Holsters

[Coot]

The only original holsters that I have seen for single shot pistols (flint or percussion) have been for pairs of pistols & the holsters were for use on horseback & hung in front of the saddle. Horse pistols for officers or well to do travelers. For cap & ball revolvers, the only originals were for belt wear - Typically a full flap holster for military use or a more cut away style for civilian use. Am I missing something here? Was there a rethinking of how to wear/carry pistols that happened to coincide with the introduction of revolvers? Is there something about a revolver that makes it any more logical to wear a holster than it would be with a flintlock? Officers were still wearing sashes at the time of the ACW so the sash was still available as a place to stuff a holsterless pistol.

 

[MikeChapin]

...Am I missing something here? Was there a rethinking of how to wear/carry pistols that happened to coincide with the introduction of revolvers? Is there something about a revolver that makes it any more logical to wear a holster than it would be with a flintlock? Officers were still wearing sashes at the time of the ACW so the sash was still available as a place to stuff a holsterless pistol.

Not really. Part of it was the more compact size of the revolver and the design with the hammer to the rear rather than to the side. Single shot belt pistols were carried in a sash or wide belt but it doesn't help much in a fight when the artillary comes out and your pants fall off.

Belt hooks were used for single shot muzzleloaders if the gun was to be carried on the person. Smaller guns were made to fit into an overcoat pocket or a ladies muff. Larger military pistols were carried on saddle holsters. That included the Walker Colt and the Dragoon sized pepperboxes.

The military went to personal holsters with the advent of the smaller, light weight revolvers. It was more practical to carry them on your person in case you were separated from your horse. For line officers, it gave them a little more firepower without the bulk of packing around a couple of pistols.

Most of the holster stuff for civilian use today is a product of Hollywood. Most people carried thier pistols in their pockets. This applied to revolvers and their predisesors, the pepperboxes.

Hickock wore his Navy revolvers in a sash. John Westly Hardin had a vest made with two leather pockets for his pistols. Most of the old photos of Civil War soldiers show either a pistol displayed in the hand with no holster present or shoved into a belt. Very few show them with, what we would call, a regular holster.

These are just a few examples. There are always exceptions to everything where humans are concerned.

 

[Poor Private]

The reason that there was no holstlers on soldiers who had their picture taken holding pistols is because most were props. The soldiers who had thier pictures taken sent the photos home to family to show off. 99% of the soldiers during the civil war didn't carry pistols.
You also see them holding biga** knives also. I have yet to see any sheaths on thier belts. Same reason as pistols-Photog props. Seems that holding 2 pistols and 3 knives tucked in your belt makes you appear more fierce.--Growl!!!

 

[MikeChapin]

...
You also see them holding biga** knives also. I have yet to see any sheaths on thier belts. Same reason as pistols-Photog props. Seems that holding 2 pistols and 3 knives tucked in your belt makes you appear more fierce.--Growl!!!

No argument there. :hatsoff:

I always got a kick reading about the old west. It seems that most people carried their pistols in the saddlebags when riding. The only time you see holsters and pistols are when they had their picture being taken at trails end and blown their pay on "cowboy" stuff. Don't know how much of the stuff was props or new things they picked up when they were paid off. They were a fierce bunch also. :grin:

 

[jaxenro]

I remember reading that at the OK corral shootout one of the Earp's moved his pistol from is pocket to the waistband of his pants before the fight, or along those lines. Doubtful any of the Earp side were wearing holsters, they were using pockets, waistbands, etc. to hold their pistols in.

 

[Poor Private]

Is the big use of holsters a Hollywoodism?

 

[almrl]

Probably the most authentic westerns produced by Hollywood were the silents. Many of the technical advisors on those films were figures from the "Old West", including Wyatt Earp.

Old Coot

 

[Jac Spring]

Holsters were used - the first "western" holsters were simply military full-flaps with the flap cut-off. The california slim jim was similar in design to those.

As said, many just tucked them in their belts or used a wide silk sash. Smaller revolvers and deringers were mostly pocket carry pieces.

The "mexican loop" was probably the most common latter on - the back of the holster creates a channel for the belt and they are carried high on the hip.

The "drop loop" holsters that place the gun down along the side of the thie were developed late in the 1800's (by a Texas or Arizona Range if memory serves) and really weren't used at all by normal cowpokes and such. These were deemed "sexy" by the holleywood producers when the b westerns were being produced and became the standard.

 

[Doc Arroyo]

The only original holsters that I have seen for single shot pistols (flint or percussion) have been for pairs of pistols & the holsters were for use on horseback & hung in front of the saddle. Horse pistols for officers or well to do travelers. For cap & ball revolvers, the only originals were for belt wear - Typically a full flap holster for military use or a more cut away style for civilian use. Am I missing something here? Was there a rethinking of how to wear/carry pistols that happened to coincide with the introduction of revolvers? Is there something about a revolver that makes it any more logical to wear a holster than it would be with a flintlock? Officers were still wearing sashes at the time of the ACW so the sash was still available as a place to stuff a holsterless pistol.

Check out the book Packing Iron. There were a number of holster makers.

Flintlock pistols are tough to make a holster for, but they did exist. Tecumseh was given a set by Brock, and Lewis was painted wearing a pair. The more streamlined percussion lock made a simple bucket belt holster more practicable.

Pommel holsters were more common in the military because they were issued. One of my favorites is the issued holster for a Colt's Draggon on one side and a single shot pistol on the other. Seems the generals didn't want the soldiers wasting ammunition. Belt pistols and holsters were private purchase for officers, and less common.

The California gold rush increased the use of holsters for single shot and revolving pistols. It would be hard to work a placer claim and keep a rifle handy. Most saddlemakers would make a decent holster, and a number of them quit making saddles and consentrated on the holster business.

Good luck on your research.