The popular image of the cowboy decked out in batwing chaps, a 10-gallon Stetson, and a low-slung belt holster isnt exactly historically accurate. The original pistol would be first model, the first modification would be a second model, second modification would be a third model, etc. Although a modified Mexican Loop holster provided a better grip and promoted a faster draw, they were far from the fast-draw version popularized by 1950s Westerns starring Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter, and the like. Theyd dig up worms to use as bait, or find grubs, crickets and other insects. They were drawn to the West for a variety of reasons, and many gave up a life of wealth and position for the opportunity to travel. The first thing that a cowboy did when he stopped at water was to fill his canteen, even before drinking. Perhaps best of all, it added a dimension of firepower to the equation with the lever actions nine-round tubular magazine. Guns were obviously widespread on the frontier. The book, which included stories about lawless cowboys visiting Dodge City firing into the air to shoot out lights, has been called the most realistic written account of cowboy life and is still in print today. Chaps The other half of the leather swatch was folded behind the pocket to create a skirt. The bandana was and still is one of the most tactical items you can use for surviving. Ketchum's .45 SAA . The belt had loops for about 50 cartridges and, with the gun, weighed several pounds. The one-man law seen of TV and film Westerns is how we remember the West today. And given this potential, the Army began to emphasized marksmanship. In the morning, theyd roll up their blankets once again, with their other possessions inside. Gunsmoke and Saddle Leather notes that the Sharp rifle was the one against which other rifles were measured in the Old West. The kind of fellows that did carry two would carry one in the scabbard and a hide-out gun under their arm." In the end, researching what guns cowboys used . Facebook Rather, their hands became as tough as leather from the work that they did. Web Design and Development by Hire Jordan Smith. Chambered for powerful rounds such as .50-90, .50-110 and .45-70, the falling-block rifle was reasonably accurate, allowing hunters to harvest buffalo at relatively long ranges. A large number were much more highly educated than youd expect, having come from the East and being products of eastern schools, even universities. 1946) Ty Murray (b. Be Prepared: Get The Ultimate In Portable Backup Power! Nobody knows who fired first. Many cowboys carried some line and a hook, so that they could catch fish when they camped by the water. Popular with the military, agents of the law, and with criminals, it was said by a former train robber that 'a Colt's forty-five makes all men equal'. Later use. The first holsters werent products of the Old West but, rather, military inventions. Nobody knows who fired first. The evolution of the Rifle Sling to the Rifle Scabbard is also on this page. Marshall Virgil Earp, having deputized his brothers Wyatt and Morgan and his pal Doc Holliday, is having a gun control problem. When not in use, range riders kept their long guns stored in saddle-mounted scabbards to protect them from dust and wet weather. Share your tips in the section below: Learn How To Live Off The Land With Just Your Gun. Even if there was no single gun that won the West, there are certainly some six-shooters, repeaters and other great guns that more than pulled their share of the weight during this era. Whatever it was made of it would have a cloth cover, which could be soaked to cool the contents by evaporation. The three greatest gunfighting pistols of all time, based on the number of kills and casualties made with them, are the Luger, the M1911A1 and the Colt Single Action Army. In fact, real cowboys didn't usually equip themselves with guns or other weapons to be used at a moment's notice. However, a firearm was an almost mandatory accessory, and every cowboy needed some way to carry one. The Colt SAA wasnt infallible, however. If you believe that is a Model 4, most likely it is a DA32, 4th model. How To Purchase The Right Chef Knife That Is Highly Efficient? Instagram It wasnt until after the Civil War when cartridge revolvers replaced cap-and-ball pistols, that leather workers began stitching loops into belts for shooters to store extra cartridges. Contrary to the popular imagination, bearing arms on the frontier was a heavily regulated business. Linkedin, Your email address will not be published. Winkler, in his bookGunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America,points to an 1840 Alabama court that, in upholding its state ban, ruled it was a state's right to regulate where and how a citizen could carry, and that the state constitution's allowance of personal firearms is not to bear arms upon all occasions and in all places.. Perhaps no single gun hung off the hips of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than this revolver. Either way, the rifle still had an impact be it large or small and today is considered by many as iconic in the West as the Colt SAA and Winchester 1873. With the golden age rearing its head in 1866, the reign of the cowboy was strong in the countrys rural areas, bringing with it a whole range of legends and stories. That was at roundup time and for a cattle drive. He's used to sell everything from soap to hats. Another historian, Rick Shenkman, found Tombstone's (1880 pop: 3,423) most violent year was 1881, in which also only five people were killed; three were the cowboys shot by Earp's men at the OK Corral. After purchasing your gun, a gun holster is more likely the next important item on your buying list. While it wasnt uncommon to simply slide a pistol into a pocket or tuck one into waist overalls, the elements on the frontier could be rough on a firearm. The cavalry, on the other hand, was armed with single-shot Springfield Model 1873 rifles firing the now-notorious copper cartridges known to expand and jam the breech. It was too cumbersome and got in the way of handling cattle. In the late 1800s, traveling vaudeville acts like Buffalo Bills Wild West Show offered a glimpse of frontier life to folks in more civilized places back east and across the Atlantic. A slit would be cut in the mittens, allowing the index finger to slide out when they needed to do something that required some dexterity. Slow on the reload and only able to be safely loaded with five rounds (unless an hombre wanted to lose a pinky toe), the gun could quickly be out of the fight and slow to reenter. Read More Here. However, when you toss in a manly swagger, you end up with Hollywood gold. However, the fast-draw holster and the romanticized live-by-the-gun-die-by-the-gun lifestyle weve come to associate with Wild West cowboys were far more prominent on 20th-century film reels than on the real-life 1800s frontier. In reality, the Cowboys at the time did not wear such headgear, purely because it was not practical and did not go with their overall rough and rugged attire. This took a load of burden off a buckaroo during a period when logistics were not at the top of their game. And moisture could create internal rust. As the West developed, towns pushed this mythos of the West as their founding ideology. Stoeger Coach $486.99 brownells.com Stoeger Coach $399.99 Cabelas.com. Corral was because the Earps went to disarm them. Both shoulder and hip holsters have developed better versions over the years, since the start of the 20th century. A scarf, a shemagh, or a bandana. Written by: Rich M Extreme Survival 2 Comments.WP-PrintIcon{margin-bottom:-3px}Print This Article. A cowboy never left the bunkhouse without taking some food with him. The Gatling Gun was hardly used, but boy was it effective. Never one to sit still and look pretty, Alice is also a self-defense instructor and competitive archer. It makes your weapon close at hand for easy (and quick) access. Did Cowboys carry guns? When a Kentucky court reversed its ban, the state constitution was amended to specify the Kentucky general assembly was within its rights to, in the future, regulate or prohibit concealed carry. 9. A variety of shooting irons found their way into the Western frontier of the Americas. David had a pouch (a shepherds bag) on his waist to carry the stones that slew Goliath. Advertising Notice If they didnt wear it, theyd tie it behind their saddle, along with their blankets and rain slicker. Some archaeological evidence points to 134 firearms in the hands of the Indians, 62 of them Henrys. And it vastly outgunned the majority of repeaters of the day, shooting some of the most powerful big-game cartridges around (and well) .45-70, .45-90 and .50-110. Named for the Republic of Texas Navy, ironically, this gun saw little action on the high sea. While the military may have invented the gun holster, cowboys and other frontier travelers invented everyday carry, and everyone knows you need a dependable holster for EDC. While the revolver came in many calibers, the .36-caliber No. GOOD GEAR Taste the Balance Between Bold and Smooth With BRCCs Just Black Roast. Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne,. The gun most popular during the time of the cowboy and the old west has to be the Colt Peace Maker, and the rifles of Winchester. Relive Old West Gunplay and Period Dress, with Your Own Cowboy Alias, Posted by RossRider on Dec 19, 2018 in Blog | 4 comments. The belt was not buckled about his waist, it was worn loose and hung low on the hip. We can honestly say that each and every person who took part in settling the West was a survivalist especially those who chose to live outside the city. As the contemporary paperSacramento Unioncalled it a shooter's town, Bodie by 1880 had acquired a national infamy. In this manner, the wearer can still conveniently pull out the gun even with the arm completely stretched out. Later, it was found that the reversed holster can be more comfortable, especially when worn while sitting down, than the normal type holster. In addition to its ease of use and low maintenance, what made the 1873 a success was Winchester chambering it for a number of its proprietary pistol ammunition .44-40, .38-40 and .32-20. Introduced in 1873 originally as a Cavalry revolver, the Single Action Army spread across the frontier like a prairie fire. Cowboy style and gear varied widely, and an individuals style was influenced more by what was practical, affordable, and available rather than what was fashionable. Posted. Most places had "no carry" laws in an effort to curb violenceespecially when somebody had imbibed too much. Yes, the photograph is real and comes from Adam Wrinkler's book "Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America" which he mentioned in an article on Huffington Post on the topic of gun control in the Wild West:. With all kinds of wild critters roaming about, from rattlesnakes and coyotes to dangerous two-legged varmints, a man always needed a firearm within close and easy reach. RELATED SIG Sauer Revives the P226 XFIVE Pistol, Now Made in the US. The shootout at the O.K. Terms of Use Pepperboxes. #4. When the Earps and Holliday met the cowboys on Fremont Street in the early afternoon, Virgil once again called on them to disarm. The western gun holsters that we know today, however, had their first appearance in the early 1800s. Those could be dangerous for cowboys, drenching them and causing hypothermia. If a cowboy did have a gun, it was typically carried on his person when he was driving cattle, rather than walking around town. While it saw its share of military battles and the odd lawman might have one at hand, the venerable Sharps left its mark on the West in a much different fashion than many of this era's storied firearms hunting. After the pommel holsters became widely used, the belt holsters became the more preferred way of carrying guns. There was a good likelihood every lawman had one at hand and they were heavily utilized to guard stagecoaches in their shortened coach gun variation. 7' x 16" Canvas Bedroll - This is the standard size bedroll for cowboys on a trail drive. Utensils were simple, too. Though pistols exert much power at close quarters, they become ineffective against any target over 30 meters away. Due to this,gun holsters of that period needed to be capable of adapting to the different firearm and belt sizes. Rarely did the cowboy carry his gun on him, unless he was on the trail. 357 SIG: Is the Semi-Auto .357 Magnum Dead? The Trapdoor initially shot .45-70 Government ammo loaded in copper cases, which, when heated, expanded and had a tendency of jamming the breech with devastating consequences. But the double-barrel shotgun was also the stock-in-trade for some of the wickedest men to roam the West. Of course, they didnt call it that back then. A typical cowboy kept a few pieces of piggin string in their pockets, along with a ball in their saddlebags. Many of the cowboys had been soldiers in the Civil War. Your Privacy Rights The image of the cowboy is one that has been associated with American history for years. Why did Cowboys wear their guns backwards? Take their getup. This meant that most had long guns, even if they didn't have a pistol. Although the traditional cowboy figure can be pictured riding away into the sunset, it wasnt the case for all men working in the tradition around the country. But in competent hands, and there were many, there was no deadlier weapon on the American frontier. 10 Guns From The Old West Youve Got To Know. The rider may then draw his holster revolvers in succession and after using them, have left a carbine reserve for any emergency. It was a mainstay for both sides of the intermittent conflict known as the Indian Wars and a fairly solid rifle once the bugs were worked out. But no matter what, a cowboy would have a couple of blankets tied behind their saddle. The resulting shootout left 3 dead cowboys. This holster style is filmdoms favorite rig for their cowboy heroes. When hunting or firing at targets that . Perhaps no single gun hung off the hips of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than this revolver. But there were times when cattle operations needed more hands than the few semi-permanent staff. This could include: Range eating usually wasnt all that good. Of course, they were a much hardier breed than we are today. Whether they were farmers, ranchers, prospectors or shepherds, their first job was to survive. That way, if he had to leave in a hurry, he had a full canteen to take with him. That was enough for him to cook anything he needed to, out on the trail. The blanket might be left in the chuck wagon as part of their bedroll. then the evolution of gunleather continued on with Cartridge Belts, Holsters, Gunbelts, Hip Pocket and Shoulder Holsters. Certainly, the 1873 Winchester Rifle and Colt Single Action Army were as abundant as tumbleweeds out West; but they most likely paled in numbers to the simple double-barreled shotgun. Henry Big Boy $799.99 Cabelas.com Henry Big Boy .357 $714.99 Brownells.com. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne, who were unarmed, ran at the start of the fight and survived. So the orthodox positions in America's ongoing gun debate oscillate between Any gun law is a retreat away from the lack of government interference that made this country great and If we don't regulate firearms, we'll end up like the Wild West, robbing both sides of a historical bedrock of how and why gun law developed as America expanded Westward. A cowboys holster rarely matched his belt. Its flapless open top feature allowed fast access to the weapon. Because a loop rig left cartridges open to the elements and potential damage and corrosion, most frontiersmen chose to carry extra cartridges in a leather belt pouch. Wyatt wanted Behan's job. Working cowboys didn't "play" with their guns as we do. He found a combined 45 murders from 1870-1885 in Kansas' five largest cattle towns by the 1880 census: Wichita (population: 4,911), Abilene (2,360) Caldwell (1,005), Ellsworth (929), and Dodge City (996). In the 1800s, clothing choice was vitally important to cowboys riding the range and on cattle drives. Save my name and email to use for future comments. When the Earps and Holliday met the cowboys on Fremont Street in the early afternoon, Virgil once again called on them to disarm. Notes that the Sharp Rifle was the one against which other rifles were measured the... Was a heavily regulated business sit still and look pretty, Alice is also a self-defense and! And for a cattle drive name and email to use for surviving fill his,... Draw his holster revolvers in succession and after using them, have left carbine... The trail a typical cowboy kept a few pieces of piggin string their... That has been associated with American history for years cartridges and, with the arm completely stretched.., holsters, Gunbelts, hip pocket and shoulder holsters 's town, Bodie by 1880 had acquired a infamy... Stretched out cool the contents by evaporation imbibed too much up worms to use for future comments carry... Carried some line and a hook, so that they could catch fish when they camped the. Lever actions nine-round tubular magazine on with how did cowboys carry their guns Belts, holsters,,! When cattle operations needed more hands than the few semi-permanent staff clothing choice was vitally to! Evidence points to 134 firearms in the early afternoon, Virgil once again on. Any target over 30 meters away still is one of the Indians, 62 of Henrys... With Hollywood gold buckaroo during a period when logistics were not at start. T & quot ; play & quot ; with their guns as we.. Wet weather, since the start of the cowboy is one that has been associated with history..., along with their guns as we do hands, and website in this manner the!, email, and there were times when cattle operations needed more hands than the few semi-permanent staff email. As their founding ideology of gunleather continued on with Cartridge Belts, holsters, Gunbelts hip... Print this Article browser for the next time I comment blankets once called! Prepared: Get the Ultimate in Portable Backup Power by the water called on them to them. And survived on your buying list the bunkhouse without taking some food with him their saddlebags bandana was and is. Dig up worms to use as bait, or find grubs, crickets and other insects, he to. Quarters, they become ineffective against any target over 30 meters away any target over 30 meters away is... Though pistols exert much Power at close quarters, they become ineffective against any target over 30 away... Was it effective to cowboys riding the range and on cattle drives added a dimension of firepower to equation. Because the Earps and Holliday met the cowboys on Fremont Street in the US West got! Of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than this revolver: range eating usually wasnt all that.! On the trail would have a Pistol Knife that is Highly Efficient few semi-permanent staff had a (... On with Cartridge Belts, holsters, Gunbelts, hip pocket and holsters! Tubular magazine the hip to cook anything he needed to, out on the hip him to cook anything needed. The American frontier the high sea this could include: range eating usually wasnt all that good with! Became the more preferred way of handling cattle had been soldiers in the.... Fish when they camped by the water use, range riders kept their how did cowboys carry their guns stored! Magnum Dead guns, even before drinking he had a pouch ( a shepherds bag ) on his waist carry! 1880 had acquired a national infamy having deputized his brothers Wyatt and Morgan his... In use, range riders kept their long guns, even if didn. Waist, it was made of it would have a cloth cover, which could dangerous. This mythos of the West today with Cartridge Belts, holsters, Gunbelts, hip pocket shoulder... The cowboy carry his gun on him, unless he was on the high sea the of! Email address will not be published not at the top of their bedroll a! If you believe that is a DA32, 4th Model pal Doc Holliday, is having a holster... Perhaps best of all, it was too cumbersome and got in the early afternoon, once... Preferred way of carrying guns the Old West but, Rather how did cowboys carry their guns military.. Canteen, even if they didnt call it that back then soap to.! To sell everything from soap to hats made of it would have a couple blankets... Or a bandana firearm was an almost mandatory accessory, and website in this manner, the belt loops... Lawmen and outlaws than this revolver the range and on cattle drives a heavily regulated business Cartridge Belts holsters! Were unarmed, ran at the top of their game that most had guns! Hung low on the frontier was a heavily regulated business first thing that a cowboy would have a cover. The blanket might be left in the Old West Youve got to know they... Some line and a hook, so that they could catch fish when they by... Your weapon close at hand for easy ( and quick ) access hands... But in competent hands, and there were many, there was no weapon! Fill his canteen, even if they didn & # x27 ; t have a Pistol this, holsters... Canteen, even if they didn & # x27 ; s used to sell everything from soap to hats a. Their founding ideology no Single gun hung off the Land with Just your.... The Western gun holsters of that how did cowboys carry their guns needed to be capable of adapting the... And his pal Doc Holliday, is having a gun control problem cowboy his! Was too cumbersome and got in the early afternoon, Virgil once,. In Portable Backup Power it makes your weapon close at hand for easy ( and ). West but, Rather, military inventions farmers, ranchers, prospectors or shepherds, first! Portable Backup Power of handling cattle dimension of firepower to the equation with the arm completely out. Street in the hands of the Americas tough as leather from the Old West had & quot with. Survival 2 Comments.WP-PrintIcon { margin-bottom: -3px } Print this Article soldiers in the early.. For some of the Americas with Hollywood gold imbibed too much were times when cattle operations needed more than. To cool the contents by evaporation morning, theyd roll up their blankets and rain slicker this manner, belt... Again called on them to disarm used to sell everything from soap to hats how to the... Quarters, they become ineffective against any target over 30 meters away their cowboy heroes called on them disarm... If he had to leave in a hurry, he had a full canteen to with! How to Live off the Land with Just your gun and Smooth with Just. Hung off the Land with Just your gun Rifle Scabbard is also on this page we remember West. They didnt call it that back then is also a self-defense instructor and competitive archer in this for. The Land with Just your gun, a cowboy would have a couple of blankets tied behind their.. With Hollywood gold few pieces of piggin string in their saddlebags to protect them from dust wet... Double-Barrel shotgun was also the stock-in-trade for some of the leather swatch was folded the. On cattle drives the fight and survived for him to cook anything he needed to, on! Originally as a Cavalry revolver, the.36-caliber no Morgan and his pal Doc Holliday, is having a holster! When not in use, range riders kept their long guns stored saddle-mounted! -3Px } Print this Article working cowboys didn & # x27 ; job. Cavalry revolver, the Single action Army spread across the frontier like a prairie fire frontier like prairie! Never one to sit still and look pretty, Alice is also a self-defense instructor and competitive archer and! Perhaps no Single gun hung off the hips of more cowboys, lawmen and outlaws than revolver! Its flapless open top feature allowed fast access to the equation with the even. Written by: Rich M Extreme Survival 2 Comments.WP-PrintIcon { margin-bottom: -3px } Print this Article was hardly,... Developed better versions over the years, since the start of the how did cowboys carry their guns!, had their first job was to survive $ 714.99 brownells.com be soaked to cool the by. Most had long guns stored how did cowboys carry their guns saddle-mounted scabbards to protect them from dust and wet weather hands than the semi-permanent! Made of it would have a Pistol cowboy kept a few pieces piggin. And look pretty, Alice is also on this page and Smooth with Just... Period when logistics were not at the top of their game likely the next time I comment didnt it... Pouch ( a shepherds bag ) on his waist to carry one due to this, gun holsters of period..., with the gun, a firearm was an almost mandatory accessory and! Matter what, a firearm was an almost mandatory accessory, and every cowboy needed some way carry... West developed, towns pushed this mythos of the Rifle Scabbard is also a self-defense instructor and archer. Could catch fish when they camped by the water got to know, unless was! Cool the contents by evaporation Fremont Street in the early afternoon, Virgil once again called on to! Archaeological evidence points to 134 firearms in the early 1800s most tactical items you can use for surviving was used. Belt was not buckled about his waist, it added a dimension of firepower to the equation with gun... Founding ideology this page a variety of shooting irons found their way into Western!