The subject has come up, in other threads including recently, of what a paddle holster 'is'; and of course it began with what it 'was'. This is a sort of chronology of its evolution, viewed from the back. I was interested to note that some makers, on their current sites, list them separately from their 'belt holsters', as if they were not belt holsters (which they are).

1 myres.JPG The Myres 'Barton Special circa 1940

2 safety speed.jpg The Safety Speed circa 1960, with soft steel inside. In the '60s they were still contending with 'beltless slacks' (though, ironically, belted trousers had only just begun, in the early 1900s).

3 seventrees.JPG The Seventrees circa 1970, soft steel ditto. It's really just a big, suede covered plate, the rough leather meant to hold it all in place.

4 safariland.jpg The Safariland 1970s; this one is steel with a rubber coating, and a locking rotation feature.

5 bianchi.jpg The Bianchi, in its earliest iteration in the '70s, soft steel; eventually it got a strap inside the fold to keep it from pulling out.

NOT SHOWN: The final, better version of the Bianchi; same 'kidney shape' but with two ergonomic, hardened steel plates with one inside the holster itself; no strap required for the belt.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

6 galco (1).jpg The first, I believe, of the injection moulded paddles was by Galco, in the 80s (it was Jackass prior to 1980).

6 galco (2).jpg For some reason Galco's moulded paddle kept evolving.

7 safariland.jpg Safariland's initial effort; with kydex inside.

8 uncle mikes.JPG Uncle Mike's with a flexible plastic inside (likely a low density polypropylene).

9 g&g.jpg De Santis in leather

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

10 galco (1).jpg Two more from Galco, from rigid polymer (likely high impact ABS)

10 galco (2).jpg See above

11 nichols (1).jpg This one I did for DeSantis as it competed for the FBI's business; it is angle-adjustable and barbed on two edges. DeSantis turned it into a dismal, adjustable version that at least could be injection moulded; but with the mount above the fold and the same limited mount position on the backside of the holster, it rides WAY too high.

11 nichols (2).jpg This is my commercial version, still used by several companies under license; not adjustable.

The shape of my two, is inspired by an arrowhead: easy in, difficult out. Who wants a handful of paddle holster during the draw?

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

12 desantis.jpg DeSantis' all-leather version, with a leather ridge a la Myres' Barton Special, to catch beneath the waistband or belt.

13 safariland.jpg Safariland's current one, which is moulded to have thin, flexible sections for comfort and stiffness where needed; but relies heavily on the single, central barb for waistband retention. This leads to the holster tilting back and forth on the belt. The only really curious thing I find about this one, is the nearly vertical carry angle; so suited only to 'forward of 3:00 positions'.

Hopefully I have them in the correct dating sequence. As you can see, once a popular version appeared then not a lot of thought went into their competitor's copies; then an innovative version would appear and the copies would follow; etc.

A rigid polymer version, that is shaped at one end to position the pistol in an ideal offset in several planes, from the wearer's waistline; and then at the other end to the shape of the 'hip'; and then to actually support the holstered pistol onto the hip itself rather than depending on simply hanging it all from the belt line; is best.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Are all the holes in the last one to reduce weight, or?

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In Omnia Paratus

Perspiration ventilation. Plus it looks cool.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Excellent!

I have contemplated using a paddle holster many times but the two things that concerned me were pulling the whole holster out when I just want the gun and will it be close in and tight or print or otherwise be too visible under a vest?

So I never talked myself into one.

The polymer ones, when at the ideal angle for where one wears it along the beltline, will carry quite close. My very particular armourer was/is pleased with the ones I use on my own products. And all are barbed to keep them from pulling out of the waistband, some even when there is no belt.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

But nobody sees it unless-------
That's enough. I have one infraction today.

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In Omnia Paratus

2 (2).jpg Showing the 'offset' that's built into an ideal polymer paddle combination for a man's ergonomics (no pronounced waistline), so that the grip is positioned ideally and the holster is not simply hanging from the waistband, but resting on the hip.

175A_175A-TP_SIDE.jpg A 'female paddle' that I developed for Aker. The model herself was an agent and both petite and curvaceous to test the fitment to an extreme; 36/24/36 in the Marilyn Monroe class (and I reckon even MM would have been jealous of the agent's figure).

56a.jpg The Bianchi 56L (final model) that I left out of an earlier post. The combination of paddle and holster, actually form a clamp: spring steel inside both, joined by powerful rivets at the top.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Bill Rogers mid 70's plastic. A catalog page and in use by FBI.



I have a Safariland with the rubber covered steel paddle. The best thing about the design is that the paddle can be removed to use the regular belt loop underneath.
Still looking for a 29P.

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	Rogers holster FBI Shooting for Survival 9.50 7x.jpg (111.3 KB, 34 views)

Good morning, First post, had a pic handy.

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	ebay 20 087.jpg (100.4 KB, 39 views)
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I've worn a Fobus paddle holster and paddle magazine carrier almost daily for 25 years. Love 'em . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

An article about Bill appeared in 2014, mag called Recoil, volume 13. In it he notes that really, not many of these were made because they were very difficult. 1973 to 1976 he was on furlough from the FBI to build just 400 of them. Elementary math says that's two working days each! And cash flow was killing him, too. One gets paid on delivery and even later, meantime the suppliers expect to be paid.

Then, what he leaves out, in 1979 he was introduced to Neale Perkins by John Bianchi; and a visit to Safailand's factory opened his eyes and resulted in his later method patent: put the hot holster in a holster moulding press! He points out that he has been hand moulding them, using his laminate invention all the while.

Lots of mythology in this article. P'raps this will make a worthy addition to my Lament post.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

First paddle I had was also a Fobus. Many years ago.
I was working late, late, nights. The "snap" sound of
my gun coming out of that Fobus was a concern. I got
rid of it. Did they ever fix that?

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In Omnia Paratus

Nope. Just part of the tradeoff . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

This 518 paddle holster by Safariland solved that snap problem.
The plastic is lined with suede.

Attached Images

SAM_0868.jpg (79.4 KB, 16 views)

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In Omnia Paratus

Of course that's correct, though not for the injection moulded Fobus.

The shocking thing for me, after locating first the Rogers article and then an outline on Safariland's site describing exactly how their laminating process is done -- Bill did not patent the leather lined Kydex holster; that is, that was not his invention.

Beautiful bluff by Bill and Neale.

Instead, all the processes that are disclosed as novel in the patent existed already, by Bill; as in his paddle holster. All he added was placing the hot holster with mould into a common holster moulding press, the result of his visits to Neale's. We did the same when we played with it; and the USPTO calls that 'obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art' -- no patent issued.

Brilliant play. But unethical to the max.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I love the comfort and convenience of the paddle style holsters.

Problem is, can't find one that the weapon does not stick out on your side making them impractical for summer concealed carry..

If they ever make one, I for sure will purchase it.....

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Hipcocked45