Colt Dragoon Civilian Holster
The Colt Dragoon was one of the largest revolvers carried on the early American frontier, and it required a holster made specifically to support its size and weight. This early civilian Dragoon holster preserves the style of those working holsters, with a hand-rolled rope design on the main pouch and matching detail along the edges of the skirt. The original example from the River Junction Collection served as the pattern for this reproduction, preserving the details of a genuine piece of 19th-century Old West Gun Leather.
Designed for the Colt Dragoon revolver with its 8-inch barrel, this double-loop brown leather holster reflects the careful workmanship found on surviving frontier examples. Few Dragoon civilian holsters remain intact today. Many were altered over the years as owners adapted them for shorter-barrel revolvers, and original examples are often found with the toe cut down or filled with an old cowboy bandana to accommodate a different barrel length. Fortunately, an original example survived, allowing this reproduction to preserve a style that was nearly lost.
Hand-made from leather and finished in a rich brown tone, this holster is shaped and worked at the craftsman’s bench. The rolled edges, rope detailing, and hand-finished tooling follow the original design while preserving the character of traditional leatherwork. A version with additional floral carving can also be made by special order.
Recreating a surviving 19th-century holster requires careful study of every detail, from the shape of the leather to the way the original maker finished the edges and stitching. Each Dragoon holster is cut from the hide, worked and tooled at the leather-smith’s bench, then dyed, oiled, and sewn by hand. The hand stitching follows the traditional methods of the period, creating a strong seam while preserving the character of the original craftsmanship.
- Copied from River Junction Collection original
- Fits Colt Dragoon 8-inch barrel revolvers
- Hand-rolled rope border detail
- Double-loop civilian holster design
- Hand-cut and hand sewn leather
A rare survivor of early frontier leatherwork, this holster preserves the details of an original example of Old West Gun Leather, allowing the craftsmanship of an early Dragoon holster to remain available long after most original examples have disappeared.
