The holster is rugged as hell. Keep up this series. I bought my own clamshell around 1970 or so and used it every day on patrol. For more information, visit safariland.com or call 800-347-1200. 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 image of those great sixguns being drawn from the trick holsters was pure TV magic! Thanks, Mike, I have a question about my 1962 revolver. They probably produced more holsters of this design than any other company, and cemented their position as a leading manufacturer of police leather goods. Pre-Owned. I have 4 clamshells including a full replica of the Adam 12 belt and a high-ride python clamshell! 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. 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. One of my sergeants used one of these for a while (we were issued S&W M66 at the time). Phone Model: APX 6000 (NON-XE) / 8000 (NON-XE) MSRP: $84.99. Some agencies, like the LAPD, had armorers who could inspect and adjust clamshell holsters to ensure more reliable operation, but the design weakness was never perfectly addressed, and it was one of the key reasons that clamshells were eventually prohibited for duty use (as LAPD finally did, in the mid-1980s). and manufacturers. Item Name: FS Akah German Police Holster Vintage Location: Blairsville Zip Code: 30512 Item is for: Sale Only Sale Price: 40 Willing to Ship: Yes Bill of Sale Required? Youre welcome! Your duty holster keeps your trusty sidearm close at hand; it can and should be as unique as you are. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. An outstanding article once again by this fantastic author. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. it was easy for the pushing motion of the index finger to continue after the gun had been drawn . 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. The holsters use a Pivot Guard to lock the gun in at a second point. Back in 1973, former FBI agent and police instructor Bill Rogers started designing and building some excellent duty holsters that incorporated improved retention capabilities. Spring Cleaning Clearance: 10% OFF on Shoulder Holsters. Adler, Dennis. It is simple to reholster one handed with proper technique. Simultaneously, the breakfront holster virtually disappeared from the scene as well. 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. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. All rights reserved. Thats one heck of a testimony for the clamshell! Isnt it neat how some things just keep truckin on? The notch they started making in the later models made it so much easier. The Jewett family married into the Stanroy family, and a collaboration resulted in Stanroy-marked clamshells that competed with Safety Speed. The only commercially available breakfronts that I know of are copies of the old Hoyt design, from AE Nelson Leather Company. Swivel Holster with cartridge loops. Vintage Leather POLICE BELT Jay Pee. Would it be appropriate to carry a Python in a holster made of the same, or is that some kind of fashion faux paus? And that didnt just look cool . Id like to have one just for the sake of having one, but certainly would never allow it to be issued for real use. When released, the Pivot Guard springs out of the way and will not accidentally snap backto prevent reholstering of the firearm. 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. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community It is by far the best holster I have ever owned. 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. breakfront. Loved the article. When I told him I was left handed, he balked and said hed have to custom make it and itd be expensive. It, too, has its fans. 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. Dont know where it came from. Holsters vary in the degree to which they secure or protect the firearm. I always thought it was a brown holster a guy had dyed by the local shoe repair. - Cicero, 60 B.C. judged. 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. The Model 27 and Safety Speed designs were closed because the base of the closure spring was seated at the bottom of the leading edge. Beinfield Publishing. Note: The author would like to thank LAPD Sergeant Kevin Ahlemeir and Vintage LA Coppers for their assistance with this article. was the only other officer who carried one, he retired about a year and a half before me. Even with both of these features engaged, an officer can draw the duty gun quickly. Its hard to know without seeing the holster, but Im going to take my best guess, and maybe it will be helpful. . Never have used a swivel, but I have owned Hoyts and Nelson holsters when we exclusively carried revolvers. Instead of wrapping the leather pocket over the top of the trigger guard, the Judge left this area open. 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. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out Gods wrath on the wrongdoer." 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. Add to Cart Compare. The SW602 features a level 2 security thumb break and a 6" drop. German Police Surplus Shoulder Holster, Used. I moved from California because of their politics, but I can assure you the police officers I worked with, I would have gone to war with any day. I have seen some level II and level III swivel holsters designed for motor officers that were outstanding in design and quality. Glad to have you here. The arrogance of public officials must be curtailed. Vintage Alfonsos Brown Leather IWB Holster for Colt 1911 5" Browning Hi Power. Jordan, William H. No Second Place Winner. Of note, the Stanroy facility was near a wrecking yard, which provided an ample supply of auto fenders to stamp into holster frames. 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. 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. Good comments guys, but are we all writting about Ted Blockers swivel holster? 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. Hello Mike: Like the other readers, I really enjoyed the history on how the clamshell holster came to be. All times are GMT-6. A clamshell wasnt your average, pedestrian, top draw rig. The Rapid Force Duty Holster protects your firearm so that you can protect and serve. Vintage from the 1960s Materials: leather 1) The swivels tend to break after a while, or during a real fight for your life. This didnt happen very fast. Back. Glad to have you here, and THANK YOU for your 15 years of service during a dangerous era for LE. Concealed carry holsters for Colt Python - Old-World Quality, 1000+ Customer Reviews & 5-Year Warranty. 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. Los Angeles Police US Clark Pistol Revolver Gun Leather Holster 38 Parent 6 RM 510.92 RM 161.80 shipping or Best Offer It was$200! Bart thats an AMAZING page to add to the story of the clamshell! Thanks, A.E. Durable, flexible leather is made to strict German specs. No breaking down and then out and up. The K391 is available for many of the popular duty pistols in use today. Those were the Days. However, the 7TS uses a new nylon blend material that is extremely durable, impervious to temperature changes and weather, yet is completely non-abrasive to the guns finish. LAPD 6" Clam Shell Holster Adam-12. 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. For more information,visit blackhawk.com or call 800-379-1732. Also great for retention, all you had to do was hold it shut or swing it up and trap it against your rib cage. 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. The Safety Speed offered an improvement with its cutout trigger pocket, but the Model 2800 took a different approach. The absolute monarchy of the Service Revolver has been supplanted by the Polymer Parliament. I'm thinking about buying one for my 1911, but I am concerned with retention in a gun grab. Glad youre enjoying it! Nelson, for continuing to make such iconic police equipment during these days when holsters are made of faux leather, space-aged plastics, and kydex! speaking of LAPD what type of duty gear do they wear? The leather-Kydex laminate WRATH was a breakfront design with a closed muzzle at the bottom. Designed specifically to work with popular weapon lights such as the Streamlight TLR-1 and the SureFire X300, the BlackHawk Epoch holster has an internal locking feature that hooks on the ejection port for a high degree of grab resistance. 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. Police duty belts, holsters and pouches all at discounted prices. 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. Additionally, since the closure springs went around the cups, the cups helped to obtain a uniform clamping force on the gun in the holster. 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. Free Shipping on Orders Over $99! Swivel Holster Clip (PMLN7939) Swivel holster allows you to wear the radio on your belt, leaving your hands free for the job on hand. 3.2 out of 5 star rating (21 reviews) . Our current lead-time for new orders is 4-9 weeks for most items. Actually too great early on for me, with one of those accidental discharges after drawing.I was conducting a requested (dumb ass on my part) demonstration, how quick it was, and popped a round off.I did turn away from personnel for safety you know.of course.duh.you know, do not point at anything youre not willing to destroy!.Well I was willing to destroy the chest freezer in our helicopter detail office, and almost did so! 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. 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. In contrast, with Jewetts design, the shooter established a normal grip on the gun and punched the hidden button with the fingertip almost simultaneously, at which point the gun could be rotated into the firing position without first having to draw it upwards. For more information, visit unclemikes.com or call 800-423-3537. 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. When I was in, there were still guys using them. Refer to pics for condition! It uses an ALS to help secure the gun, and it also has an optional Sentry system. Ask for Model 890-LAPD. Your dad sounds like he was a hell of a cop, and knowing Stockton, Im sure did some tough policing in some tough neighborhoods! Thank you for the point out to AE Nelson Leather Company! Glad you enjoyed it. Vintage Clamshell Gun Holster Police. $135.00 USD. Thank you for writing in and adding to the story of these iconic holsters. Hi Ron, Im glad you enjoyed the article. This page was generated at 06:57 AM. The rig uses a rotating hood to secure the weapon and a separate physical barrier to deter a suspect from snatching the gun from the holster. Romans 13:4, If this is your first visit be sure to check out the frequently asked questions by clicking here. Our Price: $23.95 Now: $20.99. The K391 has a suggested retail price of $166. I have my fathers, Stockton PD 1941-73, full belt rig with Jewett Clamshell w/38 Police Special. : No Item Description: Old Akah holster (Leather) will work with swivel but not included. 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. Yes, the Hoyt makes a neat pop when you pull off a great draw. Also, it was easy for the pushing motion of the index finger to continue after the gun had been drawn, with the finger now on the trigger. If this is your first visit be sure to check out the frequently asked questions by clicking here. Nov 2, 2022. Holsters were as varied as the catalogs from which they came. 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.