Why did the British and other Euro Armies typically wear holsters on the left?

Later note: this vid is overly simplistic. The one at the link is more specific and better, dealing with Brits in WW1 specifically: • How Were Revolvers Use...
In another Unexpected Video, The Bloke takes a look at the whys and wherefores of that peculiar (but not universal) old habit of wearing a pistol holster on the left that infested not only the Continentals, but also the British Army in the WW1-WW2 period and beyond.
Being The Bloke, he of course gets a little dressed up to do it. He just can't quite resist. May also contain traces of contortionism.
Such things might be at least vaguely interesting what with the release of Battlefield 1 and all that...
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[@lindybeige]

There is another reason, I think. Swords were traditionally worn on the left hip, and hung from a baldric that went from the Right shoulder to the left hip to distribute the weight. The pistol replaced the swords, and the baldrics remained the same.

[@jonwarland272]

Yes.

[@HorzaPanda]

Funny to see you here, that last comment made me think of your video on British officers

[@user-du3jr2gp1o]

lmao I thought the same thing lindybeige, also I wondered if you had covered this. I think you guys would get on well :P

[@mifflet]

Bloke on the Range ñ

[@maksuree]

*yells LINDYBEIGE in a wheezy old man voice*

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

A modern tanker holster (I'm a tanker) is worn on the chest, butt facing to the strong arm. (So it's basically a cross-draw, but well above the belt). Trust me, drop leg holsters do not really work well in a tank. I cannot explain the British thinking in the 1930s. (FWIW, when in a dismounted role, I changed to a low drop-leg, with a strap around the lower end to stop it from flapping). You are correct that speed of draw is not an issue.

[@jamesvandemark2086]

As I was in a US Army SP Artillery u nit, there were plenty of LH cross draw holsters for the 1911 Colt 45 available. This freed up needed space on the web belt for me in the field. Very handy.

[@Will-bo7kg]

You could say the thinking could have come from cavalry tradition, which was the bases for a lot of nations early tank practices. This makes sense since on a horse the simpler the movement the better as you are both trying to balance on and direct your mount in addition to doing so.

[@Will-bo7kg]

@Angie H. It's not really an issue when it's not your primary tool, such a side arm when operating a tank. It's more important it doesn't get in the way of operating the tank, their primary tool, than for it to be quickly drawable.

[@Will-bo7kg]

Okay it's just this thread was talking about tankers in the 1930s. So that doesn't make a lot of sense here.

[@pipes0987]

After I got out of the military I was a mercenary for a couple years. We had issued drop holsters for Iraq & Afghanistan and they got tangled up in everything, harness, headphone cables, mic cords, gear, etc.as well as making your cargo pocket useless which is a pain when you have to carry around your rations and extra stuff and they rub rub rub against your leg when your walking for miles. Everyone dumped them as soon as they could get a holster they could attach to their vest. Total poser useless gear that only works good at the range. 511 pant's that's another useless piece of junk product, too tight they always tear at the knee right above the knee patch and the cargo pockets are too small.

[@jakem9524]

"Drive the tank closer, as I wish to strike the enemy with my saber" -some British field commander somewhere.

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

"well they are called saber squadrons..." - his number two

[@frankrowland]

Sabre!

[@jamesharding3459]

@@frankrowland Bloody Yanks, can't even spell properly

[@GregTom2]

One other difference is that at the time there was no body armor. Soldiers were not instructed to hold the gun in both hands to expose non-existent armor plates, and they fired olympic style, with the pistol in one hand and in line with the dominant eye for optimal accuracy, and with the body in a sort of fencing guard to expose as little of a target as possible. If you draw your gun on the right, the first thing you can aim at is what's directly in front of you, in the direction of your belly button. If you draw your gun diagonally, you kind of whip it out, and the first thing you'll be aiming at is at your diagonal right. Basically, it can act as an incentive to take the then 'correct' position as you draw. Also, much more stylish to draw dramatically across your body as you get ready to execute prisoners. Drawing from the right side looks like a shrug. You wouldn't want your victims/your friends to think that you don't care about killing them. You want to look deliberate and determinated.

[@alphadelta2954]

I'll have to start having the holster on the left then. I do like to look stylish whilst executing my friends.

[@knightatthecrossroads222]

Alpha Delta Friends?☺ you mean political enemies no?Just joke....i think pistols were carried more not for self defence than rather for behaviour correcting purposes. ...or executions.

[@Dan272121]

Alpha Delta fashion is key

[@fanta4897]

What you said about the stance exposing armor plates... what if armor plate for olympic style shooting was developed? One large plate on the right side of your chest and belly? Wouldn't that be more effective considering that it would give more protection from enemy in front of you, less of a target to expose, better stance while shooting and only disadvantage would be if you'd be caught offguard by enemy on the flank?

[@kingweeb8014]

Shooting two-handed is the current doctrine because it allows for a much higher accurate rate of fire with a service pistol than shooting one-handed, while also allowing you to more quickly move and fire. Bullseye shooting competitions generally have a rule requiring one-handed shooting due to it being the "traditional" way to shoot handguns. These competitions usually involve shooting handguns chambered in weaker rounds like .22LR and .32 ACP which have much less recoil and muzzle flip than 9mm and .45 ACP. Bullseye pistols also differ from service pistols in that they often have compensators, weights at the muzzle, and a very low bore-axis to reduce muzzle rise as much as possible, none of which can be found on your average service pistol. They shoot one-handed because they are required to, but their guns are well-suited for it. Contrast this with current military doctrine and more practical shooting competitions like IPSC, IDPA, and USPSA which involve moving and firing multiple shots at targets, using cover, drawing from a holster, and reloading, generally with a pistol chambered in a more powerful cartridge than what would be used in bullseye shooting. They all shoot two-handed, which reduces muzzle rise and brings the pistol back on target much more quickly than one-handed techniques, especially important for shooting as rapidly as they do in these competitions with a more powerful handgun. Even in the divisions which allow for heavily modified guns with compensators, they still shoot two-handed whenever possible. Some stages require shooting one-handed or even with only your weak hand, and if you watch a video of this you'll notice that they don't fire as quickly one-handed as they do with two hands to allow extra time for the gun to get back on target. In general, people these days only shoot one-handed when necessary, and for good reason.

[@johnjones_1501]

Cops in America used to carry cross draw until the late 70s early 80s. Problem they found, is that when you are questioning someone, and the grip of your gun is facing out to them, it makes it really easy for the suspect to grab your own gun and shoot you with it. Of course this would be less of a problem in the military, but if a military officer is dealing with a deserter or a disciplinary issue, or escorting prisoners, I am sure it came up. The other problem is that you can not train groups of people to fire from a draw, with a cross draw holster. You have them standing on a line, they draw their pistols, and there is actually a moment where the weapon is aimed at the guy to your left, and if someone prematurely pulls a trigger, you have a problem.

[@johannesdolch]

And another question answered, that i never had in the first place. Thank you, youtube.

[@CheechNoChong-mb6wp]

Bolder dash. It is still history explained to those who do care. I did not know Utube was a private channel. If u don’t care, don’t watch. Thank you.

[@apropercuppa8612]

You're like a mixed bag of Forgotten Weapons and Lindybeige. I love it.

[@forbeshutton5487]

You've ignored the obvious, a holster under the right arm would get in the way of tucking the swagger stick/baton under the right arm. It could be done, but then the swagger stick might catch on the holster when they went to quickly present it, and everyone knows when a Hun suddenly appears in front of you, charging with a bayonet fixed, you need your swagger stick quickly.

[@evilfuzzydoom]

Or a bloody rifle!

[@canusakommando9692]

Forbes Hutton Fashion was more important in the very beginning of the war and the feeling was carried forward for the next two years . Things changed slowly. The riding crop could be useful in a sticky situation but being placed under ones dominant arm could pose a problem. Web gear and uniform may look swell but many very small hang ups come in that combo of man the soldier , dress and non lethal kit , and weapons.

[@TheSpacecraftX]

Don't forget your stick Lieutenant. Rather, sir. Wouldn't want to face a machine gun without this.

[@AttilaThebung]

Forbes Hutton except you don't carry a pace stick or cane unless you're a sergeant major

[@MajorArtillary]

Absolutely silly. Only a fool would try pulling a baton on a charging Hun. When the goon is bearing down on ye with bayonet in it's proper place, you are to do as Patton instructed. First, simply swat the bayonet out of your way with your left hand, then proceed to jerk your helmet off with your right hand and beat that dirty Boche until he looks like a pile of bloody sauerkraut.

[@Hercules1-v9m]

"What ever an officer does when he is not being a danger to himself." Truer words have never been spoken.

[@pweter351]

And everyone under thier command

[@microcolonel]

@@pweter351 nevermind them.

[@jamesharding3459]

@@microcolonel Value of human life aside, it takes 6 weeks to train a rifleman. It takes 4 years to train an officer to lead him.

[@microcolonel]

@@jamesharding3459 wish they took that long for riflemen, once more.

[@jamesharding3459]

@@microcolonel Why bother, though? Infantry hasn’t won a war since Napoleon, and even then it wasn’t clear. Air power and armored forces are what win wars nowadays, and there’s no need for their support personnel to be skilled infantry.

[@kosmocookieduster]

Well, I learned the difference between braces and suspenders. So call it a success.

[@RomeoWhiskey692]

Odd , I hadn't realized that Europeans , and Brits wore yours differently ... For us , the holsters for black powder revolvers started out being on the right , butt forward , muzzle to the rear , angled comfortably... the flap held by a stud that kept it closed . They were drawn by pushing up the flap with your thumb , turning the hand backwards grasping the butt with the fingers pulling it forward , thumb on the hammer to cock it when pointed at your opponent , ( single action , you know ). The bloody things WERE a foot long , after all ... Not UP , as you show here ... The left was where saber or sword was worn . When the transition to cartrige weapons occurred , the right side , butt forward carry was retained in some circles , cavalry in particular , as it was a safe , comfortable carry that did not interfere with mounting or dismounting horses ... and allowed a draw with the right , that wasn't across the body , getting hung up on bits of clothing , interfering with the reins in your left hand , or spooking your mount with all kinds of flailing about . This left the left ( see what I did there ) as a place for a bloody great knife , or other gear , when the sword fell out of favor . I also don't believe most gentlemen wore their holsters attached to their trousers belt , but wore a dedicated " pistol belt " , complete with holster , cartridge box , perhaps a sheathed knife ... some even had a strap going over the shoulder , under the epaulette on the opposite side from the pistol to hold the whole thing up . as well as the hooks on the tunic . If a man decided to forgo a pistol belt ( out on the town , say ) dressed in civilian attire , then most eschewed a holster altogether, and simply placed the weapon in their sash or belt . Some shoulder holsters were popular . With the advent of smokeless powder , and thus shorter , less unwieldy sidearms , the pistol turned butt to the rear , the flap disappeared off of all but military and police holsters ... right side carry was still the preferred method . High carry , raked forward ... drop leg , all were in vogue as clothing styles changed ... Both for revolvers and autoloaders when they came on the scene . I have carried a pistol on and off duty for the better part of forty years , successfully made the transition from revolvers to semiautos... and have tried many holsters and means of carry . I had to bow to the ideosycracies of different uniform regulations , and found what worked best for me , and I must say , " continental carry" looks damned slow and uncomfortable to me . Thanks for giving me some insight as to the travails of a young British officer in days of yore ... no wonder we always see them in paintings and photographs, with pistol drawn , lanyard attached and determined look firmly in place ... They were worried that if they holstered their weapon , they might not be able to retrieve it again ... Teasing ... teasing ... I'm sure our British cousins learned to work around their difficult carry , and did just fine .

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

love how you lost your train of thought after thinking about women's stockings 😁

[@jamespfp]

Feller could have a pretty good time in Vegas with stockings.

[@jasonferguson4247]

Do you know it was originally Dallas but the changed it to Vegas after JFK was killed? Great movie.

[@jamespfp]

Jason ferguson Indeed! One of the charms of the film is reading his lips. I think I marginally prefer that performance to the one he did for 1941, as well.

[@kirino652]

a note for our friends across the pond: what you call suspenders are actually garterbelts.

[@andrewholdaway813]

George nope, _suspenders_, attached to a _suspender_ belt and from which the stockings are _suspended_. A garter goes _around_ the leg in order to (less effectively) support the stocking.

[@hedgehoghunter007]

I have pondered this, I just assumed it was a hold over from sword days.

[@MoxJet629]

Good call. I'd bet you're right.

[@TheDachshundGaming]

Actually I believe the opposite is true. The sword was worn left and the pistol right. Both were drawn cross body. The sword in the dominate (right for most) hand, cause it was harder to use, and the pre-loaded pistol in the left which just needed a trigger squeeze. I believe the cross draw was also popular due to not elbowing your men in the face in tight formation. By keeping the draw cross body your limbs stay with in your body frame more then the high draw he demonstrates which in close order infantry doctrine days would have meant Sargent Smith getting his two fronts knocked out by his officer trying to draw his pistol and throwing an elbow in the process.

[@shooter575]

ACW sword on left.Pistol on right. American revolvers were sighted in for 75 yd. Draw pistol and fire till empty with left hand.Return to holster.Change reins hand,draw sword for attack. This done in 75 yd on charging horse. Textbook of cource.

[@hedgehoghunter007]

Jim Weber I meant after swords were gone.

[@kennkid9912]

I thought it was opposite.

[@VanishingNomad]

Another reason is so another cannot sneak up from behind and take the gun. I actually prefer the cross draw, for that reason.

[@qk-tb2df]

get a better holster or better concealment

[@harveysmith100]

"When an officer is not being a danger to himself." It was worth watching till the end for that one line.

[@bwcmakro]

I mean, they drive on the left, they carry their handguns on the left, seems pretty consistent to me.

[@violetraven9440]

They like the left

[@jamesharding3459]

@@violetraven9440 As a left-handed person, I approve of this.

[@harrylangton3206]

This video unexpectedly explained Bilbo's expression "tighten their belts" in the hobbit (which is what he said he'd have to do whenever he went hungry in The Hobbit). I always wondered as a kid why going hungry meant they lost so much weight at the hips, now I realise it's because his belt was around his waist :)

[@adelarsen9776]

"to encourage your men" - yes that's what it is....

[@fenrir6002]

It was the reason why officers carried lighter weapons than the soldiers they commanded. Pikemen would still have a commander with a sword and riflemen/grenadiers would have an officer with sword and/or pistol so as to easily turn and threaten or kill anyone trying to break formation and run away.

[@adelarsen9776]

Aaron Wolf On what planet did the officers carry a pistol or sword to kill their own men ? What fantasy stories have you been reading ?

[@adelarsen9776]

Frank McNicholl Isn't that obvious ? Ever seen how the system works ? You know ? Officers have better things to do than carry heavy weapons around, that would only interfere with their job as leaders and officers

[@fenrir6002]

Ade Larsen The same planet where Greek Hoplites had new soldiers in the front and the veterans in the third or fourth rank had orders to kill them if they didn't advance. It is the old idea, "put something scarier behind the men than what is in front and they will never break"

[@adelarsen9776]

Aaron Wolf I think that idea stopped being trained for 2000 years ago.

[@JacobKloutier]

Great video, love seeing gun history and culture from outside the states.

[@barrettus]

KZbin had this in my recommended. Good job, cheers!

[@Shadow_Hawk_Streaming]

There were also other issues around holstering to the right,on horseback a western gunslinger style holster wasn't really that good for keeping the gun in the holster,in some of the western movies as they transitioned to lower belts they did change to having it on the belt on the right because having the belt lower in a more ergonomic position made the dropleg redundant. Although the crossdraw was also rather problematic especially for horseback and falls in general because of where the grip of the pistol sits,namely ribs region possibly causing injury to one's ribs from a fall,hence why knives now tend to have the loop above the position of the knife pumel sometimes linked by a metal ring to allow free movement in the event of a fall,both from stabbing in the leg or the pumel going straight into your ribs or in general causing injury,better still some now have a sheath and frog setup to alow you to remove the knife without unsheathing it.

[@lockesnode1477]

Punctuation please.

[@mikegrossberg8624]

Multiple weapons were carried because non-cartridge revolvers are, at best, slow to reload. If you figured you were going to need more than six shots, real quick, you had to carry more guns, and a having a nice big, intimidating knife didn't hurt, either!

[@CounterNerd]

You look like Jason Statham if he had hair and a beard. Fuzzy Statham.

[@evanlong7977]

CounterNerd laughed to hard at this

[@braddonovan1786]

this answers a question I never had. excellent! always keen to learn new things

[@NicholasAarons]

Fantastic & Very Interesting Video. Keep up the great work. Nick.

[@montieluckett7036]

Soon as he said "belt down here", it hit me like a cold, dead fish in the face. Till then I'd never even gave it a thought.

[@marcelogonzalez8547]

Figured it out myself too after realizing how people tended to use belts at more appropiate and comfortable heights in the past. You wouldn't believe how modern jeans hip height fashion has ruined our conceptions of where a belt should go, they even make medieval plate armor reproductions that bend on the innatural hip height, those things will choke you to death the moment youneed to bend to sit or take a knee. The natural bending point for the human body is the waist, not the hip, so there is where a belt should go. It's not just fashion why they did it that way from WWII all the way back to the middle ages.

[@cinaetscott8340]

Nice little history lesson. Thanks Bloke!

[@Dr_Nuclear-sloth]

I like your personality. Seem genuinely like a nice person. Nice video and quite intresting

[@srspower]

Didn't it finish prematurely? You speak well a little like lindybeige but with actual firearms available. I think you'll go far :)

[@srspower]

Azazel Acheron Is he? That must have passed me by ...

[@lockesnode1477]

Just because of it has historically been used in a racist manner doesn't mean that the idea of eugenics has no merit. After all, natural selection tells us that some people are better in a given environment than others, hence evolution.

[@kennkid9912]

They are better perhaps because of the environment they are raised in....Silver spooning ???!!!!!!!! I suppose in identical circumstances ....

[@haroldbalzac6336]

@@lockesnode1477 the person you were replying to deleted their comment, it looks like you are arguing to yourself about eugenics.

[@baldrickthedungspreader3107]

@@haroldbalzac6336 what I wanna know is, how on earth did eugenics come up on a comment train about firearms? Well I guess that’s the internet for you, somewhere down the line eugenics will always pop up lol

[@juxvma542]

Bracers used buttons attached to the pants, suspenders have clips.

[@anglo-dutchsausage344]

juxvma542 Braces not bracers.. And pants is underwear, you mean trousers.. The english use their own english, you know, english.. so your logics makes little sense I'm afraid

[@juxvma542]

Mikal Nuttycombe Touche'

[@Mythic2827]

Wow! Fantastic overview as well as extremely informative! Thanks! :DDD

[@Swimstermatt]

Good information and every word is true. Keep the videos coming!

[@paullangford8179]

But the most important reason for the cross-draw is that you don't shoot yourself in the knee when you take the gun out! Take a look at the position of the gun relative to the body.

[@illustriouschin]

You sound like Lindy Beige and that ain't bad.

[@Rudas2007]

A poor mans Lindy Beige.

[@bracket8706]

Like a less charismatic lindybeige

[@illustriouschin]

Rudas2007 Lindy Beige is a poor man's Lindy Beige.

[@iatsd]

Although *slightly* more accurate on the fact front. Slightly.

[@tolkus53]

Informative and easy to watch. Good job!

[@neurofiedyamato8763]

This is very interesting and informative. Great video!

[@kedwardsTWO]

I think there is also an unspoken fact here, most people are right handed so the whole access thing demonstrated means more people will have it on the left to grab with their dominant hand.

[@omegav2626]

It's diet Vsauce

[@baldrickthedungspreader3107]

Military vsauce

[@alejandrogonzales7022]

man! that stern face every time he presents the pistol... I'm dieing over here!!! hahaha! great video. love the info. keep up the good work

[@luciusquinctiuscincinnatus6627]

Thank you for the historical information. Grand video keep it up mate.

[@WhatAreYouBuyen]

Gotta have fashionable soldiers if you wanna earn the respect of your enemies

[@madmartinmarshgiles4763]

WhatAreYouBuyen wasn't it Hugo Boss that made the Nazi uniforms?

[@bigbababh7639]

not just Hugo Boss all of the italian clothlines like armani and others made them together for the germans/austrian army. We could stop there but its not all about fashion search for IBM selling punch cards for jews to the germans an automatic system to collect the data of jews. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust

[@ultradarkforce5537]

You've got a great channel - very interesting content. I think you have pretty much solidified my desire to eventually acquire a No.4 Lee Enfield. If only .303 British ammo was more common in my area of the U.S. How popular is firearm culture in Great Britain? Please excuse my ignorance if that was not properly phrased - I'm not exactly sure where you are.

[@witjj7852]

Ultra Dark Force We don't have a firearms culture anymore i live in the middle of the country with hundreds of farms surrounding me and only know about 4 people who own guns. I also have friends who have never seen a gun in their life other than in museums. hope that helps with your understanding.

[@ultradarkforce5537]

+Witjj That is what I assumed, but the creator of the video seems to be very much into the hobby.

[@witjj7852]

Ultra Dark Force Yea you can still get licences for firearms but it can be extremely hard to get them.

[@ultradarkforce5537]

Guilty until proven innocent.

[@ultradarkforce5537]

I just watched the FAQ video. Didn't realize he is in Switzerland.

[@vinnyganzano1930]

Cross draw is a lot more comfortable and quick. A western style draw rig hanging low on the right is also ok.

[@dav3282]

I enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.

[@thecrafterman541]

would it also have something to do with the fact that swords were generally worn on the opposite side of the sword hand and the pistol was a sort of translation of that fact from sword to holstered firearm?

[@thecrafterman541]

Bloke on the Range Ah. So I wonder, where was the pistol holstered when a sword was present? (In my mind I'm imagining pirate style, across the chest, but that's probably not so eh?)

[@thecrafterman541]

Bloke on the Range Aho! Many thanks bloke!

[@chrisvalentine3017]

Quite right, And what are you going to do with your sword? Just try and draw that weapon and use it with your left and use it left handed. We about talking about WW1 here. This is when the primary weapon for an officer was the arme blanc, not the pistol/revolver

[@monkeyspankerful]

Brilliant. Good humoured.... Are you an ex soldier bloke? You seem to know a lot about Officers and the fact that they endanger themselves!!! Hehe.

[@killersalmon4359]

I think you missed the bit before about "encouraging your men". During WWI, it wasn't unknown for officers to shoot their own men dead to "encourage" them. I think some of them even got decorated for it, although that may be apocryphal, i.e. Subaltern So-and-so, sensing his men were about to panic, and abandon their position in the face of the advancing Germans, using quick thinking, shot two of his own men through the head, thus preventing panic, and causing them to find their courage, and repel the attack. For this, So-and-so demonstrated cool thinking in the finest tradition of the army, and is recommended for the MC."

[@mickmoriarty7780]

My first holster set up when I worked in the prisons was a cross drawer holster with flap. I was trained to wear it at the front on the left side. When drawing the revolver (Model 10 Smith and Wesson), the flap was lifted with your left hand, you arched your torso up, which presented the revolvers handful and it could be drawn very quickly. This style of holster allowed the quickest draw of any issue holster that I used over the next 23 odd years. Unfortunately, it didn't look as cool and I think that, combined with the fact that most officers weren't trained in It's use properly saw it being made obeselete.

[@JustinLaFleur1990]

I believe it was made obsolete because it lacked any form of active retention. And in a place such as a prison that's where you REALLY want to keep retention of your firearm. If only a flap is what keeps the gun in the holster than an Inmate or criminal (for an officer on the streets) could easily snatch your duty weapon and use it on the officer

[@MonkPetite]

I love the explanation about braces and suspenders, that was spot on !

[@HoundXXII]

A very Lindybeige feel, but still, great video my man

[@Marc83Aus]

Same, Basically lindy with more guns.

[@trikkinikki970]

Bearded British Blokes is a niche market.

[@biggles1024]

Any form of belt carry was a PITA when in and around Centurion and Leopard tanks. I know this from personal experience. Most of us bought our own shoulder holsters which kept our 9mm out of our way and largely out of the rain too. Not such a big problem for the cavalry in their M113's because they had so much room to move around in, once they'd kicked the grunts out. :P Cheers from Oz.

[@Shadow_Hawk_Streaming]

I wonder if militaries have ever considered having fitted holsters in the tanks for the crew that they either detach and wear or they perhaps use say canvas holsters (ideally a new fangled technology rather than canvas)that can drop flat while they're in the tank with the weapons stowed in the tank. I would have thought that would make loads of sense,same for issuing them with perhaps takedown rifles using the same magazines(or extended) as their sidearms/kits to add a stock and longer barrel to their sidearms if they're far behind enemy lines.

[@mikesavage8793]

German tankers overalls have a built-in holster sleeve under the left arm. Well, more in front of the shoulder.

[@trishooty4513]

Well the idea of a sidearm is more an emergency defencive handgun, rather than a battlefield primary arm. So if your tank is taken out and you need to bail in a hurry, you do not want to worry about remembering to grab and holster your sidearm.

[@raydinardo5198]

@@trishooty4513but what if the officer is left handed? Do they still wear the holster on the left hip?

[@paultroiani255]

Totally interesting concept. I have always wondered. subscribed!

[@BlackjackTheLad]

COLOR MIXING OF HOLSTER/BELT IS IMMORAL REEEEEEEEEEEE

[@Kumimono]

Tradition? That's where the sword would be, on an officer. Just my 2 eurocents.

[@mistahsusan2650]

I'm not going to be immature and call FIRST!!! that'd be childish and immature.

[@jwc00789]

Also, back during that time, training for cross draw carry had the Flap lifted with the left hand so that draw with the right hand was very quickly done. With strong side carry, one must lift the Flap with the right hand and then draw with the right hand which is inherently slower.

[@TheOwlol]

Not really sure why this video was in my recommended, but it was very interesting and informative. I liked it a lot.

[@Mellowcanuck33]

That's where their swords used to be?

[@paullytle246]

Mellowcanuck33 for infantry yes for cavalry it would be on the left sometimes right sometimes as well

[@Aegox]

Unless you're a roman soldier, then it was on the right so you wouldn't worry about your shield in the way while hiding behind it.

[@mysss29]

eh? what cavalry wore their sabres on the right? :o also, yeah! what did they do in the cavalry, and when they had sabres? I'm only familiar with American cavalry...who as far as I know wore their belts at the current height???

[@airnt]

most britisch in WWI cav had the sword on the saddle if memory serves me right... and on the left most earlier cav had pistols on the saddle and the sabres quite far down the left side (god knows why... it is terribly annoying)

[@stainmorelegend]

Yes. The infantry sword was worn on the left for ergonomic reasons, with a belt over the right shoulder supporting the weight. This was adapted into the Sam Browne belt combination which is now ceremonial and has reverted to supporting the sword. The pistol followed tradition rather than fashion - and yes it is easier to draw a pistol from the opposite side unless it is low slung. An officer would draw his pistol before leading his men over the top so speed of draw was not really an issue, though. BotR is right about the height of the belt making a difference, especially for shorter chaps where the gap between the waist and armpit is not so great. Nowadays, a pistol is more likely to be worn in a shoulder holster under the side opposite the shooting hand, (usually the right). Few carry a pistol now, except as a concealed weapon, for specific tasks. As a personal weapon the pistol is carried by MTOs and other REMFs, mainly.

[@cat2556]

Bloke on the Beige

[@mickmoriarty5442]

I was trained to draw from a flap holster worn on my weak side. The weak hand opens the flap (or undoes the strap) and very importantly, you draw your torso up, which tightens your belt and holds the holster firm against you, as you draw the gun. Once mastered, it is as quick as a cowboy holster. In fact, it was way quicker than the new holsters we wore in the mid 80s, but they wouldn't let me wear my Smith and Wesson Model10 in one as well, uniform, is uniform.

[@magistrumartium]

I always thought it looked odd, but now it makes sense. The Sam Brown belt was so high up on the waist, it just makes sense. Thanks!

[@bryank5523]

lindey beige but about guns =:D

[@jksloves2edit]

you are! keep up the great work :D

[@otto2616]

Wow you really remind me of lindenbaige you guys should make a video together some time

[@Yusuf1187]

"because I'm British." :D

[@jaydenturrell5102]

I was hoping someone would make that observation

[@otto2616]

OHP77 no not just that, he says "a point about" also they explain very similarly

[@otto2616]

Jayden Turrell really?

[@Yusuf1187]

I know, I just thought that was a funny example because it's the same phrase Lloyd uses a lot. I agree these guys are similar in more ways, like how they have their costumes and props to demonstrate their point and show how it would work different ways, etc. He made me think of Lloyd too.

[@michaelgoldman1433]

Excellent video mate

[@criffermaclennan]

excellent bloking as always

[@dragonwickster]

The reason is wearing a pistol on the left is it makes it harder for the weapon to be grabbed from behind. Also wearing a lanyard makes it very difficult for your weapon to be used against you (you smack down on the lanyard with your forearm).

[@dragonwickster]

Bloke on the Range In combat conditions a pistol/revolver is CQB, it's one step away from bayonets

[@dragonwickster]

Our primary personal weapon was the Sterling SMG, but you could also be issue with a Browning HP. And in NI we had HPs

[@dragonwickster]

Bloke on the Range yep, it comes from WWII. In particular the experience of Royal Marine Commandos. BTW I like your videos.

[@claverhouse1]

In WW2 the vast majority of Commandos were Army Commandos not RM, it was only post WW2 that the designation became in the main restricted to RMs. And as elite troops they had a certain leeway in personal equipment so carried their gear to personal taste. Pictures exist of pistol holsters carried on both right and left, in particular you will find photographs of Lord Lovat with his pistol on either side, presumably as to how he felt when he got up that morning.

[@norman3605]

"Vaguely"? Yes, that is a good word. 😝

[@jamespfp]

Is it vague uncertainties, or uncertain vagaries?

[@RejectedSonnet]

Vague uncertainties, as far as I'm aware.

[@Achtung73]

With the holster on the left set-up for a cross draw you can also access the weapon with your left hand far more easily if your right hand is incapacitated or unavailable.

[@Jayhawkga]

A good practical demonstration is worth two pages in a history book. Now I know. Thanks.

[@thurin84]

is that a swiss tunic and belt?

[@tanachronos]

I knew it!

[@thurin84]

thought so. thanks

[@markiv2942]

You wear spenders with stockings under neath that all?

[@ShaddySoldier]

Mark IV lacey ones

[@markiv2942]

Really? Me too!

[@JackstandJohnny]

carroj9 Womens stockings to keep warm when riding in cold weather? That seems like a lie, told by someone whos never been on a bike in the cold.

[@waltermachnicz5490]

I think the fact it is much easier to draw when sitting. Do know why or how important this might be but it is true.

[@HillbillyHades]

Never even thought about this. The more you know.

[@Thrawnmulus]

OK, so braces are suspenders, suspenders are garters... so then what do British people mean when they say garters (unless it's suspenders for men and garters for women, highly redundant if you ask me)?

[@Wookie_oo7]

I'm not going to lie mate, as soon as you spouted this line I chose it upvote you. While I am one of your convict babies and as such have chosen words of our own to use, we still hold to several the same as you Brits. I am glad you didnt Americanise your speech and making it easier for the Commonwealth people to understand you.

[@p.e.i.man-canada-1372]

Yes garters are for socks.

[@rancidpitts8243]

Learning to speak as a toddler in the USA I was exposed to not only the American vocabulary but also the British. I am amused to see the productions Americans go through to educate the British on the proper way to speak and vice versa. I was at one time very fluid in changing from American to The Queen's English.

[@AnthonyBerkshire]

Is this channel inspired by Lindybeige?

[@BretekV]

It does seem to have some influence from Lindybeige, at least there are similarities. However I wouldn't say this is a bad thing.. who doesn't want to be beige? At any rate, Lindybeige covers a very wide array of topics covering centuries of warfare and ordinary life. This bloke seems to be particularly interested in firearms specifically which differentiates his channel adequately to be his own creation.

[@AnthonyBerkshire]

***** Thank you for your answer. Normally you are outside and doing some shooting. I didnt asked this because of negativ reasons. I just wondered.

[@JonatasAdoM]

The Gunbeige.

[@troy9477]

"Or whatever else an officer does with his pistol out, besides being a danger to himself". Lol. Very well put.

[@michaelwhite9199]

I think this was the video that introduced me to BotR. Still great 5 years later!

[@BERNTRR]

you sound like lindybeige at 0.75% speed

[@Marvin.Runyon]

Is that a Spandau?

[@wikieditspam]

I figured everything was a Mauser.

[@Name-ps9fx]

No, it's a Bren...:D

[@greywuuf]

I realize that this is a continental over view, but the placement of holster for sidearms in the US military was also dictated by the "other" side arm of the time ....namely a saber. ....so you may want to go back slightly farther than the first world war....to research when pistols were first carried as side arms ....because often once a thing is set ..it becomes tradition and is "just done that way" The US Calvary started out requiring a saber on the left leaving the right for the cap and ball revolver.....to get around the ungainly shoulder high draw....they were carried butt forward and employed a twist draw. If indeed continental armies carried firearms at the time similar considerations may have been made and may have influenced later "fashion " or doctrine .

[@ryann5247]

In the US, holsters have been worn on the right a long time. Originally it was worn butt forward because the pistol was meant to be shot in the left hand and the Saber was meant to be used in the right hand. About the time of the civil war the Saber was replaced with a second pistol, both still worn butt forward and cross drawn, and it wasnt until, as you mentioned, the regulation height of trousers was dropped that the pistol was turned around. However civilians had been drawing from the same side by either doing the cavalry twist, which draws forward instead of up into the armpit, or employing western holsters

[@pebear]

Was it Americans from the American west that started to wear their pants off their hips with a belt? Thus the low slung holster on the right hip? Or I guess what I'm asking, is where did the modern style come from?

[@flyboymike111357]

Cowboys didn't wear their pants at the hip, and their "drop leg" holsters they wore if they didn't cross draw were just civil war style cavalry holsters with the flaps deleted. They would their holsters down over their hips, just right of the appendix, or the flank of their buttock and had a bracing strap of some kind (usually high on the inside of the thigh or groin) to stop the gun from beating them up on the trail. The modern and historical drop leg holsters seen in movies and TV today often swing too much to be practical, and many people have started to redesign or modify their drop leg holster to be more like the ones that were actually worn by cowboys. Kind of like how the cowboy style single-point sling is coming back in to use for carbines and some shotguns.

[@flyboymike111357]

They'd look something like this, but made of leather and with no top strap (unless they were in the early 20th century). tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.Mea9fb5266b0ed93fb41f7f5d01929314o0&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0 www.bing.com/images/search?q=drop+leg+holster&view=detailv2&&id=AB7309E76CF26203A7DB3FA61456704C09917EDB&selectedIndex=10&ccid=AFHxASO3&simid=608055830041723896&thid=OIP.M0051f10123b79d45ef28971e96585c5eo0

[@mikegrossberg8624]

The kind of gunbelt people think of as "western", i.e. a wide belt with a skirted holster hanging from a slot cut into the bottom of it, called a "Buscadero" rig, is largely a product of Hollywood. Most REAL cowhands(calling one a "cowboy" was, actually, looking for a fight) wore their holsters looped OVER their belts, in a fairly high carry. The US military, until the advent of the M1911, usually carried their pistols on the right side, butt first, the muzzle angled slightly backward. Which, of course, kept it from poking into your thigh while you were on your horse

[@danieltaylor5542]

Was it common to wear braces and suspenders at the same time? *edited for spelling

[@mistahsusan2650]

Only if you were in the Marines...

[@russell6167]

Braces*

[@danieltaylor5542]

Thank you for the correction sir.

[@mikesavage8793]

Oddly enough, men did wear both braces and suspenders. The braces to keep one's trousers up, the suspenders to keep your socks up. The suspenders went around the leg just below the knee.

[@danieltaylor5542]

I can't believe no one has mentioned lumberjacks yet.

[@paddywonka]

Wearing a holster (case) on the left side (cross draw) has the added advantage of being a lot easier to draw if seated.

[@exexpat11]

Riding or Driving Holsters.

[@anderstroberg3704]

I find left hand holsters easier in some situations, especially when there is not much elbow room (such as when sitting in a car or with the back against a corner, such as in some cover situations). I also find it a bit easier to assist with the left hand when drawing and holstering. It also gets less in the way when I just drop my primary gun to let it hang in the sling, as it will drop to my right side. On top of that, my elbow is a bit wonky and it hurts a little when I bend it too much, which also makes right side holsters impractical. My main issue with left side draw is that it's not straight. With a right side draw, the gun is always pointed forwards, but with a left side draw, the muzzle is swept all over the place, making accidental shootings more likely. So, all in all, left hand draw has some advantages.

[@patio87]

Braces go on your teeth.

[@Bunters196]

Glasses hold your drink and also go on your face. What's your point. It can be two things.

[@FuriKitten]

Bracers are used for Archery

[@sadrockwell]

suspenders justs makes more sense. your pants are suspended from them.

[@FuriKitten]

Seth Rockwell a brace is a support, makes more sense too

[@L3A1N8]

Oh dear. I think you mean trousers ;)

[@gswovoka6286]

Cross draw is frowned upon by many these days because of the difficulty in not sweeping your own foot and leg during the draw. Heavy training is needed to be aware of that. There are some you tube videos of people shooting themselves in the leg or foot. Not fun!

[@claverhouse1]

Lots of modern troops carrying handguns on left side of body armour/plate carrier

[@hongockimquang1994]

I think it worked out quite good in the concealment situation: Put a hand in your jacket innocently and pull out a gun, the jacket will help hiding it until then. Meanwhile putting the gun on the right hip will need more movements. What about putting the gun on the right thigh, I mean just lower than the right hip and the gun just rests at the same position as your hand in a standing pose. It eases off movement and very natural...?

[@yvindalexanderfrivold]

wearing your belt so high that your holster becomes a shoulder holster.

[@heikopanzlaff3789]

Ever seen this post war dropping holster for the german P 38 ? Seems the german military learned about this situation. Tank guys and aircraft personal now have an integrated holster in their overalls .

[@jimomaha7809]

You probably are unaware that the first tank dropleg holsters also had a legstrap. Thats the reason why they were longer. The tanker holster were actually worn on the thigh. Later the longer strap was shortend into the top loop. The loop under the holster was were the 2 inch legstrap would go through. Later open holster models were directly made that way. And even later tank crew were issued with the regular closed webbing holster.

[@reality-cheque]

Thanks for the video. A 'Sam Browne' was worn to take the weight of the pistol - keeping the belt horizontal. In the 1870's Basil Templar Graham-Montgomery replaced the 'Sam Browne' diagonal belt with two vertical belts, over each shoulder, to take the weight of his pistol and binoculars... ...later evolving into standard battledress 'webbing' with ammunition pouches.

[@pieface1726]

I like how he answers the question in the thumbnail of the video.

[@Catubrannos]

Many British and Empire officers wore their holsters on the right. The holster was attached in a way so that it tilted forward avoiding the problem of the armpit getting in the way. This was a tie-over from when a sword was worn on the left. The sword being worn on the left because it was easier to pull across the body than straight up - with one proviso. The Romans originally wore their swords on the right after Celtic fashion because when in a tight formation with the shields in front it was difficult to draw a sword across the body. It also made it easier for cavalry who would hold the reins in the same hand as a large shield to draw from the right side rather than having to pull a sword from under the hand holding the shield and reins.

[@antonpercival1807]

As I understand it, one reason for the cross draw configuration was because if you were laying on your belly and had to draw your weapon, you could snake your arm under you to get the pistol with raising your arm and, potentially be spotted, as would happen if the pistol was holstered on your right. Or so I was told.

[@JorgeGarcia-lw7vc]

Fun and interesting video. I also speculate if traditional legacies from wearing sword sheaths on the left or riding horses also contributed to the reason of cross draw holstering. Thanks for posting!

[@petesheppard1709]

This also makes mag pouches and cartridge loops on the holster make sense--they are easy to reach with the left hand. With a belt high up at the natural waist, the holster is close to where a shoulder holster would hang. Thanks for the video!

[@slickuae]

Entertaining! If you haven't already would you consider doing a feature on the Cavalry Draw holster

[@eiclanlan2854]

I used to have one of those mk4 Webley with that holster,lots of fun to shoot