This may be a little "off subject" from the BP pistols but it does relate to them so figured I would post it here. I apologize ahead of time if this is the wrong place to do it.) I had seen the book - "Packing Iron - Gunleather of the Frontier West" by Richard C. Rattenbury mentioned several times in posts on this forum. For those that love BP pistols and the things that go with them, this is a "MUST HAVE" book for your library! I ordered mine through Amazon, a little under $30 for a spanking brand new copy and got free shipping.
This book has beautiful color photographs of gun leather - holsters, belts, cartridge belts, rifle scabbards, etc. along with excellent descriptions to go with it. Trust me . . . . the photos of original holsters alone will make your mouth water. It's a great historical reference for those that want to be "authentic". The book is over two hundred pages and measures 9 1/2" X 12". I received my copy in the mail today and can hardly put it down long enough to write this!
I know that you "old timers" in BP pistol shooting probably already know about this book since it was copyrighted in 1993 - but, for newcomers to the hobby, check it out. You can see sample pages of it by going to Amazon. I've seen copies of it listed on eBay - some used, some new with the prices for it all over the place. I decided to get mine off of Amazon as I felt the price was right and I knew I was getting a brand new copy, sealed in a wrapper to add to my library. This is a great reference book to add to your "wish list".
