Just curious about western holsters in the old days

[SickMick]

On 5/28/2020 at 2:22 PM, Professor said:

I've seen an 1880's type partly canvas ammunition belt, possibly an army issue item, for the 45-70 cartridge that had a drop loop added to it for a holster. The holster was missing. No telling when the loop was added on.

The canvas belt with leather bullet loops was military issue in the 1870's. Custer's men had them (unfortunately) at Little Big Horn. They were also using copper cartridges. The leather caused severe verdigris on the cartridges causing the heads to tear off the cartridges when they were extracted rendering their '73 Trapdoor rifles useless in many cases. Thus, the move away from copper.....

 

...and just a couple other comments......

The "Slim Jim" started out (most likely) when the flaps were simply cut off military flap holsters. In the western deserts, the need for rain protection was minimal so the flap wasn't as necessary. Eventually they were just made without the flap.

Holsters changed again when the cartridge guns came along mostly because of the size of the belt loop on the back of the holster, which simply wasn't large enough for a belt filled with cartridges to slip through. The military came out with several evolutions with larger belt loops, but soldiers during the later years of the Apache Wars (lasting from 1861 to the 1880's) would usually toss the military issued holsters and opt for a "Mexican Loop" style holster which gave them the needed room and eliminated the need to wear 2 belts, one for the holster and one for cartridges. It's hot here, so you can't blame them.

This is a great thread! Thanks for all the info. The history of gun leather is quite fascinating. I've been studying them for years. I'm lucky enough to get to do period holsters for many of the reinactors in Tombstone. It seems there is always something new to learn.