A Short History of LoneRider Rigs I've used:
This was the first. I was ticked off at the holsters from a well-known holster maker I'd waited for months for only to have to send the first pair back, and the second pair ware too limp for SASS usage. Unable to find Viagra for leather, I sent Jack a cop of Packing Iron's cover showing an ornate Mexican loop rig. He copied it but modified it for SASS Competition with a low cut over the topstrap and at the trigger guard.
I shot 7-1/2" Ruger Old Armies then, so the holsters were made long for them.
The look was quite authentic, but the holsters were fast (actually still are; I just don't shoot them in matches anymore because of the switch to short barreled guns), and access to the topstrap and trigger guard for weak hand draw were excellent.
When I switched to 5-1/2" Ruger Old Armies (Colt SAA for photos), Jack built me this fancy rig. The carving is pretty spectacular.
Jack is a true artist in leather
His patterns for the floral carving were for a 3" belt, so he made a 3" belt. It worked great on this rig. Comfortable, fast secure rig.
30,000 rounds a year plus much dry-firing was hard on that rig, and I wanted something gamier. The result is this rig. The holsters are pretty far out from the body, and they're fast and secure
The shotgun belt holds 12 rounds in double pouches, and 20 rounds of rifle/pistol ammo. Normally I only carry a few for reloads, but if I can't find my loading strip, I can load from them, assuming I remember to fill them. When the pictures were taken I had event belt buckles on them, EOT in the front, WR in the back. Getting a shooting belt really tight is virtually impossible with an event belt buckle. I removed the EOT buckle from the main belt, installed a standard one, and mow I can tighten the belt so my belt doesn't slide to my knees.
Note the leather retention strap like those used by the expensive brands. I pressed for that because I use the straps when not shooting. Jack doesn't like to do black rigs because it's too easy. But it looks good. He hand sews everything with the finest thread, and the leather is the finest available. The holster is very stiff.
Jack made me a Wild Bunch rig, probably his first or second. It used the tan 3" belt above, and that caused problems. The magazine carriers he made fit the 3" belt, but he only made 2. I like to carry three. Others didn't fit. I got in the habit of putting the mag holders on the shotgun belt. Wild Bunch rigs shouldn't have shotgun belts. The rig below is not mine (evidenced by the holster being on the wrong side. It solves the 2 belt problem with built in 4-shotgun, 4 rifle round holders. The belt is buckled in the back.
Jack puts 2 double magazine pouches on his rigs—unless you order more. This should be enough. You have one in the gun, and three for the 20 round stages, and one as a spare. Anyway, stages should, in theory, only have 15 rounds, because troops of the day carried 2 magazines in a pouch and one in the gun. But then this is a fantasy sport or such a gamy rig wouldn't be allowed. And what would be the fun in that.
Anyway, I need 5 magazines on the pouch, 3 for the 20 round stage, 1 for a spare, and one with 1 round in it. If you haven't figured out the reason for that, remind me next month to explain it. Of course to carry 3 double mag pouches and still have room for the shotgun and rifle ammo in the front, a 1911 Screw Knife, and a pouch for your loading strip, you need at least a 34" waist. Sorry skinny guys.
Contact Jack Houston at LoneRider Leather
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