Tennessee Highway Patrol Swivel Leather Holster & Belt

[ENNE-FRAME]

Dear friends
today I came across this Tennessee Higway Patrolman Swivel Leather Holster & Belt and I was captivated by its charm.
Made by Perfection Brand Chas. T Hulan Wartrace Tenn.
This one in the photos is very lived in, it fascinates me a lot.
I would like to find an identical set but in better condition,
Do you know any stories about it?

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

more pics of of the set, it's the same as all the others but with a different flavour

 

[Old cop]

My 1968 duty belt & holster was pretty similar. One thing I hated about the swivel was running in that rig. If you didn't hold to hold onto the holster the gun might jump out, and the gun/holster would beat against your leg.

 

[mchom]

Tennessee Highway Patrol

Not sure of the vintage of your holster but here is a THP marked 15-3.

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

My 1968 duty belt & holster was pretty similar. One thing I hated about the swivel was running in that rig. If you didn't hold to hold onto the holster the gun might jump out, and the gun/holster would beat against your leg.

Please post some pics of you on duty
attached some pics from the FB page of Tennessee State Trooper 428

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

Not sure of the vintage of your holster but here is a THP marked 15-3.

Fantastic, shame that the holster seems for a 6 inches...
maybe I'm wrong...

 

[rednichols]

Dear friends
today I came across this Tennessee Higway Patrolman Swivel Leather Holster & Belt and I was captivated by its charm.
Made by Perfection Brand Chas. T Hulan Wartrace Tenn.
This one in the photos is very lived in, it fascinates me a lot.
I would like to find an identical set but in better condition,
Do you know any stories about it?

Reviewing my huge image collection of period gunleather images, IMHO the closest you will get outside of one marked for that patrol, are the spring-lock versions by Eastern makers JayPee, Audley, J.M. Bucheimer, Service Mfg; all of whom are related companies.

I notice that none of the patrol pics show the leg tiedown being used by the officers. It is often photographed with the laces tied around the holster itself. These are commonplace on auction sites.

 

[dobegrant]

Thanks for sharing, pretty cool old rig.

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

Reviewing my huge image collection of period gunleather images, IMHO the closest you will get outside of one marked for that patrol, are the spring-lock versions by Eastern makers JayPee, Audley, J.M. Bucheimer, Service Mfg; all of whom are related companies.

I notice that none of the patrol pics show the leg tiedown being used by the officers. It is often photographed with the laces tied around the holster itself. These are commonplace on auction sites.

Hello Red
the Highway Patrolman swing holster is the easiest to find, but the one Made in Tennessee I indicated had a different effect on me, I liked it
much more.
Precisely for this reason I would be happy to find one in better conditions.
I am posting four more photos where you can see the strap to be fastened around the thigh rolled up on the holster.
I'm posting the fifth photo because it's beautiful.

 

[MelvinWalker]

I lived in Tennessee many years and I retired from several Tennessee agencies, but this is before my time. I think I vaguely remember them carrying K frames in the very early 1980's, (Model 19's maybe?).

 

[shawn mccarver]

Reviewing my huge image collection of period gunleather images, IMHO the closest you will get outside of one marked for that patrol, are the spring-lock versions by Eastern makers JayPee, Audley, J.M. Bucheimer, Service Mfg; all of whom are related companies.

I notice that none of the patrol pics show the leg tiedown being used by the officers. It is often photographed with the laces tied around the holster itself. These are commonplace on auction sites.

Mr. Nichols is correct. Charles Hulan did business under Perfection Leather Goods, and they have a web site, but it seems not to be in use. The only products shown now are equestrian and canine related leather goods.

The belt shown is the Sam Browne Belt, and the holster has the D-rings attached to facilitate use of the shoulder strap (I have heard some people refer to the shoulder strap as the "Sam Browne," apparently not knowing that it was the belt named after Sir Samuel Browne, a British Army officer in India who invented the belt. Often, the D-rings were sewn into the belt itself, and the shoulder strap was attached. It seems that the shoulder strap was used to help with weight distribution of the sword or sabre, and the strap usually passed over the right shoulder. Naturally, as police in the 20th century did not carry swords or sabres, agencies decided the shoulder strap would be used to distribute the weight of the revolver, hence it was affixed to the holster and would pass over the left shoulder.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol used leather made for it by Dehner's of Omaha, and over the decades, the unused leg tie down disappeared, the studs were replaced by snaps, and the safety strap to hold the revolver in against strenuous movement was moved from over the trigger guard to over the hammer, but the D-rings attached to the swivel holster always remained and are still affixed that way today by Safariland, who supplies the MSHP with its security holster for their Glock 17 Gen 5 pistols.

Simply for comparison, I am attaching a picture of the "Missouri Style" as it was called by Dehner's.

 

[elpac3]

back in the day - we used to refer to swivel holsters as "nut busters"

shorter guys often had issues with drop holsters riding up on the car seat and jabbing them in the ribs so the swivel holster had some appeal.

Many found the solution to be going to a higher ride holster or move to a four inch barrel rather than a six (if your department allowed)

Our department required us to purchase all of own gear as long as it was black basketweave and ammo was .38 cal for interchangability.

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

Mr. Nichols is correct. Charles Hulan did business under Perfection Leather Goods, and they have a web site, but it seems not to be in use. The only products shown now are equestrian and canine related leather goods.

The belt shown is the Sam Browne Belt, and the holster has the D-rings attached to facilitate use of the shoulder strap (I have heard some people refer to the shoulder strap as the "Sam Browne," apparently not knowing that it was the belt named after Sir Samuel Browne, a British Army officer in India who invented the belt. Often, the D-rings were sewn into the belt itself, and the shoulder strap was attached. It seems that the shoulder strap was used to help with weight distribution of the sword or sabre, and the strap usually passed over the right shoulder. Naturally, as police in the 20th century did not carry swords or sabres, agencies decided the shoulder strap would be used to distribute the weight of the revolver, hence it was affixed to the holster and would pass over the left shoulder.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol used leather made for it by Dehner's of Omaha, and over the decades, the unused leg tie down disappeared, the studs were replaced by snaps, and the safety strap to hold the revolver in against strenuous movement was moved from over the trigger guard to over the hammer, but the D-rings attached to the swivel holster always remained and are still affixed that way today by Safariland, who supplies the MSHP with its security holster for their Glock 17 Gen 5 pistols.

Simply for comparison, I am attaching a picture of the "Missouri Style" was it was called by Dehner's.

In the case of this holster we see that instead of D-rings they preferred trapezoidal rings, in the other pics you can see the leg tie down rolled on the holster.

 

[LPD256]

Mr. Nichols is correct. Charles Hulan did business under Perfection Leather Goods, and they have a web site, but it seems not to be in use. The only products shown now are equestrian and canine related leather goods.

The belt shown is the Sam Browne Belt, and the holster has the D-rings attached to facilitate use of the shoulder strap (I have heard some people refer to the shoulder strap as the "Sam Browne," apparently not knowing that it was the belt named after Sir Samuel Browne, a British Army officer in India who invented the belt. Often, the D-rings were sewn into the belt itself, and the shoulder strap was attached. It seems that the shoulder strap was used to help with weight distribution of the sword or sabre, and the strap usually passed over the right shoulder. Naturally, as police in the 20th century did not carry swords or sabres, agencies decided the shoulder strap would be used to distribute the weight of the revolver, hence it was affixed to the holster and would pass over the left shoulder.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol used leather made for it by Dehner's of Omaha, and over the decades, the unused leg tie down disappeared, the studs were replaced by snaps, and the safety strap to hold the revolver in against strenuous movement was moved from over the trigger guard to over the hammer, but the D-rings attached to the swivel holster always remained and are still affixed that way today by Safariland, who supplies the MSHP with its security holster for their Glock 17 Gen 5 pistols.

Simply for comparison, I am attaching a picture of the "Missouri Style" was it was called by Dehner's.

A couple of us here on the forum had leather gear from Dehner's in the lovely shiny finish. On the holster safety strap there was a wider piece of leather that covered the knurled hammer. I ultimately replaced the swivel holster with a higher ride non-swivel thumb break retention holster from Safariland. I believe a 5BHL. As a side note I still have my Dehners motor officer boots. I think they sell on their website for around $900.

 

[JOliver]

I saw that holster and it was very interesting find, it's very lived in as it's a miracle it survived. Studying the THP over the years back in those days they were well used for many years.
What gun would have gone inside of it would start an argument amongst the best but my guess would be a Colt Commando. Seems as if some could carry whatever they wanted especially if you study the old pictures.
It's kind of odd to me that someone has detailed knowledge on the very first license plates that were issued to the Trooper motors and cars in Tennessee dating back to the first days (1929) but the early days of carry are a toss up on what you see documented in photos collected over the years.
Ashmore wrote a very good book before his passing that helped tell the story of many things but the weapon break down still draws arguments.
Stuff still turns up that baffle even the old heads that are left in the THP/Gun world.
Here is a Non- Registered Mag that letters to the Tennessee Department of Safety/ Highway Patrol

 

[jdlii]

The mention of Wartrace, TN got my attention, along with a reference to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, "THP. I doubt that Mr. Hulan is still with us and there is, to my knowledge, not a holster maker in Wartrace.

Wartrace is 12 miles from my house and you pass through Cascade Hollow, the home of George Dickel Whisky, and Normandy, TN.

This thread also give me an opportunity to repost some information about an uncle that I never met. His name was William Howard James and he was a patrol officer, assigned to motorcycle patrol, for the THP. He was killed in the line of duty while leading an Army Convoy through the hills of East TN, on a rain slicked highway, in September, 1942.

I have attached a copy of his "graduation" photo in his new uniform and Sam Browne issue belt, shoulder strap and holster. The holster, as you can see, is worn in a "cross draw" position and is a different style, with a full flap. You will also note that the holster is missing a duty revolver.

A couple of photos of the memorial for Troopers who died in the line of duty are included, one showing his name. The memorial is located at the Tennessee Department of Safety's headquarters in Nashville, TN.

 

[ENNE-FRAME]

View attachment 663265

The mention of Wartrace, TN got my attention, along with a reference to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, "THP. I doubt that Mr. Hulan is still with us and there is, to my knowledge, not a holster maker in Wartrace.

Wartrace is 12 miles from my house and you pass through Cascade Hollow, the home of George Dickel Whisky, and Normandy, TN.

This thread also give me an opportunity to repost some information about an uncle that I never met. His name was William Howard James and he was a patrol officer, assigned to motorcycle patrol, for the THP. He was killed in the line of duty while leading an Army Convoy through the hills of East TN, on a rain slicked highway, in September, 1942.

I have attached a copy of his "graduation" photo in his new uniform and Sam Browne issue belt, shoulder strap and holster. The holster, as you can see, is worn in a "cross draw" position and is a different style, with a full flap. You will also note that the holster is missing a duty revolver.

A couple of photos of the memorial for Troopers who died in the line of duty are included, one showing his name. The memorial is located at the Tennessee Department of Safety's headquarters in Nashville, TN.

Hi Jdlii
Perfection Leather says:
It all began on September 18, 1900 in Wartrace, Tennessee. Charles T. Hulan established Hulan Leather (Perfection Leather Goods) as you can see in the trade marks punched back of the holster
third and fourth photos are from the The Tennessean
09 Jun 1946, Sun ·Page 67 newspapers
The Tennessean 09 Jun 1946, page Page 67 - Newspapers.com

 

[black1970]

My Uncle was in the first class. The class was in 1929 and THP started in 1930 on motorcycles.