Many here on the forum are familiar with Hank Sloan, the FBI
Agent in charge of training at the FBI Academy for many years.
So many are also familiar with the holster he designed, and for
which he received a patent for the adjustable welt. I know many
believe he designed the hammer protector, but it was designed
about 30 years before Hank Sloan's holster.

Well I was surfing the tv channels this morning and came across
an old movie: The FBI Story. Jimmy Stewart was the star. I
didn't watch all the movie, but I watched a few minutes and an
agent was giving Jimmy a tour of Hogan's Alley. I believe it was
said that the guy giving the tour was Hank Sloan, but I can't
find any verification. Does anyone know?

They watched a new agent go through his paces on Hogan's
Alley, shooting the bad guys on the pop up targets. He also
shot a couple of good guys. The agent would draw his revolver
from what looked like a Heiser FBI holster. The movie was
released in 1959, so the Hank Sloan holster, by Bucheimer,
was not available yet.

For reference my photo below left is the Heiser FBI which was
later designated their FBI Model.
On the right is the Hank Sloan holster by Bucheimer.
Both carrying my S&W Model 10 with 4" heavy barrel.

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In Omnia Paratus

There isn't any character in the film's cast list called Hank Sloan, but there are several listed as "FBI agent"...all played by various actors.

And if Hank Sloan made a cameo appearance in the film, he didn't get credit for it.

I read somewhere that Hoover was in the movie un-credited, so it
would not surprise me if Hank Sloan was also un-credited.

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I don't know if Sloan played himself, and perhaps my memory is playing tricks, but didn't Jimmy Stewart's character call the guy running Hogan's Alley "Sloan" during that scene?

The person to ask is Larry Wack, who runs the Historical G-Men web site, which is located here:

Faded Glory: Dusty Roads Of An FBI Era

Hoover and Tolson were both in the movie uncredited.

That was the bit that I watched where Jimmy Stewart and the other
agent were watching an agent go through the paces on Hogan's Alley.
I think the narrator (who I believe was Jimmy Stewart) referred to
the other guy as Sloan. He might have even called him Hank Sloan.
I might have to rent it and watch it again if someone doesn't come up
with a clip or something.

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Hoover is in the movie giving a rah/rah speech about the 'new' FBI to agents in a room. Hoover is back to the camera and you never see his face.
Some think it's not really JEH standing there or speaking but that was the publicity leaked at the time.
I doubt he'd allow any Agent to take a personal 'bow' by having their name in the credits of a movie.

Thank you Shawn for the suggestion. I sent an email to Larry Wack
this morning. He answered promptly and told me yes, that is the
real, live, genuine Hank Sloan touring Hogan's Alley with Jimmy Stewart
in the FBI STORY.

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This is a copy of a three page letter from General Van Orden of Evaluators Ltd. to Hank Sloan regarding a " really new " revolver- the Combat Masterpiece. Following is Hank's reply. I've included a photo of Hank Sloan shooting a 3 1/2" .357 Magnum ( that's how the photo was labeled ).
This material is part of a large collection of Evaluators Ltd. ephemera. It was on display last June at the SWCA symposium; Rick Nahas and I displayed some of Flora Van Orden's S&W revolvers with her Berns-Martin Lightnin' holster.
The final photo is of a Hank Sloan holster with a safety strap.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

I was required to carry a revolver and when a detective that hammer shredded the lining of my coat! I broke the rules and went to a S&W Model 39 (Early one) and a Yaqui holster. The Yaqui holster held the pistol so close the lining never rubbed against it. And__I've been using (among a few others) a Yaqui holster ever since. Today, with my Shield. (DeSantis paddle one)

I find those letters of turnerriver's interesting because they were talking
about a combat magnum in 1949, but didn't get into production until
1955.

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Phil, the next page states " It will not be chambered for the .357 Magnum-not because it is not strong enough to handle it-but because of the general limiting weight you lads set on your dream gun for day in and day out lugging around." The revolver being described was the Combat Masterpiece which came out around 1949. The 3rd edition of the SCSW notes that "Factory letter from Carl Hellstrom to George Van Orden indicates that one model 15 was chambered in .357 Magnum for Henry L. (Hank) Sloan of the FBI on a test basis about April, 1955 and released through Evaluators Ltd. of Quantico, Va." General Van Orden maintained that his wife Flora came up with the original idea for a target sighted 4" medium frame revolver after being left alone in Haiti, he and she claimed that they originated the Combat Masterpiece concept. Apocryphal at best.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Those looking for FBI agents in movie cameo roles will want to keep an eye on the agent who hands the heroine her credentials at the end of the film, "The Silence of the Lambs." That's the real John Douglas, a famous profiler. He also wrote some books, like, "Mind Hunter."


Heroine Clarice Starling was played by Jodie Foster and her S&W M-13 and holster were the correct issue items at the time.
And the villain's Colt Python is what he used in Thomas Harris's book. I could tell you why he killed victims with that gun, using .38 wadcutter target loads, but some of the easily shocked who want this to be a family board might complain.


I don't think that info is in the film. You have to read the book.

Thanks for the story. Will see if I can find "The FBI Story".
Those holsters with exposed triggers give me the creeps. They're banded at local ranges.

These types of threads are most enjoyable and educational.

Does anyone still make the Sloan style holster? Its not a very intricate design so I would expect most custom makers could pull it off easily.

Thanks

You can find the real Sloan style by Bucheimer, like the one I show
above, occasionally on the auction sites. Only maker I know of who is
making a holster like Sloans with the adjustable welt is Milt Sparks.
Photo below left with my S&W Model 29.

Almost any custom maker can add the hammer protector aka "dog ear"
to a holster. 2nd from left for example is one made by Lefty Lewis,
doing business as Bell Charter Oak, a few years ago. It is a replica
of Chic Gaylord's Combat Speed Scabbard. Shown with my S&W Model
67 Combat Masterpiece.

You can sometimes find the older ones, with "dog ear", on the auction
site. For example 3rd from left made by Oliver Ball, a former homicide
detective with the Ft. Worth PD, with my S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum.

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Muchly worn Heiser 759 with 5 screw Combat Masterpiece.

Regards,
Bruce

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Regards,
Bruce

I have some from Milt Sparks that are really nice, but the ones done by. Ike Barranti are absolutely superb.

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Amen to that nyeti. Here is my Barranti Brill with the "dog ear".
My S&W Model 19 on board with Herrett's Jordan Trooper stocks.

P. S. I think you mean Mike "Doc" Barranti. Ike is probably a typo.

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This info had me online buying a copy of the DVD. Darn you Phil :-)

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Yea, I know it's Mike. I was typing on my phone.....which is in its last days right now.

I think you will thank me when you watch it Red. When you see that
new Agent shooting the pop-ups on Hogan's Alley take a close look at
his holster. I'm sure it's my hoster that I show up in #1 on this thread.
Please confirm that for me.

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