I just bought this one.







It's not fancy. But, it reminds me of the old Jordan "Border Patrol " holster that I carried many moons ago!

As usual, I'm curious if this has a model designation or any other info that y'all may have. Value, production years etc.?

Best,
Charles

I think that's the old Border Patrol holster designed by Col. Chas. Askins, and re-designed by Bill Jordan to meet his desires.

I own the Jordan version. Both were VERY popular with cops for decades.

That snap-off version was an option.

Charles if your holster is Askins design for the border patrol I believe they
called it model #5 (by S. D. Myres). General Patton carried his .357
magnum in Askins border patrol style holster by Myres.
Put your gun that fits in the holster. If it covers about half the trigger
guard & most all of the trigger it is Askins. Bill Jordan totally opened
up the trigger guard. Jordan also had a long drop loop and canted the
gun butt away from the body for quicker access and quicker draw.
Here are a couple of photos of my Bill Jordan Border Patrol.
On the left with S&W Model 19 (Jordan said it is a peace officers dream).
It also has Jordan Trooper stocks by Herretts.
On the right with S&W Model 67 Combat Masterpiece.

UPDATE: Sorry I didn't answer your questions about time period
and value. I believe Askins style was produced in the 1930s and
1940s up to and including WWII. The Jordan design came after
WWII and was produced first by Hume and then by Myres also.
Both Askins and Jordan show up occasionally on ebay and/or
Gunbroker. Usually go for around $50 + or - depending on
condition.

Attached Images

	SAM_0115.jpg (50.0 KB, 147 views)
	SAM_0100.jpg (49.5 KB, 137 views)

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In Omnia Paratus

Look up the patent number stamped on the back: IIRC, it was about 1932 or so. also note the extra welting to move the grip slightly out from the body for a faster unimpeded draw. Should also be a metal plate in the drop area, IIRC.
I also have one of these which fits a 4" K frame, but none seem to be marked as to which revolver.

A while back, I picked up a carved version of this holster with the same patent number, but for a 6" N-frame. Had to buy an N-frame to confirm the fit. Dang.
Also have a Bluemel (near neighbor of Myres) duty holster of remarkably similar design, which fits none of my Smiths. May have to buy another revolver.
If I ever master the picture-posting process (I'm a born Luddite) I'll do it.

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de minimus non curat lex

That is indeed the Askins Border Patrol.

As to production of the Jordan Border Patrol, which was a modified Askins as stated previously, in addition to Hume, Herrett's (the grip company) also made leather to Bill Jordan's specifications.

Thanks for the info! It should be here in a few days. It was listed as a K frame. But, here's hoping it actually fits a Colt New Service that the Border Patrol carried while Askins was there. I have one of those issued in Arizona in 1941.

Either way, I'm into this one for $15 plus shipping.

Best,
Charles

The Myres patent is actually 1937, which is troubling because Myres catalogued it without the Askins name in 1931 -- and one only has 1 year (called a statutory bar) from the date of first public use to file a patent in the U.S. Myres also used the stamp on holsters that didn't have the metal shank and weren't covered by the patent.

It is the holster about which the "tomato can" story is told in Sandra Myres' bio of S.D. Myres himself, in which a Border officer brought in a bent can to show Myres what he was thinking of.

In the Myres, the metal is strictly next to the cylinder pocket and does not extend upwards and behind the belt. So the leather loop is quite floppy. It was the Jordan that extended it upwards for maximum stiffness. This also allowed the holster to be "adjusted" by bending; the metal shank is/was just annealed steel.

And it was the Jordan that had a leather 'plug' at the trigger guard to push the grip outwards, not the Myres. And the Jordan that completely exposes the trigger guard, in what would be considered a "modified threepersons" as a true threepersons rides with the grip above the belt.

I've long suspected that the Herrett's lineup of leather was actually made for him by Hume.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Could it be that sometime between 1931 and 1937 Myres got the great
idea that Askins name would sell holsters? Perhaps he got a few little
design tips from Askins but the real motivation was use of the name?
It worked quite well earlier on with the Threepersons holster.
The Lawrence 34/120 did quite well with Keith's name attached to it,
but as far as I can tell all Keith did was suggest a longer retention strap.
(I was a forensic auditor for a few years so I have a suspicious mind.)

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In Omnia Paratus

I have been doing a little research to satisfy my own curiosity about the
Askins and Jordan Border Patrol holsters. Perhaps some of what I found
may interest you.
Charles Askins became chief firearms instructor for the U. S. Border Patrol
in 1936. I believe it was during that duty that he collaborated with S. D.
Sam Myres in the design and production of a holster that became known
as the Askins Border Patrol holster.
The 15 degree butt forward tilt was borrowed from the FBI holster that
had become quite popular by that time. It had a steel shank in the drop
loop that prevented flopping and eliminated the need for a tie-down.
The belt loop had two snaps so the holster can easily be put on and
taken off without un-doing the belt. There is a bottom plug to keep
foreign material out of the muzzle and to maintain the shape of the toe.
The trigger guard is only partially covered toward the front of the guard.
Unless one has an experienced eye I don't know how one can tell the
Askins from the Jordan.
Around 1940-41 Bill Jordan, a new Border Patrolman, designed a
holster. Most of the following came from Bill's own words in magazine
articles that he authored:
He took features for his holster design from 3 different existing holsters:
1. He kept most of the Askins features including the FBI cant, the safety
strap, but he used the metal shank in the drop loop to camber the gun
stock away from the body for quicker access. It was designed to slant
fore and aft and overall length which would clear the holster from a car
seat and the grip from the seat back.
2. From the Threepersons holster he completely cut away the trigger
guard to allow free access to the gun butt and trigger.
3. From a military holster, made for the 1911 Government model, he
had a plug or welt sewn into the top inside to force the butt end of the
revolver away from the body in a straight up and down alignment which
allowed the hand to contact the gun butt without interference from
clothing.
Then he took his design to an old German saddlemaker in Alpine, Texas
(who I have determined must have been C. H. Werner born in Germany
in 1890) who was in business in Alpine from 1928 for 47 years. And
Bill got his holster made. The business was Alpine Saddlery.
Bill also had a Colt New Service in .45 ACP caliber built with a 3.5"
barrel. He took the gun and the holster with him as he island hopped
across the Pacific as a Marine in WWII. (Bill was also involved in our
invasions of Okinawa and Iwo Jima.)
When Bill returned from the War, his holster was well worn and quite
beat up, so he stopped in to S. D. Myres shop in El Paso and had Sam
build him a new one for Colt's New Service that was the Border Patrol's
issue sidearm at the time.
Before long, Bill's holster was the most popular holster in law enforcement.
Every peace officer wanted a holster "just like Bill's".
Many other makers got into the act making copies. Some were not
very good quality, so Bill trademarked the "Jordan holster".
Bill gave Don Hume the exclusive use of the Jordan trademark.

Now, however, I still have one problem. My Jordan Border Patrol holster
shown in post #3 above meets all the criteria I have set out in this post
except one. The metal in the shank does not go on up into the back of
the belt loop. So apparently that feature did not go on every model of
the Jordan Border Patrol. Your comments are welcome, however,
remember the above criteria are Bill's words. Not mine.

__________________
In Omnia Paratus

I think I solved my mystery. The front of the trigger guard is not only
covered on the Askins Border Patrol but the leather over the front of
the trigger guard makes a half-oval. On the Jordan Border Patrol, the
front of the trigger guard is not covered and the leather goes straight
across at the front of the trigger guard. In fact it appears that the
bottom of the gun's trigger guard is a little bit outside the leather.
Funny how it has been right before my eyes but I never saw it.
It doesn't look like anyone is interested except Red. And Me.

__________________
In Omnia Paratus

As a side note, Phil, the snaps on the 'belt loop' were put there so that the holster could be removed without having to 'fight' the D rings sewed to the belt to hook the shoulder strap to. Same reason most lawmen worn their cartridge slides on the left, avoiding the D rings......In the days before 'nylon' duty rigs, most Sam Browns came with the 'D' rings and shoulder straps.

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Sheriff Russell Cottle. ret

Down on the Accessories/Misc. For Sale forum robbt has a good photo of
a Myres Askins Border Patrol for sale. 2nd page of the forum, down to
about the 9th holster. He says it's for a Colt OP/Trooper. I have found
that holsters made for Colt OP/Troopers fits S&W K Frames with adjustable
rear sights such as model 15, 19, 67, etc.

__________________
In Omnia Paratus

Look like you got yourself an antique holster!

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Life is short,live it fully.