Since the discussion of Dragnet has also turned into mention of Adam-12, here goes:

Dragnet (late 60s version):

Joe Friday, 2 inch Model 10
Bill Gannon, 4 inch Model 15 Combat Masterpiece

Adam-12 (early seasons):

Malloy and Reed, duty, 6 inch Model 14 K-38s
off-duty, Chief's Special 2 inch

Adam-12 (later seasons):

Malloy and Reed, duty, 4 inch Model 15 Combat Masterpiece,
off-duty, Chief's Special 2 inch.

Both series used then LAPD issue Ithaca Model 37 12 gauge shotguns.

When LAPD created SWAT Teams, there was an Adam-12 episode about SWAT in which the Colt M16 or AR15 rifles were used by the team along with a scoped bolt action rifle.

Nah, that can't be Leonard Nimoy. The ears are all wrong.


"Captain Kirk, I can't believe my ears."

"Mister Spock, I can't believe your ears either."

Making a tangential jump, the local cable is showing the 1950's Broderick Crawford "Highway Patrol" which is a show I also watched when I was in grade school.

I remembered the big Buicks but didn't remember the hardware.

The revolvers were all 6 inch Colt Official Police with a mix of service and factory full-checker target stocks.

The first couple of episodes I saw, the uniforms were carrying a non-descript swivel holster, then a few episodes showed a really high riding spring-post cross draw.

Then the surprise -- clam shells. Lots and lots of clam shells.

The actors could draw well, but reholstering was an awkward process for them, requiring both hands, holding the holster horizontal. They hadn't mastered the one-hand reholster.

Great fun.

Back in the 1970s, I knew several officers with the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Police Department. They also carried 6" Colt OPs.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

How's this for seredipity & tying a thread together?

Leonard Nimoy was on Highway Patrol today. IMDB puts this one at 1958.

William Boyett, of course, was on Jack Webb's Adam-12 -- along with Highway Patrol narrator Art Gilmore.






Boyett didn't even try to reholster in this sequence. The revolver in his belt is his own.

I've seen Broderick Crawford with a crossdraw holster, but in this one he just sticks his Colt DS in his pants.



"Highway Patrol" Blood Money (TV episode 1958) - IMDb

I remember reading that Jack Webb's Model 39 had the serial number 714 from his badge number. Note that Model 39 serial numbers started at 1000 or 1001. I don't know the number of his 44 revolver.

What was the idea of the "book hinge" type holster William Boyett is wearing? I noticed that Reed and Malloy also wore those for a while in the Adam 12 series. What was the supposed advantage that floppy, awkward looking holster?

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You're shy a few manners.

Those were called "clamshell" holsters, and they offered presumed added security. You have to reach inside the gun's trigger guard and press a release to open the holster.

What a thread!

Thanks to all who participated.

Yes I enjoyed it when I was somewhere I could watch it. Too often I was in an airplane going to and fro and round about.

Wonderful information for an old guy.

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the world is round everywhere

Texas Star, thanks for the explanation.

Let me be sure I understand:
The officer puts his finger inside the trigger guard while drawing the revolver so that the clamshell pops open. Thus he has his finger on the trigger while the gun's muzzle is pointed in the direction of his leg / foot? All this in a possibly in a high stress situation?

... and someone thought that was a good idea?

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You're shy a few manners.

Getting the revolver out was just half the problem with the clam shell. Getting it back in again without dropping it wasn't easy. Even harder if your other hand was busy.

My Lord!

Is this an "only in LA" situation, or did other cities / departments use clamshells?

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You're shy a few manners.

There is a piano hinge all the way across the back of the holster, it is spring loaded. The button (green arrow) is inside the trigger guard. When you have a shooting grasp on the gun, you stick your finger in the trigger guard and push the button. A lever trips the catch (red arrow) allowing the holster to fly open. There is a steel "hook" (blue arrow)over the trigger guard to prevent drawing without opening the holster.

The entire holster is leather covered steel. Its very heavy. There is no "draw". You hold the gun in a firing position, push the button and the gun is free. Any angle, any position. Its a blindingly fast draw.

All the old revolver holsters had exposed trigger guards. The Jordan River holsters, the Threepersons. Guns were dangerous, shooting had inherent risks. Lawyers, and duty guns with short 5.5 pound triggers were not the norm. Most AD's occured during reholstering, not drawing. It was thought a covered trigger guard would be more dangerous. If your finger is on the trigger, and, the trigger guard is covered, when the gun goes in, the finger stops, the gun keeps going and the trigger goes back, bang.

The next generation was the Bianchi Model 27 (readily available, it was a a take off of the Berns Martin holster that was awesome, but, never that popular). It was a true clamshell holster (with a covered trigger guard) You had to push the gun through the front and, it popped closed when the gun came out. Since you were actually ripping the gun out, I think it would NOT be a good idea to have your finger on the trigger!

For your entertainment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViX9D...feature=relmfu

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The first generation clamshells did not have a stop block on them.

When released, that half of the holster would whack the back of your thigh
SOOOO HARD !@!$$#@$$#@#!#

How well I know...... I have a original first gen Safety Speed from the late 1950's. It was my uncle's who spent 33 years on the Mobile, Al PD.

This is also his 6 inch M&P that he carried.



And YES...we carried our service revolver in a open trigger guard holster. Then again, I never had a AD/ND with one. And I hated the "security" style holsters in the 80's, just downright ugly and rode too high for patrol duty.

My favorite duty rig of all time, and wore it on my last day of work before retiring in 2011. I was the only one at line up with a wheelgun that day..

But, truth be told, I was a white shirt (Capt.)and we were authorized any revolver or semi auto that we qualified with. Our choice.

The young guys were all gaga over the cartridge loops....

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Take your time..quickly.

I remember one episode of Dragnet with a cameo by Kelly Lookabaugh of Smith & Wesson, touting the "new" .44 Magnum that would "tear a car's engine out of its mountings", and Friday's response that, "I'll just stick with my Airweight."

I saw another episode of Highway Patrol with the actor sticking his 6 inch Official Police in the front of his pants rather than reholstering while searching and cuffing.

Is this something clamshell users actually did??

In a similar vein, I've always wondered about a 1970's TV movie that showed the TV cops partially reholstering in their break front holsters by inserting the trigger guard up to the frame in the open front of the holster. I've always wondered if that was purely a TV trick or if it was a real practice in some areas.

I recall an article complaining about cops sometimes copying dumb tricks seen on TV -- like the first round empty chamber from the "Wolf" episode of Police Story. There are certainly lots of dumb tricks to copy.

Love this thread.... Lewis Leather did make a "Police Special" (or at least the same style as the Police Special cross-draw) with a spring clip as well.

Here is my S&W Pre-40 Centennial in a Lewis Leather crossdraw with spring clip. Looks like its straight out of Dragnet and LAPD Major Crimes/Homicide in Parker Center.