The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 12, 2010, 01:17 PM   #51
freedom475
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2008
Location: Rocky Mountains of Montana
Posts: 292
Horses!!

Anyone that does a lot of horseback riding will see how much better the cross draw is....

Now this is not totally for comfort, as the strong side is still comfortable, but more of a utilitarian...
For the Cowboy, you often rope cattle. When not roping you often will have a packhorse or extra mount ponyed behind you. The strongside is the side the rope goes on so any thing on that side will always be hanging up on your rope.

Things have a way of getting real Hairy in a hurry when you tie 2 big animals together with you in the middle... if the need ever arrives that require you shoot one or both of the animals to save your life from rope entanglement.. the strong side will often be part if the mess, the cross draw can usually be pulled even if both your arms are tied to your side.

If you have no rope in your strong hand than is is usually bent and resting on your thigh (reins are usually in your weakhand)... the strong side carry is always bashing your elbow on the hammer of your pistol.

One last advantage is in a potential "sticky" situation (while seated on a horse).. when worn cross draw you can casually fold your arms and look/seem totally relaxed while still having your pistol in or near your grasp... Try reaching back for a strong side ready pose and you may soon be relieved of your seat
__________________
Maker of Horse Tack and Cowboy Gear.
www.7xleather.com

Mister, why do you carry a 45? "Cause Sam Colt don't make a 46."
freedom475 is offline  
Old August 13, 2010, 03:01 PM   #52
Gaucho Gringo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 17, 2007
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 366
John Wayne in most of his movies past Stagecoach carried his gun strong side high and towards the back, not at his side. Which meant to draw he had to reach back to get the gun. According to what I have read this is probably the most actual way of wearing a holstered gun when on horseback or working because it is out of your way. Can anyone confirm this?
__________________
357 Taurus Gaucho, 22 Heritage RR, 2-Pietta 1858 44 NMA Remingtons, Pietta, Euroarms & ASM 36 1851 Navies, 31 Uberti 1849, 12 ga H&R Topper, 16 Ga Western Field, 43 Spanish Remington Rolling Block, 44 ASM Colt Walker, High Point C9 9mm, Winchester 1906 22, Rossi 62 22 rifle, Uberti 1860, H&A & IJ 32 S&W BreakTop, 36 Euroarms 1858, 32 H&R 04, 22mag NAA SS BP revolver, .44 Rodgers & Spencer, IJ 38 S&W BreakTop, IJ 22 Sealed 8
Gaucho Gringo is offline  
Old August 13, 2010, 05:02 PM   #53
freedom475
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2008
Location: Rocky Mountains of Montana
Posts: 292
"John Wayne in most of his movies past Stagecoach carried his gun strong side high and towards the back, not at his side. Which meant to draw he had to reach back to get the gun. According to what I have read this is probably the most actual way of wearing a holstered gun when on horseback or working because it is out of your way. Can anyone confirm this?"

I think it is mostly because they just end up in that postition and it just trashes your cantle binding and holster... I have seen and have repaired several holsters and saddles that have gotten a lot of damage from a strongside sixgun rubbing the cantle binding.
__________________
Maker of Horse Tack and Cowboy Gear.
www.7xleather.com

Mister, why do you carry a 45? "Cause Sam Colt don't make a 46."
freedom475 is offline  
Old August 13, 2010, 06:04 PM   #54
davem
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2004
Posts: 458
Well, for what it is worth, I still think barrel length was the chief reason. The percussion guns seldom had a cut down barrel and "cross draws", by that I mean the holster on the opposite side, made it easier to pull out that long barreled gun. When the 1873 Peacemakers with 4 5/8-5 1/2 barrels started getting popular it seems the cross draw style started to wane.
davem is offline  
Old August 14, 2010, 04:02 PM   #55
shafter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 23, 2009
Posts: 1,624
Cross draw enables you to draw easily with either hand. Actually I mean a standard holster worn on the opposite side. Its easy to just twist your hand and grab the gun butt.
shafter is offline  
Old August 15, 2010, 06:48 PM   #56
owlone
Junior Member
 
Join Date: August 15, 2010
Posts: 3
Crossdraw

If you think about it, one revolver hung on the right side and one hung cross draw for a right hander would give acsess to twelve rounds rather than just six!
owlone is offline  
Old August 15, 2010, 07:33 PM   #57
davem
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2004
Posts: 458
Exactly, this idea some government folks have about "high capacity magazines. 150 years ago anyone with a pair of Colt Navies had about as much fire power.
davem is offline  
Old August 15, 2010, 07:49 PM   #58
MJN77
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2009
Location: on a hill in West Virginia
Posts: 789
The "two-gun" pistoleer pretty much went away when cartridge guns became common.
MJN77 is offline  
Old August 17, 2010, 03:17 PM   #59
shafter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 23, 2009
Posts: 1,624
Why do you say that? How many of you guys only have one pistol? Where did the term BUG come from?
shafter is offline  
Old August 17, 2010, 07:20 PM   #60
MJN77
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 27, 2009
Location: on a hill in West Virginia
Posts: 789
Not talkin about back ups. Bill Hickok carried 2 1851 navies AND a back up (or two). The reason? Because it took about five minutes to reload a cap and ball revolver. If you emptied one, you pulled the other. Contrary to what Hollywood shows, "gunmen" did not use two revolvers at the same time.(except a few rare occasions) When cartridge guns became common, people figured they didn't have to carry the extra 3 pounds of loaded gun. How many of you carry two full size pistols and a back up on you? That's why I said that.

Last edited by MJN77; August 17, 2010 at 10:02 PM.
MJN77 is offline  
Old September 10, 2010, 05:53 PM   #61
greco
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2005
Posts: 125
There is a reason that I use a cross draw when out and about and it may have applied back in the day. During hunting season, or whenever I am carrying my rifle or shotgun, I tend to carry it in my right hand, or sling it on my right shoulder. If the pistol is on your right hip, the rifle stock tends to get a lot of damage very quickly. A pistol on the other side is out of the way, and only a little inconvenient for drawing.
__________________
NRA Pistol, Shotgun, Rifle Instructor
greco is offline  
Old September 10, 2010, 07:32 PM   #62
Slowhand
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 9, 2010
Location: Irmo, SC
Posts: 263
BUGsss


BUG is of course a Back Up Gun. Light weight, small size, easy to conceal and with a .380 round quite capable of doing the job.
Slowhand is offline  
Old September 10, 2010, 08:13 PM   #63
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Quote:
BUG is of course a Back Up Gun. Light weight, small size, easy to conceal and with a .380 round quite capable of doing the job.
And that has what to do with bp pray tell?
Hawg is offline  
Old September 10, 2010, 09:44 PM   #64
Slowhand
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 9, 2010
Location: Irmo, SC
Posts: 263
BP and back ups?

Well Hawg ...since Shafter wanted to know where the term BUG comes from I supplied an answer plus... an example of a modern day version. Nothing to do with BP but none the less relevant to the subject of Back Up Guns and Cross Draw.

Most people today that have a primary cary gun, put their BUG in a Cross Draw Holster or in an Ankle Holster.

Old Sam Colt sold a lot of "pocket pistols" so BUGs have been around a long time. Some people even made their own modifications and thought bigger was better.



Here is a BUG, made from a Colt Dragoon.


Also one made from an Old Army.

So not only were pockets bigger back then but so were the choices in carry were a lot more limited than today.

Last edited by Slowhand; September 10, 2010 at 09:56 PM. Reason: comments..
Slowhand is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.05341 seconds with 8 queries