This popped up in my X feed.
Interesting historical note.
Every one of those guys, except for the fellow with the jacket and maybe the guy behind the horse, has his holster positioned well forward, almost appendix position.
So what style holster are those in that picture above that some of those Rangers are using. They look like a 2 o'clock draw position.What we call drop holsters are more recent, back in the day most guns were worn at belt level.
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That was pretty common then. People in general did adult things at younger ages. Now it’s just criminals that do that.…
A couple of them look like teenagers. Or I'm getting old.
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I looked up the ages of different notable Rangers found this.
Captain John Hays, became a Ranger captain at the age of 23. He joined the Rangers at 19.
I was at a shooting range in San Antonio many years ago, and a Texas Ranger deputy I guess is what you call it was shooting beside me. Very nice polite man.Oh, I forgot to mention the white or light-colored shirts in the photo. That seems to have become a Ranger tradition. All the ones I’ve seen during my time in Texas where white shirts, tan pants, and either a white straw, cowboy hat or a slightly tan or beige felt cowboy hat. 1911 seem pretty universal with them.
As far as I’m able to determine there is not currently an issued Ranger uniform, they are instructed to buy western style clothing with a certain coloration.
It has changed over the years, there’s a picture of Governor Bush surrounding by Texas Rangers, who are wearing dark blue (I think) pants. But still with the light shirts.
Over the years, at least since I’ve been in Texas, the number of Texas Rangers (sworn peace officers) has been between about 100 to 150. Right now I think there are about 130 according to their website. I don’t know if there’s any vacant positions.I was at a shooting range in San Antonio many years ago, and a Texas Ranger deputy I guess is what you call it was shooting beside me. Very nice polite man.
He said their are only about 20 actual Rangers the rest like him are deputized. It's been years ago. I may have something off since I'm trying to remember an hour session shooting with him. He was wearing a white shirt then. But can't remember what else he had on. He told the RO I could have his brass lol.
So what style holster are those in that picture above that some of those Rangers are using. They look like a 2 o'clock draw position.
They put them in front because it is easier and faster to draw. You don’t have to reach back like when the holster is at 3 or 4 o’clock, and it doesn’t take as much arm and shoulder movement. This is also an advantage of appendix carry.Those all look like belt level holsters from the photo, the grip is well above the belt line where a drop holster it's much lower. Why they have them positioned the way they do I don't know. I've never ridden a horse while carrying a sixgun, although I've got a lot of saddle time. Maybe you have the gun in it's holster between your leg and the horn of the saddle.
Those all look like belt level holsters from the photo, the grip is well above the belt line where a drop holster it's much lower. Why they have them positioned the way they do I don't know. I've never ridden a horse while carrying a sixgun, although I've got a lot of saddle time. Maybe you have the gun in it's holster between your leg and the horn of the saddle.
I occasionally get to San Antonio. I have several family members there.Something to keep in mind is photography was a *big deal* in this time frame and the photos are posed. If they wore them that way daily or just moved them to be more visible for the photo, I don't know. I do know contemporary drawings and paintings depicting them in action tended to be a more traditional behind the hip or cross draw.
If you find yourself in San Antonio, and you haven't already been, there is a very nice Texas Ranger museum there: https://www.buckhornmuseum.com/
By happenstance, I visited not long after reading Bossenecker's (sp?) book on Frank Hamer.
There's another in Waco, but I haven't been to that one.
I would bet that they pushed them forward for the photographer and then afterwards slipped them back to a 3 o’clock position.Those all look like belt level holsters from the photo, the grip is well above the belt line where a drop holster it's much lower. Why they have them positioned the way they do I don't know. I've never ridden a horse while carrying a sixgun, although I've got a lot of saddle time. Maybe you have the gun in it's holster between your leg and the horn of the saddle.
Cool thread !
Reminiscent of the same time period that was portrayed in Zane Grey books,
such as Riders of the Purple Sage.
Those cowboys got to "slappin leather" !
What do you think about the photographic composition aspect of this? You take a lot of really good pictures.
I've noticed that you see old pictures of soldiers with guns and they are usually of the pocket variety instead of belt or horse pistols. Almost all are held in front of them,