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Old 07-14-2018, 10:58 AM
DesmoEd DesmoEd is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glowe View Post
If one tries to draw a long barreled Model 3, or a 7 1/2" Colt from a waist high holster, you must pull your hand up to your armpit and the barrel is still in the holster. It is a very uncomfortable draw style. My bet is that the reason why the US Cavalry chose cross draw is for that reason in the first place. A C&B Colt was as long as an American, so very difficult to use with a standard strong side holster and certainly cannot be drawn quickly.

I have shot Americans, Schofields, and NM3s without having to move my hand to cock and I do not have large hands. They are remarkably easy to use and the "handilibilty advantage" of the Colt I believe is over-rated. S&W draws easily and cocks quickly and for me the biggest difference is that the Colt is not forward heavy and is more balanced in the hand, while the S&Ws are barrel heavy, making the Colt a little quicker in acquiring the target.

I will agree with you about moving your hand when using the Russians. They are very difficult to cock from the hand draw position and their stiff action makes it a two handed gun to draw, cock, and fire. They were a very poor choice for a holster gun and I do not believe they were very popular in the Old West.

Where I did my SASS shooting, they required a strong side holster and a cross-draw on the left side. The cross draw, actually set up in front, was an easier side for me to reach across with my right hand and pull the longer barreled guns and shoot. Their reason why they do this is that when drawing the barrels of the guns were less likely to be pointed behind as you draw and with a standard rig and a right handed shooter, there is a chance that you can drop the gun while transfering it from your weak hand to strong.

You dont pull straight up into your armpit - you pull up and forward.

Look how far forward the butts reside on WBH, when he pulls the pistol is gonna be well forward of his torso.



Thats why all the Cav holsters from the CW are canted forward.



My understanding has always been the forward facing holster was the result of the Cav being issued a saber. Being a long draw weapon, the saber has to be mounted on the left side to allow it being drawn with the right hand. That left the pistol on the right side butt forward so it could be accessed with either hand.

The early Americans with their 8 inch barrels were influenced by the previous generation of cap and ball pistols where having an 8 inch barrel was the norm. Its interesting to see how that dogma changed as times progressed and the standard barrel lengths started to shrink - first to 7 inches with the 2nd Russian and Schofield, then to 6.5 inches with the 3rd Russian and subsequent New Model #3
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