Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire New/Old Holster

It doesn't get any better than that. Thanks for posting the pics. Now I need to find one.

Well lookee here. A replica or "repilca" of the original....

http://www.atlantacutlery.com/p-1178-us-m7-shoulder-holster.aspx

Sooooo, are we going to tell Scott about the big stash of really cheap 4" model 10's we found on our way over?

+1 looks like the one I used to wear on occasion as well....

Its an issue holster for a 1911 or A1 but its missing a strap. As issued it had the strap that's present that went over your left shoulder and another that went around your back and chest and back to the holster. Close to original but no cigar. I put in my 20 riding tanks. Still have a couple of those holsters.

Is there a website that shows the proper way to wear and adjust the straps?

My Dad used one of those as well during cold weather as an MP STG during transportion. I may still have it?

Scott, glad you were able to find a great old holster. I've got several of them and one that has been cut down and reconfigured to fit a short barrel 9mm S&W. They fit not only the autos but revolvers fine. I tote a Brn Highpower frequently in mine when I hit the deer lease..

They were still floating around in Vietnam when I was there, I bet Flyboy Flem knows about them as well.

Some had the extra chest strap, many I saw & acquired did not.

Awesome score ScottF

It's an M-7 "Tanker" holster. Pretty common back in the day. I've probably got one layin' around somewhere. Here's a replica...

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/LEG195-33.html

Scott,
Lots of good and true information already. One observation is that these holsters were NOT made for a condition one carry. That strap defeats the grip safety. They were carried with the hammer down on a EMPTY chamber.


Great little piece of history.

Good point. I know the Navy carried in condition three. Stood many a quarterdeck watch with an old beater of a 1911 in condition three.

A fun story. Every change of watch the PO Of The watch signed for the 1911 by serial number and ten rounds of ammunition. One watch I slipped an eleventh round in one of the mags. A week later when I drew the watch again I reported the eleventh round. It caused quite a stir.

Oh sure! Take all my cast 38 bullets then try to trick me into buying a 38! Nice try guys!

BTW. Somewhere in all my stored junk I have several 45 ACP with a paper bullet that is shot filled. I have been told they were issued to flight crews for shooting fish if downed in the drink. Interesting piece of history to go with this old holster.

Hi Scott, During the operations of desert shield and desert storm I was assigned duty along with several of my friends in the USMC to service, issue and guard weapons from a large arsenal which was a 3 sided rectangular layout of shipping containers shoulder to shoulder roughly the size of a football field. The shipping containers were a collective gathering from many different maritime prepositioning force ships.

The contents of the containers would be a field trip of glee and wonderment for most members here.

Seriously, at least half of you would be pissing down your legs and mumbling incoherent ramblings of joy with spit running down the front of your neck.

Anyways, while serving duty over this land based duty station right on the edge of the gulf waters, I issued myself a variety of outdated weaponry as daily carry. Just to mix things up

I often wore out of date military mechanic coveralls (greens) or a tanker suit and no rank insignia while I carried odd combinations such as a pair of colt 1911's on a 2 gun belt rig and an M-79 grenade launcher. You have no idea how fun it was to unbox brand new unfired colt 1911's, unwind the brown paper ribbon & pull the little cardboard tube out of the barrel... To hold them in your hands, probably boxed in the 40's and not opened until 1990. Then issue them to yourself as a 2 gun rig while officers sported the much loathed beretta M9.



And the M79, nobody had seen one of those since Viet Nam.

I carried revolvers, shotguns, all kinds of old stuff that was out of issue but new or in excellent condition and I had the ammunition for whatever I carried.

Anyways, yes your holster looks to be exactly like one I unboxed and wore for quite some time with a 1911 during and after desert storm.

Yours looks to be in very good shape too.

I don't know about today but when I was active duty 90-94 they were very common for USMC tanker issue with an M9 although they were made for the 1911.

WWII m7 holsters were in brown, the black indicates post WWII.
You might look and see if you can tell if it was died black, as a lot of the WWII stuff was eventually dies black. Missing cross strap. I have a USN victory from WWII with the shoulder holster in bronn, also has a 12 round loop sewed onto the holster for spare ammo. Slightly different than the semi auto rig design as you have here. I have a fondness for the shoulder rigs such as the current produced galco rig for the m9. Can be used as a shoulder holster, also has a hip carry with band to hold the pistol in, or a full flap cover for the pistol. Better than having your pants dragged down from the weight. The clip makes me think it is military, but a lot of repro's being sold these days. see if you can find a manufacturer's stamp on it some place. And date of manufacture.

Correct. The holster shown in the initial picture takes another strap that goes across the chest and wraps around your torso. The latter one in the B&W picture is the "Tanker" model with only a single strap and replicated by El Paso Saddlery. I flew with both and preferred the tanker model

Scott I've got a box at home somewhere with a bunch of parts and some riggings etc.. as sad as it sounds and as much as I hate to admit it I think I made a hip holster out of one of these once so I might have the 2nd strap these guys are talking about.

I'll dig around if I remember. If I find one I'll drop you a PM so we can get it in the mail to you.