i am looking for a supplier of the 1874 hoslter, the only one i can find is this uk one and it is to expensive http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/IWaccout.html
every other sitesi have been to have 1878 or later patterns - do you guys know any other sources or my other question is what is another holster style for Indian war era that is not a full flap.
Sir:
I have the honor to reply to your communication. As issued, the Pattern 1874 holster had the Hoffman swivel. There were two versions of the swivel, the first permitting the holster to swing around 360 degrees. This allowed the holster be inadvertantly swung upside down. If the flap was unbuttoned, the trooper lost the gun. The second version had a limited swing of about 45 degrees. That eliminated the holster swinging upside down. The Pattern 1874 holster was shaped to handle the Colt's Single Action Army revolver
only. Therefore, when it was found the 1874 pattern would not accomodate the older S&W American revolvers. The Ordnance Dept. then reshaped the holster body to handle both guns, resulting in the Pattern of 1875, which also had the limited swing Hoffman swivel. But the problems were not over with this design! The metal tabs that held the swivel and holster body to the belt loop had a tendency to come loose dropping the holstered gun to the ground! Since company commanders were financially responsible for equipment losses, many, if not most, had their saddler sergeants rivet and/or stitch the holster to the belt loop. Since the belt loops were only intended to fit the sword or waist belts, the introduction of the wider prairie belts and Mills belts made for practical problems for the troops, in them having to wear two belts...one for the pistol and the wider one for their .45-70 cartridges. As a result, many company commanders had the saddlers remove the Hoffman swivels altogether and put on larger, fixed belt loops. While NOT officially approved by Ordnance at that time, there is nothing to indicate that any of these officers were reprimanded for these field modifications.
About 1877 or so, Ordnance did approve modification of the full flaps on various existing holsters to a 3/4 flap with a rounded end and separate closure tab. Later, when they ran out of CW holsters to modify, they started making new ones, termed the Pattern of 1879. These would fit the Colt's and the newer S&W Schofields, but the use of the closure tab added to the cost of manufacture. Ordnance then went to the one-piece flap like the '75 pattern, but with a wider end with two holes, one hole for the Colt's and one for the S&W. This became the Pattern of 1881. Like the previous patterns, the belt loop was only big enough to handle the 1-7/8" wide belts. The loops were attached rigidly to the holster body. Eventually, Ordnance got around to making the loops bigger and bigger, in three different sizes, the last large enough to handle the widest Mills belts.
Now, like some of the other manufacturers, I do NOT make holsters with the Hoffman swivel. Just too expensive to make, and the fragility of the attachment is something I don't care to foist on my customers. Therefore, I make a Pattern 1875 (which will handle both the Colt's and the replica S&W Schofield replicas). This is not on my website, but is shown in my catalog as an insert. Price is now US$88.00 for the unlined version (which was the way they were originally). Linings for the inside of the body are $32.50 extra. The flaps are
not lined.
This is NOT a solicitation for an order, but rather information.
I remain,