Henry Rifle Forums

A bud emailed me last week about his new 45/70 BFR. Sometimes we hunt together and last year he saw me with a shoulder rig for my 500 BFR. I let him harness it up and he liked how it wore. So, I knew what was coming next could I make him a custom one like mine. I told him I will do one better and told him I will give him mine. He came over that evening we made some adjustments as he is taller. One happy camper now. Now I needed to make myself a new shoulder rig. Instead of a figure eight strap I made a straight across strap which to me is comfier and less fuss to put on. My last rig was plain Jane no tooling the new one I tooled the holster and straps, installed a buffalo nickel snap that I made. Also tooled a deer on the front.

Great looking holster. I shot 2 rounds out of a friends 45-70 single action pistol. If it were mine, I would leave it in that fine looking holster unless something was going to eat me.

I enjoy making things for myself and friends and family, especially when they are admired and appreciated. Great job. Love the buffalo nickel snap.

Very nice job on the holster. The pistol looks like much more than I want to carry.

BrokenolMarine wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 02, 2024 3:50 pm

I enjoy making things for myself and friends and family, especially when they are admired and appreciated. Great job. Love the buffalo nickel snap.

Thanks most of my leather work is for friends and family I just enjoy doing it and trying to get better at it. Only have been doing it for several years still a rookie. I have several hundred buffalo nickels which I found during metal detecting at two different sights in 2 different states. I make all my snaps with at least 1 buffalo nickel as sort of my signature.

Ernie wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 02, 2024 6:03 pm

Very nice job on the holster. The pistol looks like much more than I want to carry.

Thanks still a rookie at leather work, the pistol has a 7.5" barrel and weighs 5 pounds when loaded. I also made a western rig for it along with a case belt.

It looks professionally done to me. Nice work.

leverjc wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 02, 2024 2:53 pm

Great looking holster. I shot 2 rounds out of a friends 45-70 single action pistol. If it were mine, I would leave it in that fine looking holster unless something was going to eat me.

Thanks still a rookie at leather work and I typically shoot at least 25 rounds on range day at 50 yards.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 02, 2024 6:34 pm

It looks professionally done to me. Nice work.

Thanks

Love that holster, too. Only way to carry those big bores.

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 02, 2024 6:46 pm

Love that holster, too. Only way to carry those big bores.

I did make a western rig with cartridge belt which is comfy to wear, look out Clint Eastwood.

Excellent work for a “rookie” The deer head is a very nice touch as is the buffalo nickel snap. Love that you have a traditional mark on your work, similar to BOM’s maker’s mark.

That is some great work Handloader and a beast of a revolver!

That's nice looking leather work!

Despite my advancing years I'm still clinging to two of my beasts, a .475 BFR (pictured in avatar) and a Freedom .454 and they both carry very well in a Von Ringler Wyoming shoulder holster. (Also in avatar)
I had a pair of .500 Smiths and a Bfr 45/70 but never did get holsters for them. They are gone but not really missed, a fading memory of a testosterone laden youth (in my 60's). A zippered oversize pistol case on my left side hanging from a rifle sling over the right shoulder worked in the place of proper leather.

Hatchdog wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 03, 2024 10:30 am

Excellent work for a “rookie” The deer head is a very nice touch as is the buffalo nickel snap. Love that you have a traditional mark on your work, similar to BOM’s maker’s mark.

I have made several holsters for friends all with buffalo snaps.

5shot wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 03, 2024 10:42 pm

That's nice looking leather work!

Despite my advancing years I'm still clinging to two of my beasts, a .475 BFR (pictured in avatar) and a Freedom .454 and they both carry very well in a Von Ringler Wyoming shoulder holster. (Also in avatar)
I had a pair of .500 Smiths and a Bfr 45/70 but never did get holsters for them. They are gone but not really missed, a fading memory of a testosterone laden youth (in my 60's). A zippered oversize pistol case on my left side hanging from a rifle sling over the right shoulder worked in the place of proper leather.

Almost 70 myself in a couple of months I am not a big guy at 145 ponds but can handle the 500 BFR both single and 2 handed at the range. I also have a Big Horn Armory .500 with collector's fancy walnut stock and grip. I am pretty lucky still have 20/20 vision and only use Skinner Peeps on all my Henrys 45/70, 30/30, 357 mag and 22 along with other rifles. I am pretty good out 100 yards and can hit 6" steel at 150 yards.

One of my .500's was a BFR. I remember that with the 400 gr. Sierra over a hatfull of H4227 it was super accurate. Recoil in IMO was a little grim.

It was also very accurate with my cast 400 gr. RCBS bullets sized to .501" but velocities had to be kept down or it would lead the forcing cone. My theory for that was with the super long cylinder that big chunk of lead travels a long way (nearly an inch IIRC) before it encounters rifling and is suddenly called upon to spin. I did like the BFR better than the Smith though.

Yup my BFR 500 loaded with a 350-grain bullet with 44 grains of H110 can be taxing at 34 ft-lb of recoil and very accurate at 75 yards.