For more information, visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. Hello Mike: Like the other readers, I really enjoyed the history on how the clamshell holster came to be. Uncompromising Security 'NO BUCKLE' $32.97 0 Bids or Buy It Now 5d 19h See Details Vintage Flashlight Yonkers NY Police Black Patent leather Holster $20.16 Buy It Now or Best Offer See Details I don't know much about it. The clam shell may not have been perfect, but it worked for me as well as hundreds of other skilled police officers. Would you email me please? In the post-war era, the design continued to grow in popularity, particularly in Southern California, the heart of clamshell holster production. Drawing a revolver from a clamshell wasnt just an action, it was an event! However, due to the on-call nature of the job, we understand that officers need to have the flexibility to gear up for heavy-duty encounters at a moment's notice. Great Part II! Wow, thank you! With the notable exception of the AE Nelson Leather Company, nobody is making breakfront police duty holsters anymore. To open it up, the user inserted the index finger of his gun hand into the area of the trigger guard, and pushed inwards on a camouflaged button (that was hidden underneath a layer of leather, just forward of the trigger face) to release the latch, at which point the halves rapidly separated under spring pressure, releasing the gun. One of them with a Model 19 and a three row speedloader pouch. One of them, an obscure outfit named Jicarilla Apache Tribal (J.A.T.) Thank you for writing in and adding to the story of these iconic holsters. The two problems: "A man who has nothing which he cares about more than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the existing of better men than himself.". But thanks so much!!! Additionally, since the closure springs went around the cups, the cups helped to obtain a uniform clamping force on the gun in the holster. Vintage Clamshell Gun Holster Police. Indeed. I did have a Beretta .380 custom for off duty. Gould & Goodrich Gould and Goodrich Adjustable Tension Level 2 Leather Duty Holster. One of my sergeants used one of these for a while (we were issued S&W M66 at the time). MSRP ranges $189 to $245. By hiding the release button from public view, and locating it in a place where access was naturally restricted by the trigger guard, the design made it difficult for someone who was not well-versed in the holsters operation to get it open. Jack, no explanation is needed here. ), improved shape retention, the ability to use less expensive cuts of leather and cheaper tanning processes for the outer layer of leather, and improved rigidity for protection of the gun. Spring Cleaning Clearance: 10% OFF on Shoulder Holsters. This seller consistently earned 5-star reviews, shipped on time, and replied quickly to any messages they received. Phone Model: APX 6000 (NON-XE) / 8000 (NON-XE) MSRP: $84.99. Keith, Elmer. Create Account; Log Out ; Log In ; Wishlist 0; Shopping Cart 0; Home; About 3.2 out of 5 star rating (21 reviews) . The mags had a dual spring system for constant feed rate so they never lost tension as the mags emptied. Never have used a swivel, but I have owned Hoyts and Nelson holsters when we exclusively carried revolvers. $20.13. This greatly improved the quality of the draw compared to other breakfront designs, in essence providing the security of a Model 27 with the draw of the Hoyt. 2016 to 2023 RevolverGuy.com, All Rights Reserved. Some officers perfected a method where the gun was placed against the outer shell and held in place by the thumb, as the fingers pushed the clamshell together against the side of the leg, but this could be difficult to execute when the other hand was busy controlling a suspect, and impossible to do on the move. Find Your Perfect Fit Now! Vintage Leather Police Swivel Holster NostalgicProductions (150) $65.00 FREE shipping Sig Sauer P365 XL - Wee Deluxe IWB Holster - LEFT Hand Draw Hybrid Single Swivel Clip with Mod 4clip CelticHolsters $69.95 FREE shipping Vintage Hume Plain Black Leather Old Police Snap Swivel Gun Holster for S&W K Frame Models 10 11 12 15 19 64 65 66 67 68 4" Ill still be carrying firearms though for the rest of my life and Ill be coming back to Ted Blocker Holsters so theyll ride in the best. The MSRPs for these holsters start at $108. Designed by Bill Rogers, the 070 has been made by Safariland since the mid-1980s. Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Larry Mudgett #15467. This holster has not been used ammo loops have never had any ammo in them and holster has a scratches from having a revolver been inserted. German Police Surplus Shoulder Holster, Used. Glad to have you here, and THANK YOU for your 15 years of service during a dangerous era for LE. The BOSS was a sophisticated design that used a variety of materials in its construction. Happy to try and answer it! I realize that the fixed-position holster can sometimes interfere with how you sit in a vehicle, but for many years we had a holster that would swivel, and after a few years and it spinning around, you would always worry that the holster would break off and fall off your belt. For a few years, the Safariland Model 275 competed directly with Rogers WRATH, but when Rogers sold his holster company to Safariland in 1985, the Model 275 cornered the market for revolver breakfront security holsters. I about broke it trying to figure out a way to sneak the gun out of it. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage Police Don Hume RH Leather Swivel Holster with 12 Cartridge Loops at the best online prices at eBay! Reholstering a gun in a clamshell holster could be an awkward affair, that usually involved two hands. For more information, visit safariland.com or call 800-347-1200. A few classics are still with us. Several of us there carried in clamshell holsters. Los Angeles Police US Clark Pistol Revolver Gun Leather Holster 38 Parent 6 RM 510.92 RM 161.80 shipping or Best Offer Then later, the desk jockeys at the Office decided they hadnt impaired the street guys enough, so they came up with a mandatory issue, a Tex Shoemaker (sp?) The clam shell was an awesome system for those who were well trained with it. All rights reserved. The trigger guard lock was also omitted on the WRATH, but the routing of the safety strap behind the trigger guard, and the cylinder recess in the holster body, provided a similar protection from an upward draw / snatch attempt. 1965. It was faster and more secure than the Jordan holster with its awkward safety strap, and it was easier to draw from while seatedin a car. Concealed carry holsters for Colt Python - Old-World Quality, 1000+ Customer Reviews & 5-Year Warranty. The Safety Speed Holster company (est. If this is your first visit be sure to check out the frequently asked questions by clicking here. The Chief had wanted him gone for years and that was the latest ploy. Even after the department finally switched to a high ride breakfront holster made by Bianchi in the mid-1970s, Los Angeles police officers were allowed to purchase their own clamshells and use them on duty, which they did with great enthusiasm into the 1980s. Also, as a young pup, some of my partners were laterals from Pasadena and this was where I got to see these clamshells up close. Yes, clamshell coppers had to hold onto their holsters when they ran, had to get them readjusted once in a while so their sixgun didnt go tumbling, and often longed for a third hand when it was time to reholster, but they thought the tradeoffs were worth it to have the fastest rig around for a six inch duty gun. I was recently involved in an incident where an assailant attacked me from behind and made several attempts to extract my weapon out of its holster. Neat piece. Was like riding a bike! HOLSTERS BY GUN MODEL. The WRS Level 3 offers a natural draw that is not hampered by needlessly complex security devices. The arrogance of public officials must be curtailed. Police duty belts, holsters and pouches all at discounted prices. But I carried a high rise , no swivel, clamshell with my M66 4 inch, really fast, worked great with LOTS of training! Good stuff. I am guessing that I am the last police officer to ever carry the clam shell holster. Theres a 1970s speedloader article that might bring back a few memories! The holster features the Grab-Resistant. Im working on a crossdraw article where Lewis will get a mention! Ace. Were having fun here and Im glad youre enjoying the ride! Oh well, I was an old guy by then, so they pretty much let do my own thing. A picture is below, my revolver is not for sale. I didnt know the design was as old as it is, and can only wonder why it was so popular in Californiathen again, it is California. I have not seen an officer with a swivel for years. The 357M is likely shorthand for .357 Magnumthis could be a reference to caliber, but instead I think its more likely a reference to the S&W pre-Model 27, which was simply called, The .357 Magnum before model numbers were assigned to all guns in the 1950s. Very detailed and informative. Following the success of its initial collaboration with Vertx, Premier Body Armor announces its continued partnership. For more information, visit daraholsters.com or call 919-665-5316. Using thick Kydex and Melonite-finished steel, the Duty Holster from Dara Holsters & Gear is backed by a lifetime no B.S. Best wishes. We fought the bad guys head on. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Designed by Bill Rogers, the 070 has been made by Safariland since the mid-1980s. Keep up this series. The inventor of the clamshell holster was Mr. Frank C. Jewett, whose patent for the design was granted on 10 October 1933. Awesome article! Lexipol. 89 members and 33755 guests. He makes rigs for a lot of LEO who are usually (a) single, and (b) dont have support payments. Alas, weve lost a bit of the fine art in sidearms today. The author would like to thank John Bianchi and Bill Rogers for their assistance with this article and for their outstanding contributions to holster development. Specializing in hard to find vintage gun holsters, ammo accessories, gun belts and gear with worldwide shipping. Gotta love pilot humor! I carried one my whole career. Dont repeat this (Ill deny I was there), but there is a shrine in his house dedicated to the Lee Enfield rifles, and to the Webley and Smith & Wesson revolvers. : No Item Description: Old Akah holster (Leather) will work with swivel but not included. SPECIFICATIONS Right Hand fit for Glock 43. Back in the 1970s and 80s, many a small city department, and even many less affluent county sheriffs departments, you bought your own sidearm and leather. Thanks for the article now I know the whole story on a holster that served me well. Back. While improved weapon retention training has contributed to saving many officers lives, there is little doubt that quality retention holsters can help keep the duty pistol out of an offenders hands. The image of those great sixguns being drawn from the trick holsters was pure TV magic! I do wish youd cool it on EBay though, so I could win some of those bids myself. This less resistant spring made for an easier presentation, but sacrificed some security. Thanks for the info. The heart of the holster was a polycarbonate spine that began at the bottom edge of the holster and worked along the rear edge of the holster to the trigger guard area. Lexipol. Even with both of these features engaged, an officer can draw the duty gun quickly. In 1947, he was shot in the stomach with the bullet lodge against his spine. In the WRATH, the polycarbonate spine was replaced by features which accomplished the same goals without the extra weight and bulk. Alfonsos J21 Plain Black Leather Suede Lined Open Top Holster For Colt .45 . When drawing the gun upwards, the long barrels slowed things down, and sometimes the tip of the barrel or the front sight would snag on the mouth of the pouch as the gun was rotated, frustrating the effort to make a clean and smooth draw. As such, they shared the faults of all swivels. No breaking down and then out and up. Thanks for writing in! While the original Rapid Force Duty Holster was built to endure the roughest aspects of duty, our LVL 2 Slim is a durable option for unmarked and off-duty scenarios. Im in the home stretch of law enforcement now so its probably going to be my last Duty Belt. Mike Wood is a bonafide revolver nut, a handgun, shotgun, and patrol rifle-certified law enforcement firearms instructor, and the author of Newhall Shooting: A Tactical Analysis, the definitive study of the infamous, 1970 California Highway Patrol shootout in Newhall, California. The advantage to the design was that a full and uninterrupted grip could be achieved on the gun while it was in the holster. The hardest part was finding one for a 4 inch ( Im a short guy and could never carry a 6 inch). The 2800 also incorporated some advancements in the reinforced, offset, belt loop hangar, including an adjustable rubber spacer which locked the holster in place and prevented it from sliding and shifting position on the belt. Jewett hoped to accomplish several objectives with his novel design. Jewetts holster was initially produced by the Speed Safety company (which took its name from the two unique qualities of the holster design) from 1932 until somewhere around 1942-43, at which point some of the production rights were sold to another company that operated under the similar name, Safety Speed. The SW602 swivel duty holster is leather lined with built-in sight tracks and an adjustable barrel-tension device. Unfortunately by the time the holster designs had benefitted from that long development process, the revolver era was just about over. Swivel Holster with cartridge loops. 9 Top Retention Holsters For Law Enforcement. Show: Sort By: Items: Previous Page 1 2 Next Page View All Quotes. A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use.Holsters are often attached to a belt or waistband, but they may be attached to other locations of the body (e.g., the ankle holster). David, thanks for sharing the story! I saw Larry Mudgetts post below, good to know hes out therethe mans a legend! I was a police officer for Vallejo PD from 1981 until 2010. when I started most of the old timers had clam shells and I bought one as soon as I could. Anyone who makes holsters for one of my favorite Westerns ( Cowboys and Aliens) is ok in my book. Im very happy with holster and mag pouch . Thank You for the article on breakfront holsters. Filter by Brand Carry Type Function Holster Ride Holster Series Retention Level Security Mechanism Showing 1-20 of 127 Sort by Most Popular 7360 - 7TS ALS/SLS Mid-Ride Duty Holster $85.75 $209.00 575 IWB Holster GLS Pro-Fit Holster $72.50 The department let me carry it until I retired, our senior Sgt. CLS Replacement Swivel Belt Holster Display Fanny pack Fanny Pack Fireman Fits JMX Radio Flexible Hand Heavy Duty Hi-Visibility High Capacity Battery Leather Leather Carrying Case with Swivel Clip Long Alligator Belt Clip Mesh Chest Harness No Display Portable Radio Radio Belt Clip Radio Carrying Case with Loop Rear Panel Adapter Shoulder Oakland was a tough city to police for 39 yearsthank you for all you did to make it safer for the good folks. For most officers, the breakfront offered an ideal combination of speed, security, and ease of use, which made it the King of police duty holsters in the revolver era. seasons 2 & 3 used Safariland #11 holsters with normal safety straps as opposed to the finger-tip release of the Ojala pattern LAPD holster used the first year. Thanks Martin! . Of note, the Stanroy facility was near a wrecking yard, which provided an ample supply of auto fenders to stamp into holster frames. Free Shipping on Orders Over $99! Glad it worked so well for you. The absolute monarchy of the Service Revolver has been supplanted by the Polymer Parliament. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out Gods wrath on the wrongdoer." Keep your favorite compact pistol handy with this German Police Surplus P10 Leather Holster. . Mace/Pepper Spray Holsters. Shop a wide variety of holsters for professional use or everyday carry. Sixguns By Keith. Note: The author would like to thank LAPD Sergeant Kevin Ahlemeir and Vintage LA Coppers for their assistance with this article. He also wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years. Jewetts design also made significant improvements to security. Blue Book Publications. German Police Surplus AKAH Swivel Leather Compact Holster, Like New New to Amazon DIAMOND D OUTDOORS Denali Chest Holster - Revolver 3", Black 4.9 (25) $10999 FREE delivery Tue, Feb 21 More Buying Choices $109.80 (2 new offers) +1 colors/patterns 1945) operated out of Montebello, California, and became the giant in the clamshell holster business, producing them into the early 1990s. Call Us (678) 814-4831 SIGN IN; SIGN OUT; CREATE ACCOUNT; MY ACCOUNT; WISHLIST (0) ; SHOPPING CART (0) ; 0 Due to the quality of the holster and the customer service, I have purchased one for every pistol I have. . Holsters were as varied as the catalogs from which they came. I retired it in 86 when we switched to the Sig P220. IWB (18) OWB (23) Cross Draw (5) When LAPD used them (with revolvers), they lost several guns a week when the swivels broke. But no agency was so fully committed to the clamshell as the LAPD. Klarna. CopQuest (800) 728-0974. The Hoyt breakfront, with its open muzzle, didnt suffer from this issue, but the spring which held the Hoyt closed primarily exerted its force around the cylinder area, leaving little to no tension in the area around the muzzle. Would love you to do an article on the Audley holster and its variants. Besides, they had panache. The notch they started making in the later models made it so much easier. I finally settled on a Hoyt reverse cant for my K frame. Thank you Sir! Truly amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Model 2800 Judge also improved on the cylinder cutouts of the Hoyt, Model 27 and Safety Speed breakfronts by sandwiching a pair of metal cups in between the layers of leather, to hold the cylinder in place. Tim Dees, now writing as a plain old forum member, his superpowers lost to an encounter with gold kryptonite. John BianchiAn American Legend 50 Years of Gunleather. I was a cop in the Detroit area from 1967 to 1982. Black Leather. Some of the Model 27 improvements over the Berns-Martin were subtle, but there was one aspect of the design which marked a radical changethe Model 27 was designed for mass production. I loved this holster. For more information on this holster, visit gouldusa.com or call 800-277-0732. Tell your friends! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! As low as $102.99. . It was$200! Username or email *, Email address *. The Model 27 holster (U.S. Patent number 3,630,420, awarded 28 Dec 1971) was essentially an update of the Berns-Martin design, which used a new, L-shaped spring design that ran down the front of the holster and held it completely closed, instead of the cylinder-clamping U-spring of the older design, which left gaps in the front. After a brief flirtation with Bucheimer top draw swivel holsters in the early-to-mid 1960s proved unsatisfactory, the LAPD returned to the clamshell in the late 1960s and issued them well into the 1970s. There are four methods of retention: straps, trigger guard locks, flaps, and friction. Your email address will not be published. As a result, many officers were forced to tuck guns into their belts or use some other inefficient (and potentially dangerous) workaround when the gun was no longer needed, such as trying to cuff a suspect using only one hand. The holster is just as good today as it was decades ago. Copies of the Bulletin came with a letter from J Edgar Hoover. Neat.thanks for mentioning that. But he didnt stop there, check out his site and youll be able to get holsters, belts, ammo and magazine holders made out of alligator, crocodile, tiger shark, emu, salmon (as in the fish), tegu lizard, monitor lizard, ringed lizard, hippopotamus, rhino, elephant, elephant trunk, elephant ear, cape buffalo (last four being trophy hides only) and one of Floridas best hated critter: Python. The Model 27 stayed in the Bianchi catalog for many years after the Judge was introduced, and remained popular in its own right, but the Judge was the new high water mark in breakfronts and found favor with many federal, state and municipal agencies. . For more information, visit unclemikes.com or call 800-423-3537. The spring made a pop when the clamshell opened, which could potentially be an issue (some officers learned to restrict the opening of the clamshell with the support hand when noise discipline was important). Aside from the holster advancements, there was a time when even though duty rigs might have all been the same plain or basketweave, the one thing that could be personalized was the officers revolvers. Simultaneously, the breakfront holster virtually disappeared from the scene as well. Box 69, Coupeville, WA 98239-0069. This page was generated at 06:57 AM. You Save: $6.00 (16 %) These leather holsters are sized to fit 1851-1861, 1858 and 1860 cap and ball revolvers and cartridge revolvers of similar size with up to 8" barrel . The article got me wondering if some Kydex magician out there could come up with an efficient design for longer barrel revawvers for concealed carry? The markings on the back are 4S 357M 57 4. They used to carry PR-24s; maybe still do, but mostly converted to the ASP. Holsters by Carry Style. Ha! The H901 is one of the few duty holsters that works with a spurless hammer and yet is still very secure. An outstanding article once again by this fantastic author. Wish I had kept the weapon and the holster. The Rapid Force Duty Holster protects your firearm so that you can protect and serve. To help overcome this weakness, some enterprising officers (and later, manufacturers)peened the rivet and installeda cotter pin to prevent a separation. Hopefully hell become a regular and share some of his experience in these pages. We all had nick names it was a street cop thing. Vintage Police Don Hume RH Leather Swivel Holster with 12 Cartridge Loops $15.00 0 bids $10.50 shipping 2d 18h or Best Offer VINTAGE BLACK LEATHER SHERIFF POLICE B-15-34 HOLSTER $50.00 0 bids $10.95 shipping 4d 7h or Best Offer VINTAGE JAY PEE LEATHER BELT AND HOLSTER SIZE 42 6" HOLSTER $49.95 $8.31 shipping or Best Offer Bianchi continued to improve and refine their breakfront designs for revolvers into the 1990s (changing materials, construction and features along the way), and even launched a breakfront designed for the 1911 semiautomatic pistol (the Model 3000 Auto Draw), but the Model 2800 was always the standard by which other breakfronts were . With practice, the 070 is as fast as any other security holster. F/S Vintage Jaypee Military or Police Swivel Holster for S&W k frame revolvers with 4 inch barrels with 12 round ammo loops for 38 special or .357 magnum. I had clam shell when I carried a model 66 long time ago. Dont discount a clamshell holster because you were not able to operate it. The MSRPs forthese holsters start at $108. Buyer's Club $11.25 Non-Member $12.50 Was $24.99 . The C.A. ; ^ ). Not commercially, but you might find a sample on the electronic auction sites. They were purchased in the 1960s and were used to arm Air Police/Security Police, PJs, pilots and other aircrew. Material: Leather. Attached to this polycarbonate spine was a pocket for the gun that was made from a Kydex and leather laminate. Sad to hear these are no longer available. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. They took it down and totally polished and tuned everything. Original Item: Made of heavy black leather construction. I have my fathers, Stockton PD 1941-73, full belt rig with Jewett Clamshell w/38 Police Special. Mine sprung almost 180 degrees, so it was tough to put the weapon back and next to impossible with one hand. Your email address will not be published. Our current lead-time for new orders is 4-9 weeks for most items. By the time of the Bianchi Model 2800, most folks assumed the design features of the breakfront had reached a certain level of maturity where there wasnt a lot of room for improvement. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. OMG I'm old. He was also one of the most talented holster designers around, with an affinity for crafting police duty holsters. Theyre moresecure,durable, economical, efficient, and easy to care for, but lack the appearance and charm of their leather forebearers. Best Design ROCOTACTICAL Universal Radio Holder, Basketweave Radio Pouch for Duty Belt 569 $18 90 I found a perfect condition Safety Speed Hi-ride for a 4 inch L frame on Ebay. One of the problems with the Berns-Martin, Bianchi Model 27, and Safety Speed designs was the closed muzzle configuration of these holsters. The king isnt dead. The 4S could be shorthand for, Four-inch S&W or possibly four-inch, swivel. For additional security, the holster uses a Pivot Guard that covers the back of the slide. They certainly make the cows happy, if not the traditionalists. Please see my other web gear and US Military Police auctions. I will probably buy the Blocker and give it a try. Minneapolis, MN. I had a swivel holster (for a revolver) when I was in the police academy. Holsters vary in the degree to which they secure or protect the firearm. Basketweave, plain and matte finishes are all available. It is a piece of history. For more information,visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. Sir, Im glad to hear from you in these pages! Pretty sure I stuffed my gun into my waistband on more than one occasion rather than reholster. I still have 2 of them. The pocket had an open, breakfront-style seam down the front, and was held closed by a safety strap that wrapped around the front. Ive corrected the article. Thanks. Here is a look at some of the current duty holsters that offer increased weapon protection. This tough duty holster from Safariland keeps your gun secure and accessible at all times. 18530 Mack Ave., Suite 499 Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236, Duty Holsters | Holsters | CopsPlus Police Supply, 6360 ALS STX Level III Plus UBL Duty Holster, 6365 ALS STX Level III Plus Belt Slide Drop Holster, ALS Mid-Ride Level I Retention Duty Holster Model 6390, 6285 STX Tac Low Ride SLS Hooded Duty Holster, Low Ride SLS Hooded Duty Holster - Model 6285, 7360 7TS ALS Level III Retention Mid-Ride Holster, 6365 ALS Level III Plus Belt Slide Drop Holster, 6395 ALS Low-Ride Level I Retention Duty Holster, ALS STX Tac Belt Slide Holster with SLS - Model 6367, 7390 7TS ALS Mid-Ride Level I Retention Duty Holster, AccuMold Holster - Model 7105 Cruiser Duty, 7365 7TS ALS Level III Retention Low-Ride Holster, 7280 7TS SLS MidRide Level II Retention Duty Holster, ALS Belt Slide Holster with SLS - Model 6367, Model 7520 7TS SLS EDW Clip-On Style Holster, Leather Double Retention Duty Holster Model 501, Phoenix Triple Retention Duty Holster Model T391, 7285 7TS SLS Low Ride Level II Retention Duty Holster, 7395 7TS ALS Low-Ride Level I Retention Duty Holster, The duty holster is one of the most important pieces of equipment for a law enforcement officer to own.

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