I was hoping some of you holster gurus could help me figure out which revolver this holster is for. I've got no numbers of any kind to help unfortunately. To me it doesn't appear to be for a SAA or the likes but I'm not as well versed as some of you.


Well I decided to go ahead and buy the Heiser and picked it up today. I got it cleaned up and tried a few deferent revolvers in it. A 4 inch K frame is to short, 6 inch K to long. My guess is it's for a 5 or 5 1/2 inch. I put a 1917 model in it just for grins and the length was right but the strap was to short.
When I was cleaning it I found the stamp behind one of the loops #713.Ater looking up the number I'm thinking this holster was originally made for a Colt Lightening with a 5 1/2 barrel.

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It does appear to be a DA revolver fitment. That leaves you with trying the ones you can get access to. I'd start with an M&P K frame myself; or even the next size down which is the Colt PP

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

Thanks Red I haven't bought it yet because I was trying to figure out if I needed it or not. I don't have any single action revolvers but plenty of doubles in all shapes and sizes.

Red is right, looks like a small to medium frame DA revolver to me, with probably a 4” barrel. Note the rivet, I believe it’s an early stamped rivet with three H’s on it making the holster from the 1920’s or early ‘30’s.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Thanks I just didn't want to put any money into it if I didn't have anything to go with it. It is a nice looking holster for it's age.

Which begs the question, John, because it was you who 'turned me on' to the ornamented rivets and buttons ending with the Depression; nevertheless I then expected that they were used from Heiser's very beginning as a gunleather maker. Which would make gunleather with the ornamented metal pieces as early as 1910? The HHH emblem they are ornamented with helps us not at all; Hermann Heiser trademarked them when Colorado became a State (which was 1876).

What's your thinking on this?

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Red Nichols The Holstorian

The earliest Heiser holsters I have use the three H rivets. The three H brass and enamel snap lasted longer, I have quite a few holsters with that snap and plain rivets. Guesswork and observation lead me to believe the rivets were replaced in the late 1920’s or early ‘30’s and the snaps lasted well up into the 1930’s or possibly the early 1940’s.
This holster has the pre 1918 model number and the early rivets.
I’m confident holsters made circa 1910 would have these rivets.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Bump with new info in first post.

Andy,
The number "713" describes the style of the holster, not the gun it was intended for. Heiser scribed the designated gun into the back of their holsters by hand and it's visible in your photo.



It looks like "as 5" to me. I'll guess it was made for a 5" Colt Army Special. After 1927, Colt re-named it the Official Police.

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"I also cook."

Thanks Chad I had look at several photos of that style and noticed that according to the location on the strap it would not be for a SAA.
Your correct the hand written inscription is A S 5, I thought someone had done that after the fact. If your are correct then the holster should fit any K Frame fixed sight barrel. I don't have a 5 in early model S&W so that will be my next purchase. The holster is in pretty nice shape for pushing a 100 years old.

It will be a little loose for a K frame, but it should fit OK. The Army Special/Official Police was built on the .41 frame (same as the .357/Trooper/Python). It's a little bigger than a K frame, but smaller than an N frame.

Here's a fancy 6" Army Special that shipped in 1926.



Your holster is in nice shape. I love the floral carving/rawhide lace combo and hope I look that good when I'm almost 100!

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"I also cook."

I see it etched "as 5" Which I would take to mean Army Special with 5" barrel.
Just a little bit late.

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In Omnia Paratus