What did Tom Threepersons carry?

[aterry33]

Anybody have any info on this? I think he was a fascinating individual, and I've read a lot about the development of the Threepersons holster. I was curious as to what sidearms he may have carried throughout his career, perhaps a SAA, M&P, or who knows what...

 

[COULT D]

IIRC from John Bianchi's book "Blue Steel and Gunleather" Threepersons carried the Colt Single Action Army in 4-3/4 length. I don't remember caliber.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Here's his Colt 45. Don't know if it's his personal holster, though. He carried a Triplelock, too. The 45 auto was "Lone Wolf" Gonsaulles' (sic).

 

[336A]

I'm sure that he carried many different sidearms throughout his colorful and storied life. I was under the impression however that he carried a S&W .44 SPL. Read here Tom Threepersons

 

[aterry33]

Wyatt, interesting the lack of trigger guard on the 1911.

 

[13.45]

a very nice photo of some fine historical handguns

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Wyatt, interesting the lack of trigger guard on the 1911.

Yeah. Lone Wolf Gonsaulles (that's his .45 auto) was into guns like all of us, owning many fancy ones. Unlike me though, he, like Threepersons had a tendency to send little chunks of lead through people they disagreed with, to the delight of the law abiding folks of the southwest. I'm really intrigued by tom threepersons Colt single action. I wonder what that finish is. Silver or bare metal maybe?

 

[bettis1]

Wyatt,

That finish has the smoky look of old nickel. I believe that if it were silver it would have been tarnished much darker.

Speaking of the "Threepersons" holster, here is one for a 3.5"-4" N frame that was given to me last week.

Bob

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Wyatt,

That finish has the smoky look of old nickel. I believe that if it were silver it would have been tarnished much darker.

Speaking of the "Threepersons" holster, here is one for a 3.5"-4" N frame that was given to me last week.

Bob

I love that two tone holster. I've been drooling over it for two days or so. I find it strange that Threepersons gun has no wear on the finish. I wonder what that's about. BTW. I just picked up a 25 year old Uberti 1875 Remington and it's nickle is cloudy like you said. It looks much cooler than a new gun and matches my 1958 Colt SAA that has cloudy nickle, too.

 

[aterry33]

Did the "original" Threepersons lack the retention strap? I know that Elmer Keith had Lawrence modify the Threepersons to make the 120 holster, with a long strap.

 

[David LaPell]

Here is a link to an old Skeeter Skelton article from 1969 detailing how in 1929 Tom Threepersons sold a Winchester Model 94 and a Triple Lock S & W to an El Paso Saloon owner.

Tom Threepersons

 

[bettis1]

aterry33,

Yes, the old S.D. Myres catalogs show the "Tom Threepersons" holsters both with and without what they called the "safety strap".

Bob

 

[Tam 3]

I believe that the original design had no strap or hammer loop. When they were added, they were to be used on the occasion of anticipated activity; being on horseback, going over or under a fence. Look at the cut off triggerguard of the 1911. Those men had different priorities than is prevalent today.

Regards,

Tam 3

 

[keith44spl]

Look at the cut off triggerguard of the 1911. Those men had different priorities than is prevalent today.
Regards,Tam 3

Tam,

Years ago the idea was to bring yourself back alive...I've carried 'em with the grip safeties pinned down, cocked and un-locked, ect...
One ol' Sheriff told me, "Kid, them damn safeties have gotten more men killed than they could ever save!"

The idea behind the cut off trigger guard was one wouldn't get his trigger finger in front of the guard bow and mistake it for the trigger in the heat of action...And believe me this could easly happen in the thick of things.

As a matter of fact, I've carried a North American Arms S/A without a trigger guard in my pocket daily (just a last ditch 5-shot .22 Mag. / to my compact 1911 .45acp back-up pistol) and have done so for many years...

Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[USMC0802]

Resurrecting this thread for those following who may be interested...

Here's a photo of two of the guns he carried. I was outbid on the Single Action Colt but two outta three ain't bad... The leather is a rig I was fortunate enough to find on eBay of all places, and is unrelated to TTP, though it is a Myres 6.5" N-frame rig with .44 loops.



Many more photos in thread I started today in the Hand-Ejector section, titled "My best Triple Lock".

 

[gkitch]

I seem to recall that he carried a Savage 32 auto as a backup gun. I may have him confused with another gunman but I have long thought of Threepersons with a backup Savage.

 

[rednichols]

I seem to recall that he carried a Savage 32 auto as a backup gun. I may have him confused with another gunman but I have long thought of Threepersons with a backup Savage.

There's no evidence of that. Two of Tom's SAAs are known to be in collections, one private and the other in a museum; the Triple Lock and Winchester shown in the post resurrect, and a second Winchester whereabouts unknown.

And of course his original strapless holster, not made by Myres, in my personal collection . Yet to even be rumoured: a holster for his TL. Perhaps he didn't carry it; it is in remarkable condition judging both by the pics and that it's still a shooter, and by it being completely unmodified (whereas both his SAAs are noticeably altered [and nickel plated]).

 

[Guero]

Like many of the officers of the period, Threepersons used, sold and traded a number of guns depending on what job he had and whether he needed the money or not. The triplelock mentioned above, along with a model 1894 Winchester were sold to Tom Powers of El Paso. The SAA, which was in the Autry museum was one of several that passed through his hands. The triplelock has the strongest provenance. If my memory holds up, contemporary photos show him with a trappers model or a chopped Winchester but it has not been located. Many of the officers carried backups, but none that can be directed linked to Threepersons' ownership have emerged. When Threepersons retired to move to New Mexico, he guided for a number of people but no one mentioned any special rifle he used. It is likely it was an 1894 because of his familiarity with that weapon.