My Cartridge Belt for 45-75 Just Came In

Roscoe Coles · September 04, 2009, 11:46:22 PM

A while back I decided to get a cartridge belt for my 45-75 and my Spencer. After looking around at some historic photos I found several pictures of guys with Spencers and one guy with a 76 wearing fair weather Christian belts (military sword belts with loops sewed on them). I called David Carrico from Carrico's leatherworks and he told me that they could make me a belt in 50 cal (which would fit both cartridges) so I placed the order and, after about 4 weeks, it showed up. It holds forty-four 45-75 or Spencer rounds and has the classic federal eagle sword belt plate. Its spot on, very functional and I can't say enough about how pleased I am with it. Now I just have to wait till it cools down enough so I can go shoot!

In the mean time, I have started making spot on copies of the Winchester 45-75 cartridge box (labels still to come). They look right and hold the ammo perfectly. But now I just want to carry my 45-75 in my belt!

ndnchf · September 05, 2009, 07:58:02 AM

Picture Roscoe, We need Pictures!

Buck Stinson · September 06, 2009, 12:45:51 PM

Several years ago, I made a belt to go with one of my .45-75 carbines. I wanted something that was strictly civilian, since most 1876 carbines were for the commercial trade. My belt is all leather, with a nickel plated, clipped corner cartridge belt buckle. As I said, I made this probably ten to twelve years ago and at that time, my waist size was such that I could sew a total of 42 loops on it, from one end to the other. I am going to make another one here pretty soon, because my waist size has increased some and so then will the number of cartridge loops. Because I copied my belt from an original saddle shop made item from around 1880 to 1883, it is only as wide as the total length of the loaded .45-75 cartridge, with cartrdige loops that cover about 1 1/2" of the brass case. For as many rounds as these belts can hold, they are still very comfortable to wear and they look great.

Adios,
Buck

Roscoe Coles · September 06, 2009, 02:19:21 PM

Here is a photo of my Fair Weather Christian belt with one of my nickel 44-40 Colts in a Old West Reproductions holster, a cap/revolver cartridge box and one of my reproduction 45-75 boxes. I still need to make the labels and I am trying a new glue on the boxes.

Buck, although the FWC is a military item there are a number of pictures of civilians wearing them, not just soldiers in civilian attire, but documented civilians. I have always liked the eagle buckle and the FWC would be useful if I decided to to do military again. I have used a prairie belt for 45-70 for years and like it a lot, though its bigger than the FWC. I like the idea of some surplus stuff and it gives a tinge of veteran to an impression. At my age (45) in the early 1880s I would be old enough to be a Civil War and Indian Wars veteran (and having done Civil and Indian Wars reenacting I sort of am) so I like to have some little military things.

ndnchf · September 06, 2009, 06:40:46 PM

Nice job Roscoe -very nice indeed

Roscoe Coles · September 06, 2009, 07:52:41 PM

Thanks, here is another one with the 76

Buck Stinson · September 06, 2009, 08:38:06 PM

Great photo and rig Roscoe. Did I make that Cheyenne holster for you or did you buy it second hand? I have always liked the leather gear made by Frank A. Meanea and that was a holster I offered in my very first catalog, 31 years ago. Glad to see it on a very nice FWC belt.

Adios,
Buck

Roscoe Coles · September 06, 2009, 11:24:01 PM

Hey Buck;
You made me a pair of these a number of years ago along with a money belt. I'm sorry to say that I'm growing out of the money belt (gettin fat in my old age!) but its still my favorite rig. I'm planing on getting a little bigger belt so I can keep up the tradition. We talked on the phone a few weeks back; I called to ask if you offered gift certificates so I could have some guy stuff on my wedding registry. I have been lusting after a pair of your Main & Winchester saddle pockets (with two holsters) for years, if any gift certificates come in thats where they are going!

As a shooter, reenactor and historical archeaologist I can honestly say that your work is the most authentic that I have seen on offer. They are just right in all respects and are a pleasure to wear. Glad you like the rig.

Buck Stinson · September 08, 2009, 10:22:58 AM

I don't know why, but the cartridge belts I make always seem to shrink within a 3 to 5 year period. I've had to make several for myself in the past 31 years. I'm hoping that someday, I'll actually have one that ends up being too big. Yah, right! I'm glad you like the gear and would be glad to make you a pair of these pommel bags. This Main & Winchester pattern is absolulely beautiful. I've had several original M&W bags and these originals are in as fine a condition as I have ever seen and the only pair I've ever seen with this carving pattern. In the photo caption in "Packing Iron" it doesn't mention how I came by these bags. A friend of mine found them hanging in a tack shed near Salmon, Idaho. I have a lot of M&W leather gear and he was pretty sure I'd have to have this pair. He is a spur collector and for a long time he had his eye on a pair of R. T. Frazier spur straps that I had in my collection. He brought the bags up to the house late at night, the same day he found them and we made a trade; the spur straps for the pommel bags. This was almost 20 years ago. There is a holster under the lid on the off side, made for an 1851 Colt Navy. I have them hanging over the horn of an 1883 vintage M&W slick fork, half-seat saddle. What a great set. When we get our new web site up and running, we're going to have a scoll through "Photo Gallery" which will be full of pictures of items from our collection. This saddle and the bags will be included.

Adios,
Buck

Russian · September 10, 2009, 10:07:15 AM

Roscoe, very nice cartridge belt, I am severly tempted to arrange something similar! Very attractive.

How are you making your cartridge boxes? I have been wanting to do the same for a couple years but need to find a supplier of the plain brown boxes.

Roscoe Coles · September 10, 2009, 10:30:10 AM

There is no maker of original style boxes. The original style boxes are made very differently from modern ones. I looked over a number of originals and got some information from the Winchester Cartridge Box book on how they were originally done. They are still not perfect, I'm trying some different glues and always looking for better paper, but they are very close and are better than anything you can buy.

The next thing I'm going after is a copy of the Winchester 50 round 44-40 and 45 colt boxes, which are very different than modern boxes and the copies.