The Fontiersman's Mexican Loop Holster
From the mid-1870's to today, this gunleather form is still the classic Western holster.
Categories: Collecting the West , Photo Gallery
By: Phil Spangenberger 08/01/2008
So wrote Edgar Bronson, upon his arrival in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, around 1876, when one’s ability in getting a six-gun into play could make the difference in a long life or eternal rest. The form-fitted “California Pattern” scabbard, an open-topped holster, had been in vogue for a few decades. But the arrival of the self-contained metallic cartridge inspired a new breed of gunleather, the so-called “Mexican Loop” holster, that would change the way most Westerners packed their shootin’ irons from that point forward.
The New Gunleather
Edgar and other shooters carrying metallic cartridges now had a ready supply of cartridges that they could carry on their person. Previously, during the muzzle-loading era, they had to carry a separate container, such as a flask, with the loose powder, percussion caps and lead balls.
The introduction of big-bore ammunition (cartridges .41 and up) and handguns inspired shooters to pack extra cartridges on their waist belts, in fitted leather loops—possibly creating the first true gunbelts. Since the small belt loops on the backs of slim-lined “California Pattern” scabbards were designed for the percussion age, gun-toting Westerners quickly discovered a new type of holster was needed so the loops could fit over the bulkier, and often wider, cartridge-laden belts.
Simply making a larger loop on the back of the California-style scabbards wasn’t enough of an improvement. The narrow loop on the holster’s back side allowed for too much “play,” and it also caused the holstered pistol to hang loosely at the side, flopping around uncomfortably when the wearer was active, such as when riding horseback.
The answer to the problem of fitting a six-gun’s holster snugly to one of these cartridge belts was solved sometime during the mid-1870s, in a simple, yet rather ingenious, way. Called the Mexican Loop holster, the design is suspected to have come from northern Mexico or the American Southwest. While maintaining the slender, contoured main seam and the recurved throat and trigger-guard area of the “California Pattern” holster, the new arrangement differed in that it consisted of a single piece of leather that formed the scabbard, backing and retaining loops on the holster body.
The Mexican Loop design incorporated the traditional holster portion that had been sewn shut vertically along the main seam, as with the “California Pattern.” Rather than cut off the top, back side of this pouch, the Mexican Loop design was pattern cut to form a skirted backing, then folded over and down vertically, behind itself. This formed both a belt loop and a skirt between the body of the wearer and the holster itself. The backing had two or more slots cut into it (depending on design and length) through which the scabbard portion was then passed, creating skirt straps or loops that held the body of the holster to the skirt backing. This design created both a wide upper loop through which the cartridge belt could pass, securing the holster firmly in place, while the skirt loops kept the pouch portion from riding up when the person drew his weapon.
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