Most people who carry where i come from like to carry concealed if possible, I however prefer large and medium framed revolvers. Since I have gotten use to the looks I figured i should try a new style of carry. I use waist band holsters mostly and i was wandering if anyone ever puts on the good old cowboy holsters for their modern revolvers and lets em ride low just like in the westerns. Does anyone do this? does anyone foresee major problems if I were to do it? thanks for reading.
Welcome to the forum. The movies are the movies. Look at photos of cowboys in the 1800s. They wore their guns around their waist. Not down gunfighter style. A lot of people get nervous when they see guns. Also it might make you out to be the first target of a shooter. Let the BG wonder if anyone is packing.
There is nothing wrong with carrying like that, except maybe perception.
I can see some people harassing you somewhat for the style or if something ever happened and you had to use it they would characterize you as wanting to get into a fight or something of that nature.
Since you asked for opinions, and I have my own, walking a round town like Tom Mix or Roy Rogers will just give more credence to the other side and offer proof of your cowboy mentality. Since you asked, JMHO.
OUCH! People using a western rig is NOT designed for Concealed Carry..and if you thought it was then you are crazier than I am!
as to feeding the "IMAGE" you are nuts..and any cowboy who rode a horse working cows wore their gun on their leg! Otherwise it often "gouged" them in the side PAINFULLY! I learned the hard way in my youth. I was raised on a working cattle ranch. we used horses 80% of the time for ranch work. We carried pistols to kill snakes and Yotes.
so I guess I do have a "mentality" of sorts. and if my pistol in its holster frightens you so bad then maybe you overlooked my "little" ole rifle that I carry with that "BIG" ole pistol!
so be it....quit trying to fit me into you of your round peg holes..I dont fit!
OUCH! People using a western rig is NOT designed for Concealed Carry..and if you thought it was then you are crazier than I am!
as to feeding the "IMAGE" you are nuts..and any cowboy who rode a horse working cows wore their gun on their leg! Otherwise it often "gouged" them in the side PAINFULLY! I learned the hard way in my youth. I was raised on a working cattle ranch. we used horses 80% of the time for ranch work. We carried pistols to kill snakes and Yotes.
so I guess I do have a "mentality" of sorts. and if my pistol in its holster frightens you so bad then maybe you overlooked my "little" ole rifle that I carry with that "BIG" ole pistol!
so be it....quit trying to fit me into you of your round peg holes..I dont fit!
People who ask for opinions really are saying, " I only want positive opinions, those that agree with mine, if you don't agree with me, I don't want to hear them." Such is life:bleh:
Carver there is a tie that loops over the hammer. Sebastian, I do believe that there are some placed in the western U.S. where they cowboy carry. You don't see it here in Florida unless its a reenactment. But to each their own.
I would do it here if they let me. Problem is I would lose my gun and go to jail. I would love to see the look on the liberals face if I could walk down the street with my Ruger 44 in a western rig.
Carver there is a tie that loops over the hammer. Sebastian, I do believe that there are some placed in the western U.S. where they cowboy carry. You don't see it here in Florida unless its a reenactment. But to each their own.
I know that there is a loop over the hammer, I own a cowboy rig. My point here is that there is no way to make a quick draw form the holster with the loop over the hammer. Think about it! Now who was considered to one the fastest, and best shots, of the old west, but did not use a holster?
What I'm trying to get across is that having a gun in a holster with a loop over the hammer so it don't fall out is not a good idea. There is a show on the outdoor channel called Survival Below Zero. This weeks episode has the guys walking in the woods when they are charged by a griz. One of the guys tries to draw his revolver to defend himself, but he can't get the pistol out of the cowboy holster, so he turns and runs. I do not wish to get into a gun fight, and discover that the loop over the hammer can not be eaisly removed, and I am, for all intents, unarmed!
But by golly, you will die looking cool. When they look at your cold dead body, some one will turn to the other and say " Wow, looks just like Wyatt Earp, don't he ".
But by golly, you will die looking cool. When they look at your cold dead body, some one will turn to the other and say " Wow, looks just like Wyatt Earp, don't he ".
Dunno, maybe a frock coat, sash, string tie and Stetson would be cool. A couple of .36 Navies, who knows, especially if you were as good as Wild Bill. Not too sure how the courts would look at it.
Dunno, maybe a frock coat, sash, string tie and Stetson would be cool. A couple of .36 Navies, who knows, especially if you were as good as Wild Bill. Not too sure how the courts would look at it.
OK, my input. If you want to wear it that way then do it regardless of what people think. The disadvantage is it is not practical. For one, it is not tactical. The low slung holster is not ideal for quick sight acquisition as opposed to a properly fit tactical holster. The revolver can be easily had by a passer-byer. If you end up on the ground in a grapple you will be at a disadvantage. If you have to run you can't. It's just not practical. You are limited to SA only and you want to keep your options only. And last, those that shoot out of a slung holster tend to hit sloppier then those that wear a tactical rig. I am not saying you can't hit as accurate as any other shooter, I am just saying that a low slung holster tends to lend to less accuracy.
I am a huge SA revolver fan, and much more then most but I would not be caught carrying one in that manner for self defense. I recommend if you want to carry a SA in that manner to go bunny hunting that way and have a lot of fun. As for personal carry, I recommend other options. The goal it to be several steps ahead of the attacker. Around camp or in my home I pity the fool who comes across my SA. But for personal carry,,, not a chance.
One last point. When people open carry many passer-buyers never notice because people usually have tunnel vision. However, a hog leg hanging low,,, everyone will know and if you come across another shooter he's gonna have the edge.
I recommend a nice 1911 with a second mag and a quality holster. However, if you are set with wanting to open carry a SA, then wear it high on the belt line and you will be fine. Use a bianchi holster and you will be good to go.
Hey Ray, I say if you are in an area where open carry is legal, carry however your comfortable and dont worry about what anyone else thinks. As for being a target for the bad guys, there is zero documentation to back that theory up and its only a notion in some peoples minds. If a bad guy sees your gun, he will most likely run. There are so many carry options out there today that there is no reason you shouldnt have what you want. If people dont like it, tough. They will just have to get over it. Enjoy your freedoms and exercize them regularly!
Besides the little loop deal, there are holsters that have a rigid piece of plastic or hardened leather that catches the cylinder. It is a very simple and effective "lock". This is how most of the old police drop holsters worked for revolvers. My driver still carries a revolver and was just recently showing me how it works.
Ok folks..let me set the record straight. Western rigs are NOT for Concealment. It is a good carry when hunting. as far as the "loop" that is a newer style of retainment. the true older styles use 2 methods to retain. used together they work very well and as in all things ..you must PRACTISE them to make a smooth draw...This is not to be consitered as a type of "FAST" draw. the 2 methods are first a snug holster, not tight but just snug. (thats why most work holsters use a leg tiedown, to hold the holster so the friction will not allow the holster to follow the pistol up on the draw.) the second is the Hammer retention flap. not loop, a thumb sized medium thick flap. With a slot that is somewhat loose over the hammer spur. fitted so it will slip over the hammer only when the pistol is fully seated in the holster, if pistol is drawn even 2 tenths of a inch the flap begins to get difficult to slip over the spur. now in drawing this from the secured postion. again Practise this...use your thumb to lift and push the flap over the spur of the hammer. again this is not and will never be a fast draw. but with practise it is a quick and smooth draw. on new holsters the flap will require more effort to slip the flap. as you practise the flap gets easier to slip. and the flap is a excellent renion if adjusted peoperly.
now I only use this rig when hunting, its a bit of over kill to try to use a high powered hunting rifle to kill a snake or small game at 10-60 feet. so thats what the pistol is carried for. I use the Judge so I can use 410 shotshells for this. otherwise its a .22 pistol.
He does not say anything about wanting to carry concealed. He says most people, where he lives, do carry concealed. No surprise there. I figger more people carry concealed than openly.
Then he says he wants to use a cowboy rig. I presume, by that, he means a buscadero - Matt Dillon/Lone Ranger - type. And he gets jumped on. YOU CAN'T CONCEAL IT!!!!!
So? He does not say he wants to conceal. He says most people carry concealed, "HOWEVER I want to carry this way".
I notice he has not made another post. Don't blame him. If I got jumped on that badly after my first post, I'da probably written off this board and gone somewhere else.
Now, I would not carry in a buscadero rig. It's uncomfortable and not secure. Plus it would draw stares. While it might go unnoticed in Arizona, it probably would not in Indiana or Georgia.
If you're the type that would wear a checked coat with striped pants, a pink shirt with a neon-green necktie and a white belt, then maybe you would not mind people looking and pointing. Me, I prefer people DON'T stare at me.
I hope you're still with us Ray! Back in the early to mid 60's I carried "cowboy style", that was in NM. Nother much was said, or implied. My dad carried this was too. Times have changed some though, since those days. I don't see anything wrong with open carry, it's just that there are better ways to carry those large/medium framed revolvers.
Ray - carrying on the hip or lower on the leg would be a matter of comfort for you. If you can 'open carry' legally, the only problem I could see with carrying lower would be that the pistol would be more obvious, and as others have stated - make you the first target.
I know there are many law enforcement folks here, but speaking just for myself, I used to carry a modern revolver (S&W M&P w/5" barrel) everyday in a locally made western style holster for my service revolver in the military, and I really thought it a pain in the --- because it was always in the way riding lower like that. Might have been OK if I was on a horse, but walking around or in a vehicle it didn't work so well for me.
Those of you here that have posted that having a gun on your hip that is visible makes you a target, I sure would like to see the statstics on this. I do not think you are correct. Prove me wrong.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
The Firearms Forum
2.2M posts
71K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to all firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!