I have always loved John Waynes sixguns and his rig. I am talking about the rough out money belt and holster in some of the later movies. It seems to be very well thought out. Not a Hollywood rig, but something practical for real work. I am thinking about one for my 32 mag. Who has one and how do you like it?
John Wayne Holster rig practical use
- Thread starter Ethang
- Start date
Help Support Ruger Forum:
Busterswoodshop
Buckeye
If it was good enough for the Duke , it's good enough for me.
Hugh
Buckeye
Just so yuh know, I do not admire John Wayne. This though is my Vaquero in a holster attributed to him, and I prefer simple functional gear. This a Triple-K holster and belt. You can get the belt with cartridge loops:
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
Hugh said:
Hush yo' mouf!
Bob Wright
CraigC
Hawkeye
Very practical rig. I offer the holster but have yet to delve into folded money belts.
Sacramento Johnson
Blackhawk
Howdy!
El Paso Saddlery makes a fine rendition of the holster and Galco used to make a nice rough out money belt (don't know if they still do.)
What is considered a John Wayne rig was actually a 1940s and earlier, pre-buscadero style rig (buscadero was pretty much a Hollywood invention/convention). (Unlike others, he kept using this earlier style from the 50's to the end of his career.) It was based on real holsters/belts of that earlier era and is actually quite practical and comfortable to carry one's SA revolver and cartridges. Find a good maker and go for it!
El Paso Saddlery makes a fine rendition of the holster and Galco used to make a nice rough out money belt (don't know if they still do.)
What is considered a John Wayne rig was actually a 1940s and earlier, pre-buscadero style rig (buscadero was pretty much a Hollywood invention/convention). (Unlike others, he kept using this earlier style from the 50's to the end of his career.) It was based on real holsters/belts of that earlier era and is actually quite practical and comfortable to carry one's SA revolver and cartridges. Find a good maker and go for it!
A true money belt is made of a wide piece of leather folded in half and sewn on the top and one end. The other end, usually the buckle end, is open and a cowpoke would use it as a sort of purse. Gold and silver coin was the norm at the time and they would put them in the open end. Important papers were sometimes put there as well. These belts were made with or without cartridge loops and rough side in or out. They are very comfortable. I'm making one out of medium brown suede, rough out, for Cowboy action shooting.
San Pedro Saddlery does as well
jpdesign
Single-Sixer
Don't forget, he would put a .45-70 cartridge in the middle cartridge loop. That way he would know he has half way through his ammo and needed to reload the belt soon.
I have a El Paso Three Persons holster now which is nice, but it's not a full rig. The only full rig I have to compare is a Hunter Hollywood type that my wife got me when she gave me the Vaquero for Christmas. Nice but impractical for anything other then wearing around the house and playing.
Hondo44
Hawkeye
Bianchi offered the first copies as commemoratives and they are exactly like the Duke's that they made him. Then they made a regular production item which was a close copy (it was not "exact" on purpose) of the Duke outfit for the public. It was just after they made the Duke's at his request. The Bianchi belt is made just like the authentic money belt style but is sewed closed on the ends and the cartridge loops are sewed thru both layers of the belt for strength the same as the Duke's and does not function as a money belt.
The El Paso early versions I have use true money belts but I don't know if their current production is.
Both EP and Bianchi rigs are excellent and I've used a 1/2 dozen for various guns and various sized belts as I grew! They are a very practical holster rig design IMO and the money belt style w/rough side out is VERY comfortable and flexible which stays put and conforms to one's shape.
I used to sell Bianchi holsters and asked John Bianchi about the 1st one. He told me that to the best of anyone's knowledge, it was Bob Brown* that made the original, followed by copies from Alfonso, Bianchi did one in the 1970's at the request of the Duke, and El Paso made the last one for the movie 'The Shootist'. But Wayne had lost so much weight by the time they started filming, that it was too big, so props ran out and bought the 1st thing off the rack they could find, that's why he wears...sheesh...a Hunter rig in the movie.
*Wm. Brown Holster Co., Tombstone, Arizona says John Wayne's gun belt was actually a non-functional money belt, originally made by the artist Bob Brown of Hollywood.
Original Duke rig:
Bianchi commemorative set (notice no holster back flap) then production rig below it shown here:
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?PHPSESSID=cae0f66e3f18c2f62a2bfce619f7c674&topic=36075.25
Fairly current El Paso version:
The El Paso early versions I have use true money belts but I don't know if their current production is.
Both EP and Bianchi rigs are excellent and I've used a 1/2 dozen for various guns and various sized belts as I grew! They are a very practical holster rig design IMO and the money belt style w/rough side out is VERY comfortable and flexible which stays put and conforms to one's shape.
I used to sell Bianchi holsters and asked John Bianchi about the 1st one. He told me that to the best of anyone's knowledge, it was Bob Brown* that made the original, followed by copies from Alfonso, Bianchi did one in the 1970's at the request of the Duke, and El Paso made the last one for the movie 'The Shootist'. But Wayne had lost so much weight by the time they started filming, that it was too big, so props ran out and bought the 1st thing off the rack they could find, that's why he wears...sheesh...a Hunter rig in the movie.
*Wm. Brown Holster Co., Tombstone, Arizona says John Wayne's gun belt was actually a non-functional money belt, originally made by the artist Bob Brown of Hollywood.
Original Duke rig:
Bianchi commemorative set (notice no holster back flap) then production rig below it shown here:
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?PHPSESSID=cae0f66e3f18c2f62a2bfce619f7c674&topic=36075.25
Fairly current El Paso version:
ndcowboy
Blackhawk
I love the John Wayne rig and wear it often. Mine is from El Paso Saddlery. This is a picture of it when it was new, along with my Vaquero .44 special.
jpdesign said:
I do believe he did that so he could tell the rifle bullets from the pistol bullets. He shot 45 Colt in pistol and not sure about the rifle 32-20/32-40???? sure wasn't 45 Colt in a 92 :wink: :wink:
When you wear a Duke Rig does it make you walk funny
CraigC
Hawkeye
What is interesting is a letter John Wayne wrote to John Bianchi in 1978 (only 8months before his death) along with a drawing. He wanted the holster to ride a little lower on the belt. All the commercial rigs I've seen ride much higher than he wanted, at least, at that point in time. His movie rigs were like the one pictured.
ndcowboy said:I love the John Wayne rig and wear it often. Mine is from El Paso Saddlery. This is a picture of it when it was new, along with my Vaquero .44 special.
Couple things, one love those grips. I have some paper micartas on my 32 mag that are almost the same color.
Two, it's hard to tell from the photo on the post but is seems that this holster is more straight up and down then Wayne's rig, which looked to almost have a perfect forward cant to get the muzzle back out of the way.
You can kinda see what I mean in Jim's pictures, but again, not being on a person makes it hard to gauge. It just seems that the El Paso rig is more vertical.
Hondo44
Hawkeye
Wyandot Jim said:jpdesign said:
I do believe he did that so he could tell the rifle bullets from the pistol bullets. He shot 45 Colt in pistol and not sure about the rifle 32-20/32-40???? sure wasn't 45 Colt in a 92 :wink: :wink:
When you wear a Duke Rig does it make you walk funny
The 45-70 cartridge was an historical touch. In the old west, it was supposedly to let you know when you were down to your last 6 cartridges. The Duke's 45-70 wasn't in the right place however according to that theory. But it kind of depends on how many loops there are on the belt to the right of center. But looking at photos of his rig, knowing when he was halfway thru cartridges looks to be more accurate. On smaller belt sizes with less cartridge loops, the 'last six' may be accurate.
5 in blanks are used in the movies which fit 45 Colt revolver, 44-40 revolver and rifle, 38-40 revolver and rifle. You're right, as I recall his rifle was a 32-20 (32-40 was a rifle cartridge for the '94) which had the chamber bored out to use the 5 in 1 blanks.
His old stunt double, Yakima Canutt, taught him that walk which was created by pointing is toes straight ahead when he took steps.
Hondo44
Hawkeye
Ethang said:
You're precisely right, the EP hangs straight and the others including Bianchi's have about a 15 degree butt forward can't like the FBI draw.
Hondo44 said:
That is exactly what it looked like to me. Now it begs the question....why? Why make it straight vs canted and which one rides better..
I know that I am chasing after a Hollywood movie but in watching closely how his rig rode, it just seems like it worked.
Hondo44
Hawkeye
They both work well for different purposes.
The canted is good back on the hip for all around long term carry, hunting, getting in & out of or on & off of vehicles, riding and drawing from a saddle or seated position.
The straight drop is more convenient when standing and shooting or plinking, Cowboy action shooting, etc. It's actually a faster draw and easier to cock the hammer on draw, and easier to re-holster.
So just in my opinion and experience with 4 5/8" barreled guns, because that or shorter is all I carry in a holster. On my off side I carry in cross draw both when carrying single or double guns which is actually the most convenient all the way around but, that's a slower draw as well since you not only have to sweep the barrel up but 180 degrees sideways to get on target.
So they all have advantages and disadvantages which can change if you carry longer barreled revolvers.
The canted is good back on the hip for all around long term carry, hunting, getting in & out of or on & off of vehicles, riding and drawing from a saddle or seated position.
The straight drop is more convenient when standing and shooting or plinking, Cowboy action shooting, etc. It's actually a faster draw and easier to cock the hammer on draw, and easier to re-holster.
So just in my opinion and experience with 4 5/8" barreled guns, because that or shorter is all I carry in a holster. On my off side I carry in cross draw both when carrying single or double guns which is actually the most convenient all the way around but, that's a slower draw as well since you not only have to sweep the barrel up but 180 degrees sideways to get on target.
So they all have advantages and disadvantages which can change if you carry longer barreled revolvers.
Jim, finally the discourse I was looking for. The practical use of the Wayne rig. No offense to those who offered opinions on the 45/70 or what round was employed in the use of blanks....it was very interesting that Wayne wanted a lower riding holster then the others were making at the time.
I am curious about as an everyday hunting, riding, walking around in the backwoods rig. If I ever can muster up a horse then horseback riding rig also. I don't much care for fast drawing it, if the rabbit is attacking me I will call Jimmy Carter.
I am curious about as an everyday hunting, riding, walking around in the backwoods rig. If I ever can muster up a horse then horseback riding rig also. I don't much care for fast drawing it, if the rabbit is attacking me I will call Jimmy Carter.
Similar threads
