Leg O' Mutton Cases
More Than an Entrée!
Leg-o’-mutton gun cases harken back to a kinder,
gentler time where quality was king.
When my daughter Morgan was a senior in high school, she announced she wouldn’t be home for our evening meal. A fella was squiring her out to a restaurant for a date.
“Is he taking you out for dinner or supper?” I asked.
“What’s the difference?” she said.
“About a hundred bucks.”
Down To Cases
When it comes to shotgun cases, a metal version is supper while a leg-o’-mutton is a candlelit dinner. The style of case comes by its name honestly, for one look at its unique shape and you’ll see it resembles a leg of lamb. These cases started to appear during the late 1800s and continued to be used through the mid-1900s. British and American hunters needed a simple and durable way to protect their take-down shotguns during transport and the leg-o’-mutton design was a hit. We don’t see them as often today, but when we do, we’re immediately drawn to their simple and elegant design matched to the highest-of-quality build more commonly found in the past.
Leg-o’-mutton cases come in a variety of configurations. They were made to match the shotgun inside.
Practicality
Whoever modeled the first case after the shape of a leg of lamb was ingenious. Whereas a trunk case is tanned leather stretched over a wooden frame, the leg-o’-mutton is a simple affair of thickly cut, heated, and molded steer hide. Barrels fit in the longer section of the case while butt stocks tuck into the curved part. A floating separator keeps barrels from clanging against the stock, but if your case still has extra space, try this — place the barrels in a gun sock and then slide it into the case. Repeat with the stock if you wish.
Durability
As if the body of the case isn’t durable enough, the rest of the case is well thought-out. To keep barrels from falling through the tip, a double-lined section of leather first is stitched together and then attached to the case. Double-thick, tapered leather handles fit neatly in the hand and make for comfortable carrying. Barrels and butt stocks are protected either by a fleece lining or thick felt.
Leather leg-o’-mutton cases are more common than their canvas counterparts and much of it has to do with leather being more durable than cotton. To return a leather case to a like-new condition requires a minimal investment of time. Moldy or dry leather is easily cleaned with saddle soap and when the leather is dry, nourished with Neatsfoot or Mink oil. A final step is to take a blow drier and use its warm air to melt any wax or oil. In addition, the heated leather soaks up all of the conditioner. Worn stitches at wear points like handles or tips can be repaired with curved needles and Dacron thread, and if you are shy on either time or expertise, then a saddle shop can handle the repairs as well. Any missing grommets are easily replaced by a cobbler at a shoe repair shop.
Expect your cases’ carrying straps to be in rough condition, but don’t worry — new ones can be recut and dyed at a saddle shop, and their cost won’t break the bank. Save the buckles and other hardware as they may be difficult to source.
Metal, trunk and leg-o’-mutton cases all have their times to shine.
Functionality
The leg-o’-mutton comes in a wide variety of sizes and configurations. Some feature designs to safely hold a single barrel, others a double barrel and still others two sets of double barrels with different lengths. Side-by-side cases are far more common but now and again you’ll find a leg-o’-mutton made to accommodate an over/under. The type of compartments found on different cases are equally unique and will accommodate snap caps, forend grips, choke tubes and wrenches, shooting glasses, cleaning kits, lubricants or ear protection. A fold-over closure seals the case closed with a strap and buckle. Lengthening shoulder straps is easily done.
I’ve got three leg-o’-mutton cases. Two were given to me by owners who thought they were heavy and required a lot of maintenance. One came with a used shotgun I bought. I use them regularly. One case accommodates shotguns with shorter barrels up to 29″ while another holds barrels up to 32″. I suspect the shorter case housed guns used for upland bird hunting or a round of skeet while the longer one contained long barrels used for waterfowl, trap or a live pigeon shoot. The third one is robust and is designed to hold two double barrels.
Traveling with a firearm isn’t difficult but it is more challenging now than it used to be. For plane trips I’ll use a metal case. Mine is made from 0.080 marine aluminum lined with felt, and has padded risers to support the forends. Unless you’re a cat burglar, the two key locks and one combination lock make opening the case nearly impossible. Pre-cut spacers keep barrels of different lengths snug, and a padded Velcro strap neatly pins the stock to the case.
After watching baggage handlers at work, I feel confident the metal case increases the odds my shotguns will arrive at my destination intact. But still, when compared to my leg-o’-mutton, I can’t help but think my aluminum case is simply a glorified toolbox. You know, the kind of container that carries a specialty tool like a Sawzall.
Maybe leg-o’-mutton cases aren’t as practical as current options and since most won’t clear a TSA checkpoint, they certainly aren’t suitable for modern air travel. But like a wooden Cris-Craft or a split cane fly rod, these cases were made in a time when quality mattered. I wonder if my metal and soft shotgun cases will be in service 100 years from now? I know these leg-o’-muttons will be, and that’s one reason I take care of them, respect them, and always hold them in awe.
