Line shack 1909

Has everybody seen one of the best Western Cowboy Movies ever made?
Will Penny.
Charlton Heston and some of the usual suspects.
And yes, there's a Line Shack.

Carlton Heston said of all the movies he ever made that it was his favorite. He also said it was the best script he ever read.
 
Neat photo and a very cool carved holster!

It doesn't look like the holster had been in that spot very long. It's positioned right over a bunch of cartridges in loops and there's a lot of space between the top of the gun belt and the inside top of the holster loop. I'd expect it to conform to the belt and loops after extended use and cause the belt to sag on that side. The top of the belt looks straight as an arrow!

I suspect he normally wore the holster on his right side and repositioned it at the photographers request, so it would be visible in the picture. "Artistic license"…

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That would also explain the look of contempt on Unibrow's face!

"Darn fool Easterner…. Only a dang greenhorn would wear his gun like that!"

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Cool picture and thread.................... I'd defer to Mule Packer is our resident expert!!!


Here on the Eastern Continental Divide, aka our cabin in the Laurel Highlands of Pa. I always wear my revolver cross-draw in a Bianchi 111 Cyclone when out riding a ATV or SxS...... handy, out of the way and easy to keep track of with my elbow, !!!


:)

From other threads I've read ..... most of these photos are highly "staged" .... not like they "snap a pic"/selfie with their cellphone :)
 
Neat photo and a very cool carved holster!

It doesn't look like the holster had been in that spot very long. It's positioned right over a bunch of cartridges in loops and there's a lot of space between the top of the gun belt and the inside top of the holster loop. I'd expect it to conform to the belt and loops after extended use and cause the belt to sag on that side. The top of the belt looks straight as an arrow!

I suspect he normally wore the holster on his right side and repositioned it at the photographers request, so it would be visible in the picture. "Artistic license"…

attachment.php


That would also explain the look of contempt on Unibrow's face!

"Darn fool Easterner…. Only a dang greenhorn would wear his gun like that!"

attachment.php

The five cartridges that stand out look like straight case rifle cartridges. The cartridge box looks like two numbers-two numbers. Can you enlarge the box?
 
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I've got a very similar holster that has seen limited use on my deer lease, and the leather, inner portion, has rolled edges and lots of scuff marks from wear against the leg and normal usage. That holster shows little usage. Also, those large center ridge poles were rolled up log rams using horse/mule or a couple of strong backs.
 
I cowboy-ed two summers while in HS for an Uncle and partner in No. Nevada. The area had a coyote problem and of all things a porcupine problem. We all carried handgun on the left if right handed or on the right if left handed. Why, because we did more work with our ropes than anything else and wanted to avoid any possible interference in getting a loop ready. Only knew one cowboy who carried a rifle while working cattle. He was right handed and so his rifle scabbard was carried in a low position on the left side of his rigging.
 
That horse is wearing that saddle an inch and a half farther back than normal. I wonder why?

Because of how that saddle is rigged. It is a double cinched working rig and if put any further forward the front cinch would be at a position that the rear of the front legs would be contacting it regularly. At the end of the day's work that would create a sore legged horse.
 
I was born and grew up in Miles City, Coffrin studio was on the same block as the HS. His photos are all over town. Weird thing is have grown up thinking they are "normal" A lot of those old line shacks till exist, many in sad shape. Many of the original homesteads were not any better than that cabin. Tough bunch the pioneers of that country. I am 70 this year and when I bought my ticket to the rodeo I got the "pioneer: discount I ain't no pioneer. I am an Odd timer. I have lived in some odd times.
 
Many of those old cowboy photos I have seen, the cowboy just arranges
his holster and revolver where it will get into the picture. I believe that
is the case with this one. Although it could be where he actually carries
it, because cross-draw was kinda typical.
 
Had not heard or read that before. Interesting. I have read that rifles were more prevalent than handguns.

Perhaps the rules depended on where one was. In a lonely line shack, surely a weapon was not a prohibited item.

Rifles and shotguns were more common, yes.
 
Here's Fred Lambert, well known Cimarron, NM Law Dog.
Fred, question, is that how you usually wear your gun?
Must be a little uncomfortable when your riding your horse!
I think it's highly likely that Fred wanted you to see his Colt, especially those neat Grips.
 

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I have seen the remains of probable Line Shacks.
But none made from logs that big!

In that country I think it puts the shack near a constant water source for that size log. They are not going to get dragged far. I have been in a few shacks but just to get out of a storm. I would prefer to spend the night outside nowadays as most of the stoves and chimneys are long gone or in tough shape.
 
A rancher from Colorado came to NW Arkansas in the early 1930's buying
cattle ahead of the govt. man. At that time the govt. was buying, killing
and burying cattle in dug pits. Supposed to keep the prices up on live cattle. The rancher was paying a few cents more per head and got his
pick of the cattle.
My dad, a teenager was hired to accompany the cattle on the train to
Colorado. Cattle had to be unloaded off the rail cars and given water
and hay then loaded again and moved a little further down the line.
Once in Colo. they drove the cattle across country to the ranch. The
rancher had 4 cowboys plus my dad. Dad and one other young man
were chosen to man a couple line shacks on govt. land at higher
elevations with fresh grass. My dad's shack was a 1 room with stove.
The rancher came up about every 10 days with food and mail if any.
Come early fall and all cowboys plus owner came up and drove the
cattle back down to the ranch.
Dad was going to come home after the summer but was making some
money and this was during the depression, so he stayed through the
winter. Dad and other cowboys stayed in a bunkhouse which was about
60 yards from the main house. The rancher's wife feed them meals in
the main house. My dad said in early Oct. the rancher stretched a rope
from the bunkhouse to the ranch house kitchen door. Told the cowboys
there would be days in the winter where they could not see the house
and to hold onto the rope to get to the kitchen during a white out.
Dad stayed through the following summer and told the rancher he was
going home the first part of Oct. The rancher must have liked my dad
as he offered to send him home, he and my mom get married and then
return to Colorado. Offered to build them a two room house on the
ranch.
Dad thanked him, but one winter there was all he wanted.
The rancher supplied dad some kind of rifle for the summers and as far
as I know that was the only firearm he carried. Oh, the other cowboys
spent the summer stacking loose hay and cutting firewood. Dad thought
he had the best job.
 
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