revolver holsters

[Bon Sauvage]

I've been very pleased with the products of El Paso Saddlery. They advertise that they have been making rigs since 1889 so they must be doing something right to have stayed in business this long.


Ogre

 

[oldwolf]

Is it possible he moved the holsters forward do they would show up in the picture? :hmm:

 

[Poor Private]

His hat looks like a civil war Hardy hat which is what the Iron Brigade wore through most of the Civil War. It is the Regulation Hat for Dress uniforms for the Union.

 

[shortbow]

I would say that is a certainty. From what I've learned, weapons were often a guy's most prized possession. When looking at old photos the rifle, pistol, knife is almost always moved around to take center stage. One should be very careful about inferring carry methods from studio shots.

 

[charliek]

Speaking of holsters, I received one for Christmas which is so tight that it takes two hands to draw the revolver. Does anyone have suggestions about how to break in a new holster?

 

[Poor Private]

I got one also and it's not so much tight as not slippery enough to pull the pistol out.

 

[PaulN/KS]

One way to fit the holster to the gun is to grease up the pistol and then wrap it tightly in saran wrap then wrap it in foil.Follow all the conturs of the gun when you do this.Next, soak the holster in warm water till the leather is soft and pliable.Now,take the holster out of the water,dry off the excess water and jam the gun into the holster.When the holster is dry and you remove your gun you'll have a wet formed fit.Treat the leather with your favorite leather stuff and you're done...

 

[shortbow]

Paul is right, but if your holster is tooled, be careful how you handle things or you can wreck the tooling. This is why you don't see many wet-formed holsters coming from makers who do a lot of tooling.

 

[Poor Private]

Guess mine will just have to wear in over use, since the holster and the belt are tooled. (Christmas gift from the wife). Nothing says peace on earth and goodwill towards men, like guns, ammo, and accessories. :rotf:

 

[Bender]

I emailed Texas Jack's about one of their holsters, and to clear up some "holster terminology" questions.

They replied that "Right side, butt rearward" is called "Left hand, cross draw".

I'm having trouble visualizing pulling a gun with your left hand that way. :hmm:

 

[Rikeman]

Sure that makes perfect sense! You reach around behind your back with your left hand! You have not seen that technique in the old westerns? :youcrazy:

 

[Bender]

I'm surprised that a major BP revolver dealer, and a wild west outfitter, would give such an uniformed answer.

 

[Rikeman]

You know, it is really sad.....I am getting to the point that if I have a question, usually the outfit that sells it is the last place I want to get my info!

Thank God (and Al Gore :rotf: )for the internet!

 

[Bender]

oops, make that uninformed, not uniformed.

yeah, I agree. I get most of my info on internet forums, such as this one, and other quality shooting forums.

edit: that reminds me, the place where I bought my first bp revolver (uberti 3rd dragoon), told me that a "nipple pick" was just another name for a nipple wrench... they said they are one in the same. (I was a new bp hobbyist, and I was shopping for supplies)

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

These holsters I use aren't period correct, but they do the job! A Cabela's Walker holster for the right side (butt facing rear) and a similar one for my 3rd Model Dragoon that I wear as a cross-draw with the butt facing forward. Any right-sided hip holster worn on the left side becomes a cross-draw when worn on the left side. Looks stupid, works great! And at only $20.00 each, I don't care if they get scuffed-up at the range when I sit down to shoot the rifle on a wooden boardwalk! At $20.00 they both come with a strap that goes through the trigger guard and snaps onto the rig so the revolver doesn't fall-out of the leather.

Just my 2 cents worth. Have a good New Year!

Dave

 

[Bender]

wow, I don't associate Cabela's with cheap prices... but these are by far the cheapest holsters I've seen yet... Thanks!

I looked at the walker holster, but wouldn't it be 1.5" longer than necessary for a 3rd Dragoon?

Also, I looked at these two:
[url] http://www.cabelas.com/cabela...yText=holster+&Ntk=Products&Ntx=matchall&N=47[/url]
[url] http://www.cabelas.com/cabela...Products&QueryText=holster+&Ntx=matchall&N=47[/url]

I like the slim jim one, which is available in 7.5" barrel size. Not sure if the Hickok one would fit a dragoon correctly.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Bender,

I didn't mean to imply that I use two Walker holsters, one being for the Dragoon. What I use for the Dragoon is the same style holster by the same manufacturer with the same color and retaining strap that goes through the trigger guard. It's about 1.5 inches shorter than the Walker holster. I think that it's made by Hunter. The model that I bought was for the Colt Single Action Army .45 LC with 7.5 inch barrel. It may have been ten or so dollars more than the $18.95 Walker model. Still, $55.00 for two holsters AINT BAD!

On the link that you typed above, I checked-out the "Black Powder" holster with retaining strap. This is the closest to the 7.5 inch model that I have...best thing to do is to call for more info about the SAA holster I think.

Dave

 

[Bender]

I talked to Cabela's. This "black powder holster" holds "up to 8" barrels":
[url] http://www.cabelas.com/cabela...yText=holster&Ntx=matchall&N=3753&trueNum=129[/url]

or I could go with the "Calif. Slim Jim", 7.5" size, which has no retaining strap.

I'll probably get the "bp holster". Cheap enough.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

This one may be for the smaller-framed 1860 Colt Army and/or the 1858 Remmington New Model Army, not the BIG Dragoon!

My concern is that you'll order the cheap one and get the one for the smaller-framed revolvers, and then have to send it back.

I went into the gun safe and brought out the holster for the 3rd model Dragoon. It's a Hunter holster, model #1100-50, and under those numbers is the number 0621. It fits the Dragoon's large Colt frame and is for a 7.5 inch barrel. It also has the retaining strap. See their web site at: [url] www.huntercompany.com[/url] and go to the hunting holsters series 1100. The description is better than the numbers beside them, so don't get confused. Retail is $47.50, but I paid alot less than that at Dixon Muzzle Loading Shop in Kempton, PA. Dixon's is THE place for BP!

Call on the toll-free to the hunter company and get the exact model, then call Cabela's and see what they have.

Good luck and remember that the Dragoon is about the same size as the 1873 SAA, right down to the 7.5 inch barrel!

Dave

 

[mykeal]

...remember that the Dragoon is about the same size as the 1873 SAA, right down to the 7.5 inch barrel!

Dave

Umm, I don't think so. I believe the cylinder, frame and grip frame are somewhat bigger on a Dragoon than the SAA. Of course, you did say 'about', and I did say 'somewhat', neither of which are highly specific, but I really don't believe a holster made for a Single Action Army will suffice for a Dragoon.