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. Lexipol. It seems that Ive never met a copper outside of California who used a clamshell on duty. Theyre moresecure,durable, economical, efficient, and easy to care for, but lack the appearance and charm of their leather forebearers. Copyright 2023 . German Police Surplus Shoulder Holster, Used. NYPD lost 3 per day!. I'm thinking about buying one for my 1911, but I am concerned with retention in a gun grab. I packed them for 7 years. So much history that black leather had seen. Retired Oakland police officer, 39 yr vet law enforcement. Fascinating and informative article, keep up the good work! I liked mine quite a bit and still have it. The customer service matches the product too (if you can believe that!). Uncompromising Security The spring system was tuned perfectly. Required fields are marked *. 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. Hey Mike, if you ever get a chance I think a great review for fighting gunleather would be the old Safariland model 275. Thank you Sir! Add to Cart. 2016 to 2023 RevolverGuy.com, All Rights Reserved. Im glad I got to see these holsters being used. $299.00. 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. I had heard about them from other officers. I loved this holster. One can draw from a level III holster just as fast. It also could not be pulled straight up or from the rear. 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. I found a perfect condition Safety Speed Hi-ride for a 4 inch L frame on Ebay. 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. I thought it went away with the Seventies. Sixguns By Keith. Barney had one. Some officers, due to a lack of training/practice, inattention, or stress-induced error, managed to negligently pull the trigger with enough frequency that the holster caught the ire of police administrators. This is a big part of the reason that these holsters were disapproved for duty use in the CHP by the early 1960s. This way when I stand it falls into place and rests there. Vintage Clamshell Gun Holster Police. . 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. German Police Surplus AKAH Swivel Leather Compact Holster, Like New. Glad you enjoyed it. This holster is beyond what I was hoping for! The other problem was the only "retention" system it had was a flap that totally covered the weapon, and it was secured either by just a stud through a slit, or later with a snap fastener. 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. I do have a swivel holster from Nelson Leather company, but it is a different type than the ones I have seen on the L.A. guys. In 1947, he was shot in the stomach with the bullet lodge against his spine. Also, almost all of them were built as swivel holsters, where the holster body hung low from a belt loop, connected to the loop by a rivet. This seller consistently earned 5-star reviews, shipped on time, and replied quickly to any messages they received. If the leather is dry, make sure to use a little neatsfoot oil to preserve it. Lexipol. I sure wish they still made them. For those interested: http://aenelson.hostcentric.com/index.php?cPath=27_40_56_62. 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 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. We do offer a $50 Rush Fee option if you need your order within two weeks. Safety Speed refused to make me a lefty for the Sig! Rob, the stories bring life to the hardware! 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. 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. Using the companys popular Automatic LockingSystem (ALS), the Model 6360holster from Safariland is one of the most popular holsters in service today. Those were the Days. Thank you for writing in and adding to the story of these iconic holsters. The Pro-3 can be had in a variety of finishes including plain nylon and basket weave. Learn more Add to cart Star Seller. 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. I mean, grab the grip and just raise that thing like you were just holding at your side. Thank you so much for sharing it with us! I was not aware these dangerous holsters were even still made. 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). C. Rusty Sherick still makes one. This feature, along with the enhanced retention and security features, gave the holster an edge in safety compared to other contemporary designs of the era. Full grain genuine leather, inside the waist band holster with clip. I also thought it pretty cool to see the dump pouches in some of those photos. The MSRP starts at $110. It also had a more efficient safety strap than the Berns-Martin, which was easily operated by the trigger finger as part of the draw (a similarrelease was laterused onthe Safety Speed design). 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" Hey Mike! There are currently 33844 users online. It was more secure than the temperamental clamshell, and it was easier to reholster with a single hand. It is a piece of history. Vintage Holster German Police Swivel Pivot Walther P5/P9 Black Leather RH Pre-Owned $19.99 sgsdepot (19,221) 99.7% Buy It Now +$6.00 shipping 8 watchers Sponsored Vintage JAY PEE NY Police Duty Holster For 4" Model 10 Revolver Swivel NYPD Pen Brand New $154.00 jmar8944 (7,138) 99.9% Buy It Now +$8.30 shipping 2 watchers Sponsored As low as $102.99. The Safariland 070 SSIII holster is likely the most successful retention holster ever fielded by law enforcement. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After seeing him have to fiddle around with it to re-holster, I came to the conclusion it was a useless design for LEOs. A password will be sent to your email address. In the mid-1970s, Rogers wore many hats as a former FBI agent, a world class competition shooter, and the owner/operator of the newly-established Rogers Shooting School. Super fast. Mine sprung almost 180 degrees, so it was tough to put the weapon back and next to impossible with one hand. They probably produced more holsters of this design than any other company, and cemented their position as a leading manufacturer of police leather goods. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Most users ever online was 158,966 at 05:57 AM on 01-16-2021. Best wishes. 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 The Safety Speed offered an improvement with its cutout trigger pocket, but the Model 2800 took a different approach. FFL Fax: 866-721-8691. This didnt happen very fast. In Jewetts design, the pouch which held the gun was split into two halves along the front seam, which were joined at the rear by a powerful flat spring that was biased to open the halves in butterfly fashion. The MSRP starts at $147. Oddly, none of the brass complained, as far as I know. Police duty belts, holsters and pouches all at discounted prices. Because somebody ask a qusetion and we just ran with our comments on swivel holsters being unsafe and outdated. BUCHEIMER CLARK HOLSTER PATROLMAN POLICE LEATHER SWIVEL B7A- 34W BLACK COLT Bucheimer B7A-34W Patrolman gun swivel holster. Thanks. The laminate produced by Rogers Holster Company offered many advantages over traditional leather construction, such as resistance to moisture (including water, blood, gasoline, etc. 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. The Berns-Martin holster was closed to incorporate a muzzle plug that was used for support and positioning of the muzzle. 1) The swivels tend to break after a while, or during a real fight for your life. Justin. The adoption of the Model 27 by these influential agencies secured even more business for Bianchi, which soon dominated the breakfront holster (indeed, the entire law enforcement leather goods) market. Because the gun was left unsupported by the holster when the clamshell opened up, there was a tendency for the trigger finger to grip the trigger in an attempt to keep the gun from falling, especially if a proper grip had not been achieved before the release button was activated. Operating the safety strap was a motion that took some time, and the officer could not establish his grip to draw the gun until this step was complete. But, deep down, hes a wood and steel guy. If you know anything about the famous Lewis Holsters, Id love to read an article about it! I have not seen an officer with a swivel for years. Level 3 - Has two retention methods plus . Happy to try and answer it! 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With practice, the 070 is as fast as any other security holster. I do wish youd cool it on EBay though, so I could win some of those bids myself. The actors received careful coaching from real lawmen, who taught them how to look and act the part. I owned at least 5 clam shells and carried one for 17 years. 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. Available in seven colors, finishes and patterns, it is also available to accept pistols with a red dot (6360RDS shown) and/or those pistols equipped with a light. For more information, visit daraholsters.com or call 919-665-5316. The BOSS was a sophisticated design that used a variety of materials in its construction. Prescott, AZ. To draw these guns, officers had to release the safety strap, pull them upwards from the pouch until the long barrels cleared the top of the leather, then rotate them to orient the muzzle towards the target. The closed muzzle achieved a similar effect to the muzzle lock on the BOSS, without use of the polycarbonate spine. . Vintage Leather Police Swivel Holster $65.00 Only 1 available Pay in 4 installments of $16.25. Dang eliminator, your making me feel old with the clam shell comment. 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. I retired it in 86 when we switched to the Sig P220. I quickly mastered the technique of re-holstering with one hand. Jewett hoped to accomplish several objectives with his novel design. The absolute monarchy of the Service Revolver has been supplanted by the Polymer Parliament. This is an N-frame (Large frame) revolver. 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. With the notable exception of the AE Nelson Leather Company, nobody is making breakfront police duty holsters anymore. If youre looking for an argument youve come to the wrong place, because I wont allow it here. But no agency was so fully committed to the clamshell as the LAPD. Burglar spent the rest of his life in prison. All rights reserved. I am guessing that I am the last police officer to ever carry the clam shell 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. Thank you for the point out to AE Nelson Leather Company! An additional device called the Sentry further secures the weapon in the holster. Thank You for the article on breakfront holsters. I have several holsters from this company and all our top of the line in Quality. Instead of wrapping the leather pocket over the top of the trigger guard, the Judge left this area open. Going down, he popped that Jewett and fired five shots, four hits. I have seen some level II and level III swivel holsters designed for motor officers that were outstanding in design and quality. Glad it worked so well for you. Theres probably still a few left on the streets! Whether you're in Law Enforcement, Competition shooting, Hunting, or just like a good looking Holster that respects you and your gun, Ted Blocker Holsters are a symbol of quality and excellence for over 50 years. Unlike many of the more modern retention holsters, the 070 relies on snaps and a particular motion to draw the gun. For more information, visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. Quick View. It did raise eyebrows of our brass when I started carrying my old Model 19/Safety Speed. Sit down and have a look aroundI think youll find lots more to like here at RevolverGuy. The Bianchi Accumold Cruiser Safariland's 7365 Level III Retention holster is a secure and convenient carrying Safariland's MidRide holster provides Level II Retention, striking a versatile Pro-2 Dual Retention Holsters are equal parts speed and safety. Lots of officers wanted that holster when I retired but I still have it. It would be interesting to know if the decoy snap accounted for any saves, wouldnt it? . 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. USA. Phone Model: APX 6000 (NON-XE) / 8000 (NON-XE) MSRP: $84.99. Belt Clip: Metal Belt Clip. Only the top draws remain, and theyre usually made of synthetics,like those that Rogers ushered in. 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. Add to Cart Compare. Very fun and informative reading. The varieties of grips, wood and synthetic, allowed one to make a statement on what fit their hand the best. No breaking down and then out and up. 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. Your email address will not be published. Danny, that story takes the cake, and is now my favorite clamshell story! The LAPD had just switched to the shorter guns in 1969 (which were neutered to remove the single action capability, like all LAPD revolvers starting in that year), so the characters who portrayed them on TV would too, and it made sense they would carry the guns in clamshell holsters, which by this time had become an LAPD icon. Thanks David! Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. I always chuckled at those swivel holsters. Im in the home stretch of law enforcement now so its probably going to be my last Duty Belt. By the 1950s, the clamshell was a SoCal law enforcement staple, with a host of agencies and individual officers falling for the appeal of the spring holster. Enjoyed the history. Some kydex bender might be able to do something neat with this idea. In operation, the two halves were folded together against the spring pressure and were held closed by a latching mechanism in the front seam of the holster. 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. 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For more information on this holster, visit gouldusa.com or call 800-277-0732. Carried it for years as my father before me and only retired it when we went to semi autos in 1990s. Aker Leather Swivel Radio Holder for Motorola XTS 3000 Radios $74.00 to $78.00 $59.20 to $62.40 Add to Cart Compare LawPro #NY083 LawPro Nylon Shoulder Mic Holder $12.02 Add to Cart Compare Aker Leather #LP577 Aker Leather Universal Radio Holder $47.00 to $49.00 $37.60 to $39.20 Add to Cart Compare Safariland #LP005 Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy. I had a swivel holster (for a revolver) when I was in the police academy. But it was a great piece of gear. The Berns-Martin Company was a small outfit, and made their holsters by hand, so the output was always limited. Whether you're in Law Enforcement, Competition shooting, Hunting, or just like a good looking Holster that respects you and your gun, Ted Blocker Holsters are a symbol of quality and excellence for over 50 years Featured collection Swivel Belt Loop and Drop Shank for Law Enforcement $144.00 J Belt - 1.5" Wide $95.00 #1 Lifeline Shoulder Rig $265.00 Now, at 66, its just stories. was the only other officer who carried one, he retired about a year and a half before me. My leather maker (mentioned in earlier posting) refers to the materials he uses as Premium Bovine Epidermis (we used to bumfuzzle folks at trade shows with that name. 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. For more information, visit safariland.com or call 800-347-1200. Drawing a revolver from a clamshell wasnt just an action, it was an event! 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.
