Glenn54
Member
I want to get a belt for the 1930 Austin Holster I just bought from EPS. Has anyone purchased a belt for or with this holster? Looking for recommendations for a belt to match up to the holster. Thanks.
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El Paso Saddlery-Belt for 1930 Austin Holster
- Thread starter Glenn54
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rednichols
Member
I expect you're asking about style or you'd have gone back to EPS for a belt. The truly correct belt is 1-1/2" wide, with billets.
But of course EPS doesn't make an authentic rendition for the style, so it's not for narrow belts; so one can compound that by using a 2-1/4" wide River belt, with billets.
Both belts were properly worn with a trousers belt at the waist (loops didn't appear on pants until circa 1904) and the gunbelt, even the narrow one, below it.
Or one could use a scout belt, such as this Wyeth; but not really correct as predating the Brill holster.
Scout belts were 3" wide, folded from 6" wide leather. Dunno if anyone makes these nowadays.
But of course EPS doesn't make an authentic rendition for the style, so it's not for narrow belts; so one can compound that by using a 2-1/4" wide River belt, with billets.
Both belts were properly worn with a trousers belt at the waist (loops didn't appear on pants until circa 1904) and the gunbelt, even the narrow one, below it.
Or one could use a scout belt, such as this Wyeth; but not really correct as predating the Brill holster.
Scout belts were 3" wide, folded from 6" wide leather. Dunno if anyone makes these nowadays.
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DevilDog72
US Veteran
I would go back to El Paso Saddlery... dye match and ranger style belt.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I got their Ranger belt. But it was unlined. I definitely think the lining is worth the added cost. My EPS holsters are all lined.
I wore this belt with an Austin for my M-66-3, and used other belts for their Threepersons and Model 2 holsters for S&W M-60-4 and Ruger Super Blackhawk holsters.
I had to have them make holsters for the M-60-4. Bianchi told me to just force the full lug barrel into their normal Model 5 holster for J-frame guns with three inch barrels. I haven't bought a new Bianchi since.
I should point out that this was not when John Bianchi or his daughters were involved with the business he founded. I've forgotten who runs the firm now. Red Nichols probably knows. He knows pretty nearly everything about holsters. We're lucky he's here.
I wore this belt with an Austin for my M-66-3, and used other belts for their Threepersons and Model 2 holsters for S&W M-60-4 and Ruger Super Blackhawk holsters.
I had to have them make holsters for the M-60-4. Bianchi told me to just force the full lug barrel into their normal Model 5 holster for J-frame guns with three inch barrels. I haven't bought a new Bianchi since.
I should point out that this was not when John Bianchi or his daughters were involved with the business he founded. I've forgotten who runs the firm now. Red Nichols probably knows. He knows pretty nearly everything about holsters. We're lucky he's here.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
I didn't know that about trousers loops. Amazing. People have worn trousers at least since the Gauls wore them while fighting Julius Caesar. And it took until 1904 to get loops!
rednichols
Member
It was news to me, too! One of the contributors to Holstory is the one who queried the claim, in a source, that the Brill was designed to be carried on a trousers belt; because in 1907 loops were very new. A bit of investigation turned up his accurate understanding. The reason they were new: suspenders were the prior standard.
Rangers, then, indeed wore the Brill on a narrow trousers belt; but the belt wasn't necessarily through loops on their pants. Here are images of two Rangers from the 1920s, holster on trousers belt but the belt's not through the loops:
Texas Ranger Hickman, who replaced Hamer in '25
Texas Ranger Jones, who is notably wearing a Brill. And has trousers loops, a trousers belt, and suspenders -- and the holster is on the belt that is not through the loops.Which brings up a point that doesn't seem to have been noticed in any publication I've seen: images of the cowboy and his holster DON'T show, necessarily, how the cowboy wore his holstered pistol; instead the set has been moved to the front for the photographer. Jones' pic is especially informative because the holster is left handed but has been shifted 'round to his right side and the revolver then twisted 'round, too, to show the grip. One finds this scenario played out often in pics of Rangers and others of the wild West: the cowboys have been posed to show off their weapons.
A candid pic, though, shows how they were actually worn:
Ranger Brown 1906.
usmc2427765
US Veteran
As a young LEO, I was honored to know a few old time Rangers and sheriffs and to a man, they always wore good quality leather[ both plain and carved]. Handguns were always top quality, usually Colt or S&W, with the appropriate engraving or grips. The best part was that "political correctness", was not known and, if for some reason it was known, would be held in total contempt.
