Western style leather in law enforcement

B

BlueTrain

New member
First let me say this is just about holsters and gun belts. And I'm posting it in this section because it could apply to automatics as well as revolvers.

I was reminded by something the other day that in the pre-modern era (the 1950s and earlier, and maybe later, too, some law officers in the western states used to carry their handguns in western style holsters, styles you might even call cowboy styles. I do know that Texas Rangers did and even carried their .45 autos cocked-and-locked, judging from old photos. But I wonder how widespread the practice was? I somehow imagine that it would be mostly rural officers, sheriff's departments and other smaller agencies that would be following the old ways.

Has anyone here seen other photos supporting this impression or otherwise seen or remember seeing law officers with old style leather and handguns?
 
Has anyone here seen other photos supporting this impression or otherwise seen or remember seeing law officers with old style leather and handguns?
Click to expand...

Still see some County Sheriff's & Texas Rangers around my area in East Texas with nice "Western" style rigs -
Not "Hollywood" rigs with tie downed holsters but just nice tooled leather :cool:
 
Saw one in Al. carrying a Uberti 73 in a western holster. Like Hoss says not a Hollywood style.
 
This is NOT uncommon in the west at all. There are still some who carry SAA sixguns everyday in pursuit of their duties with every satisfaction forthcoming when it is needed. I now of one prison break that was stopped in it's tracks when the ringleader of it saw that the sheriff escorting him back to prison was wearing an engraved COLT SAA 45. The bad guy called off the whole thing because that " sheriff was wearin' a killin' gun."
There use to be, do not know now for sure, one county in Nevada that issued RUGER 4 5/8" 45COLT BLACKHAWK sixguns for duty. They never had a problem with 'em either....imagine that !!!
All of the men I've known to carry a REAL gun in their LE duties all carried them in TOM THREEPERSONS style shucks of various makes although most seemed to like the ELPASO SADDLERY rigs with S.D.MYRES right there in the running along with a passle of other makers. Also most preferred basketweave or fancy carved rigs with the BEST quality flower carving being highly popular.
 
Thanks for the good reply. I had read somewhere about someone actually issuing the Blackhawk, again in the context of the leather that was used. Western holsters and gunbelts were traditionally always ornamented with stamping or carving, probably more so in the Southwest than further north. By the way, what did the law enforcement officers who didn't carry real guns actually carry?
 
In New Mexico, western style holsters are very common for Sheriff's deputies. I was eating in a cafe in Los Alamos recently and a deputy came in for lunch. His sidearm was a revolver in a western holster. I've seen the same in numerous other small towns in NM. In the cities, it is probably different, but I can't say for sure as I didn't spot any LEOs who weren't in cars.
 
I don't know if it was common,,,

But I made two western styled rigs for law enforcement types.

Both were Riverside County Deputy Sheriffs.

The rigs I created were very western in style,,,
One was for a S&W Revolver and the other was for a Beretta 92.

Don't think 1950's TV gunslinger,,,
But don't think 1880's authentic either.

The patterns I used were published in the 1930's,,,
They were originally designed by a mister F. O. Baird.

The belts were drop-loop gun-belts,,,
But the holsters had far more coverage of the handgun,,,
Than the minimal coverage holsters worn by the 50's TV heroes.

For the revolver user I did make a line of 24 cartridge loops,,,
But also made two cases for his speed loaders.

I honestly do not know if these rigs were going to be used on a daily basis,,,
I can't imagine sitting in a patrol car wearing a drop-loop rig.

It's entirely possible they only came out for some type of formal or parade wear.
 
Its all over here in Texas, well the smaller towns it is. Vernon (10K people) does it. along with 6-7 other local towns around vernon.
 
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