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. Oh well, I was an old guy by then, so they pretty much let do my own thing. 2023 All Rights Reserved. Thanks for the article now I know the whole story on a holster that served me well. The Stanroy Holster company of Bakersfield, California began production around 1935 and continued until sometime into the late 1960s, with the company establishing a new address in Compton, California, along the way. Id like to have one just for the sake of having one, but certainly would never allow it to be issued for real use. The department let me carry it until I retired, our senior Sgt. Where I worked we didnt hide behind bushes. No hangups at all. We all had nick names it was a street cop thing. But it was a great piece of gear. MSRP: $38.00. Because somebody ask a qusetion and we just ran with our comments on swivel holsters being unsafe and outdated. $30.62. Please see the website at: http://www.vintagelacoppers.org, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) They probably produced more holsters of this design than any other company, and cemented their position as a leading manufacturer of police leather goods. Quotes. I bought one from Saftey Speed Montibello around 1982. This Bianchi holster offers long lasting durability under the most brutal conditions. This item ships free to the US. Back. I retired from Newport Beach PD, but attended LAPDs academy in 1980. It was not hard to do once you knew how. In the early 70s, by then a Watch Commander for years, he switched back to his 40s rig so he wouldnt be out of uniform. 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. One of them with a Model 19 and a three row speedloader pouch. My son is a police officer in California and he is a good man as are all of the officers who he has the pleasure of working with. Fabulous quality. The 2800 was an open muzzle design, with the leading edge of the holster split along its entire front. 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. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) The king isnt dead. Justin. Swivel Belt Loop and Drop Shank for Law Enforcement, SP100 Belt Loop for Safariland Duty Holsters, SW402 Duty Holster Level 2 (Glock, S&W and many other duty gun models) with Drop & Swivel, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. As low as $102.99. Never had the weapon fall out and with the security system, never met another officer that could get it out until I showed them the trick, which was natrual and easy to do when the holster was worn. Dont know where it came from. Please call us and ask for expedite service. Copies of the Bulletin came with a letter from J Edgar Hoover. 1978. The tiger shark wears like iron, Ive had a belt and IWB holster made of it for the last 18 years and it is nearly indestructible plus it wont melt. Blue Steel & Gunleather. German Police Surplus AKAH Swivel Leather Compact Holster, Like New. 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 pocket had an open, breakfront-style seam down the front, and was held closed by a safety strap that wrapped around the front. They are still quite popular with my agency. . After seeing him have to fiddle around with it to re-holster, I came to the conclusion it was a useless design for LEOs. Holsters were as varied as the catalogs from which they came. In that era, a finger inside the trigger guard wasnt considered an issue, but I could easily see how NDs could be had with this holster design. The C.A. To hold the halves closed, the 2800 incorporated a pair of powerful springs that started behind the cylinder, running up and over it on each side, then down the length of the leading edge, to the very bottom. The 4S could be shorthand for, Four-inch S&W or possibly four-inch, swivel. Besides, they had panache. . Mace/Pepper Spray Holsters. If you wanted to look cool, it was your huckleberry. All rights reserved. Tim Dees, now writing as a plain old forum member, his superpowers lost to an encounter with gold kryptonite. The people should be forced to work and not depend on government for subsistence." Photographed with 9mm compact carry not included. 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. Our Sale Price: $32.00. Nelson, for continuing to make such iconic police equipment during these days when holsters are made of faux leather, space-aged plastics, and kydex! Richard, welcome aboard! I saw some clamshells worn by LAPD vets. It featured a reverse cant and the thing was designed so the gun came straight out the holster. I never had to draw my gun prematurely as the clam shell was so fast that it was as if I always had my gun out. Great department, great people. While placing the trigger finger into the trigger guard during the draw was a commonplace practice during this era, and was encouraged by almost every popular police holster design of the 1940s through the early 1970s (such as the Jordan-style police holster), it created a special hazard in the clamshell holster. The holster is just as good today as it was decades ago. Gould & Goodrich Leather Universal Radio Strap Model 654. It was more secure than the temperamental clamshell, and it was easier to reholster with a single hand. Also, the inside surface is left undyed, to prevent CHP tans from turning black. Menu. . 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 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. Perhaps the only thing worse than being shot in the line of duty is being shot with your own weapon. Bianchi experimented with a series of evolving prototypes and limited production models for the better part of a decade before he finally catalogued his first breakfront duty holster, the Model 27, in 1970. . The closed muzzle presented two complications. $70.79 USD. In April of 1974, Bianchi acquired all rights to the Berns-Martin Holster Company (which was in the possession of acclaimed knife designer Walter Blackie Collins), including their designs, patents, and equipment, cementing their interest in becoming the foremost manufacturer of breakfront duty holsters. The varieties of grips, wood and synthetic, allowed one to make a statement on what fit their hand the best. He also wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years. These West German Holsters incorporate a rotary swivel allowing the holster to be worn low on the thigh and turned forward while sitting in an automobile. Learn more Add to cart Star Seller. Second, as Jordan noted, the closed muzzle imparted more drag on the barrel in the finishing moves of the draw, which could cause overshooting and alignment errors. Box 69, Coupeville, WA 98239-0069. 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. Keep up this series. Overall this is a very cool vintage holster that would make a very cool addition to any collection. Buyer's Club $11.25 Non-Member $12.50 Was $24.99 . <p>This HD Swivel set is compatible with QD swivel mounts and is constructed of steel with a manganese phosphate finish & 1.5' loops.</p> Thats pretty neat, Dave! Just wanted to drop a line and express my appreciation for the quality products you produce and excellent customer service. No breaking down and then out and up. It would be interesting to know if the decoy snap accounted for any saves, wouldnt it? But good ones. Concord, NH. Theres probably still a few left on the streets! Im very happy with holster and mag pouch . The MSRPs for these holsters start at $108. If youre looking for an argument youve come to the wrong place, because I wont allow it here. I bought a high rise clam shell and then switched to the low slung swivell which put my Sig level with my hand. Would it be appropriate to carry a Python in a holster made of the same, or is that some kind of fashion faux paus? . Ayoob, Massad. I have my fathers, Stockton PD 1941-73, full belt rig with Jewett Clamshell w/38 Police Special. Jack, no explanation is needed here. Jewetts design also made significant improvements to security. Thanks, A.E. I still have 2 of them. For more information, visit unclemikes.com or call 800-423-3537. They had their warts, but so did the other police duty holsters of the 1930s to 1980s (and beyond). 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. Refer to pics for condition! They certainly make the cows happy, if not the traditionalists. Anyone who makes holsters for one of my favorite Westerns ( Cowboys and Aliens) is ok in my book. Rating: Bianchi Accumold Elite 7920 Defender II Level 2 Duty Holster. It employs a lot of the features of those early breakfront holsters but is still essentially a modified top draw rig. Hoyt was happy to personalize the rigs by stamping your name and employee#/badge on the back of the holster. In its day, the breakfront was perhaps the most popular police duty holster of all. SPECIFICATIONS Right Hand fit for Glock 43. AccuMold ARS Radio Holster Swivel. The safety strap which wrapped around the front of the WRATH helped to make it all work, as it did on the BOSS. The Jewett family married into the Stanroy family, and a collaboration resulted in Stanroy-marked clamshells that competed with Safety Speed. On other designs, the upper edges of the leather cutout (where the rear edge of the cylinder would contact) could become worn with time, and lose their ability to resist an upward drawing movement. The trigger guards on the new autopistols were shaped differently than the revolvers they replaced, and couldnt be trapped in place by a pocket built into the holster like those on the round guns. Thats kind of you to say, and Im glad you enjoyed it! Only difference was he switched to a S&W 357 Magnum- Next one wasnt going to prison. 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). From premium leather duty gun holsters and magazine pouches to belt keepers, handcuff cases and everything in between, we make the best lightweight, full-grain leather duty and plainclothes police gear you need to do your job best. Rob, the stories bring life to the hardware! Note: The author would like to thank LAPD Sergeant Kevin Ahlemeir and Vintage LA Coppers for their assistance with this article. Unfortunately by the time the holster designs had benefitted from that long development process, the revolver era was just about over. LUITON Radio Shoulder Harness Holster Chest Holder Universal Vest Rig for Police Firefighter Two Way Radio Search Rescue Essentials 570 $21 99 $26.99 A double shoulder holster with adjustable straps to be worn over or under jackets. A few years before I retired, I returned to Patrol. Police Bookshelf. The customer service matches the product too (if you can believe that!). Vintage Leather POLICE BELT Jay Pee. IWB (18) OWB (23) Cross Draw (5) This page was generated at 06:57 AM. The best Gun Leather Products for Shoulder Holsters, Law Enforcement, Western Rigs, Concealed Holsters, Police Duty Rigs. Ace. My favorite is the Don Hume model H901. . 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. At CopsPlus, we carry duty holsters from some of the world's most trusted manufacturers, including. Find Your Perfect Fit Now! Im working on an article that I think youll enjoy. Lastly, the leading edges of the cups were covered by leather that had been skived to smooth the forward drawsomething which had not been done on earlier designs. Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Thanks for the article. It easily outclassed the rabble of unimaginative top draw designs that polluted police supply catalogs throughout the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. It wasnt a security holster for general duty use, so Rogers got to work in the late 1970s and designed the first purpose-built security holster for uniformed police officers, the Rogers BOSS. I will wear it with pride as long as I am able to!! Furthermore, the tightly-fitted interior of the holster helped to prevent cylinder rotation, which made the Jewett design resistant to accidental discharges while the gun was still in the holster. Using thick Kydex and Melonite-finished steel, the Duty Holster from Dara Holsters & Gear is backed by a lifetime no B.S. A high-quality duty holster can literally make the difference between life and death, for you and for the people you protect. I was a cop in San Francisco, 80-87. OMG I'm old. The Safety Speed Holster company (est. The Safariland 070 SSIII holster is likely the most successful retention holster ever fielded by law enforcement. Yet, the most damning problem with the clamshell holster is that it had a disturbing tendency to open up on its own, dumping the gun onto the ground.