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Let’s be honest—finding the perfect range bag can feel like trying to find a needle in a tactical haystack. Soft-sided, hard-sided, backpack-style, duffel-style… there’s a sea of choices. But what if the best range bag wasn’t even marketed as a range bag at all?
Yep, we’re talking about using a tool bag as a range bag—specifically the CLC 25-Pocket Tool Bag. Originally designed for tradesmen, this rugged, no-nonsense workhorse has quietly become a go-to option for shooters who want something low-key, durable, and highly functional.
If you’re tired of overpriced, overbuilt range bags that scream “I’m carrying firearms,” stick around. You might just find your next go-to setup.
Why a Tool Bag Works So Well as a Range Bag
The idea might sound strange at first, but hear me out. Tool bags are built to handle weight, stay organized, and take a beating. That’s exactly what most range bags are supposed to do—just with more tactical branding and a bigger price tag.
The CLC 25-pocket tool bag isn’t flashy, but it gets the job done:
- 25 total pockets for smart organization
- Spacious main compartment for your firearms and gear
- Rigid, open-top design for full visibility and access
- Padded carry handles and adjustable shoulder strap for comfortable transport
In other words, it checks every box—without looking like you’re heading to a SWAT callout.
Magazine Storage? Nailed It.
One of the most underrated features of the CLC 25-pocket tool bag is how well it handles magazine storage. Several interior pockets are the perfect size to keep your AR-15 mags AND pistol mags upright and secure. No rattling, no digging—just clean, easy access.
But those interior pockets aren’t just for mags. They’re also ideal for stashing gun cleaning tools—boresnakes, cleaning brush, a small bottle of CLP, and AR multi-tool. It’s a tidy, efficient setup that keeps your main compartment clutter-free.
As for the outside? There’s a flap-covered exterior pocket that fits a compact trauma kit perfectly. That means critical medical gear is always accessible, yet protected—exactly where it should be.
Room for Broken-Down Rifles? Absolutely.
You wouldn’t expect it from a tool bag, but the main compartment of the CLC 25-pocket tote is roomier than it looks.
It’s the perfect size to fit one broken-down AR-15—specifically a 10.5″ or 11.5″ AR pistol or SBR, or a rifle equipped with a LAW Tactical folding stock adapter. With an overall length of 18 inches, the bag easily accommodates compact setups while still leaving space for a few range-day essentials.
Because it doesn’t look like a traditional gun bag, it’s also ideal for low-profile transport. Whether you’re rolling into a public range or just prefer to keep things discreet, this bag flies under the radar. One guy even mentioned his daughter calls it the “murder bag” because of its contents—but it’s just a smart, subtle way to move gear.
Built for Tools, Perfect for Range Day Repairs
If you’ve spent enough time at the range, you already know—something eventually breaks, loosens, or falls off. That’s why a range tool kit is essential. And using a tool bag as a range bag just makes sense when you want to keep your tools organized and ready.
What fits inside:
- Cleaning – Boresnakes for 9mm and 5.56, CLP, cleaning brush, old rag
- Wheeler Delta Multi-Tool
- Compact punch set
- Adjustable wrench and needle nose pliers
- Small ball peen hammer
- AR-15 armorers wrench
With this kind of setup, you’re not just prepared for your own gear—you’re the guy everyone turns to when their rifle starts acting up.
Carry Comfort You’ll Appreciate
Let’s be real: even the best gear isn’t helpful if it’s miserable to carry. Luckily, the CLC 25-pocket tool bag has padded handles and an adjustable shoulder strap, which makes hauling your loadout a whole lot easier.
Even when it’s packed with a broken down rifle, loaded mags, extra ammunition, tools, and accessories, the bag carries surprisingly well. The reinforced bottom and heavy-duty stitching handle the weight without sagging or tearing.
Final Thoughts: The Best Range Bag You Didn’t Know You Needed
The CLC 25-Pocket Tool Bag may not have been built for firearms, but it’s one of the most practical, rugged, and low-profile range bag alternatives you’ll find.
With smart storage, rock-solid construction, and enough space for everything from ARs to armorers’ tools, it holds its own against purpose-built range bags—and often outperforms them.
If you’re looking for a tool bag as range bag setup that’s reliable, comfortable, and doesn’t advertise what’s inside, this one’s tough to beat.
Where To Buy
“If you’re tired of overpriced, overbuilt range bags….”
I’ll make a slight correction for you, good-naturedly of course. I am tired of overpriced, UNDERBUILT range bags. Even the expensive ones don’t seem to last.
I switched to a Husky tool bag from Home Depot 4 or 5 years ago when my fancy bag from Midway USA had a seam open up at the worst time.
This tool bag is a common OEM design. They make it then brand it for what ever company they are doing it for. It varies sometimes in ‘features ‘ depending on what the company wants.
I have one that looks exactly like this one except mine is all black. Its what I use for a range bag, its great for that purpose.
I use tool bags and tool boxes for many applications–including range bags.
Yellow Dewalt bag. Every time you buy a battery tool you get one of the things, never to be used. I think brand M is the same.
I came down here to say exactly this, including the reference to “Dewalt”. You beat me to it. 🙂
(let’s see if this comment will be fortunate enough to meet the site’s new mod goblins and make it to the page for actual viewing…)
If you live somewhere you need or prefer to look low key, a regular rolling carry on bag is probably better than a tool bag, which is a desirable theft target in and of itself. Diaper bags work too. That said, I’ve had a couple of these exact bags for over 20 years and they hold up.
Every bag is a theft target for meth/crackheads and junkies. They don’t care what’s in it, really. If they find nothing they think is of value and they’ll just toss the whole thing in the trash. Women get jacked for their roller work bag all the time because the BG wants a laptop/phone.
When I was in high school I worked at a restaurant and left my dirty work clothes in a cheap backpack when I parked in front of a friend’s house in a so-so neighborhood.
An hour later I found my window broken and the bag 100 feet down the sidewalk, open and obviously having been pawed through. Turns out they didn’t want my work shirt/pants and tie. But it was worth it to break the window to find out what was in the bag. Personally, I was happy they didn’t just walk off with it since that was my favorite tie at the time but I was somewhat annoyed about the window.
Want to reduce the chances of theft to near zero? Don’t leave it unattended, regardless of what kind of bag it is. People will lift it just because it might have something in it worth taking.
Exactly.
That’s why I laugh at these ‘reviews’ about gun-stuff carry cases being ‘discrete’, and these people who say “but it doesn’t look like a gun case, so Ha! got ya ’cause a thief will never think it has a gun inside so wont take it.’
Thieves don’t care what it looks like or doesn’t look like. The fact that you think you need a case or nylon-zippered-bag or even a back-pack-thing to carry your stuff in signals that you think its important or valuable – and if you think its important or valuable, especially enough to put it in a ‘purpose built’ case/bag or something nice and quality looking, the ‘container thing’ will be attractive to thieves enough for them to steal it if they can.
Grab-n-run thieves don’t operate on the premise of it being empty or having nothing of value in it, they operate on the premise of that it could or might contain something of value to them.
And for cripes sake especially ‘purpose built’ looking cases/bags…
… and the cases/bags with the gun-stuff company logo and branding all over it screams ‘GUN STUFF HERE, COME AND GET IT!’ even if its empty.
Must be 10 years back I discovered that people also steal stuff for reasons you just don’t know about. There’s a method to the madness once you know a detail.
I had someone break into my Jeep and steal a medical bag. (And then return it because their older brother beat their ass but that’s a whole other story.) Cops came to get a report and whatnot. In the course of talking to the cops they informed me that certain people specifically target medical kits for the potential medications in them.
I asked if they were looking for something like Epipens or if they thought people might have morphine or were they just looking for syringes. He responded that no, they understand that the “good drugs” are very rare unless you break into an ambulance and needles are OTC anyway. Such people were mostly looking for OTC meds like Imodium AD.
Wait, what? Imodium? Why? Well, as it turns out, if you crush and snort Imodium, it gets you high and there’s a certain class of people who are into that. Further, such people don’t make the connection that they could just go buy this stuff, dirt cheap, at a store.
Funny how fast I forgot how obnoxious organizing to go to a range can be. Especially the potential legal aspects of it in some areas.
These days I just sling/holster it and walk outside.
My main range is my yard. But if I go to a range, I just use a plain school type backpack.
Mine was free from a relative who subscribed to Golf Magizine, even says Golf Magizine on the bag. It does everything I need and the price was right.
I just want a range bag that isn’t black on the inside. Do these designers ever try to find small parts (that are generally black) inside a black bag?
Menards/Mastercraft has a nice one with a tool wall pullout – looks magazine sized, Im sure some won’t fit. They previously had some close out Toughbuilt rollers for $24 that lasted less than a week – which is now my favorite for chores.
I’ve never heard of a range bag being stolen while shooting, and any bag left visible in a vehicle is prime for a smash and grab – because it might have a gun in it. Too many are left in door pockets or consoles as it is, and gun theft from vehicles is a leading source for street vendors in Chicago – imported from the sportsmans paradise, New York state. People are far too casual about leaving them unsecured.
I use the CLC 1537 as my main range bag. It rocks. It costs more but is IMO a better overall design than the one in the article.