Practicality of buscadero holsters.

[maxcactus]

My understanding is that buscadero-type rigs are a creation of Hollyweird and were not actually used by working men historically. That said, do they make sufficiently practical and comfortable working carry systems? I'm thinking of making my next purchase something like the Kirkpatrick Texas Trail Driver. Have any of you owned or regularly used a rig of this type either for hunting or normal day-to-day use in the woods/ranch/farm?

Thank you,
Max.

[dvnv]

I have one but don't use it. I favor something that rides higher. I use a good thick belt, with cartridge loops and a slide on holster. I figure the lower it rides the more likely it is to get dings, scratches, and generally be in the way while working. My .02, dvnv

[mran1126]

This is a high ride style that I made for myself. Get a good belt and it will stay high enough that it shouldn't cause any problems. I like this style for myself. Several Leather makers make high ride holsters.

[/img]

[jimmarch]

I carry in as high a ride as I can get. I make my own with adjustable ride height and tilt angle - note the holes up and down the sides for the belt connection attachment points:



That's how I set it for a high-ride crossdraw...I can drop it and/or change the tilt angle for strongside, appendix carry, etc. Once the buckle is cinched down hard, this is a "close to the body" setup much like a pancake type but higher and tighter. The whole cylinder is above the beltline.

Here's the reverse side:



This is an earlier incarnation of the same rig - the "adjustment holes" are there but concealed:



One of the few historical figured ever photographed carrying this high was Wild Bill, using a sash or sometimes a heavy belt to put them pretty close to the same place I carry in (one gun only in my case .

I was forced to get into holstermaking due to a penchant for way funky sights...I'm doing 'em for personal use and making a few free for friends while I learn.

[cdcash]

They were around during the Old West though apparently very rare based on photo evidence, but I've never seeing anything llike the fast draw rigs that we see today. This is Commodore Perry Owens out of Arizona. Looks like he is using he Buscadero setup to create more space/access for those 45/70's and pistol rounds. Apparently, he didn't want to run out of ammo!
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Sheriff_Commodore_Perry_Owens.jpg

[taffin]

Feb 23, 2011 21:40:00 GMT -5 maxcactus said:

My understanding is that buscadero-type rigs are a creation of Hollyweird and were not actually used by working men historically. That said, do they make sufficiently practical and comfortable working carry systems? I'm thinking of making my next purchase something like the Kirkpatrick Texas Trail Driver. Have any of you owned or regularly used a rig of this type either for hunting or normal day-to-day use in the woods/ranch/farm?

Thank you,
Max.

VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO WEAR ALL DAY ESPECIALLY THE LOW RIDING METAL-LINED VERSIONS. THE HOLLYWOOD "B: LEATHER WAS MADE OF VERY FLIMSY STOCK TO HELP WITH COMFORT. A TOM THREEPERSONS HOLSTER ON A 2-1/2" BELT WITH ABOUT 12 CARTRIDGE LOOPS OR A BELT SLIDE IS HARD TO IMPROVE UPON. CROSSDRAW IS ALSO A GOOD CHOICE.

[swcr]

My own personal preference is a 2 1/2" wide cartridge belt with a slide on double loop holster. I've been using this setup for the last 15 years or so working on a cattle ranch.

[jdpress]

Max Cactus:

I have found the Mernickle extreme high-rise, Conceal-Carry, Performance Series for Single Action revolvers, Model Number PS6-SA REF1, to be an excellent long term carry holster for a SAA revolver. It is fully lined, fits the revolver perfectly and is a very comfortable holster to wear. Bob Mernickle is a shooter and his leather products reflect his handgun carrying and drawing experience. www.mernickleholsters.com/ps/ps6sar8.html





Bob Mernickle has a two photographs on his website of John Taffin wearing this model holster so he may approve of it too. www.mernickleholsters.com/ps/ps6-sat1.html

J.D. Press

[coyote]

if in fact buscadero means "someone who seeks - usually applied to lawmen", how did that become a low-sling gunfighters rig?

[cherokee]

In my younger days footing around the Everglades (its not all under water) I wore a low slung holster with my Ruger 10" 357 Mag. Never was a problem for me. Not sure I would do it today, 50 years later, but I do not like a high ride, a mid-high would be my preference.

[Bowenbuilt]

Now that is a nice concealment holster! Your pictures are better than the ones on the website. I have got to have one of those.

[Frank V]

I actually did use the buscadero rig for a couple years. A few reasons I went to a high ride rig were. It tended to slip down below my pants belt & when it did it'd bind my hip muscles when I was hiking in the hills. It also flopped & banged against all sorts of objects causing a number of dings to the stocks. When riding horseback it was always in the way, don't try to rope something wearing one on your strong side, it'll almost guarantee your rope catching the six-gun, & it flopped painfully in any gait but a walk.
Today I use holsters by Bob Mernickle ( already shown in a previous post) & belts & holsters by Rick Bachman www.oldwestreproductions.com Rick makes gun/money-belt belts & holsters that ride high on the belt & are period correct for the 1880s. They ride high & out of the way & are very fast to get your gun out of.
Hope this helps some.
Frank

[robl]

Buscadero rigs just try getting on a horse or riding with a tied down drop shank rig...
Frankly drop shank rigs look rather comical and childish to me.
My Sourdough model rides high and close protects the gun and user and is proven a thousand times over from the Sonoran desert to the Arctic circle.
Not to mention being capable of being worn on a chest harness inside the waist band strong side and cross draw. This is a older narrow slot version.

[jayhawker]

Buscaderos are not an great all purpose rig. But, they are getting a bad rap here. Many of us grew up watching our favorite Cowboy hero in B Westerns and the great Adult TV Westerns get on and off horses while wearing a Buscader rig. Didn't seem to be a problem for them.
Jayhawker Bob

[robl]

Didn't seem to be, yes, but have you actually worn and used one on horseback or working cattle yourself?
I'm talking reality, not film fantasy. Buscaderos are fine for walking around the shooting range, but not a practical working rig.
I watched Roy Rogers, the Cisco Kid, and The Lone Ranger shoot the guns out of the hands of the bad guys too, but never considered that as an option in reality.
All the best,
Rob