Cowboy Action Shooting Holsters

Hi; If there was gun shows old style IPSC type leather holder will work. Check auction sites. I have got serviceable stuff cheap. Post on WTB things lots of gear out here.
 
Mernickle Holsters are proud members of both the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and the Cowboy Fast Draw Association (CFDA). Not only do we build the best holsters in the Business for competing in these sports we also stand by our product by participating. We can always be found at End of Trail (EOT the Cowboy Action Shooting World Championships), Winter Range (Cowboy Action National Championships), and The Fastest Gun Alive (Cowboy Fast Draw World Championships). We attend and vend many other shoots throughout the year as well.
<https://www.mernickleholsters.com/cowboy-shooting>

<https://www.mernickleholsters.com/shop/-c53157435>
 
Three Canadian sources that may be useful: Working Cowboy Gun Leather(Chatham, Ontario). The Last Best West(Calgary). Marstar(site sponsor)

Based in the U.S., but ship to Canada:
Mernickle Gun leather(already mentioned). Tombstone Leather. Doc Noper. El Paso Saddlery. Just to name a few. There are plenty of other custom leather makers, both big and small. A quick internet search should turn up lots.

Mernickle also produces some excellent open-top pouches for .45 Colt mags....as part of their Wild Bunch offerings. Worth a look.

Your choice will be determined by how much you wish to spend.

Al
 
One word of advise on "cowboy holsters" ...double thickness of bull hide thick leather stitched together for absolute sturdiness so they don't "pancake" on you ...and never set or pack them tightly together so as to collapse the mouth ...ever...you want those holster mouths so stiff they will remain open at all times...The chance of a 'dropped pistol disqualification is increased dramatically with "pancaked holsters"....and don't ever say "auw that'll never happen to me"...your brain does strange $hit when that beeper goes off...I'm sure Alex will agree LOL.
 
fingers284: It sure does! I couldn't count the number of times myself or others have strode confidently up to the starting point of a stage...ready to blaze a glorious path into the CAS Hall of Fame....only to have a total mental meltdown when the timer beeper goes off. A humiliating and humbling experience.

Fingers284 is right on the money when it comes to good, stiff holsters, too. I've seen more than one pistol dropped due to pancaked holsters. With the resulting DQ(Disqualification)..ruining many a competitor's otherwise solid performance.

Many of the top leather makers have extensive experience in CAS. Bob Mernickle and 'Doc Noper'...to name just two. They know exactly what needs to go into their product, to make it as tough, sturdy and reliable as it can be....to withstand many, many years of good, reliable service. For Champion shooters, as well as the average weekend cowpoke.

So....for those folks contemplating the purchase of their first cowboy action holsters or full rig....here's some advice: Buy the best leather you can afford. A top quality rig might seem relatively expensive...at first glance. But in the cowboy action game....as in most things in life....you really do get what you pay for. So be wise in your investment and buy good gear.

Then....just hope your brain doesn't melt and trickle out your ears....at the beep!
 
Sticker shock is gonna be real thing when pricing out custom leather gear...but if your going to spend the money on all the other guns & gear it is all relevant.

Having said that , 15 or 18 years ago the wife & I bought ourselves each a complete new custom belt & holsters for the game, we paid $350 each (a Cobble Hill, BC cowboy made them) at the time but those holsters have seen a lot of use and packing and they are just as good now as the day they arrived. The prospective new SIL...(at least he shows well to be a prospect) just had a quote from a local custom leather stitcher ( he does excellent work on cowboy rigs) at $650 minimum.
 
Fingers284: You are absolutely right....sticker shock can be hard to get past. Especially, in this time of tight budgets. That's why I always recommend buying the best gear a person can afford. Even with a modest investment....it gets a person into the game....and that's what is really important. It really is all relevant, isn't it?

$650 is reasonable for custom leather work. You are very fortunate to have a craftsman(craftspeoplekind??) like that, in your area. I'm willing to bet this fella is a talented saddle maker, too? Some of the best work I've seen, came from folks in that trade.

One advantage of going the custom route over commercially made rigs is that, the prospective buyer has far more latitude in the design and ergonomics of the finished product. As you well know....a well made, well-fitting, long-lasting rig that takes best advantage of the owner's individual preferences...is a great aid to overall satisfaction and performance. If it looks good on the person wearing it too, well.....that's an added bonus.

It is always good to see new and upcoming CAS shooters entering the sport. They are its future. It sounds like the young man you mentioned has already taken a great leap forward in his development as a competitive cowboy action shooter. The positive influence you and your wife will have, is sure to add to his success. I wish the young man well.
 
I am in a waiting game to get custom belt and holsters made. Was maybe looking for something used or new to use now. I have a cheap unlined oklahoma belt and holsters that i am using now which has the pancake issue at times. Need something for my wife as we shoot every week.
 
dodgecrrew: Something to be aware of, when purchasing gun rigs for women. Since a woman's pelvis is more rounded than a man's, a properly-fitted gun belt also has to reflect those curves. Most contemporary gun leather makers are well aware of this difference, and cut their belts to accommodate. Though a woman may wear a 'man's' belt...it will never fit quite right. This can and will hamper the ability to maintain the belt securely where it belongs....fairly low down and resting on or just slightly above, the point of the hips. As well as being uncomfortable. The Kirkpatrick Leather site does a pretty good job of explaining the difference. View the: "Tequila Ladies Rig"...for a good example.
You may already be aware of the difference...but if not...a quick internet search should turn up plenty of information on the topic.
Hope this helps.

Al
 
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Pancake holster; If you use a single layer holster try soaking in warm water then plastic bagging your gun and place it into the holster for a day to dry and form the holster, roll the top of the holster out a bit to aid in reholstering.
 
VICIOUS said:
Pancake holster; If you use a single layer holster try soaking in warm water then plastic bagging your gun and place it into the holster for a day to dry and form the holster, roll the top of the holster out a bit to aid in reholstering.
Click to expand...

Just a word of caution on this...make absolutely sure the gun is thoroughly encased in plastic with no hole's of any kind and use heavy freezer bags not just a bread bag. If ANYof the wetness gets into the interior, the leather tanning solution use in modern tanning will remove all the bluing it comes in contact with...don't ask me how I know this is fact!!
 
As recommended, keep a tennis ball in the holsters when they are not in use.
Also, when wearing your gun belt, holsters and SAAs, USE THE HAMMER THONGS!
It's a stage DQ if you drop an unloaded gun and a Match DQ if it's loaded.
 
The Cold Lake Kid said:
As recommended, keep a tennis ball in the holsters when they are not in use.
Also, when wearing your gun belt, holsters and SAAs, USE THE HAMMER THONGS!
It's a stage DQ if you drop an unloaded gun and a Match DQ if it's loaded.
Click to expand...

There's one school of thought that a holster should be snug enough to retain the pistol by friction, and another that you need zero friction for the fastest possible competition draw, and then you really want that retention device to avoid accidents between stages. And in SASS you need to be able to drop it back in the holster fast too.

But then whether it's a leather strap on a cowboy holster or a plastic latch on an IPSC holster, you are going to see someone trying to haul it out against a device they forgot to open prior to the stage. Or more likely you'll have the experience of being that someone!

Having a friction on/off thing so you can still haul it out if you forgot can be a bit more forgiving than an absolute stopper. But then something you had to open is more likely to teach you not to forget it so soon in future.
 
A properly made holster will fit your gun so well that you should be able to do a backflip without it coming out, but it will almost leap into your hand when you want it out. That's if it is well made for your particular gun. There's nothing wrong with hammer thongs but you never use them from the loading to the unloading tables. Get good leather = no problems
 
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