HELP AND ADVICE ON CHOOSING AND USING A SW STYLE 4" COMBO RIFLE PISTOL GUN BELT

[Wolf Killer]

Hello lads,
I am 62, and have been shooting all my life, but have discovered the cowboy way two years ago.
I am refining my character and style,  and am interested in using the southwest style of 4 inch wide gun belt that carries both pistol and rifle ammo. This belt is featured in Packing Iron, and I have a photo of a SASS shooter that uses this wide rig.

My interest is two fold, as I am more interested in being historically accurate and just competing than winning speed competitions. I have had 5 back surgeries that have left me in constant pain and a wide belt like this would add support to my lumbar for long periods of standing and holding long arms.

El Paso catalogs this belt as the #4 Border Belt. My question is to what holster to use on a belt this wide, and who would be a good maker to consult?
My battery consist of 5 and 1/2" colts, 1875 Remingtons,  1872 Colt open tops and 7" schofields

Any one use a wide belt or know of someone that can add some suggestions?

Thanks Pards,

Wolf Killer

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Can you use the belt separately from your holster rig and still get the same result? If not, you'll have to use holsters with a little wider belt loop.

[Wolf Killer]

Hello,
Thanks for the reply,
I am interested in using this as my gun belt, so the questions is what kind of holster and a maker of holsters to use this belt, and if this is a wise choice.

In the current Cowboy chronicle from SASS June 2012 there is a photo of a gent wearing this kind of rig on page 30

thanks

[Forty Rod]

Call El Paso.  I think I saw one they had done (Might have been another maker on the holster.) and it was splendiferous.  IIRC, the belt loop wend way down and doubled up against the holster and the Mexican loop went from there around the front.  The gun rode very high on the belt with the toe of the grip about 1/2" below the top of the belt.

Plan on the combo being VERY STIFF and VERY HEAVY! 

[Cliff Fendley]

Wolf Killer, your idea is a good one. I have had two back surgeries myself and on the verge of needing the third. I wear a prescription back brace at work a lot and for shooting I do exactly as your wanting too do. For the last couple years I have been wearing a 3 1/2 inch cartridge/money belt. Recently I have started wearing a 3 inch belt on top of that.

It's interesting the timing of your post as I was just today planning to build myself a money belt about 4 1/2 and possibly 5 inches wide with a couple of hidden straps inside for additional support. I'm thinking this will be a lot of work and will take half a cow to build it but will work just as my prescription back brace and look period and be functional as a gun belt as well.

Regarding holsters it's not hard to get a period correct mexican loop style holster for a 4 inch wide belt. One of my patterns is from an original Meanea for a 5 1/2 and it will even accommodate a 4 inch although barely. The holster seen here is made from that pattern and is on a 3 1/2 inch money belt and will slide over the cartridges if necessary. http://www.fendleyknives.com/Gallery.htm

The 7 1/2 inch Scholfield holster I just made my wife will probably accommodate a 4 1/2 inch easy enough and I haven't checked but pretty sure a 5 inch belt. The belt it is on is 3 inches wide and you can see it here. http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,44293.0.html



Give me a PM, email, or shout at me on the phone if you want to trade some ideas as I'm planning to build one for myself anyway.

[Cliff Fendley]

Since I plan on making mine as a supple money belt I don't plan on it real stiff or heavy.

I'll bet it doesn't wind up weighing as much as a bunch of the stiff as a board double layer belts I see many SASS shooters wearing now.

As a money belt mine won't be over around 8 oz thick total except where I put any additional internal support straps and I'm not certain it will need them.

It would take a 5 inch wide money belt to weigh the same as a 2 1/2 double 8 oz layer ranger belt like I see many shooters wear.

From someone with a terrible worn out back I can say there is nothing more comfortable for me than a wide money belt.

[Forty Rod]

Since I plan on making mine as a supple money belt I don't plan on it real stiff or heavy.

I'll bet it doesn't wind up weighing as much as a bunch of the stiff as a board double layer belts I see many SASS shooters wearing now.

As a money belt mine won't be over around 8 oz thick total except where I put any additional internal support straps and I'm not certain it will need them.

It would take a 5 inch wide money belt to weigh the same as a 2 1/2 double 8 oz layer ranger belt like I see many shooters wear.

From someone with a terrible worn out back I can say there is nothing more comfortable for me than a wide money belt.

That's something I hadn't thought of.  Maybe it's time for me to consider something along those lines myself.

[Wolf Killer]

Cliff,
Thanks for the input on this. Here is a photo I scanned from the Cowboy chronicles of what I am looking for.
You can see the wide belt looks like 4 plus inches wide, and the holster appear to be double loop with the gun butt tilted away from the body, which is exactly what I am looking for to go with my 7" Schofields, and my 7" 1872 open tops.

He has the belt buckled in back, with no loops. I think this would be great to do two sets of cartridge loops in front with 5 or 6 rifle  loops on each side of the pistol loops for my 45-60.
I am wondering if a cross draw holster could be worn to accommodate my Remington's without having to build another belt rig for a two gun strong side carry

Let me know your thoughts on a rig like this

[Forty Rod]

Izzat.....izzat.....?  By golly I think it iz.....BLACK HARRIS!