SAA - Load 5... Myth or Reality?

[Longwalkhome]

I go with period accounts...in this case actual writings from the 1850's to the 1890's.
I have found that period accounts will be different than 20th and 21st century writings on the same subject.
I like period accounts...'cause they were written by folks who were actually there.....

In any event...
In regards to the Holsters.....not 5 or 6 shots in a revolver...which I what my post # 35 was about....
And that post which started our discussion.....

The holster was set up for a left handed draw...because the saber was to be used with the right hand...
And the revolver with the left hand.
At least according to period accounts.

I understand , and have known , long before the internet , that in the later Indian Wars when the Colt SAA was standard and the '51 Navy or '60 Army no longer standard issue ...the saber was rarely used.

Be that as it may...
The holster of the later Indian Wars , was patterned after those holsters issued , when the saber was considered the primary weapon of the cavalry....so that is the Why of the left handed / butt forward draw.
Andy

Edit to add :
If you want to read my thoughts on 5 or 6 shots ...
See my posts # 29 and #4

I won't say you are wrong but you are. I don't know how to prove it other than common sense. The army has never had enough time or money to teach troopers to shoot left handed riding a horse. The horse was run with the left hand and all the weapons weilded with the right.

The Army taught the twist draw to bring the revolver into action with the right hand. Yet I guess you have to be able to picture the saber carried on the left side to see my point. I can't ever see in my minds eye a calvary man charging with his revolver in his left hand and saber in his right and nothing to control the horse.

It's all good though, those days are gone and don't matter anymore. I am done for this thread, have a great rest of your day.

 

[WAYNO]

I always understood...
Cav Carry, or Cav Draw, was intended to allow drawing the revolver with either hand, for any required reason. Originally, the saber was the primary weapon, which normally would be occupying space in the right hand. In the event a saber was not up to all the tasks at hand, the left hand could draw the revolver. In the event the saber was lost, the right hand would be used to draw and fire the revolver. And just because you got there on horseback didn't mean you'd remain on horseback.

Let's not forget...The Cavalry and other mounted soldiers were not necessarily the same, and their missions required different tactics. So, what was good for the Cav, didn't necessarily apply to other mounted forces or visa versa.

Cav Carry allowed an easy cross draw with the weak hand, while still allowing a draw with the strong hand.

WAYNO.

3rd Squadron (AIR) 5th Cavalry.

And yes, we did receive horsemanship training. Really.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I agree with Andy here, having collected and read many field manuals as well as period accounts, collecting, using, and shooting vintage militaria and even some re-enacting!

All that is to say, there were written instructions specifically regarding weapons and how they were to be carried and used, that each individual chose or had chosen for him any changes was largely covered in period writings and such!

All that said, there were some units and individuals who made field expedient modifications or changes to their gear and how they operated based on needs and experience! Some times that caused trouble with command, often times, it was simply accepted and forgotten!

 

[Jonnyuma]

...

 

[Jonnyuma]

That's 'cuz you can't dance.

I also look ridiculous in a corset and bustle... but we all do what we gotta do, pilgrim.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I agree with Andy here, having collected and read many field manuals as well as period accounts, collecting, using, and shooting vintage militaria and even some re-enacting!

All that is to say, there were written instructions specifically regarding weapons and how they were to be carried and used, that each individual chose or had chosen for him any changes was largely covered in period writings and such!

All that said, there were some units and individuals who made field expedient modifications or changes to their gear and how they operated based on needs and experience! Some times that caused trouble with command, often times, it was simply accepted and forgotten!

I hate to steer anyone wrong so I did a bing search on pictures of the US calvery in the 1870. I looked for a while at all the real photos and the prints and didn't see a left handed use of the revolver or saber nor riding the horse with no hands and revolver in the left hand.

I would be grateful for any photo evidence that I am wrong because after years of seeing the revolver in the right hand it would bring new light into my reading.

pictures of us calvary 1870s - Bing

Pametno pretraživanje u tražilici Bing olakšava brzo pretraživanje onog što tražite i nagrađuje vas.

www.bing.com

Not saying there wasn't some lefties in the calvery and I am sure there was but the average troops shot right handed on horseback.