Frontier Battalion Texas Rangers Exhibit

THE FRONTIER BATTALION EXHIBIT … On location at Enchanted Springs, Boerne, Texas.

Individuals that are interested in the Frontier Battalion Texas Rangers (1874-1901) will find this web page and our exhibits interesting in that we attempt to cover as much of the history of the Battalion as we possibly can. This is done through displays of photos, weapons, badges, clothing, personal Ranger items, and through historical reenactments. Included on our web pages and on location is a limited display of the modern Texas Rangers. Changes to the Modern Texas Rangers will be done as changes are made within the Texas Rangers/Department of Public Safety.

The items shown in the side bar is a very short list of items that are displayed during some of our Enchanted Springs exhibits. Full exhibits are provided during events when requested.

• 19th Century Firearms
• Texas Ranger Artifacts
• Texas Ranger photographs. * Texas Ranger Badges
• Restraint Devices
• Mexican Revolution period items
• Bridgeport Rig
• Ranger autographs
• And on occasions plains Indian artifacts
  Crow, Sioux, Flathead, and Northern Cheyenne

About the Bridgeport Rig.

Thanks to Michael Pugh for the demonstration.

The Bridgeport Rig was patented in 1882 by Louis S. Flatau, sheriff of Camp County, Texas.

Flatau envisioned mounting the item on a belt or a saddle. He may have targeted military contracts with this dual-purpose
concept; in fact, he approached the army within a few months of receiving his patent.

The U.S. Army tried 500 Flautau “pistol holders” among infantry and cavalry units in the Southwest during 1883. These were h3. fabricated by the Bridgeport Gun Implement Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

The Army found Bridgeport Rigs unsuitable because the revolver is not protected from moisture and dirt.

Some of the rejected army rigs entered the civilian market as surplus in later years.

While the Flatau device was dismissed in military circles, it did enjoy limited acceptance among some frontier civilians, particularly peace officers and other professional gunmen who appreciated its speed of access.

The Bridgeport Gun Implement Company may have continued commercial manufacture of the Flatau “pistol holder” into the 1890s, marketing it to western saddlers through various outfitting and supply houses.

Period photographs and scattered references indicate that the Bridgeport Rig was used by some lawmen into the early twentieth century.

James B. Gillett Texas Ranger said of the Bridgeport Rig, “I had always worn a pistol in a belt holster, and I was used to drawing fast from that position…A little later, I put on a belt which carried two Colts without a holster…I could swing the gun muzzles up or down, and they were out of the way and at the same time ready for instant use. I could shoot the pistols — though I never had to — without drawing them, just as one shoots out of an open-toed swivel holster.”

Information on the DPS and Ranger “Bottle Cap” badges of the mid 1950’S

The Bottle Cap badge was the name given to the blue filled Ranger and Highway Patrol badge which was issued to the Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers in 1957. It was not very popular with either department. The bottle cap (original cap shown) with the badges is from the 50’S and shows the circle and star image printed upon the surface of the cap. The circle and star on the badge resembled the pop bottle cap and so the badge was nick named the “Bottle Cap Badge.” After this badge came the Cinco Peso badge which was issued in 1962 and is still in current use.

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