Packing Iron: Gun Leather of the Frontier West (Hardcover)

by Richard C. Rattenbury (Author) "The firearms used in the settlement of the American West, most notably the Colt revolver and the Winchester rifle, have become virtual icons of our..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mexican Loop, Maker Unknown, Colt Single Action Army (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Western gunleather is an icon of American frontier lore. Packing Iron celebrates the artistry and innovation of the craftsmen who designed the gun rigs of the old time cowboys, troopers, lawmen, and Hollywood heroes. This unique art form is fully described and richly illuatrated with more than 300 exciting color photographs and nearly 100 rare historic images. In the pages of Packing Iron you will discover gunleather produced by historic government arsenals, along with the famed frontier craftsmen like Collins, Meanea, Gallatin, and Heiser.

About the Author
Richard C. Rattenbury's enthusiasm for western gunleather was sparked in 1989 while doing research for an exhibit at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City, where he is Curator of History. A long-time student of firearms and western material culture, Rattenbury formerly held curatorial positions with the Winchester Museum at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming, and with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon, Texas. Over the past 15 years he has authored three exhibition catalogs on firearms history and technology, as well as more than 30 articles and monographs for such publications as Man at Arms, American West, History News, Military Images and Persimmon Hill. Rattenbury resides with his wife, Suzette, in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: ZON International Publishing (May 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939549085
• ISBN-13: 978-0939549085
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #273,179 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rare look at the expertise of the old leathercrafters., September 15, 1999

By A Customer

This is a one-of-a-kind look at gun leather. As a leather crafter for over 20 years I use this book as a guide and a catalog of sorts for my customers. I recommend it highly and often. Stan Freeman Freeman Leather Co. Whitefish,MT

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for Cowboys and Western History fans!, March 8, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

As a leather craftsman specializing in authentic reproductions of frontier gunleather, I consider Packing Iron to be a must-have -- the bible of holsters and cartridge belts. The pictures show great detail and the text reveals the significant history of the development and the impact of various holster designs. It's my #1 reference material.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible of Gunleather, October 4, 2001

By	James C. Fraser-Paige (San Leandro, CA) - See all my reviews

This is the book you need if you want to know what real people in the 19th century west used to carry their guns and ammo. I bought it to help document my choices for leather gear for my Cowboy Action Shooting character, Marshal Thos. C. McGavin. There is everything you need to know about the holsters, belts, scabbards and slings used by cowboys, soldiers, lawmen and outlaws from just before the Civil War to the turn of the century.

Lavishly illustrated in color, the descriptions and text detail all the great makers including the annonymous ones who didn't sign their work. Originals of this art form, and it is art, are getting quite expensive. Several contemporary leather workers are producing high quality replicas or reproductions using this book as a guideline. They will even cite the page number where the original can be found.

Anyone with an interest in the Western Frontier, the Civil War, Indian Wars or Spanish American war, reenactors, film buffs (and film propmasters, who could definitely learn from this book) will find this a fascinating and authoratative tome.