building my persona

[caps]

I am just starting my persona but am going to a shotgun shoot this weekend and looking for a shotgun belt that will do double duty.  my persona is an ex civil war cavalry officer taking advantage of the nebraska homestead act. circa 1866 and a few years beyond.  Would I be served well with a canvas shotgun belt from Cabelas or would a leather one suit the period better?
Thank you.

[Leo Tanner]

Go ta the historical board an ask fer Del.  He's an expert on these matters and is from Newbrasky.


Leo

[River City John]

Caps,
actually neither one would have been a common item in 1866. Shotshells would have been carried in pockets, an over-the-shoulder shell bag or haversack type of carrier (Upland Bag), or a belt pouch.
 
That being said, it is FAR easier to pull shells out of canvas loops than leather.
If you're thinking about competition at a match other than an NCOWS match, I'd go for the canvas belt.
Many at NCOWS matches use either military cartridge boxes on the belt, or the shotshells slipped into the lower vest pocket, positioned upright. They stay put there and make for easy retrieval two at a time.

If your era is a bit later, into the mid 1870's onward, then modified 'prairie belts' like Cabela's would fit in. Into the 1880's and later, the Mills-type as used by the military would be popularized. By 1900 you would see both types offered in the catalogs like Sears, Montgomery Wards, etc.

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[St. George]

Shotguns of 'that' era were percussion, for the most part.

The 'shotgun belt' that most folks are familiar with - the one made by Anson Mills - came about 20 years later.

There are a couple of good posts in both the 'NCOWS' forum and the 'Historical Society' forum that deal with the creation of your Impression.

Take a look, then head over to the public library and start researching your background.

Do this before you spend any money without research - and you'll find that you'll have more of it to spend after you've familiarized yourself with 'your' part of the era, since you'll make better-informed choices.

Good Luck!

Scouts Out!

[Deadeye Don]

Caps,   You just got great advice from two experts already!!  Heed their advice and you will do fine with your choices.  Welcome to CAS and the forum.

[caps]

Thanks for your help.  I knew I would get very good answers here.  I will keep my money for now and hit the books. Are there good online sources of photos? Our local libary is in the sticks and not to good with info.

[Trap]

  Hey Caps, where ya from?

[caps]

Just southwest of York, Nebraska.

[St. George]

Your library can get just about anything you'd care to read.

Ask the Librarian about 'Inter-Library Loans' - and you'll find that your library can borrow from others.

York is practically on top of Lincoln - and there are great resources there, as you'd expect for a university town.

You'll want to review the 'back pages' of both forums listed above for additional source information, but you should look at the Time-Life series 'The Old West', since it's highly likely your library already has the series.

Use it as a starting point, and build from there, with pre-1900 copies of the mail order catalogs of both 'Sears, Roebuck & Co.', and 'Montgomery Ward & Co', as they'll show you exactly what was available.

Some dates were reprinted in the 1970's, and can be found here and there - often in antique shops.

If I can provide assistance - ask or send a PM.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[caps]

I did get Packing Iron on an interlibary loan years ago.  It took forever and a day for them to rustle a copy up.  They just aren't to excited about tracking something down.