-
Forum Update: We've upgraded the software to improve security, performance, and the overall experience.
👉 Read why we made the change | Support the Forum
Were These Holsters Used In The Vietnam Era ?
- Thread starter merl67
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Unless someone brought his own personal handgun to the Southeast Asia Tea Party I would imagine that there were no Model 10s in Soldiers' hands, not officially, anyway. All of the leather I recall from that era was designed for 1911s. But someone might disabuse me of this notion - we shall see.
Could be a USAF thing, or maybe a helo pilot thing, but I never saw revolvers in the Army.
Could be a USAF thing, or maybe a helo pilot thing, but I never saw revolvers in the Army.
Last edited:
elpac3
Member
I think I remember AP's having model 15's
THE PILGRIM
Member
I never saw anyone using one of those during my USAF time (1971-1975) but that's not to say they weren't in the government inventory somewhere.
kwill1911
SWCA Member
Yes, that is a T1 holster. Most will have a "Lift-The-Dot" fastener but late production ones have the snap. There were all kinds of S&W K frames bought during the VN era, including thousands of Model 10s with both 4" and 2" barrels. Victory Models were still being used, as were the USMC Victory Officers Model. As mentioned, the Air Force officially dropped the M1911A1 and adopted the Model 15 as its standard issue sidearm in 1962.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Helicopter pilots had them, as did CID and MP personnel. I think mainly women for the MP's. And I think that's who used these holsters. USAF holsters were quite different, although I wore private purchase holsters. My bosses didn't care.
Had I been on the SAC Elite Guard in Omaha, that'd be a different story. But I'd have had a flashy nickel plated .38 with fake stag grips.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Yours has an extra strap. I think those were mainly for aircrew, to lessen gun loss if they bailed out.
I've seen pics of Col. Robin Olds and other pilots wearing those.
AP/SP men had just one strap, I think over the hammer. Maybe the double strap one was later std. ??
I almost never wore fatigues. My gun was on a black leather belt. I wore commercial Bianchi and Safariland holsters. Had I had to wear the webbing belt, I'd have had that holster.
Last edited:
THE PILGRIM
Member
Ok Army Guys -
Time to stand proud and talk loud.
Did you ever see any Army folks in SEA wearing a revolver holster
with a flap like in the OP?
Time to stand proud and talk loud.
Did you ever see any Army folks in SEA wearing a revolver holster
with a flap like in the OP?
When I was assigned to Charlie Company, 101st Aviation Battalion (Black Widows) we bought buscadero rigs "outside the gate" for our .38 SPL revolvers (belt loops in the back and all). After I was transferred to the 3rd Brigade Aviation Platoon (Thunder), I got a back injury from flying loaches with the ammo in the loops pressing against the armor plate and on my spine. The supply guy issued me a shoulder holster. I carried a 50 round box of ammo in the pocket of my chicken plate. BTW, I was issued a, brand new in the box, S&W model 10 at Camp Evans. We had FAC's with the USAF embedded with us. They flew O-2's. Their call sign was Bilk. It's been a lot of years, but I think I recall seeing them wearing the flap holsters. The jet jocks mostly wore survival vests with the black leather holster attached in a "shoulder holster position".
Last edited:
usmc2427765
US Veteran
While in Vietnam, I was issued a Colt 1911 with the standard G.I. flap holster made in 1943. Somehow the holster followed me home and has an honored place in my memories drawer.
