Guns 2012-08.pdf - Jeffersonian

Holsters
Of leather.
I
’ve had a lifelong love affair with leather. There are
cartridge belts and pouches, saddlebags, rifle slings
and scabbards and much more around the place here. I’ve
even still got my custom ordered, handmade saddle first
sat upon in 1971. It’s been kept even though I’ve not been
on a horse for over 20 years.
STORY: Mike “Duke” Venturino
PHOTOS: Yvonne Venturino
My all-time favorite leather gear
has been holsters. I’ve owned more
than I can remember, each and every
one crafted of leather. The majority
of holsters on my racks are Western
types for single-action revolvers. There
are double rigs, single rigs, crossdraw,
reverse draw, Mexican loop types,
California Slim Jim types and full-flap
cavalry holsters. They are made for
barrel lengths as short as 3" and as long
as 8". I even had one for a 12"-barreled
Colt Buntline .45 but it went with that
awkward sixgun when it was sold.
Holsters for double-action revolvers
are at a minimum for me now. In fact
I can only find a few in the closet. One
for 6-1/2"-barreled Smith & Wesson
N-frame revolvers is still here. I had
it made in 1973 by the famous but
now long gone S.D. Myres Saddle
Company of El Paso. It was the first
one on which I had my “MLV” initials
carved but far from the last.
In the years since I’ve been building
a collection of World War II firearms,
numerous holsters for semi-auto pistols
have migrated into my gun vault.
Original military holsters for the US
Model 1911 are still fairly common,
hence priced fairly reasonable. Not
so with military holsters for German
or Japanese military handguns. Just
yesterday while browsing a firearms
auction site I spied an original pouchtype
holster for a Japanese Type 14
“Nambu” pistol. It was priced higher
than what I paid for my “Nambu”
8mm pistol just a couple years ago.
Luckily, however, reproduction
holsters for most WWII handguns
are being made. I’ve bought ones for
my Type 14, a German Luger, a P38,
and even a duplicate of what the
Duke has found 7X Leather’s chest-type
holster is very comfortable for nonconcealed
carry. (Collie’s name is Brady.)
For concealed carry Duke has found nothing
more comfortable than a Milt Sparks “Summer
Special” inside-the-pants holster.
Germans had made for the Belgian
FN Hi-Power P35s. I even found
a new made military-type holster
fitting both Smith & Wesson and
Colt Model 1917 revolvers.
I consider myself as having a good
eye for quality leather and leather
craftsmanship. These replica military
holsters have no maker’s names on
them: I’ve just bought them off of
Internet firearms auction sites. Still
they are beautifully made and cut from
fine leather. I have not the slightest
need to actually carry one of my
WWII handguns but the holsters still
make fine photo props.
Working Leather
What I do want to pack occasionally
are a Colt 1911 .22 LR, a Kimber Pro-
Compact 1911 .40 S&W or a Les Baer
Thunder Ranch Special .45 ACP. In
my old age I’ve become a bit more
ostentatious, so when at SHOT Show
2011 I spied a full floral-carved holster
for 1911s I just had to have it. It is made
by the El Paso Saddlery Company.
Another trait I’ve had lifelong is
trying to keep my jeans hitched up
properly. Therefore, when putting
a 2-pound-plus handgun in a belt
holster for extended periods, I’ve
had a continual battle with gravity.
Then I discovered one of Milt Sparks
“Summer Special” holsters; the inside
the pants type. Sparks’ holster buckles
onto the belt but being inside it, the
holster is bound to the body instead of
pulling down on the belt. It is extremely
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WWW.GUNSMAGAZINE.COM • AUGUST 2012