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Gun Belt Woes/Question


Gus McDonald

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I'm new to the sport of CAS since January of this year. No local club, so I'm trying to get started on my own. I bought a single-holster gun belt from El Paso Saddlery, following all of their sizing guidance. Three months later when it arrived, I can only fit it on the outermost belt notch, so it is too small for me (I'll probably be trying to sell it soon). So, I just bought a double-holster belt though the SASS Wire Classifieds. This one is a much better fit. However, I must be doing something wrong because I can't see how I would use the cross-draw holster since it is in the middle of my back. Can somebody explain how this belt is supposed to be worn, because even at the tightest notch it would position the holsters at 6 and 3 o'clock when I would expect something like a 9 and 3? The holsters are riveted in place so they can't be moved over the shell holders.

 

IMG_20220930_124704_855.thumb.jpg.2ba1a2a7a323f0f0247585b55879b9c5.jpg          IMG_20220930_124644_794.thumb.jpg.480031ba4487d2e51d24dc72450526be.jpg

 

 

Front View

IMG_20220930_124520_345.thumb.jpg.9a2522a67d02c4998381aaf18ff2a720.jpg

 

Right Hip

IMG_20220930_124524_288.thumb.jpg.08abbe1989de457f85f5fdb7e3ef3f02.jpg

 

Left Hip/Back

IMG_20220930_124530_094.thumb.jpg.548979c2ec429e508758e8d6397c4ead.jpg

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I agree w/ Rip Snorter and this may have been used by a right handed Cowboy Mounted shooter as they use 2 crossdraw, no strong side.

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Howdy WT,

 

If you want to use what you have, Use the holster with more rake as the cross draw and the other as strong side. Position the holsters at whatever position on each side that you like. That should work. Then look at what other more experienced shooters have. Ask questions. Especially watch cross draw shooters and see how they handle the transition from one gun to the next. Honestly, I still can't decide if strong side is superior to cross draw for duelist. Let the experience of others accelerate your learning curve.

 

Rev. Chase

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You can remove the rivets.  Carefully, work on them with a needle nose pliers.  You can use a small drill bit through the center of the rivets to help with their removal.

 

I dislike screwed/riveted down holsters.  I feel there is enough friction to secure your holsters in place, in the majority of cases.

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I hate to tell you this, but that crossdraw holster (the one with the most cant) does not appear to be SASS-legal.  The maximum angle from vertical is 30 degrees, AS WORN.  And since most of us wear belts that are lower in front than in the back, this increases the angle of the X-draw.  That one looks like it would be illegal even if there were no slant to the belt.

 

I don't know if you bought that off the SASS Wire Classifieds.  I've seen a LOT of older holsters and leather rigs for sale that have illegal crossdraw holsters, and beginners often don't know.

 

Regarding you El Paso Saddlery belt, if you use a different buckle, like the type of "match winner" buckle may wear, or any type like that which has a tab at the end of the buckle to go through the belt hole, this increases the usefull length of the belt somewhat, usually at least one hole.

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Thanks for all the replies. I also just contacted the maker "W.M. Brown" and was pleasantly surprised how helpful Bill Brown was at explaining this should be worn with the buckle in the back. I can practice with that, but I'll have to take Abilene's consideration on the crossdraw angle.

 

Thank's, too for the belt buckle suggestion. That sure might help.

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The El Paso rig you might be able to just order a new belt and use the same holsters. Some leather makers can add a panel in the back of the belt to extend it some to make it longer. A friend gained weight and had to have his lengthened a few inches.

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1 hour ago, West Texan said:

Thanks for all the replies. I also just contacted the maker "W.M. Brown" and was pleasantly surprised how helpful Bill Brown was at explaining this should be worn with the buckle in the back. I can practice with that, but I'll have to take Abilene's consideration on the crossdraw angle.

 

Thank's, too for the belt buckle suggestion. That sure might help.

Don't buy anydangthing more till you attend a few shoots.

You may well find some good deals on used gear.

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3 hours ago, Irish-Pat said:

what size is your ElPaso belt and which model? my son has holsters but needs a belt if you want to sell it. Irish ☘️ Pat 

I need to take Lumpy Fritz advice and not sell or buy for a bit, but I'll post a picture of what I have for reference. My waist size is 32, but this #44 money belt from El Paso saddlery fits snug at the outer 39" hole.

 

IMG_20220930_193835_362.thumb.jpg.c2616e598f43eed6d14470fd51f479eb.jpg IMG_20220930_193845_545.thumb.jpg.ec4855c807e583afea09b0605a626f88.jpg

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If you wear actual 32" waist size pants this really should fit. It is not a 44" belt, looks to be 37" like previously mentioned. Did you measure around where you will actually wear your belt before ordering? Few of us wear our gunbelts at our actual waist.

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23 hours ago, West Texan said:

I tried reaching out to the officers back in February and never heard back. Their last posted match results are early 2020, so I'm guessing that club was a victim of the pandemic...

Can't help with the belt problem , but if Comanche Trail Shootist club is gone that is a bitter pill. That was my home club for 10 years , from about Sept 2008 til March 2019.

Sad, Rex :(

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3 hours ago, Rex M Rugers #6621 said:

Can't help with the belt problem , but if Comanche Trail Shootist club is gone that is a bitter pill. That was my home club for 10 years , from about Sept 2008 til March 2019.

Sad, Rex :(

If you know anybody at the club that can tell you for sure, please let me know. I'm just drawing conclusions from the website results page and lack of response from the listed officers.

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3 hours ago, Springfield Slim SASS #24733 said:

If you wear actual 32" waist size pants this really should fit. It is not a 44" belt, looks to be 37" like previously mentioned. Did you measure around where you will actually wear your belt before ordering? Few of us wear our gunbelts at our actual waist.

The #44 is in reference to the model of the belt, not the size. I would agree that this would be called a 37" center-hole belt. I think my whole conundrum has been around the difference in gunbelt fit vs waist size. If we could only go down to a local leatherworker shop for a fitting or to try on a few sizes, this would be much easier instead of waiting 12 weeks for a custom made mail-order belt with an advertised 20% “custom goods returned” charge. Or maybe I'm the only one who has had this trouble.

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Just measure your self with a cloth tailors tape where you are going to wear the belt, works 98% of the time for my leather customers.

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