Pistol Lanyards

[MauserMike]

I was looking at the Tokarev in the classifieds today, also thinking of my Walther P38 and wondering:

What is the purpose of attaching a lanyard to a pistol? Is it just to make it harder to drop it by accident? Is there a way to use the lanyard to stabilize your shooting? How is the lanyard normally worn?

 

[BBq_Woa!]

it is worn with the loop around the belt at the same side as the shooter's shooting hand
they serve both purposes you assumed, droppage and stability

 

[Rod B]

It is supposed to prevent the pistol from being dropped.

One end of the lanyard is attached to the butt of the gun the other is looped under the arm & around the shoulder.

I have never heard of a lanyard enhancing stability.

 

[OneBarfly]

Not just dropped but lost. Nothing worse than crawling across a ditch or field to cover only to find that you lost your pistol enroute

 

[MauserMike]

Is that how the Germans wore the lanyard? I understand that one was supposed to wear the holster on the opposite side of the shooting hand, butt facing forward.

 

[green]

Army wore the lanyard looped around the shoulder with the epaulet buttoned over it.
Mounties wore lanyard around the neck.

 

[purple]

A lot of us(Army) used to wear it attached to the web belt beside the holster.

 

[Nyles]

If you look at the current pam that's still the case. It's supposed to be tucked behind the holster so it doesn't snag.

 

[K98ACTION]

Is that how the Germans wore the lanyard? I understand that one was supposed to wear the holster on the opposite side of the shooting hand, butt facing forward.

Were you thinking about getting a leather Tokarev lanyard for the p-38? as I was thinking about it.. only reason was I can't find an original one for the 38, but the tokarev seems close enough...

 

[MauserMike]

Maybe but I want to find a holster first, unless I stumble on a real German lanyard for cheap. (unlikely!)

 

[K98ACTION]

Maybe but I want to find a holster first, unless I stumble on a real German lanyard for cheap. (unlikely!)

Keep an eye out on fleebay. I was watching one and it went for about $91 bucks.. that is not a bad price, for an original. Track a few and snipe one in the last min, or seconds if the price has not gone to retarded...

 

[sunray]

"...never heard of a lanyard enhancing stability..." Has to be adjusted just right, but it will give you some support. Goes over the shoulder under the epaulet. Make one with a length of parachute cord and a lanyard or saddle snap hook. 1/4" nylon rope will do.

 

[CZ85Combat]

Maybe but I want to find a holster first, unless I stumble on a real German lanyard for cheap. (unlikely!)

Have a look at these websites,
ioinc.us replica for 29USD for both P08 and P38
ima-usa.com, same price, plus they have lanyard

found these in my shotgun news

 

[John Sukey]

The original purpose of the lanyard was for mounted troops. Try picking your handgun up off the ground while you are sitting on your horse! One would also assume that you may not have had time to holster your pistol if you had to draw your sabre. or possibly if you were hit. Carry this on to the fact that cavalry holsters usually carried the pistol on the right side, butt forward, so you could still draw it if either arm was incapacitated.
The early M1911's also had a lanyard loop on the magazine as well, so you wouldn't lose it if you had to insert a fresh one.

One can extend the process to the cap lines of mounted troops, If your busby gets knocked off in a fight you won't lose it or get it stepped on by your equine buddy. That happened to a re enactor friend of mine who neglected to hook up his helmet cords!