Military Holsters

[Yankee Will]

Can someone tell me why the calvary-type holsters seem to be butt forward?  I've seen some on a few sites, and they look like strong side butt forward.  It seems to me this would make for an akward draw.

[44caliberkid]

Because you held and fought with your sword (sabre) in the right hand and drew the pistol and fired it with your left.

[sundance44`s]

Another reason on horse back carrying a long barreled pistol butt forward is much more comfortable and easyer to draw.

[St. George]

A mounted man carried a saber on his left side.

Off-setting it was the revolver - as worn on his right, with the butt to the fore.

He traditionally fought with his right hand - using either the saber or the revolver as needed - but not ambidexterously.

No Cavalry Drills make mention of the use of the left hand, other than to control the mount - and no guards on issue M1840/M1860 sabers were left-handed.

The 7 1/2" long barrel of the issue weapon is far easier to deal with when worn as the military did - fighting the way they were trained - from the back of a horse.

They continued the issue of this style of holster until the advent of the M1911.


Scouts Out!

[Major 2]

I was about to comment on 44caliber Kid's reply..... as close,  but,
left hand held the reins. In 28 years of Mounted reenacting , I drew both the saber & pistol with my right hand.

.... St. George nailed it....
can't really add to what he said....

however,  I have seen a few of Grande's  drawings with the pistol in the left hand and saber in the right hand in dismounted action settings. Though as St. George pointed out,  No Cavalry Drills make mention of the use of the left hand ,other than horse control.
The lance & gudion also were held by the right hand.....and the Carbine was slung to the right.

[44caliberkid]

My mind must have been on dismounted action.   I was disregarding horse control.

[ColonelFlashman]

Still doesn't matter, fighting in that fashion wasn't taught in the Military, no matter what you see in the Movies or in Paintings.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Flashie;  I think there is a photo printed in El Paso Saddlery's Catalogue.  Shows some troopers at Ft. Bliss training their mounts to lie down to provide shelter for their dismounted masters.  I have an account I looked up on the net when my son (A Prof. at Sandhurst) was expecting to get a job as an expert for a UK TV show about the Nez Perce War.  A cavalry unit joined a firing line dismounted.  The Nez Perce, were astute enough to realize that they could press forward more closely to the carbine wielding troopers. than the "soldier walks a lot", with their rifles.

[Noz]

It is a bit demoralizing to realize that our beloved handguns were considered "backups" to the more efficient sabres.

[ColonelFlashman]

Can someone tell me why the calvary-type holsters seem to be butt forward?  I've seen some on a few sites, and they look like strong side butt forward.  It seems to me this would make for an akward draw.

There are several reason for this,

The Sabre was Arme Blanche & was drawn w/ the right hand for use, w/ the pistole being secondary, it was only used as a last resort, till of course the Sabre was deemed no longer neccessary in combat as the Carbine became Arme Blanche.
Now w/ that stated, one of the problems encountered w/ being mounted on horse back @ the start or in the middle of combat, is the fact that Cavalrymen no matter how seasoned, could & did accidently shoot their horse in the head by cocking it to soon w/ the Pistole Butt facing to the Rear while pulling it from the holster, in a Heightened state of excitement, thus rendering themselves useless as a Cavalryman.
Using a Holster w/ the Pistole Butt facing foreward caused the Cavalryman to take a tick more care as he w/ draws his Pistole from the holster, as the Muzzle will cross the body of the Cavalryman & he is less likely to cock it too soon under the afore mentioned circumstances.
Lastly, if your right arm became disabled in combat, it was also easier to pull it w/ you left hand if that was the case.

[Deadeye Don]

I havent tried to draw my USFA Ainsworth model from my military flap holster while on horseback,  but I find the draw dismounted with the right hand to be very smooth once you get use to it.  Safe shooting.  Deadeye.