Hip Pocket and Shoulder Holsters
By the mid to late 1800's many of the towns of the west had been reached by "civilization" and the genteel townfolk did not want those entering their towns "packing iron". Many of towns passed ordinances or "laws" against carrying a firearm within city limits. The Hip Pocket Holster and Shoulder Holster became quite popular, as they were either concealed in your pocket or coat/duster. The Hip Pocket Holster was made to carry either a small derringer or a "suicide special" which was a small, inexpensive revolver. The holster had two functions, the first being concealment of the weapon and the second kept in a readily available yet securely safe position. It conformed to most pockets and some had loops to carry extra bullets which kept them readily available for re-loading. The Hip Pocket Holster continued it's evolution through the early 1900's and was used more in the east than the west although it was extremely popular with western bankers and businessmen. The holster seems to have been created in the east and then moved on into the western territories and states.

Designed for large-caliber handguns the Shoulder Holster was easily concealed beneath a coat or duster. It seems to have come out of the western frontier and this "concealed weapons" holster was not only popular but extremely practical. Law enforcement and gunfighters alike used these holsters. The rig gave the wearer an extra gun when it was needed and the icing on the cake was that you still had a gun on your person after you had handed in your regular gun and gun belt to the local authorities to come into town. The first "true" design of the Shoulder Holster appeared around the late 1870's. This holster allowed the pistol to "hang" under the arm in a vertical position when it was worn with an oval shaped shoulder loop. There were three types of this holster. The "Texas" pattern was the first and most common of the holsters and was made popular by a Texas shooter named Ben Thompson. The holster was well used by many but if speed was required this rig was not what you wanted. It was hard to draw a large pistol from the holster as the pistol had to lift several inches "up" before it could clear leather. In the late 1890's the "Skeleton" or "Clip Spring" showed up on the northern plains and several improvements were made to the fast draw. The holster had a full back and a small boot cap where the muzzle rested and a leather-covered metal clip or a piece of riveted rawhide rested on the upper cylinder to contain the gun instead of a full leather pouch. This design enabled the the gun to be pulled out in one quick side motion.....but the drawback to this design was that it cost twice as much as a "Texas" pattern holster and so it became a specialty item due to it's cost. In the early 1900's a new design named the Half Breed came out. This design used the best of both of the older style holsters. The design used a spring clip retainer and semi-closed toe in combination with a full leather pouch that was left open along the main front seam for an easy draw....... http://www.cochiseleather.com/western-gun-leather-history.aspx