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After some years of little luck I tried this new-fangled Ebay. The pic below was taken by my friend JayCee of his USAF issued M15. For more information,visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. I know about 3 of the guys I work with have 'em. . Safety Speed refused to make me a lefty for the Sig! 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. Quotes. Retiring an Old Friend: The Emerson CQC-7, Weekend Knowledge Dump- January 19, 2018 | Active Response Training. When the LAPD settled on six inch .38 Special revolvers in the late 1930s, they also embraced the clamshell, issuing the Safety Speed model by the 1940s. I have not seen an officer with a swivel for years. Ace. Thank you for writing in and adding to the story of these iconic holsters. Yet, while clamshells made their way onto police Sam Brownes all over the nation, Southern California always remained the center of the clamshell holster universe. Wish I had kept the weapon and the holster. Wolfe Publishing Company. Work continued on the type, and on the heels of the phenomenal success of the Model 27, Bianchi introduced the Model 2800 Judge, which advanced the art considerably. 1955. Industries (located in Dulce, New Mexico), had the notable distinction of producing clamshells for the LAPD under contract, beginning in the late 1960s. Known for high-quality concealment and competition holsters, Blade-Tech also offers top-notch duty holsters. 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? MSRP ranges $189 to $245. I left before autos came in. Safariland & Bill Rogers: The Rise of the Modern Security Holster, American Handgunner Magazine, July-August 2016, https://americanhandgunner.com/safariland-bill-rogers/. For more information, visit unclemikes.com or call 800-423-3537. John Bianchi had barely started his fledgling holster making operation out of his garage in Monrovia, California, when he started playing with the breakfront holster concept in 1960. 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. 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. The clam shell may not have been perfect, but it worked for me as well as hundreds of other skilled police officers. Vtg Black Leather Police Swivel Holster - B18 34 C $20.57 0 bids C $24.70 shipping 6d 16h Akar Scorpion OWB Kydex Gun Holster W/Quick Belt Clips Fits Girsan Mc28 C $39.51 Was: C $49.39 C $41.17 shipping or Best Offer 15 watching Vintage Police Sam Brown Leather Belt Holster Shoulder Strap 1950s Crump C $172.88 C $40.63 shipping or Best Offer The BOSS was a sophisticated design that used a variety of materials in its construction. If you know anything about the famous Lewis Holsters, Id love to read an article about it! Glad to have you here, and THANK YOU for your 15 years of service during a dangerous era for LE. Dad lost part of his stomach and one third of his intestines, but returned to work. Case Shape: Fitted. Thank you so much for making this for me. I always believed that officers who had accidental discharges tended to blame the clamshell even if it wasnt at fault because it was a plausible excuse. If you read the whole comment, youll notice that Ace was referring to handgun hunters hiding in the bushes, not California police officers. Rogers accepted the deal and updated the WRATH with a few cosmetic changes, to create the Safariland Model 275. The MSRP starts at $97. It is not fast however. 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. 7320 SW Bonita Road Tigard, OR 97224 US503-670-7972 (phone), Hours of Operation:Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (PST)Open Thursdays till 7pm. Write it down for your family and keep it with the equipment so that it outlasts you. This way when I stand it falls into place and rests there. Then he let me borrow it over some days off so I could try it myself. USA. 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. 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 remember having a phone conversation with an employee. 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?) 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. Countless officers owe their livesat least in partto this holster. See the article or comments above for a link. With the notable exception of the AE Nelson Leather Company, nobody is making breakfront police duty holsters anymore. 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. Gould & Goodrich Leather Universal Radio Strap Model 654. Menu. Happy to try and answer it! Oh, and most of you are right. Designed by Bill Rogers, the 070 has been made by Safariland since the mid-1980s. Engineered to meet the needs of active law enforcement and military service members, Rapid Force features a secure Level 2 or Level 3 retention, a fast and intuitive draw, and extreme durability. And that didnt just look cool . As low as $90.99. Hey Mike! I always chuckled at those swivel holsters. Im afraid I now own a vast collection of 80s breakfronts Ill never use as well as a new in the bag Safety Speed Clam shell. 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. It sold well in the United States, but it was the selection of the BOSS as the standard issue holster for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and all the provincial and territorial police departments in Canada, which kept Rogers in the holster business. It also has a retention strap. The markings on the back are 4S 357M 57 4. 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. Im so glad you have the story to go with the gear. Fabulous quality. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Police duty belts, holsters and pouches all at discounted prices. Nov 2, 2022. 2016 to 2023 RevolverGuy.com, All Rights Reserved. The K391 is available for many of the popular duty pistols in use today. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. This novel feature disappeared on later versions of the Judge holster, however, presumably to ease production. Rogers first holster design dated back to late 1972 (U.S. Patent Number 3,902,639, issued 2 September 1975) and gave birth to his holster business after he was awarded an FBI contract for it in 1973. Boston Leather . Bikini Style Cuff Case with Clip. As I recall, you had to get it unsnapped, then rock the grip forward a little bit, then pull up a skoche, then swivel the grip back to push the muzzle through the front, then push the frame/cylinder out the front. Enjoyed the history. Please email or call us to add this for you. Mine was a LH Safety Speed swivel, purchased in the late 70s. After seeing him have to fiddle around with it to re-holster, I came to the conclusion it was a useless design for LEOs. With polymer pistols, thats all gone. I will wear it with pride as long as I am able to!! Username or email *, Email address *. Only difference was he switched to a S&W 357 Magnum- Next one wasnt going to prison. 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. Good comments guys, but are we all writting about Ted Blockers swivel holster? 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. The first time I got out of the car on an officer survival training scenario and left my gun on the seat of the car, I decided that it was time to go shopping for another holster. . SPECIFICATIONS Right Hand fit for Glock 43. I still have 2 of them. A simple thumb break retained the gun, which was rotated forward to release the trigger guard from the pocket, and allow the gun to come out the front seam. Minneapolis, MN. it was easy for the pushing motion of the index finger to continue after the gun had been drawn . placing the trigger finger into the trigger guard during the draw . I bought a high rise clam shell and then switched to the low slung swivell which put my Sig level with my hand. He also wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years. Dang eliminator, your making me feel old with the clam shell comment. 3.2 out of 5 star rating (21 reviews) . The swivel belt loop is in good shape and swivels freely. Thanks, Mike, I have a question about my 1962 revolver. He jacked a round in while I yelled to stop, but I had my S&W in my hand instantly and fired first at 70 ft. The MSRP starts at $147. This was most likely to occur during a foot chase, when the holster bumped against the leg and the jarring motion tripped the latch at the front of the holster. 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. Im glad you hung onto it. Unfortunately by the time the holster designs had benefitted from that long development process, the revolver era was just about over. Quick View. Dont know where it came from. For those interested: http://aenelson.hostcentric.com/index.php?cPath=27_40_56_62. The notch they started making in the later models made it so much easier. In Part I of this series, we discussed the birth of the breakfront holster with the Berns-Martin design, as well as the development of competing designs from popular police holster makers Hoyt and Safety Speed. Photographed with 9mm compact carry not included. Some big news for trigger pullers recently from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Even with both of these features engaged, an officer can draw the duty gun quickly. North Hollywood, CA. I do wish youd cool it on EBay though, so I could win some of those bids myself. 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. 1965. They took it down and totally polished and tuned everything. Everyone with the Hoyts drew a certain pleasure in drawing to get that particular pop sound when all parts of your revolver cleared the leather at the same time. The absolute monarchy of the Service Revolver has been supplanted by the Polymer Parliament. The safety strap had a decoy snap on the outside, and a low profile thumb break release on the inside, which enhanced security. . Riley, Ive got another project in the works that I think youre gonna like! Bianchi, John. It easily outclassed the rabble of unimaginative top draw designs that polluted police supply catalogs throughout the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. 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.". Theres a 1970s speedloader article that might bring back a few memories! Your email address will not be published. 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. Thanks Andrew! 1945) operated out of Montebello, California, and became the giant in the clamshell holster business, producing them into the early 1990s. Government Sales; Quotation Quick Form; . Keith, Elmer. The Safety Speed Holster company (est. Their uniforms are somewhat unique in that they don't wear shoulder patches; however, their traffic officers wear them. Copyright 2023 Police1. It is available with a basket-weave finish in additionto plain and matte black finishes. Thanks for taking the time to research all this, then sharing it with us. Vintage Leather Police Swivel Holster $65.00 Only 1 available Pay in 4 installments of $16.25. It offers absolutely no gun retention. One might even be an old Hoyt, but the others are shoemakers. Rudy's lifetime experience with leather sets his apart from all the rest, his experience goes into each and every treasured piece of leather art. Burglar spent the rest of his life in prison. The Rogers WRATH (Weapon Retaining and Tactical Holster) advanced the breakfront art by simplifying and lightening the BOSS. 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. Id love to have one for my Model 12, I think that and a tweed sport coat, white button down shirt and black string tie would make me 40 years younger, at least in my mind. 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 But it was a great piece of gear. Rob, the stories bring life to the hardware! The holster is just as good today as it was decades ago. Brinks issued the Safariland when I joined them in98, and I carried my model 64 in it until leaving the company in 07 At least I bought the holster when I left. The most obvious was a fast and unobstructed presentation of the gun. In 1985, the SWAT magazine holster test found a non-swivel version to be an excellent police holster. Worse yet, the rivet sometimes broke, sending the holstered weapon flying on the run, or leaving it behind on the seat of the car, orGod help youleaving it in a criminals hands during a struggle. The MSRP starts at $110. In an article in the FBI Bulletin, he credited his response to FBI training the department received the year before- drop to the left, learn to fire from the hip. Find Your Perfect Fit Now! Level 3 - Has two retention methods plus . The design essentially saved two steps (strap release and upward drawing motion), allowing the shooter to get the gun into play much more rapidly. Duty Holsters Holsters designed for use in professional law enforcement. Please see the website at: http://www.vintagelacoppers.org, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) They were discontinued awhile ago but you can still find them on ebay. $20.89. No hangups at all. Designed for 9mm P10, fits similar small compact models up to 6.25" Black leather Swivel for easy draw standing or seated Would you email me please? So much history that black leather had seen. Instead, he turned his creative energies towards improved security designs such as the SSIII (which later became the industry-leading Safariland Model 070 after the acquisition), and changed the face of the police duty holster forever, in the process. For additional security, the holster uses a Pivot Guard that covers the back of the slide. Holsters vary in the degree to which they secure or protect the firearm. The Model 27 used a sheet metal lining (later upgraded to tempered spring steel) in the belt loop to hold the holster offset from the hip for jacket clearance. So, when Malloy and Reed switched from the Model 14 andSafariland #11top draw holster to the Model 15 and clamshell holster for Season Four, it wasnt just for the sexy optics. As popular as they were, the clamshell holsters had weaknesses that couldnt be ignored. Keep your favorite compact pistol handy with this German Police Surplus P10 Leather Holster. 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 I am guessing that I am the last police officer to ever carry the clam shell holster. Just an outdated piece of dangerous equipment. Blocker makes quality stuff, it's just the nature of the holster. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Top of a closet, I find the complete evidence box including burglars gun! I carried the standard 4 inch smith with a safety speed clam shell. At a time when major agencies like the CHP had already traded their clamshells for breakfront designs, the LAPD stood by their old favorite. Our current lead-time for new orders is 4-9 weeks for most items. It featured a reverse cant and the thing was designed so the gun came straight out the holster. Bart thats an AMAZING page to add to the story of the clamshell! Ha! 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. Vintage Clamshell Gun Holster Police. The inventor of the clamshell holster was Mr. Frank C. Jewett, whose patent for the design was granted on 10 October 1933. The 57 4 could be a holster model number and another reference to four-inch. I suppose it could also be a reference to Model 57 4-inch, which is another N-frame revolver, like The .357 Magnum. The holster would have to date to the 1960s (1964 or later) for the Model 57 reference to be correct, but since the Model 57 and The .357 Magnum (Model 27) could probably fit the same holster, maybe thats what it is. 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. In an effort to quantify these improvements, Rogers created a testing protocol in 1975 that awarded retention "levels" to holsters. At CopsPlus, we carry duty holsters from some of the world's most trusted manufacturers, including. At the time of the patent, most uniformed police officers (especially those who worked the highways and rural areas) favored revolvers with long, six inch barrels, which were carried in open top pouches and secured by a safety strap. Several of us there carried in clamshell holsters. I have a good source to help me find some . Lots of officers wanted that holster when I retired but I still have it. It was not hard to do once you knew how. These holsters are available for a broad range of firearms, and they are customizable for duty belt size, color and light/laser attachments. When Uncle Sam adopted the Italian-made, Beretta 92SB/F pistol as the M9 in 1985, it accelerated a trend that had already begun in American law enforcement of switching from revolvers to semiautomatic pistols. For more information, visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. NYPD lost 3 per day!. My nick name was Jump-in Joe. Vintage Leather POLICE BELT Jay Pee. Jordan, William H. No Second Place Winner. Mike: 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. Those rosewood stocks on the Python are an excellent example of the personalization you discussed, being handcarved to fit the users hand. They were a particular hit with officers in the various city and county motor units, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP), who favored the six inch revolver and needed a design that was secure, yet fast into action. Safariland 762 Radio with Swivel Holder - STX. 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 . If you really want an LAPD swivel holster, call Hoyt Holsters of Coupeville, WA. 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. Saved my life one day when a bad guy surprised me on a porch with a 12ga shotgun. Obsolete POLICE leather holster and PISTOL LANYARD for FN BROWNING 7.65 MM RM 255.05 RM 51.10 shipping Swivel Holster with cartridge loops fits 6-inch revolvers RM 265.70 Was: RM 664.25 RM 113.48 shipping or Best Offer Only 1 left! The Bianchi Model 2800 Judge (U.S. Patent number 3,977,583, issued 31 Aug 1976) was designed to solve this issue. I can remember guys practicing quick draws in front of the mirror in the police locker room. As a result, the American Tactical recently announced the company will offer two new bolt-action rifle systems from Black Creek Labs. The closure springs were routed through the leather on each side of the trigger guard to ensure that the leather sides would close firmly over the trigger guard area, and not allow access to the trigger while the gun was still in the holster.