Dragoons and their holsters??

[Slowhand Bob]

Guys, anyone have experience with making holsters for the various Dragoons?  I asked this over on the WIRE but it just keeps evolving back to the history part.  I plan to buy just one model of the Uberti Dragoons and want to be sue it will cover pattern making for the other three models.  Best I can figure, the Whitneyville model may be slightly larger in the trigger guard and the other three models are dimensionally the same as each other???  This leads me to believe that the Whitneyville model would be the way to go but I would like to check and see if you guys have any experience/thoughts on this?

[St. George]

As you know - the Dragoons were on the 'large' size for belt holsters - being largely a saddle holster - despite what's shown on 'Lonesome Dove'.

That said - were I to buy one, I'd probably want to shoot it, as well - and I'd be looking for a Third Model, since it was the high point for production, only replaced by the Model 1860 Army.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  I made a holster for a Dragoon 1847 in 09, it's a slim Jim style, the gun is actually an 1853, and in excellent shape, I also made a matching rig for his Super Blackhawk, WC had a 1847 I used to wet mold the gun, and I was told the gun fit like a grove, as heavy as this gun is , he wanted a holster he could wear on his hip, when taking it out in the woods to do a little shooting.

          tEN wOLVES

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  This rig was dyed in my natural walnut dye, for two days.

[Kid Terico]

TW nice looking rig and I love the color. KT

[Slowhand Bob]

Thanks for the photo Ten Wolves and I agree with KT, your holsters look great.  Lets see if I can get this right, based on what I am being told about how to tell the different models apart, Yours has a square back trigger guard and what looks to be oval?? bolt cuts in the cylinder, if I my old eyes are seeing right?  Is it a first model Dragoon?  The bolt cuts are not real clear for my old eyes but it does look like you have a treasure there.   

[rebsr52339]

I agree with St George. The 3ed is the one to get "IF" you are going to carry it for an extended period or so each time you go out with it. The Walker/Whitneyville is a VERY heavy gun and "tongue in cheek"---you need a two wheel cart to haul it around in. I have both and enjoy shooting them, all "three" of them, third model included, often. I do have a belt (2 ¾ inches wide) and a "slim jim" style holster for them. They all fit in the Walker holster, so to speak.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Thanks for the photo Ten Wolves and I agree with KT, your holsters look great.  Lets see if I can get this right, based on what I am being told about how to tell the different models apart, Yours has a square back trigger guard and what looks to be oval?? bolt cuts in the cylinder, if I my old eyes are seeing right?  Is it a first model Dragoon?  The bolt cuts are not real clear for my old eyes but it does look like you have a treasure there.   

    Bob, thanks for the kind words, pard, in answer to your question, I didn't have this gun in my possession when making leather for it, it has a nine inch barrel, and the owner told me it was a Walker 1847, but was made in 1853, as far as markings go I don't have anything more in the way of pictures that slow, it's a treasure for sure, when I get to Oklahoma I'm looking forward to putting my hands on it, he won it in a poker game years ago, and has shot it several times, he said it's a good shooter.
   
               Thanks KT for the flowers pard



                       tEN wOLVES 

[Drayton Calhoun]

The secret for using the Dragoon as a belt pistol is to carry two so you are balanced. Sounds kinda silly, but I tried it with a 3rd Model and a Walker and didn't seem to be as bad. Also, wearing two, you don't tend to walk in circles, LOL.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

         wearing two, you don't tend to walk in circles, LOL.


               

[Slowhand Bob]

WOW Ten Wolves, based on what everyone has been yelling me for the last day or so you must have a Walker instead of a Dragoon if all is original???  I have been told that the nine inch barl was used on the Walker and all of the Dragoons had seven inch barls.  Good luck with it and let us know what you find out.

The third would be a good choice 'IF' all earlier models would fit holsters sized to it.  I am actually still looking for someone with both the Whitny and the Third Model to enlighten me.  In the end I will probably find that I am sweating the small stuff!

[Trailrider]

I have made holsters for both the Walker and the 3rd Model Dragoon.  Some of the patterns are similar to, but larger, than my #1851 Utah Scout holster that has a partial flap covering the back of the hammer and the cylinder, and which fastens to the holster body with a buckle. The original of this holster was used by a young man from Bountiful, Utah, who rode with the Mormon Batallion to protect the mail and telegraph from maurauders during the Civil War. He later became a justice of the peace and school superintendent, and a bishop of his church.

Others holsters have a full flap, like a military holster, but butt to the rear (or can be carried crossdraw), with the holster body following the contour of the pistol reasonably closely, like a slim jim, but with a plugged end.

The Dragoons (including the 1st and 2nd Models) can be carried in a Walker holster, but of course the Walker's holster is way longer than the ones for the Dragoons.  OTOH, holsters specifically for the Dragoons are not only shorter but taper more sharply due to the shorter barrels.

These pistols were originally supposed to be packed on the saddle pommel in "holsters" as opposed to "belt scabbards" (what we call holsters today)!  Certainly there were folks who wore them on their persons.  I would caution those who choose to do so should NOT be of slender build, particularly with narrow hips.  One needs to be particularly careful to hold onto your pants and belt...in case you should sneeze!    A pair of galluses attached to the belt would be beneficial.

[GunClick Rick]

Dang Ten wolves,if ya ran out of ammo you could always sharpin the grip panels and  chop wood with it

[Buffalow Red]

so is a dragoon another name for a walker ? or what makes a dragoon from other colts?
im a remy guy & unclear on this wording of dragoon

[Deadeye Don]

so is a dragoon another name for a walker ? or what makes a dragoon from other colts?
im a remy guy & unclear on this wording of dragoon

The 3 models of the Dragoons followed the making of the Walker, when they found the Walkers too unreliable and too heavy, but wanted the punch of a 44 caliber with lots of powder behind the ball.  Look on the Taylors website for pictures of modern made Walkers and dragoons.

[David Carrico]

Here's a picture of one of the several pair of saddle holsters I made for Jeff Bridges in "True Grit". These were for a pair of Dragoons. This was before they were aged!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Really nice David, I need to see the movie, anyway your work is always a pleasure to look at, thanks for sharing pard.

     tEN wOLVES 

[Slowhand Bob]

Thanks for the input guys and I think it is becoming obvious that a holster sized for anyone of the four distinct Dragoon models would work for all.  I do like the date related role playing aspects of our game and think that mating a Walker and a Dragoon, any model, would have more likely been an early Commanchero combination than actual mated pairs.

[Trailrider]

Thanks for the input guys and I think it is becoming obvious that a holster sized for anyone of the four distinct Dragoon models would work for all.  I do like the date related role playing aspects of our game and think that mating a Walker and a Dragoon, any model, would have more likely been an early Commanchero combination than actual mated pairs.

The major difference holster-wise between the Walker and the 3 Dragoon models is the barrel length.  The Walker has a 9-inch barrel, whereas the Dragoons have barrels in the 7-1/2" to 8" range (I haven't got my reference books handy on the last length).  Any Dragoon will fit a Walker holster, but not visa versa...unless you cut the end off the Dragoon holsters so the Walker barrel can stick out the end.

[ChuckBurrows]

Some originals:

John S RIP Ford - Texas Ranger 1850's - look like Dragoons


Californios - 1850's Colt Walker


Gold Rusher - circa 1850 - IIRC noted as a Dragoon