Civil War 1863 Pattern Holster

[Brazos Jack]

After a good deal of work, trial, and error I finally got this pattern and the instructions sized down to fit on the web site. The downside however, is the Instructions are on the following post. So, please go to both and download the complete set. This 1863 Civil war Holster is on of my early pattern sets and, any several folks have contacted me looking for it. Honestly, I don't even know who or if anyone is offering it for sale. So, I decided it's time to post it for you historic leather workers to download and enjoy. Oh, by the way - these patterns are on 11 x 17 sheets. So, when you take them to a print shop to be printed, be sure to have them set the Page Scaling to NONE. if they set it to "Fit the Page" the patterns will come out too small and out of scale. Don't forget. Have fun. Jim

CW Holster Holster Pattern .pdf

Edited December 6, 2013 by Brazos Jack

[Dwight]

Thanks, Brazos, . . . I got a sneaking hunch one of these will be popping up in the near future at my shop.

I made one similar a number of years ago, . . . but not as nice as these.

Now, . . . do you have the cartridge box pattern to go with it, . . . lol, . . .???

May God bless,

Dwight

[camano ridge]

Jim, thanks. I had this pattern and some how lost it now I have it back again.

[Brazos Jack]

Thanks, Brazos, . . . I got a sneaking hunch one of these will be popping up in the near future at my shop.

I made one similar a number of years ago, . . . but not as nice as these.

Now, . . . do you have the cartridge box pattern to go with it, . . . lol, . . .???

May God bless,

Dwight

Funny you should ask . . . . Check out my next posting. Have fun!

[OKCtitan]

Jim, Thanks for the pattern and instructions. I plan to try to make one. At the risk of showing my ignorance, I have to ask, Is it made to wear on right side, butt forward to be drawn left handed, or worn on left to be drawn left handed? I could turn the pattern over and make it LH worn and RH cross draw. Which is correct? I'm wondering how it was worn during the Civil war. Thanks so much. Ken

[camano ridge]

If you are asking about period correct carry. They were most often worn with the butt forward on the strong side. So if you were wearing it on the right side the butt would be forward and you would draw with the right hand doing a revese cavalry draw or cavalry twis draw.

Wild Bill Hickok was to have frequestly carried his revolevers butt forward and used this style of draw. Modern day many people and shooting clubs have a problem with this style draw as there can be some safety concerns. Edited December 8, 2013 by camano ridge

[OKCtitan]

camano ridge, Thanks for answering my question. I guess I was trying to make it more complicated than it is, after all that's the way Brazos Jack drew it. Thanks again for your reply and video. It was a big help. Ken

[Brazos Jack]

As a point of fact, the holster is worn on the right hand side, butt forward. Oddly enough, the reason for this is so the Officer could pull the pistol with the left hand or pull his saber with his right hand in the heat of battle. Also, if you have ever looked closely at photos of Cavalry Soldiers on horseback, the holsters set at a more comfortable angle in that position as opposed to the straight draw. Even at this seemingly odd position, the pistol comes out very easily with the right hand draw. Jim

[OKCtitan]

Jim, thanks for your reply. Really it all makes sense. Thank you for taking the time to post this and other patterns. Ken

Edited December 13, 2013 by OKCtitan

[Steve75]

Jim thanks for posting this pattern.

[DeKing]

I'm looking for patterns to make all of the leather gear from the civil war. Can anyone help me out?

 

Jeff

[billybopp]

There are a number of civil war era patterns on this site:  Google "civil war site:leatherworker.net" or "Cavalry site:leatherworker.net" to find some of them. You'll find kepis, cap boxes and holsters for sure.   some time ago, somebody posted a huge cache of leather patterns.  I downloaded them at the time but since had a HDD crash - and unable to find that thread again can't find them ... but they're here somewhere!  I think the patterns had come from an archived book on another site.   

Good luck!

Bill

[plinkercases]

As understand it the strong side twist draw or often called the cavalry draw is a result of the fact the cavalry carried the sword on the left or  strong hand cross draw and thus the pistol had to go on the strong side and the cant and ride and wrist twist are due to the ease of drawing seated in a saddle AND also allowed for a weak hand cross draw if they really felt they needed the sword and the pistol going at once.

As has been mentioned it is actually a comfortable carry and effective draw technique but a taboo at many ranges since the muzzle can cross the body if not executed well.

Thanks for the patterns.

Edited April 14, 2018 by plinkercases
typos

[DeKing]

On 4/14/2018 at 9:01 AM, billybopp said:

There are a number of civil war era patterns on this site:  Google "civil war site:leatherworker.net" or "Cavalry site:leatherworker.net" to find some of them. You'll find kepis, cap boxes and holsters for sure.   some time ago, somebody posted a huge cache of leather patterns.  I downloaded them at the time but since had a HDD crash - and unable to find that thread again can't find them ... but they're here somewhere!  I think the patterns had come from an archived book on another site.   

Good luck!

Bill

Thank you

 

[DeKing]

On 4/14/2018 at 9:01 AM, billybopp said:

There are a number of civil war era patterns on this site:  Google "civil war site:leatherworker.net" or "Cavalry site:leatherworker.net" to find some of them. You'll find kepis, cap boxes and holsters for sure.   some time ago, somebody posted a huge cache of leather patterns.  I downloaded them at the time but since had a HDD crash - and unable to find that thread again can't find them ... but they're here somewhere!  I think the patterns had come from an archived book on another site.   

Good luck!

Bill

Thank you!

 

[carr52]

I went simple. Laid the gun on a piece of paper and traced it. The cartridge pouch is a quick wet form cause I was in a hurry. Was going to shoot in a couple days. The cartridges are zig zag papers. Works pretty good. 

[Yellowhousejake]

New member here, so forgive me if I am stepping on anything. Concerning the right side butt forward holster for revolver users during the ACW. It is correct that the revolver was intended for the left hand as the saber was still considered the primary weapon at the time and it was used right handed. Hence the holster design.

So, consider this. Take any single action (Model P, 1851 Navy, 1860 Army, Remington, etc) and hold it your left hand and raise it into your "workspace" (to borrow a modern tactical term) with the muzzle held to the sky and the right side facing you. Notice that now on C&B revolvers the frame's loading window is easily accessible when inserting paper cartridges. You can operate the loading lever with your right hand without losing your firing grip. The cut for placing caps is also easily accessible to the right hand. On the Model P (1873 Colt SA) when you are ejecting spent shells using your right hand to operate the ejector they slide right out the ejector cut, across the frame, and drop to the ground. Try operating a single action while holding it in your left hand and performing the reload with your right, it will all make sense.

IMO, the single action pistol was designed from the ground up to be reloaded and fired while holding it in your left hand. Once you do it it's obvious and might encourage you to shoot your SA left handed. I do now.

Just my possibly useless 2 cents worth.

DAve