Old Bianchi Holster Inquiry

1911rocks · March 11, 2008, 06:27 PM

OK, if you're under, oh say about, 48 this may be lost on you, but give her a go anyway.

In the 1980's, I believe it was Bianchi, created a holster that was very,very popular in IPSC. It was originally built for 1911's. Back then it was wheel guns or 1911s. It was a high carry, forward tilt, close to the body, break front, with an adjustable clamping action. obviously, in this time frame it was made of leather. This was a minimal coverage holster. I recall that the hammer, thumb safety were completely exposed. The trigger guard was enclosed. Not only was it quick for IPSC, but it was great for CCW. Okay, what was it called?

"There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result."

Sir Winston Churchil

I prefer to take Winston's word for it. 1911rocks

Bulldog · March 12, 2008, 01:35 AM

Are you sure it didn't have a thumb break? I could almost swear that the one I'm thinking of had one.

Andrews Leather currently makes a similar variation of what I'm thinking of: http://www.andrewsleather.com/ipsc.htm

Slopemeno · March 12, 2008, 02:18 AM

Askins Avenger, maybe?

1911rocks · March 12, 2008, 06:10 PM

Bulldog: Very, very close to the Andrews IPSC Hybrid without the thumb break

RickB · March 12, 2008, 09:58 PM

I was re-reading an old Guns & Ammo article on IPSC, from 1980, and it showed a holster similar to that, but with the muzzle raked forward. Did the holster have a conventional strap, which I suppose was used to hold the gun in the rig between stages? Did it ride low on the belt, with a leg strap? In a lot of ways, the holsters from the early days of IPSC were just as impractical as what's being used today.

1911rocks · March 13, 2008, 02:41 PM

RickB:

As I think about it,

I think it could be forward tilt or rear tilt by changing some screws holding the belt strap. It was a high rise style. It had no thumb strap. In the early days,1970's - early 1980's there were a few custom IPSC holsters. In those days there were very few shooters who received corporate support, This was the Chapman, Foss, Seyfried years. Custom guns came out of Pachmayer & Behlert shops. Many of the holsters, guns, etc. were off the shelf. Optics hadn't shown up yet.

ElectricHellfire · March 14, 2008, 08:59 PM

Was it the (Ray)Chapman Hi-Ride? Theres a pic of one in April's GUNS.
No thumb break and screws are there.

AK103K · March 14, 2008, 09:36 PM

Are you sure it was leather? There was a small, plastic, open front holster out around then (late 70's early 80's), called the "Snick". Sounds like what your describing, just wasnt made of leather.

AK103K · March 14, 2008, 10:03 PM

I knew I'd find it somewhere.

From my old copy of Mel Tappan's classic... "Survival Guns", which fell apart as I opened it I might add.

Its kind of hard to see, but this is the "Snick"

1911rocks · March 16, 2008, 07:05 AM

EH: That may be the puppy.

Is there a picture? If not what year April edition of Guns? Thank you.

drail · March 17, 2008, 06:37 PM

You're probably remembering the Chapman Hi Ride. I used one in IPSC in the late 80s early 90s. Still have it. Great holster. Very fast. They show up on Ebay once in awhile. The folks selling them usually are clueless as far as what it is for.

Denny Hansen · March 19, 2008, 06:50 PM

From your description, it sounds much closer to the original Bianchi Auto-Draw than either the Snick or the Champman Hi Ride. I credit it (along with body armor) for saving my life back in the day.

Denny

huli · March 19, 2008, 07:37 PM

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h234/huli35rem/dad021.jpg[/URL]40.00 shipped sorry wrong place

1911rocks · March 23, 2008, 06:56 AM

First of all, thanks to all the people who helped. It is in fact the Chapman High Ride. Very, very fast also very concealable. Now, I've just got to find one. The Andrews Custom Leather Hybrid Saddle Style comes close, but comparatively speaking it's looks kind of bulky compared to the Chapman High Ride.
http://www.andrewsleather.com/
One thing that always astounds me is the need some manufacturers feel to take a great product, pretty much refined to practicality and then change or abandon the design just because someone internal to the company feels the need to make their mark. Thank God this hasn't occurred to the 1911 or Browning HP. I agree those designs have been co-opted, but not at the cost of doing away with the original design. Again thank you for all of your help.

"no one is smarter than all of us" Ken Blanchard

Ala Dan · March 26, 2008, 04:48 PM

Are you sure it wasn't

The Judge~?

1911rocks · March 27, 2008, 07:44 PM

I'm still unsure about this holster matter. The holster I remember was a breakfront with no thumbreak or safety strap. Was the Chapman High Ride a breakfront?

March 11, 2008, 06:27 PM	#1
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	Old Bianchi Holster Inquiry OK, if you're under, oh say about, 48 this may be lost on you, but give her a go anyway. In the 1980's, I believe it was Bianchi, created a holster that was very,very popular in IPSC. It was originally built for 1911's. Back then it was wheel guns or 1911s. It was a high carry, forward tilt, close to the body, break front, with an adjustable clamping action. obviously, in this time frame it was made of leather. This was a minimal coverage holster. I recall that the hammer, thumb safety were completely exposed. The trigger guard was enclosed. Not only was it quick for IPSC, but it was great for CCW. Okay, what was it called? "There is nothing more exhilarating than to be shot at without result." Sir Winston Churchil I prefer to take Winston's word for it. 1911rocks

March 12, 2008, 06:10 PM	#4
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	close so close Bulldog: Very, very close to the Andrews IPSC Hybrid without the thumb break

March 13, 2008, 02:41 PM	#6
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	Maybe RickB: As I think about it, I think it could be forward tilt or rear tilt by changing some screws holding the belt strap. It was a high rise style. It had no thumb strap. In the early days,1970's - early 1980's there were a few custom IPSC holsters. In those days there were very few shooters who received corporate support, This was the Chapman, Foss, Seyfried years. Custom guns came out of Pachmayer & Behlert shops. Many of the holsters, guns, etc. were off the shelf. Optics hadn't shown up yet.

March 14, 2008, 08:59 PM	#7
ElectricHellfire Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: The Woodlands, Texas Posts: 2,271	Was it the (Ray)Chapman Hi-Ride? Theres a pic of one in April's GUNS. No thumb break and screws are there. __________________ *Texas, the only State to Have Ever Kicked Another Country's Butt*

March 16, 2008, 07:05 AM	#10
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	ElectricHellfire May have the answer EH: That may be the puppy. Is there a picture? If not what year April edition of Guns? Thank you.

March 12, 2008, 01:35 AM	#2
Bulldog Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 1999 Location: Texas Posts: 564	Are you sure it didn't have a thumb break? I could almost swear that the one I'm thinking of had one. Andrews Leather currently makes a similar variation of what I'm thinking of: http://www.andrewsleather.com/ipsc.htm

March 12, 2008, 02:18 AM	#3
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	Askins Avenger, maybe?

March 12, 2008, 09:58 PM	#5
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I was re-reading an old Guns & Ammo article on IPSC, from 1980, and it showed a holster similar to that, but with the muzzle raked forward. Did the holster have a conventional strap, which I suppose was used to hold the gun in the rig between stages? Did it ride low on the belt, with a leg strap? In a lot of ways, the holsters from the early days of IPSC were just as impractical as what's being used today.

March 14, 2008, 09:36 PM	#8
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Are you sure it was leather? There was a small, plastic, open front holster out around then (late 70's early 80's), called the "Snick". Sounds like what your describing, just wasnt made of leather.

March 14, 2008, 10:03 PM	#9
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	I knew I'd find it somewhere. From my old copy of Mel Tappan's classic... "Survival Guns", which fell apart as I opened it I might add. Its kind of hard to see, but this is the "Snick"

March 17, 2008, 06:37 PM	#11
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	You're probably remembering the Chapman Hi Ride. I used one in IPSC in the late 80s early 90s. Still have it. Great holster. Very fast. They show up on Ebay once in awhile. The folks selling them usually are clueless as far as what it is for.

March 19, 2008, 06:50 PM	#12
Denny Hansen Staff Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2001 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 2,422	From your description, it sounds much closer to the original Bianchi Auto-Draw than either the Snick or the Champman Hi Ride. I credit it (along with body armor) for saving my life back in the day. Denny __________________ S.W.A.T. Magazine Weapons, Training and Tactics for the Real World Join us at TFL or at AR15.com or on Facebook

March 19, 2008, 07:37 PM	#13
huli Junior Member Join Date: September 16, 2006 Location: Westvirginia Posts: 4	1911 Holster FS http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h234/huli35rem/dad021.jpg[/URL]40.00 shipped sorry wrong place

March 23, 2008, 06:56 AM	#14
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	The Search is Over First of all, thanks to all the people who helped. It is in fact the Chapman High Ride. Very, very fast also very concealable. Now, I've just got to find one. The Andrews Custom Leather Hybrid Saddle Style comes close, but comparatively speaking it's looks kind of bulky compared to the Chapman High Ride. http://www.andrewsleather.com/ One thing that always astounds me is the need some manufacturers feel to take a great product, pretty much refined to practicality and then change or abandon the design just because someone internal to the company feels the need to make their mark. Thank God this hasn't occurred to the 1911 or Browning HP. I agree those designs have been co-opted, but not at the cost of doing away with the original design. Again thank you for all of your help. "no one is smarter than all of us" Ken Blanchard

March 26, 2008, 04:48 PM	#15
Ala Dan Member in memoriam Join Date: August 13, 1999 Location: In The HOT, Humid, and Mu Posts: 6,116	Are you sure it wasn't *The Judge~?*

March 27, 2008, 07:44 PM	#16
1911rocks Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 424	The Judge? I'm still unsure about this holster matter. The holster I remember was a breakfront with no thumbreak or safety strap. Was the Chapman High Ride a breakfront?