Plunging into the wondrous world of the Wild West with the help of the magical power of cinema or video games, you can notice one curious detail in the appearance of American revolver shooters. Many of them wear their holsters as if backwards, so that the handle of the weapon looks forward. Question: why is this style of carrying weapons needed and is it convenient?
In 9 out of 10 cases, short-barreled weapons in a holster on a belt are worn on the side of the right side with the handle back. The reason for this is extremely simple: most shooters are right-handed, and such an arrangement of a holster with a weapon is the most optimal in terms of ergonomics. However, the American gunfighters of the 19th century had a different opinion and often wore a holster for a revolver on the right side, but at the same time in such a way that the handle looked not back, but forward.
The described method of carrying short-barreled weapons is not some pretentious nonsense invented by Hollywood filmmakers. However, in its current state, it could be described as follows: a good tradition that has evolved from practical necessity into ordinary show-offs. Called "unconventional" method of carrying and drawing a revolver "Cavalry draw”, which is translated from the overseas language as “Cavalry snatching”.
The Cavalry draw technique appeared somewhere at the end of the 18th century among American cavalrymen. The fact is that the basis of the American cavalry at that time was precisely the equestrian arrows - dragoons. They were armed with short guns - carbines, sabers and pistols. In the 19th century, dragoons began to be converted to revolvers, which, for obvious reasons, were much better than the first single-shot pistols. Due to the higher rate of fire compared to any other weapon of that time, revolvers very quickly took an important place in the equipment of cavalrymen.
However, throughout the 19th century, the revolver was still an auxiliary weapon. The main weapon of the dragoon is a carbine, which is carried in a special case when mounted, and in a combat situation is held in the right hand. If the dragoon entered into close combat, then the saber was already in the right hand. At the same time, both with a carbine and with melee weapons in one hand, it might become necessary to make a quick shot from some kind of auxiliary weapon. And here revolvers came to the rescue! In order to easily and quickly grab a short-barreled weapon for a shot when the right hand is busy, a holster with it was hung under the left hand on the right side. Thus, the holster hung, as it were, backwards. This is because sitting on a horse is much more convenient to draw a weapon with an oblique movement.
>>>>Ideas for life | NOVATE.RU<<<<
Service in the cavalry in the United States in the 19th century was the most prestigious in the ground forces. Many retired cavalrymen later became bounty hunters, sheriffs, marshals and other lawmen. At the same time, the veterans of the North American "hot spots" bore on the civilian and the habit of putting on a holster with a revolver in the cavalry style. But there was no longer a practical need for this: even with this wearing, the weapon was snatched out most often with the right hand. Nevertheless, thanks to the veterans, a new tradition was formed, which made it possible to identify a retired cavalryman in the shooter with a high degree of probability. Of course, over time, the tradition turned into a fashion and many other shooters who had nothing to do with the American army began to wear a dragoon-style revolver.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about 5 Soviet weapons "brands" from World War IIwho recognize at a glance.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/021021/60739/