missouri
I would like to post a respectful response regarding the issue of covered trigger guard type holster and riding a horse. Here is a fact, - the Threepersons design, and the Austin Brill design, were both invented by two men who new each other and were Texas Rangers. Both designs were invented between the World Wars when roads were few in the West, but cars were common. They wanted a design which did NOT lay horizontally along their legs, when sitting in an auto. That, and presenting the gun quickly for law enforcement purposes, and protecting the gun were the reasons for their design.
Prior to that, most holsters to retain guns were pouch types which did, per our corresspondent, wisely, swallow the gun. The thong over the hammer was to retain the gun when the horse bucked, may hve thrown you, etc. For those who dont know, or who ride on bridal trails or city parks, heavy brush WILL sooner or later pull the gun from your holster, even more quickly than when walking. The covered d trigger guard is a result of using a swallowing type holster.
Old time lawmen and gunfighters were not interested in a fast draw, they already had the gun in hand. Elmer Keith wrote of twice pulling his colt to shoot a runaway bronc thru the heart as he was being dragged across the landscape with foot caught in stirrup. Thanks to that retaining rawhide loop. You can believe Elmer was telling the truth. When reliable metal snaps came into being, they used those.
Modern police WERE interested in fast draw, did not care about law suits or liberal prosecutors because there were none. Hence, first the Threepersons then later the Jordan, followed by the steel lined Jordan. Even today there is no faster holster for revolver use. Jordan claimed he used the retaining strap when he saw a physical altercation coming but kept it otherwise unsnapped 99 percent of the time.
I followed his advice until a nut case insane woman sitting behind me, supposed to be restrained by my female partner, grabbed my model 58 in the holster, got her finger in the trigger and, pulling on the trigger,
got the hammer half way back with gun still in holster. At that point I knocked her senseless with an elbow in the face. I aged a few years in those seconds but learned my lesson. USE A RETAINER TYPE HOLSTER WHETHER AFOOT, HORSEBACK, OR IN AUTO. YOU WONT BE SORRY.