What is Your Holster Preference?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

What kind of holsters do you like best for your own rigs? Cut-down, full cylinder covered, drop loop, high-rise, double strong side, off hand cross-draw, historically correct, whatever.

For mine, I prefer to make them historically correct or as correct as I can make them with a few minor concessions to function if needed (for example, I wear double crossed belts and put tie-downs on mine so I don't wind up with them dropping down around my ankles). As to the design, I like my holsters to fit the era I'm looking to portray.

[W.T.]

Crossdraw, butt forward, 30 degree cant ~ fast, functional, comfortable everywhere, for my late 60s-early 70s persona

Working man's C&B rig w/belt bag by our pard Triggersmith:

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Those look good. I like the belt, it looks the part nicely.

Right now, I have mine hanging on my slimjim belts. I have to decide what to do for them to be accurate for ±1880. I may do one on a money belt and the other on a plain belt.

[Tommy tornado]

I perfer Plain Jain Slim Jims on a plain belt with millitary cap and bullet pouches.

[Johnny McCrae]

Prefer Slim-Jims for my Army Open-Top and my Navy RM. The cross draw has about a 15 degree angle.

My 1873 SAA with a 7-1/2" barrel also will fit either side.

[Slowhand Bob]

A nice rig WT.  I also favor the Slim Jim with some concessions to modern techniques and fitting.  I  try to keep them simple in decor and with 10deg on the strong side and 20degs on the x-draw.  Worn right, I think that most of us old geezers with 'creaky joints' can handle the long barrels well in high ride Slim Jims.

[W.T.]

high ride Slim Jims.

Yep.  Just like mah shorts.

[knucklehead]

I prefer the skirted holsters with fancy tooling and chrome spots.
I am using a straight belt with a cross draw at this time.
I am working on another belt and cross draw holster to match this holster.

I just cant seam to make a plain holster. To me holsters just need some tooling to look right.

[Nolan Sackett]

I like them all 

1) for later period wear (post 1880) when carrying my SAA, I especially like the style with riveted loops as often used by the Moran Brothers and a few other Montana makers - the riveted loops just hold tighter and don't stretch as fast or as far as the slotted loops. This style works/looks best with a 3-3.5" wide money belt and with cartridge loops. IMO these are the most comfortable of all the belts for long term wear
heres' one example of the holster type:


2) for use with cap n ball - well the only "right" thing is a slim Jim -  - this one is a near copy of one from Packing Iron.....


3) my current favorite style though is sort of in between - the one on the right is based on the original South Texas style - the one on the left is a variation - riveted loop ala the Montana makers and with the top edge a bit rounded off rather than square....


4) and then again when I'm feeling a bit more "frontiersman".........

This one is actually a cross between a Mexican Loop and SLim Jim - the loop is made folde over like the Mexican Loop but is no woder than the body of the holster and is sewn down like a Slim Jim - it gives a wider loop and thus a more "rigid" hang on the belt

[Major 2]

I'm partial to Slim Jims and wear miss match pair  R strong side at 10 Degrees & left in a cross draw a  20 degrees.


But I have a pair of Mex. loop R Strong is canted at 10 degrees in for my Remington Coversion and it's some what smaller cross draw is a lefty at 30 Degrees for my 1860 Conversion.

[Irish Dave]

Don't shoot C&B, so FWIW, I prefer:

1) Shoulder rigs (pouch or skeleton style) for Sheriff's models or "pocket guns"
2) Slim Jim style (strong side or cross draw) for S&W ... Russian or Schofield
3) Texas half-skirt (slotted) for long barreled strong side SAA types ...

All in as close to historically correct configuration as I can make them.

P.S. Been wanting to try an Olive Patent style for a while, but haven't gotten around to making up a proper pattern.

[Cooleemee Edd]

I like a double-loop with stiff, heavy leather, hanging straight down from a straight cartridge belt. Here's a photo of my New Ruger Vaquero, 7 1/2" barrel,  in a holster that I made one night in an hour, watching "The Tonite Show" while in the USA on vacation. I made it's mate the next evening, then went to my first CAS shoot. The belt is something I put together while overseas. It is lined, in pebble-grained (natural) cowhide with a lining, laced with "artificial sinew." It was my first attempt at a full-sized cartridge belt. The loops were pretty tight, but considering I had no shells to put into them to try them out for size, I'm not ashamed of it. I made another holster to match the belt for a Ruger Bisley Vaquero (old model).

I made a modified "California" for my cap-and-ball Colt 1860 here, and used a replica revolver for sizing it. It is a very tight fit. I have done some "clean-up work" on it and the belt as well, since this photo was taken. I need to make a cap-box and have started on a powder-flask carrier (carried upside down) for it as well.