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Originally Posted by bigwheelzip
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The belt is indeed LEATHER, not cloth or webbing. It was Andy Anderson who made Wayne's original set, and we at Bianchi who made his subsequent ones including the commemoratives. The two John's (John Wayne and John Bianchi) met often, and subsequently his son Michael was an absolute p-i-t-a (in a good way) about the sets being accurate down to the tiniest detail -- including using roughout leather for the belt.
The folded construction of the leather belt was to create a tunnel inside (a slot or slit was included on the underside near the buckle) for money and documents; most especially the receipt for the horse because horse thieving was a summary execution offense in the West, because to leave a man without his horse was to leave him to die in those day.
By the way, the long rifle round indeed was to indicate that there were only 6 rounds left for the revolver (or companion carbine).