Cross draw

The reverse cavalry draw or "praire twist" is not dangerous.
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I tried to convince a group of this, and the semi-auto guys nearly castrated me! Well, yeah......I guess with a semi-auto it wouldn't be a good way to carry, but with a revolver it is just fine.


Again, look at 1800 period photos and see how many "cross draw" holsters you come up with.
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A century is a long time, and the 19th century covers a huge part of revolver and holster development. I have found that cross draw and twist draw seemed to predominate until some time after the Civil War. Period photos from the 1880s on seem to favor the standard draw. It's all evolutionary, and shorter barrels became more popular with time.
 
"A century is a long time"

You're right. But revolvers were only around for the second half of that century.

"cross draw and twist draw seemed to predominate until some time after the Civil War"

The Civil War was only about 10 years after revolvers started becoming common and the war lasted 4 years. Look at CW era pics of CIVILIANS during the war, in the mining camps of California or the western frontier towns. I bet you see more strong side holsters. Heck, I have even seen pics of confederate guerrillas (bushwhackers) in Missouri wearing their guns butts to the rear.(guerrillas most often wore their guns butt foreward) Most of the pics I have seen in the last 20+ years show strong side carry more often than not 1860s to 1900s. I'm not trying to argue with anyone. I'm just presenting the facts as I have found them through research for a very long time. I am by no means an expert nor do I claim to be. I hope I don't come across the wrong way.
 
As Black Spot said, in a close quarter altercation the possibility of someone having the butt of your gun within easy reach is a possibility that I wouldn't want. In his excellent book."No Second Place Winner," Bill Jordan, shooter extradonaire, pointed out that exact scenario as one good reason not to carry cross draw fashion. He also pointed out that in a strong side draw the muzzle is brought up in line with the target. In a cross draw the muzzle is moving across the target and it is easier to get a hit from the strong side draw. If you've never read the book get a copy. It is really informative.
 
well....I'm sort of surprised no one has yet mentioned this so I guess I will. I think one advantage of a cross draw has to do with the barrel length on the handgun. Let's say you have a 4" barrel, if you wear a normal holster you only have to lift the gun about 5-6" to clear the holster BUT if you have a real hog leg with a 7 1/2" or longer barrel, then you are really raising your elbow pulling that gun out of a normal holster, but if that same holster is worn cross draw, it is a lot easier to pull a long barreled handgun out- or at least it is for me.
 
well....I'm sort of surprised no one has yet mentioned this so I guess I will. I think one advantage of a cross draw has to do with the barrel length on the handgun.
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I mentioned it! I mentioned it! (Toot! Toot!)

When carried high as they were in the day, cross draw was advantageous for long barreled guns.
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:cool:

And I think you are spot on;) Anyone with an 8" barreled 1858 or 1860 should experiment and find out how true it is.
 
Sorry to dig up a dead thread, but...

Carryin your pistol backwards is also a good way to keep the grips from printing while concealed. For a bean pole like me, it's quite helpful. Hell, on a windy day, that big ol' hunk of steel on my belt is just about the only thing holdin me down.

Lately, when I don't feel like giving up my front pocket to my 642, I've been slappin my right-hand Simply Rugged Silver Dollar on my left side. The next holster I have those folks make me is gonna be a left-hander for my right side, for the 3" sp101, which was always too big for my britches.

Until I started carryin backwards, that is.
 
Glad You Brought It Up

Interesting thread. I carry concealed. The Primary Weapon a Sig P-239 is at 4 O'Clock IWB, the BUG a Ruger LCP .380 is usually IWB or OWB depending on how I'm dressed at !0 O'Clock. The .380 is carried at a cross draw position.

In the Winter, depending on where I'm going, with a coat or vest, it's a Shoulder Holster, left side of course Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan 44 Mag. With either the Sig or the Ruger LCP .380 as a BUG, at the 10 'Clock position.
 
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 :D
 
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?
 
"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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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