rayjen

[rayjen]

Can anyone help me?   I am looking for a pattern for US Cavalry saddlebags.

[SaddleBags]

How authentic are you intending to be and involving what period?  Like everything else, the patterns changed over time and with different manufacturers.  Are they for use, or to display?  Canvas or Leather? On or Off a saddle?  If on, then which saddle (including year/period, please). Be glad to help, but need a bit more to go on.

[rayjen]

I'm looking at the pattern of late 19th century; post 1870 up to about 1900.   I want them to be as near to authentic  as I can make em, but I do realise that I may have to adapt them to attach  to modern saddles, possibly even change each set slightly to match whatever saddle they are intended for.   You dont get too many people riding US Cavalry saddles circa 1870 - 1900 especially down under so I will have to  adapt them mainly due to the huge variety and types of saddles  out there.

Key to it is they need to follow the original design pretty closely as I intend them for people who will use them as they were intended.   I don't make "hollywood" bags and I work in leather.   The US Cavalry pattern bags seem to be a bit larger than most and no doubt were designed for hard use and carry a fair amount of gear, not just a sandwich and water bottle.

[bobm4360]

Long Rider's Guild Academic Foundation has full working drawings for M-1924 saddle bags and M-1936 cantle bag.  A little later than what you want, but worth a look.

http://www.lrgaf.org/articles/blueprints2.htm

They also show canvas substitutes for  M-1924 bags, and this is a small part of a very informative site about cavalry; not just U.S.

[rayjen]

Thanks bobm4360 A great site I can work with those drawings.