Holster question

[paradiddle]

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

I would not say "most" people use Mernickle.  But they are very popular.  There are a LOT of people making good rigs for this game.

 

Is your first name Flam ? 

[Rip Snorter]

Frontier has a good rep on some other sites - I don't have one, roll my own.

[Eyesa Horg]

I have a Kirkpatrick and like it. My wife had an excellent experience with J-M Leather, Johnny and his wife were great to work with. Several folks I shoot with use him as well.

[Yul Lose]

Double Diamond out of Escondido builds quality gun rigs also.

[Jackson Haller]

Are you asking about western holsters/rigs made by Bianchi Frontier Leather?  If so they are well made and beautiful, with a very high price.   They are not designed as speed rigs for Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS), but are rather Hollywood or historically correct gun leather.  

Mernickle also does some Hollywood and period correct stuff, but most of the Mernickle gun leather you will see on Cowboy Action Shooters are their speed rigs made specifically for the game.

[Captain Bill Burt]

3 hours ago, paradiddle said:

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

My thought is don't buy guns or leather until you get to a match.  There are some really nice looking rigs out there that are not even close to suitable for CAS.  

 

I use an old Kirkpatrick shotgun belt which is the only original piece of equipment I still have.  Everything else, guns and leather have evolved over the last 13 years.

 

My personal preference is a decent cant for my holsters and a really stiff opening.  I use a Rod Kibler rig, expensive but worth it.  My wife uses a Kirkpatrick rig.  She likes it, but it's not as well thought out and made as a Kibler rig.  Only 8 shotshell holders, it's rare, but that can be a problem.  To me, 10 is the minimum.  Her holster openings aren't as large and stiff as the Kibler's are.  That slows down the reholster a bit.  Some don't care, but it matters to me. 

 

Some holsters have a little curl that comes back over the trigger guard.  That makes it hard to get the proper grip when drawing with your offhand.  

 

When buying a shotgun belt with attached rifle reload holder it matters which side it's on.  If you're reloading over the top you want your reloads on your strong side.  If you're reloading through the gate you probably want your reloads on your weak side. 

 

You'll get lots of information here I expect.

[paradiddle]

I did go to a match and most of the feedback I got was Mernickle.

[Eyesa Horg]

http://www.jm-leather.com/cowboy_comp.htm

[J-BAR #18287]

I invested in Kirkpatrick holsters after struggling with cheaper stuff for a long time.  Kirkpatrick, Mernickle--both premium products, don't think you would regret either choice.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

6 hours ago, paradiddle said:

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

If you can visit a shop and handle the product.  Also, the leather maker can measure you and ensure the rig fits you perfectly (just don't gain weight).  Many leather makers set up shop at major matches.  I crossed paths with Mernickle several times this year and have even seen their trailer traveling in Texas.  Buy from someone who builds competition rigs for CAS.  We have to reholster quickly.  Not all rigs are built for that.

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Para,

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and speak a little heresy. You have to decide what your plan for CAS is. Lots of folks want to be the fastest guns. The advice here about fast speed rigs and the makers is valid and very good. If you lean toward the "authentic" old west, you might want to consider more period accurate rigs. Many makers also offer these. Most of my own rigs tend toward the old style and it's true that drawing and reholstering are probably slower, but I'm in the game to look and act the part of the late 19th century cowboy. That's why I shoot classic cowboy. I struggle to make mid pack but have a ball doing it. Sometimes I even do okay in my category.

 

If you're like me, you'll study a bit about the cowboys and their trappings. I think that's actually the name of a pretty good book on the subject. "Packing Iron" is pretty much the Bible of authentic holster info. There are some other good books too. It's up to you: High speed, low drag speed demon, old style cowboy or anything in between. Whatever puts a smile on your face.

 

Rev. Chase

[Mister Badly]

My first leather was a SASS starter rig from Reddog Leather in Kentucky. Paul Combest. He has a Facebook page and an eBay storefront. Great communications and fair prices. Great quality and turnaround time. 

[Muggins]

Custom leather, fantastic quality, rigs built to order!  Doc Noper!

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057429160914&ref=py_c

[One Gun Jimmy]

On 8/25/2023 at 1:28 PM, paradiddle said:

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

Any reason not to go with Mernickle?

 

I have no experiance with others and probably never will because I am as happy as I can be with Mernickle.

 

I understand supporting  "local" and good on you if that's the goal but mernickle is a small buisness and a friend of the sport.

 

Not  sponsored lol...just a fan

[Texas Maverick]

On 8/25/2023 at 3:32 PM, Captain Bill Burt said:

 If you're reloading through the gate you probably want your reloads on your weak side. 

 

You'll get lots of information here I expect.

Curious about this comment since I do load through the gate. I pull out my reload from my right side with my right hand and shove it into the gate on the right side of the rifle. What other way is there from your perspective. Always watching how others do it and was just wondering how you would do it.

 

Thanks

 

TM

[Eyesa Horg]

Wondered about that myself. Loading thru the gate from the left would be very awkward for me.

[Texas Maverick]

18 hours ago, One Gun Jimmy said:

Any reason not to go with Mernickle?

 

I have no experiance with others and probably never will because I am as happy as I can be with Mernickle.

 

I understand supporting  "local" and good on you if that's the goal but mernickle is a small buisness and a friend of the sport.

 

Not  sponsored lol...just a fan

No reason at all not to go with Mernickle, he will do you a good job and you will have a quality setup. The above posts/recommendations are just letting you know there are a lot of different companies out there that can do a good job as well. 

 

TM

[Captain Bill Burt]

14 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

Curious about this comment since I do load through the gate. I pull out my reload from my right side with my right hand and shove it into the gate on the right side of the rifle. What other way is there from your perspective. Always watching how others do it and was just wondering how you would do it.

 

Thanks

 

TM

Easy Rider, former WC Gunfighter taught me to leave the rifle on my shoulder, action closed, right hand in lever, rotate 1/4 turn so the loading gate is up and feed a round through the gate with my left hand.

[Sixgun Seamus]

27 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Easy Rider, former WC Gunfighter taught me to leave the rifle on my shoulder, action closed, right hand in lever, rotate 1/4 turn so the loading gate is up and feed a round through the gate with my left hand.

I've seen him and others do this. Slicker than bugsnot and fast.

[Equanimous Phil]

Always worth mentioning: McCandless' Holster Maker Listings

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator]

On 8/26/2023 at 2:53 PM, Muggins said:

Custom leather, fantastic quality, rigs built to order!  Doc Noper!

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057429160914&ref=py_c

Excellent work. 

[Captain Bill Burt]

Iron Cowboy has a Doc Noper shotgun belt.  I think it's the best designed and built shotgun belt I've ever seen.  If it had the rifle reloads on the left I might have kept it for myself and given him my Kirkpatrick.

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator]

10 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Iron Cowboy has a Doc Noper shotgun belt.  I think it's the best designed and built shotgun belt I've ever seen.  If it had the rifle reloads on the left I might have kept it for myself and given him my Kirkpatrick.

IMO, the best.

Sassy and I both favor Doc Noper shotgun belts. I have two with leather double loops and canvas chartridge loops. Sassy prefers elastic loops.

Sassy has awesome holster rig by Ain't Dunnit. 

In my many past years of CAS I have used five Kirkpatrick rigs, two JM, one Big Ed, and, one Lone Rider with no complaints to any of them as they were what I chose at time.  Now my go-to rigs are one of two Doc Noper's or one by Ain't Dunnit.

As to Mernickle,  they make  really nice, quality rigs good for fast long lasting work. See many of them used, I just have not tried one. Family are super to shoot with and be around, not to mention such excellent contributors to SASS.

[Texas Maverick]

5 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Easy Rider, former WC Gunfighter taught me to leave the rifle on my shoulder, action closed, right hand in lever, rotate 1/4 turn so the loading gate is up and feed a round through the gate with my left hand.

Interesting, I have never seen this technic nor heard of it. Might have to try it and see how it works for me. Always looking for ways to improve. 

 

TM

[Texas Maverick]

Back in 2018 there was a company in San Diego that I went with, Knights Leather/Tombstone Leather. I bought a full rig from him and still use it today. It has held up great. I was sorry to hear he went out of business. He was great to work with. I have lost about 50 pounds and had to have Mernickle cut it down to fit me so I could still use it. It should last me as long as I shoot. It wasn't cheap so just saying if you get a quality rig it should last you a lifetime.

 

 

TM

 

[Captain Bill Burt]

1 hour ago, Texas Maverick said:

Interesting, I have never seen this technic nor heard of it. Might have to try it and see how it works for me. Always looking for ways to improve. 

 

TM

This is an older video of me using that technique.  Stage instructions called for a rifle reload any time after the beep. I did it first. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/CaptainBillBurt/videos/248417133544272

[paradiddle]

Thanks guys.  Great information.

[Texas Maverick]

3 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

This is an older video of me using that technique.  Stage instructions called for a rifle reload any time after the beep. I did it first. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/CaptainBillBurt/videos/248417133544272

Definitely will have to try that move. I have a Boogie tuned 73 so the loading gate is light and smooth and should be easy to load from the left hand.

 

TM

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 8/25/2023 at 1:28 PM, paradiddle said:

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

I use Kirkpatrick leather.

 

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator]

1 hour ago, Texas Maverick said:

Definitely will have to try that move. I have a Boogie tuned 73 so the loading gate is light and smooth and should be easy to load from the left hand.

 

TM

I have used much the same method for years with success.  I do find it easier and less awkward for me to lower rifle some from being tight against shoulder.   I find that to occasionally load your 73, say at loading table, with left hand helps in training for this reload technique.  Yes, even with rifle flat on table the left hand reloading is good practice.  Lightened loading gate spring certainly is plus.

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 8/25/2023 at 1:28 PM, paradiddle said:

It seems like most people use Mernickle gear.  I have a couple of his holsters for other uses and love them.

 

Has anyone used Frontier Gunleather?  They are a couple hours from me so I consider them "local".  Obviously Bianchi is extremely well know.  He has a bunch of nice looking designs.

 

What are your thoughts?

Are you a single, double or triple paradiddle? Maybe a paradiddle diddle ? 

[The Surgeon]

I have a Mernickle sass starter rig. its hard to beat for the price. I got it for less than 300 bucks with a coupon code. comes with everything you need to start shooting and its made to the same quality as their normal stuff. I've only used it at 1 match so far but I like it. My only gripe is I wish they made the shotgun slide with 3 double loops instead of 6 single loops.  

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

I'd like to recommend a hard look at "Murphy Custom Gunleather".   Superb craftsmanship.  Fair Prices.

[Eyesa Horg]

8 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

I'd like to recommend a hard look at "Murphy Custom Gunleather".   Superb craftsmanship.  Fair Prices.

The best thing on his site is everything costs $0.00