Thanks for the article. Thought my pilot application would be shredded. The most obvious was a fast and unobstructed presentation of the gun. The holsters can also be had in a variety of colors other than black to match a tactical teams uniforms. The absolute monarchy of the Service Revolver has been supplanted by the Polymer Parliament. The Safariland 070 SSIII holster is likely the most successful retention holster ever fielded by law enforcement. They were discontinued awhile ago but you can still find them on ebay. 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. Hey Mike, if you ever get a chance I think a great review for fighting gunleather would be the old Safariland model 275. 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. Bianchi didnt give up though, and the company was successful in meeting the demands of large agencies like the California Highway Patrol (1970) and the Los Angeles Police Department (1972), whichmade the Model 27 holster standard issuefor their officers. After some years of little luck I tried this new-fangled Ebay. Very detailed and informative. The most popular was the G&G holster that used a short section of leather covered spring steel on the front seam. FEATURES Full grain genuine leather handcuff holder Will fit one pair of handcuffs The holder is a BELT CLIP . This required a careful surgery to cut the holster apart, to get the gun out. Gould & Goodrich Leather Universal Radio Strap Model 654. C. Rusty Sherick still makes one. Oh well, I was an old guy by then, so they pretty much let do my own thing. We do offer a $50 Rush Fee option if you need your order within two weeks. As a result, with very few exceptions (such as the short-lived Bianchi Auto Drawor the more successful, semi-breakfront Rogers SSII / Safariland 295), the breakfronts didnt make the transition to the autopistol era. Cutaway design with safety strap for easy fast access. For those interested: http://aenelson.hostcentric.com/index.php?cPath=27_40_56_62. 2016 to 2023 RevolverGuy.com, All Rights Reserved. Ill be darned, Len! At one point I had to have one in my collection. The holster is just as good today as it was decades ago. Uncompromising Security We also buy individual holsters or store inventory.. . Best Design ROCOTACTICAL Universal Radio Holder, Basketweave Radio Pouch for Duty Belt 569 $18 90 Unlike many of the more modern retention holsters, the 070 relies on snaps and a particular motion to draw the gun. 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 were truly an innovation for carrying a 6 barrel revolver, which gave officers an inherently more accurate sighting radius. Your email address will not be published. Durable, heavy-duty construction in a lightweight configuration. Countless officers owe their livesat least in partto this holster. 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. Many duty holster designs have come and gone. Grove Gun Shop Product Details. It is available with a basket-weave finish in additionto plain and matte black finishes. It was$200! I still have it. The Rogers WRATH (Weapon Retaining and Tactical Holster) advanced the breakfront art by simplifying and lightening the BOSS. One of the hallmarks of Adam-12 was that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) worked very closely with Universal Studios to ensure that the program was technically accurate. 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. Quotes. I have several holsters from this company and all our top of the line in Quality. Designed by Bill Rogers, the 070 has been made by Safariland since the mid-1980s. For more information,visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. Thanks, A.E. Ive corrected the article. He also wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years. They had a small army of advisors who worked with scriptwriters, actors and directors to ensure that scenarios, uniforms, equipment, tactics and terminology were authentic. Overall this is a very cool vintage holster that would make a very cool addition to any collection. First with my Colt Python, then in the late eighties the department switched to a Sig Sauer 226 9mm, and later to a 229 .40 after several shootings where the 9mm was not effective. Thanks for visiting and sharing. Thank you for writing in and adding to the story of these iconic holsters. He also wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years. 9 Top Retention Holsters For Law Enforcement. I do not have a law enforcement back ground so this has been very educational for me. In fact, the manufacturing and production engineering aspects were the most difficult part of the design process on the Model 27. Buyer's Club $29.69 Non-Member $32.99. I am guessing that I am the last police officer to ever carry the clam shell holster. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Pachmayer rebuilt it for me. 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. Note: The author would like to thank LAPD Sergeant Kevin Ahlemeir and Vintage LA Coppers for their assistance with this article. I have been searching for the front break plain black holster called the BOSS are they still available? 2023 All Rights Reserved. Dang eliminator, your making me feel old with the clam shell comment. Additionally, since the holster body was made of stamped steel covered with leather, there were occasions where a fall or crash (typically involving a motorcycle officer) resulted in the revolver getting trapped in the crushed holster. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). The advantage to the design was that a full and uninterrupted grip could be achieved on the gun while it was in the holster. Call Us (678) 814-4831 SIGN IN; SIGN OUT; CREATE ACCOUNT; MY ACCOUNT; WISHLIST (0) ; SHOPPING CART (0) ; 0 Police duty belts, holsters and pouches all at discounted prices. Vintage from the 1960s Materials: leather Drawing a revolver from a clamshell wasnt just an action, it was an event! We focus on the firearms (naturally) but forget theres an entire industry around carrying them and providing them with ammunition. Keep your favorite compact pistol handy with this German Police Surplus P10 Leather Holster. All rights reserved. Durable, flexible leather is made to strict German specs. Vintage Leather POLICE BELT Jay Pee. Nor was Ace being disrespectful of police generally, or California police officers specifically. Keep up this series. The laminate produced by Rogers Holster Company offered many advantages over traditional leather construction, such as resistance to moisture (including water, blood, gasoline, etc. Cart. Upon introduction, the Judge holster immediately became standard issue on the California Highway Patrol, which issued it along with the newly-adopted Model 67 and Model 68 revolvers. You provide great detail and photos. Tex Shoemaker NJ 63 Plain Black Police Duty Holster P7M8 P7M13 Leather Lined. This also helped to retain the gun and resist an upwards draw, in conjunction with the metal-reinforced cylinder cups. Thanks. The LAPDs love for the design was influential, and helped to spread the popularity of the clamshell holster beyond the states borders in the post-war years. Perhaps the only thing worse than being shot in the line of duty is being shot with your own weapon. Great department, great people. Yeah, youre article hit a nerve! Copyright 2023 Police1. 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. View all posts by Mike. I owned at least 5 clam shells and carried one for 17 years. As I mentioned after reading your book, I carried a 4 clamshell until the department (LAPD) wouldnt allow them any longer. Hi Ron, Im glad you enjoyed the article. Thanks. $20.13. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. '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 It is by far the best holster I have ever owned. The actors received careful coaching from real lawmen, who taught them how to look and act the part. In 1983, Safariland owner Neal Perkins asked Rogers to accept a royalty payment in exchange for a Safariland-branded holster which incorporated his holster innovations. The gun had to be carefully placed in the proper position, and the two halves squeezed together until they latched. 7320 SW Bonita Road Tigard, OR 97224 US503-670-7972 (phone), Hours of Operation:Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (PST)Open Thursdays till 7pm. Rating: Bianchi Accumold 7120 Defender Level 2 Duty Holster. The leather-Kydex laminate WRATH was a breakfront design with a closed muzzle at the bottom. Seller: sfniners (2,626) 100% +C $29.91 shipping. 89 members and 33755 guests. The king isnt dead. An additional device called the Sentry further secures the weapon in the holster. Free Shipping on Orders Over $99! This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. The swivel belt loop is in good shape and swivels freely. Thank You for the article on breakfront holsters. My 1st day walking in the office early, I found sillouhette targets over everything, with comments.we need a new tv, the fridge isnt cold, the computers need replacing..stay away ftom the freezer, its NEW!..leave the helicopters alone!!! These are a source of complaint for my poor wife and I have no real argument for my continued love for them. Loved the article. Reholstering a gun in a clamshell holster could be an awkward affair, that usually involved two hands. The Rogers Holster Company SSII holster for semiautomatic pistols was a successful semi-breakfront design (becoming the long-lived Model 295 after the Safariland acquisition) which followed the WRATH, but by 1983 Rogers was ready to abandon his work on breakfront designs over concerns that they were too susceptible to disarms from the front, which his investigation had concluded was the most likely kind of attack that an officer would face. The safety strap had a decoy snap on the outside, and a low profile thumb break release on the inside, which enhanced security. http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/holsters/vertbelt.html. Wish I had kept the weapon and the holster. The WRS Level 3 offers a natural draw that is not hampered by needlessly complex security devices. Mine opens just past 90 degrees, so one handed reholstering was pretty easy, if not fast. Whereas the typical open top, safety strap, police holster of the time did a poor job of preventing the uninitiated from snatching the gun out of the pouch by simply gripping the gun and pulling on it with great force, the Jewett clamshell did an admirable job of defeating this kind of disarm. I have a good source to help me find some . Los Angeles Police US Clark Pistol Revolver Gun Leather Holster 38 Parent 6 RM 510.92 RM 161.80 shipping or Best Offer : No Item Description: Old Akah holster (Leather) will work with swivel but not included. This could happen when the holsters release mechanism was worn from use, or out of spec because the holster bodys alignment had shifted over time. Turned out I was right. Please see the website at: http://www.vintagelacoppers.org, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) . The Rapid Force Duty Holster protects your firearm so that you can protect and serve. Ha! Safety Speed refused to make me a lefty for the Sig! Anyone use or familiar with the Ted Blocker swivel holsters? That service pistol could be the focus of an attack should things go sideways. View all posts by Mike. 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. Mine was a LH Safety Speed swivel, purchased in the late 70s. The holster is just as good today as it was decades ago. 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" Their uniforms are somewhat unique in that they don't wear shoulder patches; however, their traffic officers wear them. Nelson, for continuing to make such iconic police equipment during these days when holsters are made of faux leather, space-aged plastics, and kydex! it was cool. I was in heaven; they were all there. The base of the polycarbonate spine incorporated a lock for the guns muzzle, which trapped it in position and prevented it from being rotated out the front of the holster by pushing downwards on the revolver grip. The development of a revolver duty holster that was both fast to draw from and secure, took some time to mature and the breakfront was a big part of that process. As always great article and I plan on getting your book soon. The strap prevented the gun from being rotated out the front until the unique,hidden thumb breakwas released by the user. Theyre moresecure,durable, economical, efficient, and easy to care for, but lack the appearance and charm of their leather forebearers. Hooray! Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. 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. Send me an email using our contact page, and Ill take a swing. If you wanted to look cool, it was your huckleberry. Please email or call us to add this for you. I believe they were the finest revolver duty holsters ever made. Glad you enjoyed the story, and hope youll stick around and check out the other fun stuff here. The spring system was tuned perfectly. Mine sprung almost 180 degrees, so it was tough to put the weapon back and next to impossible with one hand. Im working on an article that I think youll enjoy. However, they were not alone in the business. Riley, Ive got another project in the works that I think youre gonna like! Photographed with 9mm compact carry not included. It has nothing to do with Ted Blocker etc. Any RevolverGuy who grew up like I did, watching a steady diet of the 1970s police drama Adam-12, will certainly remember those Blue Knights, Malloy and Reed, each drawing a Combat Masterpiece revolver from a clamshell holster that sprung open like magic every time our heroes needed to draw down on some counterculture scumbag. German maker's markings and dates. 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. Concealed carry holsters for Colt Python - Old-World Quality, 1000+ Customer Reviews & 5-Year Warranty. Glad to have you here, and THANK YOU for your 15 years of service during a dangerous era for LE. This seller consistently earned 5-star reviews, shipped on time, and replied quickly to any messages they received. They are still quite popular with my agency. The design required . From my experience in working with many officers from many states California police officers are some of the best trained and competent officers around. I Ordered on July 18th and received on August 4th. The MSRP starts at $110. 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. The mags had a dual spring system for constant feed rate so they never lost tension as the mags emptied. I can remember guys practicing quick draws in front of the mirror in the police locker room. 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. I left before autos came in. 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. I know about 3 of the guys I work with have 'em. If you really want an LAPD swivel holster, call Hoyt Holsters of Coupeville, WA. A few years before I retired, I returned to Patrol. Oakland was a tough city to police for 39 yearsthank you for all you did to make it safer for the good folks. Shop a wide variety of holsters for professional use or everyday carry. 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. All times are GMT-6. If the leather is dry, make sure to use a little neatsfoot oil to preserve it. 2010. With a pop of a spring and a flash of motion, a bad guy immediately found himself staring down a sixgun barrel before he could even blink! 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. Thanks for adding to the neat history of the clamshell story. But it was a great piece of gear. Even with agencies that issued everything, the revolver was where the most predominant form of personalization took place. Dang I remember when they were the hottest thing on the street. They probably produced more holsters of this design than any other company, and cemented their position as a leading manufacturer of police leather goods. The trigger guard area was open in the style of the times, but a curved pocket followed the contour of the guard and wrapped around the back far enough that it prevented a top draw. The good folks at Ted Blocker nailed it . It was more secure than the temperamental clamshell, and it was easier to reholster with a single hand. With polymer pistols, thats all gone. In an effort to quantify these improvements, Rogers created a testing protocol in 1975 that awarded retention "levels" to holsters. Mike, thank you for the great articles. Add to Cart Compare. Youre in good company! A password will be sent to your email address. I saw a swivel holster on an old rerun of Andy Griffith the other day. 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. I about broke it trying to figure out a way to sneak the gun out of it. While every call does not involve the useof a firearm, the responding officer brings at least one into the mix. Gould & Goodrich Leather Pager Holder Model 614. The H901 is one of the few duty holsters that works with a spurless hammer and yet is still very secure. 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. Safariland 762 Adjustable Swivel Radio Pouch - Cordovan. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) As retired Law Enforcement, I conceal carry daily and have used this [ST17] holster for 30 years. 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.