a 20 or 22" tool box
 
Sounds like you have a good kit. I would add specialty sight adjustment tools if you mess with guns like AK/SKS. Also some type of spray lube.
 
The only tools in my range bag are allen wrenches.
I do always have a weatherman in my pocket and it covers most anything I might need.
 
Usually just a screwdriver , a cleaning cloth , clp , notepad , pen and bandaids .
 
First aid supplies, scissors, a large variety of screwdrivers, Gerber multitool, Gerber knife, MBUS sight tool, cleaning rods, and brushes, Q-tips, Torx for Red Dot. Gun oil and CLP are a given!
 
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I seem to carry everything I need, except on that day. But, that is how the expansion happens of what goes in the bag. I like the ideas i have seen in this thread of carrying tool kits that are small in nature. I seem to have a mix and match set of stuff that i have needed in the past. Good opportunity to improve.
 
Slamfire said:
I have an emergency set of tools in my shooling stool, which include allen and torx wrenches and a four inch channel lock pliers. I always carry a leatherman on my belt and have used the needle nose and standard screwdriver an amazing number of times.

View attachment 895702

my face looks more beat up than the scabbard.

View attachment 895703

But, in the vehicle, I carry a briefcase of tools. Brass punches and small brass hammer, magnifying lenses, jewelry's screwdrivers, small files, larger pliers and channel locks, and now, gunsmithing screws. The largest item in the briefcase is a a wheeler screwdriver set.

View attachment 895681

Gun related items have so many slotted screws with non standard width's that a massive collection of bits may be the only thing between going home, or getting your firearm back in order.

Also very, very important, a cleaning rod to fit the firearm of choice. Generally a 22 lr will fit most pistols and clear most failures to eject. Had one recently at an indoor Bullseye match. The last round on timed fire failed to eject but locked the slide back. On the load command, the next round jammed the fired case hard into the chamber and I needed a 22lr cleaning rod to knock out the case. I have a 45 and 22 lr rod in my shooting box. For rifles, if you don't carry a cleaning rod, and a case neck stays in the chamber, you are not getting the thing out.

View attachment 895793


These were in a bolt rifle. This was new powder loaded in the 1990's, but 20 years later, it has deteriorated, outgassed nitric acid gas, and the cases are cracking.

View attachment 895682

A worn bristle brush on the end of a cleaning rod is usually sufficient to extract the case neck.

this was in a Garand

View attachment 895683

The next round managed to jam itself on the case neck, I don't remember if I had to use a cleaning rod to eject the round, or was able to pull it out with pliers. Luckily the case neck stayed on the case.

Stuck cases are extremely common at long range matches as shooters are pushing the rounds as hot as they can. And every so often, one won't come out!
Click to expand...

I also carry a old brass rifle rod that screws together and a brass hammer for all those stuck bullets and cases, tapped out many cases and bullets for the fellow jammers.
 
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