SAA and shoulder holsters
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- Advanced Levergunner
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SAA and shoulder holsters
Was just musing about my great-grandfather, a Texan, born in Burnet on Christmas Eve of 1855, his Daddy having been ambushed and murdered near San Saba the previous August. He died in Denver in 1931 and had been in numerous scrapes in the Texas years. Although a teacher and rancher, he had friends among the Rangers and helped out as needed according to the family lore. A late uncle told me that when he was a boy (raised in Arizona's Tonto Basin) he got to visit his grandpa in Denver, heard some of his stories from the source and gazed in awe as his grandpa showed him bullet scars in a leg, an arm and a crease on his head. At one point, I was told second-hand, he had volunteered to go collect a wanted member of a nearby family in west-central TX who "needed to be brought in." On the way in his buckboard, our fugitive got the drop and emptied his revolver, creasing GGF near his widow's peak. Our malign actor now out of bullets, it is said that GGF just shot him and loaded him into the wagon for the trip back to town. There were a lot of violent disputes and feuds in Texas in the post-war decades of the 19th century, and GGF allegedly decided it would be wise to move the family on up into the Panhandle to the Canadian River country where both tempers and temperatures were cooler. This would have been the mid-90s.
Back to my musings, my late Uncle Champ -- named for my GGF Champion Travis Traylor Jr. -- also told me that when he asked his GF if he still carried a gun, GF winked and opened his suitcoat to show the butt of a Colt in a shoulder holster.
To one who grew up in those times, I suspect carrying a sixgun somewhere was simply a part of getting dressed for the day. I do find myself wondering just which shoulder holster design my GGF would have found most practical and comfortable. I have only messed with recent-vintage Bianchis and 1911s and never gave them much of a trial as I found them quite a burden. It is tempting, however, to return to a design traditional to that era and see how a Colt sixgun feels carried so.
This shoulder holster business came to mind as I was reading an account of saddle and harness maker J.K Polk of this town -- Sweetwater -- working out a shoulder holster design described to him by Mr. J.W. Hardin. Polk sold his business to S.D. "Tio" Myres in 1898.
Here's a photo of the Traylor men taken in Denver probably about 1916 or 1917. Back row is Earl, born 1896, Abilene, died Denver 1920 from complications of mustard gas and shrapnel wounds suffered in France in 1918; then Burks, born 1891, USN veteran, died, Anacortes WA 1978; front row Earl, born Buffalo Gap, 1881, died Dalhart, 1918 of tuberculosis (you can see it in his eyes); the patriarch, Champion Travis Traylor Junior, born Burnet Dec. 24, 1855, died Denver 10 August 1931; and the youngest, Fentress, born in Roby, 1899, died Port Angeles, WA, 1960.
Back to my musings, my late Uncle Champ -- named for my GGF Champion Travis Traylor Jr. -- also told me that when he asked his GF if he still carried a gun, GF winked and opened his suitcoat to show the butt of a Colt in a shoulder holster.
To one who grew up in those times, I suspect carrying a sixgun somewhere was simply a part of getting dressed for the day. I do find myself wondering just which shoulder holster design my GGF would have found most practical and comfortable. I have only messed with recent-vintage Bianchis and 1911s and never gave them much of a trial as I found them quite a burden. It is tempting, however, to return to a design traditional to that era and see how a Colt sixgun feels carried so.
This shoulder holster business came to mind as I was reading an account of saddle and harness maker J.K Polk of this town -- Sweetwater -- working out a shoulder holster design described to him by Mr. J.W. Hardin. Polk sold his business to S.D. "Tio" Myres in 1898.
Here's a photo of the Traylor men taken in Denver probably about 1916 or 1917. Back row is Earl, born 1896, Abilene, died Denver 1920 from complications of mustard gas and shrapnel wounds suffered in France in 1918; then Burks, born 1891, USN veteran, died, Anacortes WA 1978; front row Earl, born Buffalo Gap, 1881, died Dalhart, 1918 of tuberculosis (you can see it in his eyes); the patriarch, Champion Travis Traylor Junior, born Burnet Dec. 24, 1855, died Denver 10 August 1931; and the youngest, Fentress, born in Roby, 1899, died Port Angeles, WA, 1960.
Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
This is the style shoulder holster favored by some.
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- Scott Tschirhart
- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
This is my favorite but it is not concealable.
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
Jim, the one you're showing looks very fast. Interesting design....thanks!
Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
This was the holster Elpaso Saddlery made for John Wesley Hardin .I think his was smooth untooled leather. I had mine made back in 1994 with fish scale stamping.
I like shoulder holsters myself ,easily wore on the outside or inside of a coat. Unfortunately in a brain lapse I traded my 45 Colt SAA this was made for.Hope to replace the SAA soon.
I like shoulder holsters myself ,easily wore on the outside or inside of a coat. Unfortunately in a brain lapse I traded my 45 Colt SAA this was made for.Hope to replace the SAA soon.
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
Pat. I see conflicting claims regarding this holster, and do not have an indisputable source for the actual chronology. I do not know if J.K. Polk ever had any connection with El Paso Saddlery.
https://www.oldtradingpost.com/old-west ... y%20Hardin.
https://www.oldtradingpost.com/old-west ... y%20Hardin.
- AJMD429
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
.
In the 1970’s, working in retail pharmacies on night shifts, my gun choices were between a Ruger Mark 1 in 22LR, or a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 Mag.
I chose the obvious, so used a Bianchi X-15 shoulder holster. It went under my little white pharmacy intern/extern coat.
Never had to pull it out though. Would have been expelled and fired and arrested for sure, as Ohio had zero concealed carry back then…
In the 1970’s, working in retail pharmacies on night shifts, my gun choices were between a Ruger Mark 1 in 22LR, or a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44 Mag.
I chose the obvious, so used a Bianchi X-15 shoulder holster. It went under my little white pharmacy intern/extern coat.
Never had to pull it out though. Would have been expelled and fired and arrested for sure, as Ohio had zero concealed carry back then…
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"first do no harm" - gun control LAWS lead to far more deaths than 'easy access' ever could.
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
I have used the Bianchi X-15 since the 1980's. That is THE holster for my hunting sixguns .. the Linebaugh .45 Colt or the Bowen .41 Magnum. I wore it horseback for years... wore it under my coat hunting in the winter .. comfortable and easy to use.
Wearing it when I shot this turkey hen with my .45 Colt Blackhawk Wearing it here when I took these 2 does with my .41 Magnum
Wearing it when I shot this turkey hen with my .45 Colt Blackhawk Wearing it here when I took these 2 does with my .41 Magnum
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
Bill, The connection I believe was that S.D. Myers purchased the Polk Saddelry and all rights about the time your talking about late 1890's . Then they moved shop to El Paso and combined shops with the already present El Paso Saddelry which had been there since 1889.
Years later after Tio Sam Myers was gone they split off again and moved to Oklahoma I believe..
It's possible it was this purchase of rights and the combining of the two saddelry companies that the ownership in this style holster is claimed but I really don't know for sure.
When I ordered mine I had catalogs from several top makers of saddelry and kept coming back to the Hardin rig .
One day I will get another. 45 SAA to go with again.
Years later after Tio Sam Myers was gone they split off again and moved to Oklahoma I believe..
It's possible it was this purchase of rights and the combining of the two saddelry companies that the ownership in this style holster is claimed but I really don't know for sure.
When I ordered mine I had catalogs from several top makers of saddelry and kept coming back to the Hardin rig .
One day I will get another. 45 SAA to go with again.
Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
I have not used the "skeleton" design, but it looks comfortable and quick. Gary Reeder is selling the modern-made ones and those who have them like them. He is marketing them as a "Dangerous Game Holster." John Taffin was influential in getting Gary to have these made. I know John likes them.Bill in Oregon wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:48 am Jim, it was an X-15 I had for a while, too. What is your opinion of the spring-clip "skeleton" holster?
Here are a few pages from Rattenbury's incomparable book "Packing Iron" that show the skeleton design as well as several others.
Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
I have several X-15s and also a couple of X-2100 shoulder holsters. I believe the X-2100s are the same as the x-15s except that they're lined. Very well made and comfortable, I've had mine for decades.
Re: SAA and shoulder holsters
https://reedercustomguns.com/informatio ... sories.htmJimT wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 10:08 amI have not used the "skeleton" design, but it looks comfortable and quick. Gary Reeder is selling the modern-made ones and those who have them like them. He is marketing them as a "Dangerous Game Holster." John Taffin was influential in getting Gary to have these made. I know John likes them.Bill in Oregon wrote: ↑Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:48 am Jim, it was an X-15 I had for a while, too. What is your opinion of the spring-clip "skeleton" holster?
Here are a few pages from Rattenbury's incomparable book "Packing Iron" that show the skeleton design as well as several others.
928-527-4100
928-526-3313
m.A.g.a. !