What gear would an 1860 Californio carry with him?

[St. George]

As an aside, for those who are contemplating the Impression.

River Junction Trade Co. - www.riverjunction.com - now offers a 'Vaquero Jacket' for $159.95 - with matching trousers coming soon.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

For the same price, Sacramento Dry Goods offers a leather trimmed 'more fancy' Vaquero Jacket ...

But I really like the 'Transitional Holster' and quirt on their website ....

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I am so Chuffed! (Brit for excited...)

I just got hold of my two Ruger Old Armies (I know, I know, much to late for this period ... but they will make good reenactment guns ....

All the same, they are really nice weapons ... been gunslicked til they are smooth as buttah, have had Uncle Mike Nipples put on them, and nice faux bone grips ... last time I felt this good, I was in love ... or so I thought ....*L*

Kind of a shame not to compete with them ... maybe I might when I get to know a little more about 'The Dark Side"....

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Sacramento Dry Goods also offers this Vaquero Coat in Black, Navy, or Chocolate Brown ...
Here is their website:

http://www.saccitydrygoods.com/

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Still looking at holsters ....

I was looking at a holster that is in Will Ghormley's sale bin.

Does this look like something that might be seen on a somewhat 'dandy' Californio?

When I spoke with Will, he suggested that I get the opinion of the members here ....

[Roscoe Coles]

As nice as this holster and the transitional holster from River Junction are, I would stick with a plain slim jim for a pre-war Californio holster.   

A look at "Packing Iron" or a talk with Buck Stinson would be in order here, but looped holsters seem to be a postwar phenomena.  I'm thinking of getting a version of the early transitional holster (like the one from River Junction) for my Remington New Model Navy Conversion, it would make a good postwar set. 

By the way, why the interest in "spots?" Is this just something that you think is cool or do you have any information saying that gun leather with spots was common among Californios in 1860? 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Roscoe,

I am not so much interested in 'spots'  ... they can be there or not.  But the holster was a sale item ... and I liked the floral work.

I also liked the high top that would have been indicative of protecting the caps on a cap and ball holster ....

But getting back to the spots, my belt will be tooled and I was looking for a tooled holster to match.... and the Califonia style slim jims that I have seen for sale are all plain and well, plain.

Any suggestions ... by the way, they were sold out of right hand holsters in the transitional one ... so that was a dead end.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

Am having a traditionally correct belt made for the Californio period ... and will tuck the pistol in the belt until I can afford to have a slim jim made.

I have one of the OK Leather's open top Western Slim Jims fer sale.
Here's their ad (halfway down the page)
https://www.oklahomaleatherproducts.com/Merchant4/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=OLP&Category_Code=B1

Mine is right hand draw, unused. $20.00 shipped.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

J.D.,

I sent you a PM .....

[James Hunt]

WaddWatsonEllis: You said "Kind of a shame not to compete with them ... maybe I might when I get to know a little more about 'The Dark Side"...."

There is so little to know and it is so much fun, I wouldn't wait to learn anything.

Complete shooting instructions.

1/ Pour in about 25 grains or thereabouts of BP (2f, 3f),
2/ push in a lubed wad ***
3/ push a ball down on top of wad and powder
4/ push on cap.
5/ Shoot

*** {if you are fearful of chain fire (and in this day and age it is probably the guy next to you that will sue you) and/or going to shoot multiple cylinders in a match add the procedure of placing a lubed wad (wonder wads or cheaper versions are readily available or make your own using someones felt hat left behind at the last match) over the powder before you shove the ball down}

Complete cleaning instruction.

1/ Take to kitchen sink and turn on hot water tap,
2/ take out cylinder and hose well under water (probably should take out nipples and clean separately if you have the time, (I dump mine in a little cap of 90% -OH),
3/ Shove several wet patches thru bore until clean,
4/ use wet patches or paper towel to clean around cylinder area of gun,
5/ dry everything with dry patch or paper towel
6/ use anything cheap that works with black powder to displace any remaining water and lube bore and rest of gun - this would be Type F transmission fluid, the wife's bottle of olive oil (extra virgin or absolutely slutty doesn't matter), or tallow (if absolutely determined you can buy some of those expensive alternatives), (by the way for the cylinder I simply keep a little container of olive oil and drop it in after cleaning for a few seconds and then wipe the outside dry - don't reuse this oil on your salad)
7/ put guns in safe and insert the DVD "Remuda" and relax.

Before shooting again wipe excess lube out of cylinder with a dry patch and use nipple pick.

There may be more offered by what I confess to calling the BP anal crowd, but I have yet to find it matters in any way when shooting a revolver. Black powder is great fun, easy on the gun, and barring flicking your cigar ashes into it, safer than using smokeless in cartridges, at least in my opinion.

By the way I also suggest Buck Stinson (Rick Bachman). He is a very helpful fella on the phone, I know he makes the very top end of leather, but if you have a question and keep it short, he can be a fount of information. If you are but a poor vaquero make your own from someone else's boot top (authentic) or stick it in a sash, probably just as good or better looking than an el cheapo commercial job.

[Lone Gunman]

Here's another book you will find interesting:



I don't believe Mora uses the term in his book, but I have an original 1872 copy of Buffalo Land by W.E.Webb which refers to the Mexicans as "greasers". I would have thought that adjective would have originated sometime in the 20th century. Buffalo Land is the true story of an odd mix of adventurers as they explore the buffalo lands west of Topeka. It can be read online at Google books.

I would love to see the confederate picture as well if someone can point me that direction.  (we would have thought him a tad fancy for our border unpleasantness.) 

It's Captain Samuel J. Richardson, commander of Company F, 2nd Texas Cavalry (2nd Mounted Rifles) but it's most likely Jaguar, Ocelots are too small and the spots are different.

[Mogorilla]

Those is fancy.   Thanks.   I think I will stear clear of those for any persona. 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I am sure he thought himself quite swell, but I can't imagine him wearing that outfit as a Texas Ranger ... that is about the exact opposite of what he wanted if he wanted to command respect.

Of course, he could always shoot his opponent while he was in the paroxysms of laughter ... I believe he would have plenty of time to fire ....

[St. George]

Given that he commanded a company of Texas Cavalry for the Confederacy - and given where they fought and how hard - I doubt they were an issue for his troopers.

Or for anyone else, for that matter...

'Command Presence' comes from within - 'not' from the clothing worn.

Ascribing today's beliefs and prejudices to the past does those who went before a grave dishonor.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Roscoe Coles]

Hey Wad, there were tooled slim jims, I have a pair for some 1872 open tops, but you see a lot of plain ones or ones with boarder tooling. 

Thanks Lone Gunman, thats the picture.  Very real guy, very real outfit, just way out of the norm so not a good choice if you want to be doing the period.   Actually, the chaps wouldn't be all that noteworthy.  There were a number of types of fur chaps available, though cat fur would be exotic.    I am after a set of seal skin chaps like TR wore.  The holsters are a bit much but again fur on holsters were known.  You see big cat fur used a lot in 19th century European military regalia.  Its just not that common in the US at this time.   Any way you look at it he was a snappy dresser! 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

St George,

I should learn to hold my tongue ... I probably would have gone alot farther in life if I had ... I am like that character Estelle Getty played in Golden Girls : I tend to say whatever is on the tip of my tongue without that discerning filter most people have ... and I humbly appologize.


Roscoe,

I have given up trying to find something premade on the internet ... the man who is doing my belt is going to make me a matching holster ... and since I really trust his historical instincts, I think that is the best decision.... Plus, since he already has the belt I know it will all work as a kit ...

[Mogorilla]

I have seen several south of the border saddle bags and flap holsters (mostly pommel holsters) that had plenty of exotic furs, Jaguars, bears, some tiger, just not so much of it at once.  I am guessing unless he shot them himself on a trip south, that could not have been cheap.

[Lone Gunman]

Actually jaguar were somewhat plentiful in the early to mid 19th century in south and east Texas so he might have even shot it from the porch. I believe the last confirmed jaguar in Texas was around 1900.  Also, the use of jaguar pelts may have been a little more common in that area than we'd think, or maybe Capt Richardson was just a big fan of Sam Houston (even though Houston was against secession and resigned as governor because of it). Click HERE to see Sam Houston's favorite 'leopard' skin vest.

[Mogorilla]

I didn't know jaguars made it that far north.  Interesting.  I wish I could remember the book that had all the saddle accoutrements from Mexico that had fur items.  I am 99% sure it was a book that had armour of the Winged Hussars, very fancily dressed Polish Knights, they had lots of exotic furs on their saddles, arms, and armor.   

[Roscoe Coles]

Jaguars are occasionally seen in Arizona to this day.  They come out of Mexico along some of the mountain ranges.