Don Hume Holster Vintage?

[Matt_X]

I have three older Don Hume holsters with model numbers that didn't show in a search of the forum. Would like to know more about their vintage and any additional information.

H700, stamped "Don Hume Leathergood" with a revolver.
H720, stamped "Don Hume Maker, Miami Okla" in oval
H738, stamped "Don Hume" in script,"Miami Okla" below.

All have a thumb break.
Only the H700 has some felt? covering the inside of the snap.
Only the H738 partially covers the trigger guard, and has the offset belt loop for jackets.

The H720 3-2 has a small leather paddle that this advert posted by @SG-688 calls "open loop".

Was this meant for the belt, in contrast to the wide paddle, which intended to tuck in the clothing?
(Early Hume wide paddle example posted here.)

 

[rednichols]

All coexist in your image, for course, but were introduced at different times. The 'paddle' holster is a '60s concept that all makers used and the earliest version was conceived by Myres in the 1940s (called the Barton Special). Some makers still use that wedge on the end of such a paddle even today but it was never a good design; long replaced by injection moulded paddles.

The wedge is intended to go inside the pants but press up through the waistband beneath the belt, then making the width of the belt less significant. In the '60s, for example, belts were only about an inch wide. Using the paddle as if it were a 'free' belt loop then encourages the belt to fit the gap; in your case sider such as 1.5" and 1.75", which came to the fore in the 1970s, although such gunmen as Jelly Bryce chose belt holsters with too-wide tunnels to allow the holster to rock between 'static' and 'DRAW!'.

The break front by Hume is despite his '70s interview in which he vowed never to make such 'gadget' holsters. The era forced him to change his mind or lose his market.

 

[Matt_X]

Thank you Mr. Nichols. No break fronts or spring holsters in this group.
We're losing light to photograph today but here's another view from my files of the H738that shows the front a little better.

It did have a barrel bolt from front to back (behind the barrel) and another on the belt loop presumably for adding tension. I'll say this M&P Victory is quite snug in the holster pocket.

 

[rednichols]

Thank you Mr. Nichols. No break fronts or spring holsters in this group.
We're losing light to photograph today but here's another view from my files of the H738that shows the front a little better.

It did have a barrel bolt from front to back (behind the barrel) and another on the belt loop presumably for adding tension. I'll say this M&P Victory is quite snug in the holster pocket.

My error, I viewed the thread first on my phone, then saw only the belt loop on the backside view; which loops were created for breakfronts. Don did eventually offer such wo I conflated the two, incorrectly.

 

[SG-688]

H738 SH is the "Tiger" holster made for auto pistols and revolvers. Early versions didn't have the tension adjustment at the bottom. Essentially a copy of the Blocker and Davis vertical police holsters from the mid 1980's, when I bought one, and still in the 2010 catalog that is the latest I've saved as a digital copy. (I'd have to dig in a file cabinet for others.)

H720 in the 2010 catalog has a modern paddle, as Red suggests. Not in my digital catalogs, but I'd infer late 1970's to late 1980's. In 1976, the H719 is the same holster with a fixed "regular" belt loop.

In 1963, the H720 was the Tom Threepersons with coat protector -- dog ear hammer guard, in recent parlance, with H701 the regular Tom Threepersons with strap.

The H700 is the Tom Threepersons with thumb break in 1976 while the H701 is again the regular Tom Threepersons with strap. Neither exist in 2010, but the 700 appears to have been replaced with the similar H727.

From the fit codes, #1 is a S&W K frame or similar Ruger Security Six while #3 is a Chief Special or similar frame size.

 

[Matt_X]

Strange that the same number would be used for a different holster. I'm sure there was rationalle - even if it was only that new managment had new method. Be interesting if someone turns up an H720 of the same era for a mid or large revolver.


I'm assuming the oval 'Maker' logo is the earliest of this group as its the same design as the LaMesa Calif oval.



From catalog covers and advertisements, it looks like Hume may have been doing business as Don Hume Leathergoods as early as '74? But that doesn't mean the stamp was changed.
If we knew when the stamp was changed to 'Leathergoods' we could down the time frame.


Ps. I tried the "open loop" with an 1.5" work belt (possibly made by DH) both in and out of heavy jeans. It holds well and no movement.

 

[rednichols]

Strange that the same number would be used for a different holster. I'm sure there was rationalle - even if it was only that new managment had new method. Be interesting if someone turns up an H720 of the same era for a mid or large revolver.


I'm assuming the oval 'Maker' logo is the earliest of this group as its the same design as the LaMesa Calif oval.



From catalog covers and advertisements, it looks like Hume may have been doing business as Don Hume Leathergoods as early as '74? But that doesn't mean the stamp was changed.
If we knew when the stamp was changed to 'Leathergoods' we could down the time frame.


Ps. I tried the "open loop" with an 1.5" work belt (possibly made by DH) both in and out of heavy jeans. It holds well and no movement.

Don, one the many holster company founders I knew, used many stamps for his products over the years. His operation was always known as Don Hume Leathergoods, from his first catalogue in 1959 that uses his home address (!).

Here are the marks I have for him, their dates are noted in their image titles. Much is made of his association with the Jordan holster tut Bill's prototype was made by a small saddler in TX first, then it was made by Sam Myres and Sam himself died, then Jordan was persuaded by the nearby LEO Don to let him make it. The Jordan trademark was owned by Bill not by the makers.

 

[Matt_X]

Here's another Don Hume stamped in script. This time colored in, perhaps because of the material.


It's an H720 3-3. Construction changes from the earlier 720 in the firstr post are: wider shaped paddle that is much longer, which is attached to the holster with torx-drive button heads. The holster shape completely covers the trigger, although much of the guard remains exposed. The sight channel is strongly molded and in my opinon the holster leather seems slightly stiffer.

 

[Matt_X]

Trying to match the 'Tiger' and 'Threepersons' to an appropriate belt. The Tiger fits on a 2.25" ranger type duty belt.


The H700 Threepersons with its tighter loop will not even though it appears to measure that. Is this meant for a 1.75" belt? Or possibly a 2" duty belt (which seem to be less common)?

 

[shawn mccarver]

Don Hume made its version of the Tom Threepersons holster with the traditional "safety strap" (by that I mean the leather retainer that crossed over the weapon between the hammer and frame (other makers had that strap cross between the hammer and the rear sight, and some makers had such a sloppy fit that you could put it in either location). Mine was made in the mid-60s and had this sort of "safety strap."

In the late 70s, give or take, Don Hume changed from the fold over the belt type of belt loop to the stitched down at the top belt loop at the same time as he incorporated the then-popular "thumb break" safety strap into his version of the Threepersons holster. Yours is this later type with the belt loop stitched down at the top and with the thumb break retaining device. Yours is made for the 1 3/4 inch belt, although Hume also made them to fit the 2 1/4 inch Sam Browne or his Jordan River Belt, which was the same width as the Sam Browne, 2 1/4 inches.

Oddly, Safariland, when it went to the velcro (no visible buckle on its duty belts) changed to a 2 inch duty belt. St. Louis Metropolitan Police had Brauer Brothers make its issue duty belt in 1 3/4 inch width (traditional "Garrison" belt width, but it had the backer for the buckle and the whole "Sam Browne" appearance. The SLMPD officers did not wear an "underbelt" and could thread the duty belt through the loops on their uniform pants. Of course, this meant removing each item from the belt when changing trousers and the officer had to re-thread the belt.

Of course, they were using the Brauer Brothers flap holster, and the only other things to thread on the belt in those days was the nightstick ring, the handcuff case and the cartridge box (they used the one with the snaps at the top and bottom - unsnap at top to fill, unsnap at bottom to "dump" the rounds into your hands).

It seems odd now, but some officers carried the cartridge box that held only 6 rounds and other officers carried the cartridge box that had a duplicate pouch next to the first pouch so that the officer had 12 rounds.

All of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police leather was made by Brauer Brothers. Mr. Downs, the last person in charge, allowed friends to drop by the plant on Washington Street in downtown St. Louis to buy, at cost, anything the company made. As I reflect, I should have bought their "leg o' mutton" gun case.

Sorry for digressing into belts and Brauer Brothers. Obviously, too much coffee.

And, the Hume holsters shown are nice holsters. The one on the left, with the "shoe heel" type of belt attachment could be removed easily and I have seen it worn with the old Sans-a-Belt trousers as well as on a pants belt. The "shoe heel" was designed to catch to hold the holster in place when presenting the weapon. Almost every holster maker copied this type of belt attachment, but it is most often seen with the "spring holster."

The last holster on the right was a thumb break duty rig that, if I recall, was not in the Hume catalog very long.

 

[SG-688]

Hi, Shawn! I still owe you a breakfast.

Safariland made the no-buckle belts in 2 (model 95) and 2 1/4 inch (model 94), with and without Velcro. I had both with the first one in 1969 - before Reed and Malloy. Great fun hearing "Where's your buckle?" and "Do you know that your holster is on backwards?" for my model 55.

In the last few years I've gained respect for Brauer Brothers. Not a lot, but a gain...

 

[Matt_X]

Shawn, Your digression was a great read. Much appreciated. As well as how Hume changed the construction.


So now I'm looking with a different eye at a digitized 1976 catalog and see a color illustration of that very holster on that type of belt promoted for the plainclothes officer. Difference from your Brauer is that Hume's B111 Garrison doesn't have a backer behind the buckle. It's just a 1 3/4" wide 'trouser' belt with a garrison type buckle.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Hi, Shawn! I still owe you a breakfast.

The next time we are together, I will take you up on it! I trust you are well?

 

[shawn mccarver]

Shawn, Your digression was a great read. Much appreciated. As well as how Hume changed the construction.


So now I'm looking with a different eye at a digitized 1976 catalog and see a color illustration of that very holster on that type of belt promoted for the plainclothes officer. Difference from your Brauer is that Hume's B111 Garrison doesn't have a backer behind the buckle. It's just a 1 3/4" wide 'trouser' belt with a garrison type buckle.

Brauer Brothers’ 1 3/4 inch SLMPD duty belt was not in their catalog, but it was on the price sheet. The catalog reference was SLC, which stood for St. Louis City. The SLC was thicker to support the weight of the stuff the officers carried.

 

[hco]

I used a Hume 738 on patrol starting in 1982. Several years later I switched to a much sturdier version of the 738 made by Carl Marten. The original 738 had a completely exposed trigger guard. The last revolver holster issued by Tx DPS was the Carl Marten version of this holster.

 

[Matt_X]

I used a Hume 738 on patrol starting in 1982. Several years later I switched to a much sturdier version of the 738 made by Carl Marten. The original 738 had a completely exposed trigger guard. The last revolver holster issued by Tx DPS was the Carl Marten version of this holster.

In 1982 did the 738 still have the fully exposed trigger guard, or was it more like the one above?

 

[SG-688]

"The last revolver holster issued by Tx DPS was the Carl Marten version of this holster."

For the little it matters, the last name of the holster maker was Martin -- with an i.

Carl Martin - C.M. Martin Leather Company, Berryville, Arkansas.

A now deceased Louisiana trooper and member here wrote an article extolling the virtues of the Martin holster in the September, October, 1983 American Handgunner.

 

[Matt_X]

This H738 SH does not accomodate the Model 15. I'm not sure why but I'm not going to force it. Probably has to do with the hieght of the rib and sights.



The H700 with it more generic shape fits, and is cut to leave the rear sight exposed.


Sorry the top photo has the size numbers backwords. I just noticed I typed No. 4-1" instead of No. 1-4"

 

[Matt_X]

Well I bought an H900 off of e-bay but it was a bad buy. Water damaged and now hard as rock and some corrosion. So junk now.


An older thread on this forum mentions the H950 also came as adjustable or fixed sight versions, and looking at internet sales it looks like the H901 did as well.

Red's comment about the markings reminded me that I have a couple similar Don Hume holsters. These are H950s, though.... very similar construction with the spring closure. The 2" is marked "Adjustable sights" while the 3" is marked "Fixed sights."

Based on my experience with those H950s, an adjustable-sight gun won't fit in the fixed sight holster. It's just that tight. These were new-old stock when I got them, and they're what I'd call heavy-duty construction. Not sure how old they are, but they were in great shape when they arrived.