I was looking for some leather for my recently purchased 28-2 Highway Patrolman. Being a complete novice to the vintage leather game I was in the water about neck deep!
Found a vintage holster I liked on ebay, but like most every other holster there the seller had no idea what it fit. I did as much research as I possibly could before the auction ended and determined it was a Eubanks, Pioneer Tent and Awning 50s to 70s era, and the company was famously known for marking there holsters for fit in plain English. The seller took pics of the stampings and noted the holster was marked "87", "4" and "EP". I finally figured out "87" was the model number, "4" was the barrel length, but "EP" I had no clue about the "EP"! I could find one other holster like it for sale on the web. It was described by the seller as "87", "6", "EP". The seller remarked it was for a medium or large frame revolver. Based on his 9 years ago description I thought maybe, just maybe it would fit a N frame.
I took a shot and opened the bidding at the minimum of $49.95. I went to bed and woke the next morning to find I had won it for $49.95 shipped to my door. I immediately thought "no way it's for a N frame with nobody else bidding on it"! I thought with my luck it would be J frame sized, and I don't own a single older J frame.
Long story short it arrived a few days later and when I opened the box I saw that it was indeed big enough to fit a larger revolver. I flipped it over and lo and behold the "EP" was a "HP"! I ran down to my safe and hauled my 28-2 out and dropped it in the holster and it fell straight in and landed with a thud. The kind of thud that I have grown accustomed to when holstering my duty weapon over the past 23 years! What luck.....finally!
I admired it for a few days then boxed it up and sent it off to Alex Tukiendorf to have a matching gun belt made! Ok, finally pics with my 28-2 riding in it.
Markings.
A few days later I bought this Hunter holster for $50. Here is a pic of my 1917 riding in it.
Think I am done with holster hunting for a while. I can feel the pull of an addiction here, and I better back away slowly before I end up with an empty gun fund and a closet full of leather.
