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Old 03-16-2017, 04:56 AM
crazyphil crazyphil is offline
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Default QUESTION ABOUT HOLSTER STYLE

This style, shown below, was produced by almost all of the
makers back in the 1950s & 1960s. Often, but not always,
they were laced and stamped basket weave like my specimen
shown below.

Snap on safety strap, and a loop around the front attached with
a couple of rivets low on the belt loop. 3" wide belt loop allowed
the holster to be worn on cartridge belts.

Does anyone know if this style holster had/has a formal name?
I have always referred to it as a "field holster".
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Old 03-16-2017, 06:39 AM
Shark Bait Shark Bait is offline
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I can't help with a name, but it's a good looking holster.
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Old 03-16-2017, 06:54 AM
sonora sonora is offline
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I believe you have a George Lawrence Challenger field holster. Very common in the 60's. Most I've seen are for revolvers. Nice looking and very practical. Sonora

Last edited by sonora; 03-16-2017 at 06:55 AM. Reason: spelling error
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Old 03-16-2017, 07:21 AM
crazyphil crazyphil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sonora View Post
I believe you have a George Lawrence Challenger field holster. Very common in the 60's. Most I've seen are for revolvers. Nice looking and very practical. Sonora
Actually this one was made by Idaho Leather.
So you also call the style "field holster". I was trying to
find out if that is the generally accepted name for this
style of holster.
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Old 03-16-2017, 08:38 AM
sonora sonora is offline
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It's very versatile. Multiple purpose. Looks nice too. Sonora
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Old 03-16-2017, 09:06 AM
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I think field holster is right with regards to the overall design (single loop, wide belt loop, retention strap) but I believe the term should also generally refer to the more plain less fancy versions of these holsters. In other words, if you take a basic field holster and start adding carving, lacing and all the other superfluous add-on options, is it really a holster you're going to use while brush-busting and the like? Probably not.

When I think field holster, the Lawrence Challenger comes to mind:



Simple, plain heavy duty no-nonsense holster you're not afraid to get scuffed up, wet, etc. Another thing I just remembered, a proper field holster should probably have an open toe, like the Challenger, to allow debris and water to easily exit the holster.
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Old 03-16-2017, 09:38 AM
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[QUOTE=-db-;139511979]I think field holster is right with regards to the overall design (single loop, wide belt loop, retention strap) but I believe the term should also generally refer to the more plain less fancy versions of these holsters. In other words, if you take a basic field holster and start adding carving, lacing and all the other superfluous add-on options, is it really a holster you're going to use while brush-busting and the like? Probably not.

When I think field holster, the Lawrence Challenger comes to mind:



Simple, plain heavy duty no-nonsense holster you're not afraid to get scuffed up, wet, etc. Another thing I just remembered, a proper field holster should probably have an open toe, like the Challenger, to allow debris and water to easily exit the holster.[/QUOTE. Why worry? Nothing like good honest wear. It all tells a story and is a warehouse of treasured memories. Sonora
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Old 03-16-2017, 03:25 PM
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Phil, that's what I call them and that style is what I first think of when I hear field holster.
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Old 03-16-2017, 04:52 PM
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Thanks for all those good responses. I think, then, it might be fair to
say that the general style can be referred to as "field holster", but with
exceptions.

On the left the carved Lawrence Challenger might be a little fancy to
carry around in the boondocks.

In the middle the Old Gringo might also.

At right is a Bucheimer I have had forever, carry a little .22 in it,
when I go fishing, (but not in Alaska). Always thought of it as a
field holster, but it does have a closed toe.
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Old 03-16-2017, 06:17 PM
Golfswithwolves1 Golfswithwolves1 is offline
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Aw, they're ALL made to carry around in the boonies. Just gives them a little character!
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Old 03-16-2017, 08:37 PM
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Gee. I'll be contrary by objecting that Field Holster is too vague and also to me conjures images of a holster with a flap....

I've danced with the term "snap loop" for holsters of the general pattern - like the Bucheimer Perfect Fit, but then of course the examples pictured mostly don't have snaps.

In this area, at least, this was probably the most prevalent police uniform holster into the 1960's and still used into the 1970's by the old timers.
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Old 03-16-2017, 09:46 PM
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Aw, they're ALL made to carry around in the boonies. Just gives them a little character!
Easy to say but we have to consider not everything is really made for the boonies. Real rawhide lacing, for example, goes to hell quick when exposed to water. eBay is full otherwise nice old holsters showing split, softened, useless rawhide lacing.
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Old 03-16-2017, 10:55 PM
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I never gave much thought to the term "field holster" actually applying to any specific style of holster. I've always considered it to be more of a blanket term to describe any holster one might use in "the field". I suppose it would be akin to gun descriptions that are sometimes referred to as "field grade" or "presentation grade", etc., etc....

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Old 03-16-2017, 11:03 PM
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I never gave much thought to the term "field holster" actually applying to any specific style of holster. I've always considered it to be more of a blanket term to describe any holster one might use in "the field". I suppose it would be akin to gun descriptions that are sometimes referred to as "field grade" or "presentation grade", etc., etc....

Mark
You've got it right there :-). A field holster is something set up ("rigged" it used to be called) to be worn outside for rough duty; and has a belt attachment for a wide belt, a strap or flap, full coverage for the gun (more with a flap), thick leather, overall a bit heavy, angle is usually vertical, balance is below the belt, etc.). A concealable has entirely different specs you'd agreed; a uniform holster much narrower ones (carry angle becomes important, for example); military even narrower.

"Back in the day", if one wanted to 'splain these things over the phone, we'd have called it a Hunter-type holster. It was decades before I learnt that they originated with Heiser and were made by others (other than Hunter) after the 1960s. Always associated with being "cheap and cheerful" and easy to make, cheap to buy, simple to use.
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Old 03-17-2017, 10:06 AM
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You've got it right there :-). A field holster is something set up ("rigged" it used to be called) to be worn outside for rough duty; and has a belt attachment for a wide belt, a strap or flap, full coverage for the gun (more with a flap), thick leather, overall a bit heavy, angle is usually vertical, balance is below the belt, etc.). A concealable has entirely different specs you'd agreed; a uniform holster much narrower ones (carry angle becomes important, for example); military even narrower.

"Back in the day", if one wanted to 'splain these things over the phone, we'd have called it a Hunter-type holster. It was decades before I learnt that they originated with Heiser and were made by others (other than Hunter) after the 1960s. Always associated with being "cheap and cheerful" and easy to make, cheap to buy, simple to use.
Interesting to know the field style was originated by Heiser.
Do you know about when that was Red? Are you basing that
on a picture in a Heiser catalog or what?
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Old 03-17-2017, 04:28 PM
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Interesting to know the field style was originated by Heiser.
Do you know about when that was Red? Are you basing that
on a picture in a Heiser catalog or what?
Turnerriver will know best, of course, but I'll track down the claim by Heiser that they originated it. I run across it from time to time and say to myself, "THAT'S where that is"; and then forget until the next time :-).
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Old 03-21-2017, 03:41 PM
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Google "Wild Bunch holsters" and you'll find many images of similar holsters...named after the movie.
When revolvers were being replaced by semi-autos, mainly 1911's, these type of holsters were worn by military and LEOs. wild bunch holsters - - Yahoo Image Search Results
If they have a lot of bling, they may be called Bar-B-Q rigs...I think the Texas Rangers came up with that one.

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Old 03-21-2017, 04:43 PM
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This company has some beautiful versions: Purdy Gear
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