A holster for my Model 19-3 4" that won't harm the finish

[fredg19]

Covered triggers have become commonplace amongst the holster makers in recent years. The consensus being, that the inadvertent finger in the trigger guard causes AD's (accidental discharge) or ND (negligent discharge) whichever term you prefer to use.

Law enforcement is comprised of few officers with ANY expirence with firearms safety. That being said, during my day with most all holsters having exposed trigger guards, there were more than the usual AD's.

If you are trained NOT to put your finger on the trigger until your sights become aligned on the target, this will not be an issue...ever. It takes concentrated practice and strict awareness to your shooting mechanics.

Even in a situation where your adrenaline is really pumping, you will automatically find yourself doing what you have trained yourself to do.

Rule No.1- Keep your Booger Picker OFF the trigger until your sights are on the target....

Open trigger guards are not an issue for me,but I can see where some people would like the little extra security of that feature.

Any pros as to fast weapon draw with the open trigger? Besides the safety angle that's the only other thing I could come up with.

And the 5BHL appears to be more compact and possibly ride higher and tighter, which if I decide to carry my 19, would be important for concealment.

Having all you retired police officers on this board with your experiences with the older S&W revolvers is invaluable! You guys got intimate with your weapons in a way the younger police officers today don't seem to (generally speaking, there are always the exceptions, but who wants to get intimate with a Glock! .) Your time and insight is very appreciated!

 

[oldafsp]

Fast draw from any holster with a exposed trigger guard, can be very dangerous.

Many of us practiced the technique perfected by Bill Jordan, which was to rock the weapon out of the holster, level it at hip height, just above the holster and fire.

Please don't use live ammo.... Blanks or wax/plastic bullets are made for
this type of training.

Your best draw will be smooth, not jerky. Start out slowly and train yourself to in deliberate, smooth motion.

As Bill once said in his book, "No Second Place Winner"...Speeds fine. Accuracy is final. And such is my signature line here, a quote from the master himself...

 

[The Big Dog]

A straight forward Border Patrol style holster that is properly sized for the gun is usually pretty easy to come by and will be a solid choice for general range work.

I carried open trigger holsters with revolvers from the late 70's into the middle 80s. I started with Bianchi thumb breaks, belt level like the 5BH and Border Patrol style and eventually gravitated to Hoyt break fronts similar to below.

Most of mine were an inside break, while the one below is an outside break. Of all the break fronts I tried I found Hoyt to be the fastest and easiest on the finish over time.

Open trigger guards on holsters are not inherently unsafe. The shooter needs to simply follow the rules and not get a finger into the trigger guard until on target. That said, if you look at the photo sequence on page 48 and 49 of Jordan's book you can see his finger clearly in the trigger guard while the gun was still in leather. But he was working toward the fastest possible time to fire so shortcutting like that made sense.

 

[BCDWYO]

As far as open trigger guards for everyday carry, I wouldn't be so worried about my finger pulling the trigger during a draw (as was pointed out, I can train for that), I'd be more worried about some other object protruding in there and causing an AD as I brushed up against a counter or sat down or something. Probably not likely but it would make me nervous!

 

[Doc44]

Holster by EPS that I have used to carry this Model 29-2 into the Scapegoat Wilderness in Montana on several occasions. The revolver shows no sign of wear after many hours in the holster and on horseback.

Bill

 

[fredg19]

Wow guys! Thanks for all the great tips and info! And I have Bill Jordan's book, "No Second Place Winner"!! Great stuff! I "read" it but need to go back and STUDY it!

 

[fredg19]

As far as open trigger guards for everyday carry, I wouldn't be so worried about my finger pulling the trigger during a draw (as was pointed out, I can train for that), I'd be more worried about some other object protruding in there and causing an AD as I brushed up against a counter or sat down or something. Probably not likely but it would make me nervous!

Yes.... my thoughts exactly. I think I will go with the "Cyclone" with the covered trigger, that way if I do CC with it I will have the added peace of mind of the covered trigger.

 

[Texas Star]

I have very considerable experience with the Bianchi 5BHL and do not worry about AD's, as I trained to keep my finger out of the trigger guard until after the muzzle has cleared my body.

I also have similar holsters by Safariland (their old Model 29 with green Elk Suede lining) and Don Hume. I have several holsters by El Paso Saddley, including a 1930 Austin one like Bill showed with his short M-29 .44 Magnum.

None seems to have caused holster wear, but my guns are mostly stainless. IF I ever see wear, I can just gently polish it off with Simichrome or a similar metal polish.

I do like the more protective Bianchi Model 111 Cyclone and it offers a belt loop that also allows crossdraw carry, for when you have a rifle over your right shoulder. They make it for a range of guns, but not in basketweave finish, which I think they may still offer in the 5BHL. I have seen photos on the Net of the 111 for a snub .38, and it still looked pretty good.

I wore the 5BHL as my primary duty holster for 30 years, for both a M-66-3 and a Ruger GP-100, the latter just being carried occasionally for variety. Yes, I have holsters for both guns; I didn't try to cram the Ruger into the holster for the K-framed Smith. The belt was usually Bianchi's River belt, also in black basketweave. I was never unhappy with this combo, and it worked well even when seated for hours in a car. The Safariland Model 29 was the second most used holster, and it worked equally well. I have an El Paso rig that greatly resembles the Safariland, BTW. They still make that design. Safariland got away from traditional holsters years ago.

Consider this: I have seen many MK VI .455 Webleys with worn fnishes. I found out why when I bought a British military leather holster. It allowed too much motion of the gun, as it fit the holster loosely. I think they meant those holsters to also accomodate the bigger-framed Colt New Service and other guns. One size DOES NOT fit all, and had I been an officer then, I'd have had a holster made to the official pattern, but which fit MY GUN. I think the holster made for the MK VI also fits the 1905 and 1911 Wilkinson-Webleys the same, as they all look the same size and basic design, the Wilkinson Sword -retailed ones mainly being better finished and with hand-honed actions, with nice walnut grips with a gold intial plate.

Some Civil War holsters allowed too much motion as a cavalryman galloped his horse, and the blue wore off his gun soon. I have even seen photos of guns where the motion in the holster allowed the metal to thin, especially near the muzzle. The worst wear may have come from saddle holsters, but I think many belt holsters were also too loose for the gun. A holster that FITS will minimize blue wear.

 

[Texas Star]

Over 40 years of carrying a sidearm has taught me alot. Blued finishes will always expirence some muzzle wear, and on the sharp edges of the front of the cylinder.

I shoot and carry most all of my Smith revolvers. A couple are safe queens that have never been holstered.

I own a plethora of different holsters, classic duty and off duty styles.

Bianchi,Don Hume and Safariland made wonderful duty holsters that were suede lined and withfront sight tracks that helped in drawing the weapon with very little resistance. These are sometimes still able to be found.

Most of the lined models from that era (1970-1985) will have an "L" suffix.

And, I will most likely get incinerated at the stake for my next comment....

Nylon holsters don't make the grade in my book. Even though some of the molded ones are better. I have a couple, of various manufacture. And they ALL over time, get worn edges, frayed and those little sharp bits of the binding are a real annoyance. They are cost effective, I'll give them that, and light weight.

Kydex...tried it. Hated it.

Hope you find some part of this helpful.

Some pics to ponder on:

Bianchi B5HL from the 1970's lined basketweave thumbreak high ride. I use this rig quite regularly when the wife and I dress up to go out. Conceals well under a sport coat or suit jacket.

I've posted this many times, my favorite duty rig. Bianchi Model 99TL. Speedloaders are great, but to get your fine motorskills tuned up, draw 2 rounds at once from a belt slide and see how fast you can reload.

I still practice that move and being able to do a fast 2 round reload, index the cylinder and be ready to fire is an aqquired skill.

A Smith and Wesson USAF Security Police Law Enforcement holster, circa 1974. Unlined, but still a very good holster for it's time. I think I have 4 of these, 2 still NIB.

Another old duty rig I used was this Safety-Speed swivel model with a modified strap/thumbreak. Best duty rig for long hours seated in a vehicle without a doubt.

Years of carrying a wheelgun daily made me practice more than my peers. I would like to think that it paid off.

Beg pardon, but I doubt that the top holster is a Bianchi. Look at it again and see if it may be a Don Hume. I have one, in a nice dark brown color, basketweave.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I have a few open trigger design holsters, all with a thumb break that prevents
the hammer from coming back so inadvertantly having the trigger pulled by an
outside object is probably low on the lists of possibilities with that type of design.

Another factor to consider is that when reholstering with a closed trigger design
holster you have to always make sure nothing, like a piece of your clothing, gets in the
trigger guard. You could find yourself actuateting the trigger with whatever found it's
way into the trigger guard when it, and the trigger, get's even with the top of the holster.

I only mention this because I feel that my open trigger holsters are safer than the closed
when it comes to reholstering. With that said, I always make sure that my trigger guard is
clear when reholstering no matter the type, or design, of holster I'm using at any given time.

No matter what holster you decide on, to reduce wear you
should try and keep the inside clean. Even dust is a serious
abrasive and most any lined holster will hold debris of some sort.

 

[oldafsp]

Beg pardon, but I doubt that the top holster is a Bianchi. Look at it again and see if it may be a Don Hume. I have one, in a nice dark brown color, basketweave.

You are correct...wrong picture, my bad.......I went on the hunt for the Bianchi and it's stored away somewhere. When I find it, I'll correct the file name on the pics.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. CRS strikes again.



Ah Ha!

Correct picture this time.....duh

 

[ibewbull]

No matter what you have chosen. Please keep it clean and free from dust etc. One grain of sand embedded can really raise heck with blue or stainless after just a couple of holstering actions.