I don't know if anyone has ever started a thread about weird, or unusual hand gun holsters, but here is a picture my most weird/unusual hand gun holster, by one of my favorite old time makers. This holster, a George Lawrence holster, of Portland Oregon is marked, XP100. It is shown holding a Remington XP100, fit up with a Lupold LER 4x scope, mounts, and rings.

Chubbo

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This should be interesting, you started off with a great example.
Here’s two- I think the first one might be for a Contender and was possibly made to affix to a vehicle.
I call this one a bikini holster.

Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

My neighbor's chest holster.


I forget what the gun's called but it's a single shot .410 that my neighbor uses when he's fishing and the water snakes get a little too close.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Hers an uncatalogued Heiser holster that a fellow SWCA member sold me. You can change it from strong side carry to cross draw. Apparently it never caught on. The rivets are the Heiser Keyston running Buffalo rivets.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Sorry no pictures but mine would be a

Cook Holsters; Kydex IWB "Trigger Guard Carry" for my PPK and another for S&W 3913.

Body is kydex, which snaps over, and completely covers, the trigger guard and a belt clip.

$30 and strangely enough it works!!!!

I don't have one, (but used to sell them through a S&W distributor I worked for) but I always thought the old calm shell holsters used by the LAPD long ago were pretty weird.

Best regards,

I was going to mention this one.

Looks like a Super Comanche single shot pistol.

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Jorge

None of us will be able to top turnerriver; he has the advantage of a lifetime collection of the good, the bad, and I think 'no ugly' holsters.

Here's an effort though:

t colt (5).jpg

Colt's offered this holster circa 1970, supplied I believed by an operation that was simultaneously offering its own version under the brand Tayra including for 4" revolvers.


If that's not good enough, I have an image of a holster that I once owned, that is a clamshell toy holster from the Hopalong Cassidy collection; the real thing but sold as a toy.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Sounds familiar.

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Keep on Chooglin'

The holster that you call a bikini holster, shown holding a J frame, is a new one to me. It's a really neat little holster. Could I get you to post a picture of the back of it, showing the belt attachments? Also do you know the maker? thanks.
Chubbo

Here you go:

The maker is Western Saddle Shop, Tampa, Florida.
Here is another unusual holster made by them, a gift from a past
SWCA president ( I keep mentioning the SWCA because if you like Smith & Wessons YOU SHOULD CONSIDER JOINING ! )




Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Most unusual I have is this Crump FBI model with trigger protector.
It is marked Q37 which I believe might mean Quantico 1937. Jelly
Bryce was instructing at Quantico in 1937, and it has been said that
he designed a holster with a trigger protector. Probably some of his
students couldn't keep their finger off the trigger.

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In Omnia Paratus

I wish I had taken a photo of the one I saw at the gun show this past weekend. It was similar to the cut-away design of the first one posted by turnerriver - without the belt loop and with two big double-layer stitched "flaps" off the one edge.

When I asked the seller about it he said that the flaps sere meant to tuck into the back of your waistband - making it a small-of-the-back holster. The edited photo below will give you an idea of what I mean.

REALLY weird....

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turnerriver:

You can go ahead and have a good laugh at me, because, when you gave me the name of the Western Saddle Shop, of Tampa FL, I went right to the internet, to find find their web sight to see if a copy of that, sweet little holster holding the J frame could be purchased. Like the "dummy" Iv'e become, It never dawned on me that the Western Saddle Shop, wouldn't still be open for business. I guess they aren't, as, after looking at "eleventy seven" pages, of listings, I didn't find a thing about them. With red face shining,
Chubbo

Exactly what I did when I found this holster.
I guess I’m lucky I didn’t drive over to Tampa and look for them.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Take your thunderwear holster & sew on some suspenders. Worn like a belly band, but around the chest, it holds the gun & spare mag tight/secure against the body, is surprisingly comfortable, and conceals VERY well. NO belt needed.

I wish I had a photo... my late father did custom leather work... he made a shoulder rig for a friend, it was for his 6" 629 with a scope... the scope cover was removable (snaps) so when not hunting he could just carry the 629 without the scope and bases... very impressive rig... looked good under his suit and over his hunting jacket...

Very interesting post. Very interesting pictures. Thanks to all for sharing.

Here's my entry - I saw this one for sale once, and the owner stated that it was made for some Royal Saudi Army bodyguard unit. Dang - did they want security for that Model 38 Bodyguard or what?

Regards,

Dave

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That definitely looks like the kind of holster a committee of government bureaucrats would design!

When was it a good idea to expose the trigger of the handgun while in a holster?

I’d vote for an old LAPD side-opening holster. I think they were called clamshells? Weird, seemingly unsafe design by modern standards, or anyway, they were weird to my eye.

I have found one of the most unusual holsters if not the most unusual.
It's based on the Mexican Shoestring (or loop) Carry . Back in the day all you used was a shoestring...a length of paracord was better.

Fast forward to Kydex times and you gotta see the MIC Holster-it stands for Minimal Inside Carry !
I dont know how to post photo's of this unique carry "system" but check out site and instructional video's at their website.
I'm going to try one because I have used the Mexican shoestring carry in the past and except for lack of retension....liked the concept....
Gary

Taking your comment seriously and literally, it was the standard way until the end of the 20th century. And Bianchi still does it:

Model 5BHL Thumbsnap Suede Lined Belt Holster - The Safariland Group

And heaps of other makers including mobs like El Paso Saddlery et al.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Okay, top this, from an auction:

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Red,
That right there will take something to top it. I’m guessing that is one of a kind! Amazing!!

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So long ... Ken

When we look at it twice, one realises that the 'flap' is hinged on both sides; that is, it splits open at the top, which would have seemed logical at the time. I don't believe I've ever seen a leather flap holster that opened in the fold of the flap vs. on the outside. Be fun to try sometime.

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

This is a vest converted into a two gun shoulder holster rig. The guns do not wobble at all and stay close to the body. It is very comfortable.

Designed by lawyers. :-)

I think this one was made from an old boot top....

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

This is not carved but just painted with black leather dye.

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A Country Boy Can Survive

I got this weird holster when I bought a Model 17-3 off an estate sale. The FFL said it did not come with a box or paperworks but it did come with the forward pivot full flap holster. I figure why not. Looks like someone made it for a 6" k frame and etched a brown deer on the flap. For an old holster it stood up well as the owner cleaned both the gun and holster every time he used them. I got that 17-3 for a steal at $450 out the door as the FFL said originally it was all scratched up with tiny marks. Turns out the guy stored it in a felt cloth and all the fiber clung to the gun oil. It went from a scratched up gun to near perfect with a good cleaning and removal of the all the felt fibers.

[img]https://s8.postimg.cc/klzs***29/IMG_1018.jpg[/img]

A 1920s (?) Heiser IWB model. Actually quite comfortable. Shown with a 1917-1919 vintage Military & Police .38.

Wallet holster for Beretta Mod 21A


WWII hard shell P38 holster with internal strap that lifts gun up for easier draw when opened:


Post war P1 police holster drops down and leans out when opened to aid in weapon draw:

Alessi "pull thru" for a 1903 pocket model

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

1st "Walk and Draw" Bianchi, made by John for Jeff Cooper, who gave it to Dan D, I got it from his son after he passed

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

DeSantis Shoulder rig for a Mac 11

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

Ken Null Garter holster for a High Standard Derringer.

I now own over 600 Gallons of holsters, most of them odd ones, Thank goodness for all here that I do not have pic's of most of them

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

I had one of these with a double mag carrier for a Browning Hi Power.

There have been a couple of times, years past, when I saw some interesting vintage holsters in antique stores, and just wasn't motivated to "spend the money" at the time.

One was a clamshell holster that I didn't want to spend $20 on about 25-30 years ago. Ouch.

In another antique store, years ago, I saw an interesting flap holster for a small to mid-sized auto pistol. The full-sized flap had a flat leaf spring running through the inside of the flap, and long enough to reach the back side of the body. There was a "rotary catch" (for lack of a better term) where the end of the flap came in contact with the body of the holster. When it was time to draw, The right hand rotated the catch back (it was a short throw), and the flap "stood up", probably flapping against the user's torso. It was an unusual idea, but would have been quicker than trying to get a normal "limp" flap up and out of the way while trying to claw the gun out.

Simply Rugged Leather has a holster with a detachable flap that can be flipped forward, from the rear, to allow the gun out. Apparently the design was thought up by John Bianchi while he was an MP.

Alfonso's of Hollywood Walk and draw rig for a Colt Govt model
Just wish the belt was a tad bit longer

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

Flap holster for a Top Break S&W 38 s&w
Marked "Railway Express Agency" Known as REA.
Carried by the "Mail Guard"
REA used The Lone Ranger as their spokesperson for a long time, I have a silver bullet headstamped "REA AWAY" that he gave me at a supermarket opening in Tucson when I was a wee tike.

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

Bianchi Prototype for a Mac 10

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

Last one
Seventrees made "Covert" s/h for a Colt govt model
Unmarked ( Sterile) for Spook pilots to use in SEA.
They were having issues with leather and Canvas rotting very fast in the bush.
These were made from S/S, alum, plastic and a clear vinyl harnesses.
Rides muzzle up (Condition 3 only) grip down, top of slide to front. extra mag on off side
Ken Null made it later as the SMZ.
One of coolest

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

OK, one more,
The 1st Kydex holster commercially made
The Snick, I shot this one in IPSC for a short while until they banned it

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“Cogito, ergo sum armatus

Any chance you could post a picture of the "mechanism" part of that holster, that allows it to be switched from strong side to crossdraw? I believe it would be the part under the flap.
Thanks.

It’s simple and interesting, from the looks of the holster the switch wasn’t made very often.





Here are a couple more. This is a Myres Detective Wonder holster. Designed to be worn on a belt with a small revolver upside down under the arm- a predecessor to the semi-shoulder holster design as made by Heiser, Bucheimer and others.


Another unusual Myres holster. Designed to be worn cross draw with a long thumb snap and a metal reinforced tunnel for the belt to run through. I’m thinking an individual’s design executed by Myres.



Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

John, here is a page from a story about Col. Rex Applegate's use of a variation of the Myers "Detective Wonder" holster. He was apparently wearing this holster when he shot an attacker down in Mexico, using the illustrated S&W top break. In .38 S&W, which barely stopped the guy. Which caused him to appeal to S&W for a concealed hammer version of the new Chiefs Special...and the rest is history. Or so the story goes.



Story from the American Handgunner, November/December 2011 issue. Here is a link to the story:
American Handgunner Nov/Dec 2011 Digital Edition—Page 66

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064