Bianchi holster questions

30-30remchester · May 27, 2013

I own and admire many Bianchi holsters, but saw one on EBAY the other day that said "MADE IN MEXICO". That got me to thinking that I actually know very little about these holsters. Were they all made in Mexico? If not, when did production move there? Lastly while I admire their quality of workmanship and material, I find their numbering system woefully confusing. Does anyone know which of their holsters fit a Smith & Wesson model 34 with a 4" barrel?

Mule Packer · May 27, 2013

Yep...the Bianchi model #5BHL Kit Gun holster fits the Model 34 with a 4-inch barrel.

I'm not sure when they moved production to Mexico, but you could almost stand on the porch of the original Bianchi shop and chuck a rock into old Mexico. Not quite...but almost.

Probably the only difference between the Bianchi holsters made in California and the ones made in Mexico is that the workers in the Mexico factory are legal.

Mike7.62 · May 27, 2013

They used to be made in Temeculah, CA. The company was started by John Bianchi who was a LEO in Los Angeles IIRC. Whether or not they still make their holsters in Kali, I don't know, but given the tax and regulatory environment in that state today, it wouldn't surprise me if they moved production to Old Mexico. I know that if I had a company-especially a firearms related company-it wouldn't be based in California today, but would be in AZ or NV instead.

CajunBass · May 28, 2013

John Bianchi hasn't owed the company for years. It's owned by the same company that owns Safariland. I suppose the production facilities got moved about that time but I can't swear to it.

John Bianchi owns another company making frontier gunleather now.

John Bianchi Frontier Gunleather Limited Editions

feralmerril · May 28, 2013

Bianchi also started up the outlaw/lawman museum in temecula. It was great! Then it was all sold to the gene autry museum. I belive it was the total bulk that got the autry museum going. I visited the bianchi museum about 1983. Sometime shortly after that autry bought it. I have toured the autry museum a number of times and remember seeing the same guns when bianchi had it.

sipowicz · May 28, 2013

I'd like to know myself...need some holsters for my Taurus, Star and Llama autos and I'd really like to buy American.

Mike7.62 · May 28, 2013

Try Galco. I have used their products extensively, and short of going to Mitch Rosen or some other type of semi or full custom maker, they have a great selection and are priced reasonably.

Galco holsters; Holsters; Gun holster, pistol holsters, western holsters, shoulder holsters, leather holster and Glock holsters

edited to add: they are made in PHX, AZ.

rburg · May 28, 2013

Bianchi produced my favorite all time advertisement! It had a picture of him standing next to a mule. It said "Bianchi is the one on the left."

I still have a full page of it somewhere. I have a concrete donkey sitting out in my yard. Wife took a picture of it years ago, then digitized it and fed it into her sewing machine(embroidery). The caption was "Dick and his ***" with Dick's the one on the right. Except I was the one on the left.

1869 · Aug 16, 2013

I've just found a nice Bianchi 5BHL black basketweave holster for a 6" S&W 29. Never seen another. Most I've seen were for K and L frame 4" guns. It's not cataloged now, or seems to have been for awhile. It really looks great with a stainless gun. Anyone out there have another?

rog8732 · Aug 17, 2013

Seems like I read years ago that Bianchi was one of the early group of folks who moved target handgun shooting away from slow fire bulls-eye, into more tactical defensive types. Also, the bowling pin, money prize matches, that came into popularity is something he was involved with.

Nframecollector · Aug 17, 2013

Some of them are made in Mexico but not all of them. I recently bought one for an 8 3/8 N frame that is. Also just bought one for a 1911 that is made in USA!

Bianchi holster questions

30-30remchester

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Mule Packer

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Mike7.62

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CajunBass

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feralmerril

Absent Comrade

sipowicz

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Mike7.62

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rburg

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1869

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rog8732

US Veteran

Nframecollector

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