Safariland or Bianchi

[jimgoldth]

This SAFARILAND model 18 marked S&W MD/FR sure looks like the BIANCHI 5BH except that it has an open bottom instead of closed bottom of the Bianchi. I am not sure when this model was made but BIANCHI and SAFARILAND have had a close relationship over the years. The gun is a S&W model 15-2 from 1966.

 

[rednichols]

This SAFARILAND model 18 marked S&W MD/FR sure looks like the BIANCHI 5BH except that it has an open bottom instead of closed bottom of the Bianchi. I am not sure when this model was made but BIANCHI and SAFARILAND have had a close relationship over the years. The gun is a S&W model 15-2 from 1966.

Indeed they have had a 'close relationship over the years' . JB and Neale Perkins formed a company d.b.a. Safari Ltd that was actually incorporated as Safari Land (two words) in '64; Neale was the money man (actually his father) and JB was pushed out so Neale could create Safariland for '65 and JB formed Bianchi Holsters for '66. All three companies had the same designer, in series, who was Gordon Davis. This particular holster is from the very early 1970s when another Bianchi designer, John Michler, joined Neale; for some reason I find it only on their paddle holster vs. a free-standing model:



And of course Neale's former company (he sold out big at the turn of this century, showed me his ATM slip) owns Bianchi now; to the point that both are simply brands of the Safariland conglomerate's (8000 employees and dozens of companies qualifies as a conglomerate) that makes its money primarily from body armor and tear gas (Warren Kanders, CEO, was pushed off a University board for same).