Movie holsters

[reteach]

OK, I know it's only movies. But in Westerns I keep seeing long-barreled revolvers in holsters that allow an inch or so of barrel to stick out of the bottom of the holster. Does anyone know of a good reason for carrying like that?

[shurshot]

Holster was designed for a 5.5" SAA and the supplied prop gun was a 7.5"??? It's Hollywood!!!

If you research old west photos (not Hollywood), many of the holsters fully covered the barrel, whatever the length. Some were cut away calvery holsters, flaps removed. Others were crude homemade jobs or thin leather. Protection of the gun's bore from the elements was important.

[ballisticxlr]

It would be really a bad idea to have the muzzle sticking out. The holster is not just meant to carry the gun but to protect it as well. I can just see some dildo with an inch of exposed barrel stumble and stuff the muzzle with dirt then later on find himself holding a peeled banana instead of a SAA.

[Pahoo]

For those of you who are into holsters, as I am. I'd like to recommend a book by John Bianchi. It's fairly comprehensive or at least provides more information than most of us needs. It's titled "Blue Steel & Gunleather" by Beinfeld. Lots of historical information. Hope you can still find it ....

Be Safe !!!

[LeverGunFan]

Another holster book is "Holstory, Gunleather of the 20th Century" by Nichols and Witty. Red Nichols worked for Bianchi for many years. Their book covers leather holsters from the early 20th century until about 1985. Excellent!

[44 AMP]

written accounts, some photos and actual surviving item show that some of the "gunslingers" used what ever they could get or make, including leather lined coat or pants pockets...and sometimes not lined...

Movies, especially westerns have, in recent years gone to greater lengths to have the guns & etc. more accurate and period correct than they used to. This is a good thing, generally, especially when the story is pure fantasy, its nice to have the props be the right looking things.

On the other hand, it appears to be ok to have a guy wearing sunglasses in the 1880s so he looks cool...

[Pahoo]

On the other hand, it appears to be ok to have a guy wearing sunglasses in the 1880s so he looks cool...

My favorite Movie Cowboy is Matt Dillon. if you look at his holster, it has an open bottom and fully covered barrel. Historical photos show both open and closed cotton holsters and yes, a few show "some" barrel. "Most" were not all that fancy and they didn't put a priority along those lines as basically, they were just tool holders.....

Have any of you folks noticed that Matts pistol grips are not real stag but synthetics ???
Be Safe !!!

[reteach]

a guy wearing sunglasses in the 1880s

Tinted lenses were around as early as the 1700s. They were prescribed for patients with syphillis. Some people wore glasses with "smoked" lenses for sun protection in the 1800s. I have seen pictures of one guy wearing those.

That guy's holster, however, covered the entire barrel of his Navy Colt.

[shurshot]

"Have any of you folks noticed that Matts pistol grips are not real stag but synthetics ???"

Early episodes, true, they were faux stag. I love the look myself, have a pair of fake stag grips on my Ruger old model Vaquero .45 7.5", at a glance, it looks almost like Matt's gun.
Later episodes of Gunsmoke depict Matt's Colt wearing genuine Stag grips.

[jmr40]

It would be really a bad idea to have the muzzle sticking out. The holster is not just meant to carry the gun but to protect it as well. I can just see some dildo with an inch of exposed barrel stumble and stuff the muzzle with dirt then later on find himself holding a peeled banana instead of a SAA.

I have no idea about movie holsters, but most of the ones I own in 2020 are open on the bottom. I suppose then, as well as now it allowed a variety of guns to fit the same holster.

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[ballardw]

Originally Posted by reteach

OK, I know it's only movies. But in Westerns I keep seeing long-barreled revolvers in holsters that allow an inch or so of barrel to stick out of the bottom of the holster. Does anyone know of a good reason for carrying like that?

Hollywood's version of 1880 "tacticool" perhaps?

[RETG]

I'm guessing all my holsters are, and have been open bottom and in some cases the weapon hangs out an inch. And this has been true when tramping in jungles in SE Asia and never had one problem. And has been true since retiring and hiking, off-roading in deserts of the west.
To each their own....

[4V50 Gary]

a guy wearing sunglasses in the 1880s. Tinted lenses were around as early as the 1700s. They were prescribed for patients with syphillis. Some people wore glasses with "smoked" lenses for sun protection in the 1800s. I have seen pictures of one guy wearing those.

My favorite is those yellow lens glasses that have frosted lens and a clear center. So many Civil War folks say they were "sharpshoooter" glasses. In all my years of research I have yet to find evidence that sharpshooters used them.

[rickyrick]

Still happens

[Moonglum]

According to the court transcripts from The Gun Fight (In a vacant lot a half a block away from) The OK Corral Wyatt Earp was carrying his gun in his coat pocket. I don't remember if he had it in his pants pocket and moved it to the coat when Behan told them that he had disarmed the Clantons/Maclaureys or it was the other way around but if you're paying attention Kurt Russell actually does it in Tombstone.

[reteach]

rickyrick - I hadn't even thought about slide holsters. That's a very good point. I think maybe one difference is people who wear slides are usually in a CCW situation, like police or civilian carriers. They don't have to think as much about protecting the gun, in other words.

Moonglum - Yes, I've seen that in other sources. Most of the Earps were carrying in pockets or just tucked in their belts. As one historian put it, they were city guys who didn't use holsters much.

[44 AMP]

but most of the ones I own in 2020 are open on the bottom. I suppose then, as well as now it allowed a variety of guns to fit the same holster.

Open bottom holsters protect the gun a little less than closed bottom ones, but they also protect the gun a little more than closed bottom ones in a different way.

While an open bottom design does not protect the muzzle from impacts as well, it does allow rain water, or anything else that gets in the holster to get out.

You may wind up with your gun in a soggy holster, but the muzzle of your pistol isn't sitting in a pool of water until you remove it from the holster.

As to some barrel sticking out the bottom, that just means the user stuck too long a barreled pistol in the holster. IT does work, meaning it will carry the pistol, but its not the intended combination of holster and gun Plus, if your pistol has any kind of largish front sight, you risk snagging it on the draw.

(Former) friend of mine borrowed my 7.5" Blackhawk. Carried it in a holster sewn on the side of a "fishing vest" It carried the gun well enough but left a couple inches of barrel sticking out. When I got back to camp and found him bitching about how he missed a deer because the gun snagged on the draw, (and saw HOW he was carrying it) I told him, do what you want with YOUR guns, I'll be having my pistol back now, thank you!

Simply put, not a good idea...

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

As to some barrel sticking out the bottom, that just means the user stuck too long a barreled pistol in the holster. IT does work, meaning it will carry the pistol, but its not the intended combination of holster and gun

[Cough cough] Yaqui slide. [Cough, cough]

[Moonglum]

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

[Cough cough] Yaqui slide. [Cough, cough]

That's the first thing I thought of.

[44 AMP]

[Cough cough] Yaqui slide. [Cough, cough]

[cough cough] Belt loop being called a holster because its able to hold a gun [cough cough]

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

[cough cough] Belt loop being called a holster because its able to hold a gun [cough cough]

Pretty much ...

Like one step (or a half step) up from "Mexican" carry.

[105kw]

Take a look at Packing Iron, by Rattenbury. A lot of old holsters didn't cover the end of the barrel.
Some were more of a bucket holster that just covered the cylinder and frame.
Why, I have no idea.

[mk70ss]

Open bottom old, Western style holsters also allowed rain water to drain out.....

[Moonglum]

Our ancestors weren't stupid and they lived lives that were much more attuned to the weather and environmental concerns than we do. They also couldn't ride into town an go to Walmart so they had to make what they had work.

[Hawg]

Originally Posted by Pahoo

My favorite Movie Cowboy is Matt Dillon. if you look at his holster, it has an open bottom and fully covered barrel. Historical photos show both open and closed cotton holsters and yes, a few show "some" barrel. "Most" were not all that fancy and they didn't put a priority along those lines as basically, they were just tool holders.....

Have any of you folks noticed that Matts pistol grips are not real stag but synthetics ???
Be Safe !!!

Matt's gun was a Great Western with faux stag grips.