Thanks Deputy. Hopefully some others with 686 revolvers will show some interest and post here as well. That holster makes me feel like getting an older 29...

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Federal 357B 125gr JHP

Actually, Smith has re-released the Model 29 in 6 1/2 inch in their "Classics" line. It looks just like Harry's Model 29 including the old style cylinder release and full size grips.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/P...rn=15706&isFirearm=Y

Dep

I know, but it has two things the old ones didn't have, and I bet you can guess what they are....

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Federal 357B 125gr JHP

This IS a guess, since I have one but haven't taken the grips off...a square butt and pinned barrel? BUT...it DOES have all the "magnum improvements" that came out to improve the reliability on the .44 mag handguns.

Dep

Hi Deputy,

You thought a bit too deeply on this one. My two issues on the "Classics" reissue are a lock and MIM....I'll take the older Smiths any day. My newest Smith is from 1983....

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Federal 357B 125gr JHP

Oh yeah! The lock and MIM I pretty much ignore. I like that the new 29s are beefed up.
Plus I really don't plan on shooting my 29. I already bought the Presentation Case from Smith for it.
I've got 3 629s that I can shoot.

Dep

Actually, I sold an original, in the box, to a SWCA member, a while back, too cheap. I didn't know what they were worth? That won't happen again! My ignorance/his slyness, cost me plenty, on that one. He really caught me flat footed on that one.

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NRA Life Member

Count me in also. I would like to order a holster for my 29-2 ......

I tried a seperate post, no luck. Does anyone know how to properly assemble and string one of these? I'm sure I don't have it put together right. Any idea on realistic value,? This one's for a 4" K frame. Thanks

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"I also cook."

s&wchad: Yeah...my Dirty Harry holster I used to have came pre-assembled but with NO instructions on how to adjust it. Lots of holes in it to do the adjustment, but nothing on how to do it.
I hope the Blocker folks inclued some kind of info on adjusting them.

I tried every possible configuration but, it looked strange in every attempt? Straps all looked to turn no matter how I strung it.
That's why I can't understand the comments about "very comfortable"? Even Elmer Keith made good comments about these holsters. Maybe money was tight?
I used mine for deer hunting for several seasons but, gave up on this holster after the discomfort became too much.
Your's appears to be what they called the Maurader model of the Dirty Harry holsters series and is definately made by someone other than the one I had but, looks to have the same problems with the straps. Is S&W the only marking on your holster?

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NRA Life Member

Update: I have been in contact with Shelley at Ted Blocker holsters. There seem to be some minor fitment problems with the holster. it just doesn't lay flat like other shoulder holsters. I agreed with Shelly that they should "try to improve the fit without changing it too much". The holster wouldn't be worth buying if it couldn't be worn comfortably and concealed well. I have full confidence that Shelly and Don can resolve the problems. Also....does anyone know if the original holster has a tensioning screw adjustment on it? The sample they have DOES have one on it. As far as I can remember, mine DIDN'T have that screw. But if it makes the holster work better, I think it would be a worthwhile addition. Feel free to give your input and suggestions.

Dep

I think there was a brass screw up near the cylinder cut out of the holster.I haven't had mine since the early 80's but I'm sure it had the brass screw.

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Have fun and shoot straight

NO, the original holsters that came from Lawman Leather Goods in Texas didn't have any retaining screws or safety straping.

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NRA Life Member

I just found a pic with Clint Eastwood with his holster and it does show the brass screw.I don't know how to post pics but I could email the pics to who ever would like to see them.

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Have fun and shoot straight

Please send the pic to me. I will forward it to Shelley. My e-mail address is in my profile.

dep

Deputy,I sent the pic that I found.I hope it is good enough as I am not good with computers.

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Have fun and shoot straight

Got it!!!

FWIW... that pattern of holster was very popular from the 50's through the 70's in California law enforcement. They are very comfortable for all day wear, even with a large framed revolver. There were several SFPD Inspectors (the SFPD term for a detective) in the nieghborhood when I was a kid and most used this type of holster. The other favorite was the Berns Martin shoulder rig for those carrying snubs.

They also turn up quite often in movies... besides just in the Dirty Harry series. And in Magnum Force, the speedloaders he used were Dades. You can see the spring on them clearly before they get chucked out the car window.

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Member, California Rifle & Pistol Association
Life Member, NRA

Interesting...I found this on another website:

The Dade Loader was extremely popular among PPC shooters. The case rims were retained by an elastic O-ring along the outer diameter of the loader. You started the cartridges in the chamber, the loader would bottom out, and then you pressed the center knob which would force the rims past the O-ring. The downside to the Dade was its fat diameter interfered with the stocks and thumbpieces. Worse yet, it would easily lose the cartridges when dropped.

Also, in many scenes you see Harry TWISTING the knob. The Dade reloaded by PUSHING the knob.

No mention of any spring in it's description.

You posted they were very comfortable, did you ever wear one? Mine was not comfortable!

About the Dade speedloaders: That's what I said also but, another poster said he carried HKSs? I could of sworn he had at least two Dades in Dirty Harry but, what do I know?

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NRA Life Member

I still have several Dade loaders purchased back in the 1970's for my Colt Python and for K frames. They are exceptionally fast and operate as you describe. The "o-ring" on the models I have is actually a very fine brass spring. The cartridge rims fit above the spring to hold the rounds in the loader.

I used them on the street very briefly until I dropped one on the range one day and it only had three rounds in it when I picked it up. I switched immediately to HKS, and later to Comp 1's for duty. The Dades remain in the box, I used them in competition for a long time.

I'll toss the DVD in the player and see what I see. The shots where Harry actually reloads with his speedloaders my take on the twisting was that he was trying to peel the loader off. There is one shot in Magnum Force when David Soul reloads his four inch Python and he clearly is using Dade loaders and the excellent (and utterly silent) pouch that was sold with them. I still have one of those pouches someplace.

As to the holster, I've tried one on a couple of times. With a heavy revolver they are pretty comfortable... for me anyway.

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Member, California Rifle & Pistol Association
Life Member, NRA

Actually, Safariland loaders load the exact same way as the Dade loaders. I have two of them. I believe David Soul and later on in the third movie Tyne Daly both use Safariland loaders. Maybe Safariland is what is being seen in the push-to-load scenes? Or maybe Safariland bought the Dade patent rights and improved them? Much of the Dirty Harry movies are not what they seem. For instance, Model 29 magnums were relatively difficult to obtain back then. So there is a good deal of speculation that they actually used Model 57 .41 magnums in the movie. It would be relatively impossible to tell the difference.
Also, in the early movies they used a 6 inch magnum, but in later movies they used an 8 3/8 inch version.

Clint Eastwood Forums

LOL...sure no consensus there!!! I'm a member of that forum too. Not a lot of S&W owners on there. Mainly film buffs

There has been threads here on what Harry really had. Probably more than one. Many sources agree that there were at least three 6.5 M29's that were used in the various films, as well as at least one M57. Some sources say they used M-25's but one look says that can't be right. I don't believe an 8 3/8 was used in any of the films, other than perhaps for publicity, but I've not watched any of the films in a while although I have all of them.

One of the 29's used on the first two films was given to John Milius, who wrote screenplays and dialog for the first two films. Milius habitually collects the arms used in films he writes or directs when ever he can. He has since donated that piece to the NRA Museum. I have a photo of it someplace and it is most definitely a 29.

As to the popularity of M29's... many shops couldn't give them away, right up until the release of Dirty Harry in 1971. That is what drove a huge demand, made the guns so scarce that Smith couldn't make them fast enough and drove prices through the roof.

The Dade speedloader pre-dates the Safariland Comp 1 by many years. They were extremely popular with LEOs for a while in the 60's and 70's until one realized how fragile they really were and how quickly they'd dump your ammo on the ground if you dropped one. The loaders that the motorcycle cops use in Magnum Force are most definitely Dade loaders in Dade pouches, and Harry's are as well in my opinion based on my viewing of the film.

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Member, California Rifle & Pistol Association
Life Member, NRA

The Dade patent rights are currently owned by a man in Florida and he sells them on Ebay.
I still own two for a model 29 that I bought from Dade Machine Co., in the sixties. Camera is on the blink so I can't post pics. The two Dades that I own are kind of a purple colored plastic, marked Dade Machine Company.

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NRA Life Member

Well I own both the Safariland and HKS loaders, and while the Safariland is quicker to load the gun with, it's a royal PITA to load the cartridges in the loader. I definitely prefer the HKS over any of them.

It seems this "project" is moving right along. Thanks to all for making it happen.

Thanks for steering us back on topic. Yep...the good folks at Ted Blocker holsters seem to be 100% behind this holster. That's GOOD news!!

Please, post your picture with the brass screw?

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NRA Life Member

Anyone else have pictures of Dirty Harry holsters? Especially being worn so we can see how the straps work.

I like set up with the straps.

I have a Bianchi X15 that I changed the harness on to a leather unit. It's adjustable like the Dirty Harry holster.

That Dirty Harry holster looks like it could be very comfortable to wear.

Can't wait to get my hands on a new one.

Klas, that Lawman is identical to the ones I've seen, lined and no snap, thanks.

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NRA Life Member

Thanks for this post...


Having remembered a similar piece while sorting through my grips & holsters bin from several weeks ago - I went back and found a near mint Bucheimer Clark Co. - with their logo centered between the text - in this style.

It is stamped 215-54. While the cylinder of a 29-2 4" doesn't quite center in the cutouts the 4" N definitely fits. I'm not sure about an L or a K. I'll have to check one of those later.

When I can, I'll attempt it with a 4" L frame. Hmmm, maybe the 686+ Mountain Gun? I'll let you know...

Trying it on, it does seem to be pretty comfortable. I may need to make a couple of minor adjustments since the piece doesn't lay flat enough in the vertical axis for reasonable concealment without printing. (Maybe this is one of the issues elaborated on earlier from the new Blocker Repro efforts.)

All the best,

John

Great feedback John!!!! I have a question for everyone interested in buying the Blocker version. I know many of you have variations with/without adjusting screws, wire retention, etc. Does everyone want ONE version to be brought out based ONLY on the style carried by Dirty Harry in the movies, or do you guys think there should be "options" available based on specific needs/requests? The options would probably be extra cost, of course
Not sure about how "deletions" would be priced. I was gonna ask Shelley if this idea would be doable but want to get some feedback first.

Dep

I'd just want mine to be a base model like in the movies.

I'm not trying to match one I had previously so a basic one as close as possible to the movie one would work for me. Fitting a 6 1/2 inch Model 29-2.

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Big bang, much smash'em.

Dade speedloaders, the gold looking spring near the top holds the shells in the speedloaders:
The current owner of the molds for these has them manufactured has them made for K framed, L framed, and J framed (5 shot). Originally, I can remember only model 29s and 57s, L framed guns weren't even thought of back then?

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NRA Life Member

How's this coming along? Thought I'd post something so the thread didn't get buried.

Anything new on the holsters?

Blocker holsters are still working on it. It's taking some tweaking to get it right.

Dep

Deputy,

Count me in if this gets off the ground. I'm ready to order if they will make it. Great idea, great job of moving it forward and thanks for taking the lead on this project....My Model 29-2 6 1/2" is waiting....

RABULL

Great Idea........Im In

I'll take one too! Just let me know when.

A mid-'70s vintage S&W shoulder holster came with the package I bought yesterday, described in this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/for...4/m/3331018722

If it will help, I can take some detailed photos of the holster for you that the holster maker may be able to use after I return home. It is the S&W model 43-36 designed for the 6 and 6.5 inch N-frame revolvers, and it is new - never used.

flyandscuba: Thanks for the offer. I believe the Blocker folks have an original Harry holster to model it after

Dep

Anything new on this project? Didn't want the thread to get lost.

Haven't heard anything. I'll give Shelly a yell and see how it's progressing.

Dep

Gents,

I have one of these holsters in my holster box. It's for a 8 3/8" barrel. Guess I should keep it as it appears these are now collector items.
Mine has been use quite a bit, but is still is decent shape.

Wes

[quote]The current owner of the molds for these has them manufactured has them made for K framed, L framed, and J framed (5 shot). Originally, I can remember only model 29s and 57s, L framed guns weren't even thought of back then?[quote]
Just for reference purposes the "L" frame had been thought of - just by Colt and not S&W. The Dade (and other makers) Speedloaders that were/are made for the Python and the older Officers Model, will fit the Smith "L" Frame guns. Originally, the Dade loader was made for ALL the popular Revolvers of the day - as long as they were Smith & Wessons or Colts. The reason the Dade loaders didn't survive is because they don't hold the cartridges anywhere near as well as the HKS loaders do. A dropped Dade is generally an unloaded Dade.

Now to the original Thread: The "Dirty Harry" rig is a good looking one for sure. And, I'm very glad I got one of these rigs just a year ago for $75.00!!! But, I can easily say that the Bianchi X-15 shoulder holster is every bit as good as the "Dirty Harry" rig <span class="ev_code_RED">AND for a lot less money</span>. The Bianchi and every other UPRIGHT shoulder rig I have ever used, does require a good "Gun Belt" to secure the holster to. Using a simple "Dress Belt" won't hold the gun properly. This goes for the Nylon rigs as much as it does for the Leather ones.

Mike aka:KKG