marlin58
Member
Anyone have a link/referral to any place still making the original dirty harry holster for 6.5".. 44 Mag N-frame? Thanks
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Dirty Harry replica holster
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There is an outfit still making and marketing the original Dirty Harry Shoulder Holster. Be aware, however, that a character named Jerry Ardolino is still behind the company and he has taken many people to the cleaners who ordered and paid for a holster and never got one or their money back.
The company is now called ruffianointernational and an internet search of that name will take you to the website.
Be aware that if you buy a holster, you are required to pay up front and the delivery time is weeks or months, but most likely never. A search of this forum's archives may provide a lot of information.
The company was previously called Lawman Leather but they have moved from state to state so I am not sure where they are now. Last I heard they were somewhere in Texas, but even their website never showed an actual address.
Let us know what happens if you take a chance and place an order. It would be interesting to hear a recent experience with the company. I was one of the few that got one of the Dirty Harry holsters after months of waiting and haranguing with Ardolino on the telephone. He is a real piece of work. Good luck!
The company is now called ruffianointernational and an internet search of that name will take you to the website.
Be aware that if you buy a holster, you are required to pay up front and the delivery time is weeks or months, but most likely never. A search of this forum's archives may provide a lot of information.
The company was previously called Lawman Leather but they have moved from state to state so I am not sure where they are now. Last I heard they were somewhere in Texas, but even their website never showed an actual address.
Let us know what happens if you take a chance and place an order. It would be interesting to hear a recent experience with the company. I was one of the few that got one of the Dirty Harry holsters after months of waiting and haranguing with Ardolino on the telephone. He is a real piece of work. Good luck!
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texmex
Member
Bianchi X15 vertical shoulder holster.
The Bianchi X15 is one of the better shoulder holsters available. I'd recommend that one over taking a chance with anything Ardolino is associated with.
While the X15 is a fine holster, its design is not at all similar to the Dirty Harry model. That said, if you buy a Bianchi from a reputable dealer you will likely receive what you order in a very timely manner. Not so with the ruffiano outfit.
While the X15 is a fine holster, its design is not at all similar to the Dirty Harry model. That said, if you buy a Bianchi from a reputable dealer you will likely receive what you order in a very timely manner. Not so with the ruffiano outfit.
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marlin58
Member
Thnx, it looks pretty close and available on Amazon of all places, definitely would rather give Bezos my dough then this other guy as described by previous posts
StrawHat
SWCA Member
There was quite a discussion about the original holster marketed back when the movies were popular. The spring wire that held the holster around the revolver was just a heavy gauge wire, no temper and would deform readily. Not a good product.
Kevin
Kevin
Pig Hunter
Member
Be aware according to a renowned holster maker there is no spring in that holster, only a peice of wire. No retention provided.
rednichols
Member
Yes, absolutely true. Not a spring but a length of untempered spring wire. Carry a big ol' .44 Mag in one of the current production at your peril. I took one apart after my own 'revolver' (a lighter aluminium casting used for holster making) fell out of it during a 'snap test' that is the standard for spring shoulder holsters.
The company whinged a lot about my review but did not every deny or refute that the wire was being bent inside the holster, and therefor (also proven by testing) not a tempered spring. The preformed wire forms were very difficult to insert since its earliest production by E.E. Clark in the late 1930s.
The models shown in the Dirty Harry films were by a different company, called Bucheimer-Clark. The replicas are a different designe that ultimately was catalogued by B-C in the late 1970s but had real springs in them.
So if you like the look, buy vintage with the Bucheimer-Clark / Valencia markings ONLY. These have genuine spring action inside them and the ones I have tested from that era, recently, have retained their spring action. Called the No. 15 since the 1930s at Clark Holster.
The original for the film, early 1970s:
The late '70s version:
Notice the obvious difference from the outside is the second layer of leather showing there; on the originals it is inside the holster instead, with an adjustment screw on the outside.
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rednichols:
Have you noticed that ruffianointernational.com has the name "Red Nichols Holsters" listed at the bottom left of the home page on their website? The link goes nowhere, by the way.
Just FYI.
Have you noticed that ruffianointernational.com has the name "Red Nichols Holsters" listed at the bottom left of the home page on their website? The link goes nowhere, by the way.
Just FYI.
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I ordered the Dirty Harry from Ardolino many years ago when he was being accused and crucified on this forum. I had a phone conversation with him so my holster could be made to fit my chest size. He was very helpful, and the holster arrived almost to the day he promised. And, unlike what Red Nichols recently posted in his blog, mine has a proper spring which keeps the holster closed and which provides retention. I stress that I am not saying this to disagree with anyone who has had a bad experience with Mr. Ardolino. I am merely describing my good experience with him. Thank you.
rednichols
Member
Ah. That was while the son was assailing my knowledge and character, because of my blog post that was Unsafe at Any Speed. Eventually I thought my tale had run its course and removed it regardless (when my blog post came up second only to their own site!) and that company then removed its own whinge. But my name is still there on that site
.I did retain a copy of my blog post, and their whinge. Theirs was edifying, apparently I "don't know nothin' about makin' no holsters" to misquote Gone with the Wind.
There is an allusion in one of the pieces of press about Lawman Leather that they were having a lot of trouble inserting the spring at one time. This suggests to me that there are Dirty Harry holsters out there with real springs in them (!) but the current ones do not; mine was acquired from the family a couple years ago and they provided lots of opprobrium but no evidence they'd fixed the situation; which was laying a curved piece of spring wire between the layers of leather, then folding the assembly and calling it 'good enough' without the wire being tempered.
Piano wire, once formed, m/b heated again to a certain temp for a certain time for it to STAY that way and peform as a spring. Of course that is quite impossible when it's already laminated inside the leather layers, the temp is super high and not only beyond most household ovens but beyond the leather itself.
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ironhead7544
Member
A.E. Nelson Leather makes some nice old style shoulder holsters. One is very much like the Lawrence No. 7.
I see this is a bit of an old thread, but I wanted to say, I have one of the "Original Dirty Harry" holsters marked "296" from Lawman Leather, Inc that I have had since about 1982. I have had no problems with the spring or retention of my 6" S&W Model 29. Still works like it should. It just needs a little TLC with some good leather dressing every now and then!
Yaworski
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Found this Wild Guns Leather Review: Dirty harry shoulder holster - ComplaintsBoard.com
Also, there's Ruffiano Holsters and there's Wildguns Leather which seem to be run by the same principals.
Shame. I always wanted a "Dirty Harry" holster but I'm paying $300 for one.
Also, there's Ruffiano Holsters and there's Wildguns Leather which seem to be run by the same principals.
Shame. I always wanted a "Dirty Harry" holster but I'm paying $300 for one.
That's my go to brand for N frame shoulder holsters.
I got mine and love it
I ordered a Magnum Citizen holster from ruffiano international and received it in a timely fashion a couple of years ago. Granted, it wasn't a "Dirty Harry" shoulder holster for a Model 29, but it was a Magnum Citizen for my semi auto CZ and Tanfoglio pistols. One holster fits a wide variety of my CZ and Tanfo guns. In my opinion the holster is VERY good quality and I have no complaints whatsoever. I also own one of ruffiano's s.t.u. holsters. Love it too. Both holsters are built on the same basic retention system as the Dirty Harry holster. They are comfortable and durable. As long as one is not doing handstands or landing on their head after jumping off of a cliff head first, they won't have to worry about their gun falling out either. Yeah, I read some of the other postings below. If people are having trouble with getting their holsters, it might be due to covid and material supply issues. Every other industry I'm depending on is messed up from both of them.
I ordered a Magnum Citizen holster from ruffiano international and received it in a timely fashion a couple of years ago. Granted, it wasn't a "Dirty Harry" shoulder holster for a Model 29, but it was a Magnum Citizen for my semi auto CZ and Tanfoglio pistols. One holster fits a wide variety of my CZ and Tanfo guns. In my opinion the holster is VERY good quality and I have no complaints whatsoever. I also own one of ruffiano's s.t.u. holsters. Love it too. Both holsters are built on the same basic retention system as the Dirty Harry holster. They are comfortable and durable. As long as one is not doing handstands or landing on their head after jumping off of a cliff head first, they won't have to worry about their gun falling out either. Yeah, I read some of the other postings below. If people are having trouble with getting their holsters, it might be due to covid and material supply issues. Every other industry I'm depending on is messed up from both of them.
It certainly isn't the Dirty Harry, but if the Safariland 101 shoulder holster is still in production, grab one. Mine is old and has surgical elastic for retention instead of a spring, but it retained the contents during some unintentional acrobatics way back when.
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