Mystery holster for the experts!

mcb66 · July 23, 2016, 03:27 PM

Anyone have an idea for what this is?

mapsjanhere · July 23, 2016, 05:14 PM

Some form of size reference would have been extremely helpful. Looks like a revolver holster from the late 19th century.

mcb66 · July 23, 2016, 06:24 PM

Sorry about that. My pictures with the scale didn't get attached. Too big I guess. It's about 7 inches long. I'll try them again.

mcb66 · July 23, 2016, 08:25 PM

Here are the pics with the scale.

g.willikers · July 24, 2016, 09:42 AM

My guess would be a short barreled double action type of revolver.
But unless someone here has a twin to it, it might be easier to identify at a gun show, especially if you could actually try various guns in it.

mcb66 · July 24, 2016, 03:09 PM

It looked like it could be European military to me. WW1 or older. Just couldn't find a match.

mapsjanhere · July 24, 2016, 05:19 PM

The size is way to small for any military revolver, you could barely get a 3" J-frame gun into those 7". Military revolvers were BIG, usually with 6" barrels or so, but even a Nagant at 4.5" wouldn't fit that holster.

**Mike Irwin** · July 25, 2016, 10:23 AM

Looks very much to me like the generic "one size fits most, sort of" holsters that were common in the United States in the first half of the 20th century.

I've seen many of these over the years, and have one that came with my Great Grandfather's H&R .32 Double Action breaktop.

These things were made, and sold, like M&Ms, and often accompanied one of the guns from the lesser manufacturers, H&R, Iver Johnson, etc., as a package deal.

**Mike Irwin** · July 25, 2016, 10:26 AM

"It looked like it could be European military to me. WW1 or older. Just couldn't find a match."

I'd bet not. Every European military holster I've ever seen has been far better quality.

The stitching and general forming on that thing is atrocious. European military holsters also tended to be quite a bit heavier leather.

Tidewater_Kid · July 25, 2016, 08:56 PM

Looking at the pictures, I see extra holes in several places. I believe that this holster was cut down from another holster and stitched back together. That would account for the odd shape and extra holes.

TK

mcb66 · July 26, 2016, 06:40 AM

The random holes are one of the things that bothered me about it. The clamshell type top piece seemed somewhat uncommon also. I like the idea that it is a cut down (recycled) of some sort.

T. O'Heir · July 26, 2016, 12:15 PM

Looks decidedly home made to me. A commercial maker would have used one piece of leather for the whole thing. If it was an issue holster from anywhere there'd be manufacturer's stamps on it. Or the remains of stamps.
Like this. http://www.ima-usa.com/u-s-wwii-smit...y-holster.html

**Mike Irwin** · July 26, 2016, 12:54 PM

"A commercial maker would have used one piece of leather for the whole thing."

Judging by some of the holsters I've seen that were paired with the lesser handguns of yesteryear... no.

Scrapping pieces together wasn't out of bounds.

drobs · July 26, 2016, 04:24 PM

The flap of the holster almost resembles a Japanese Nambu holster that was refitted for something else.

Could be a flare gun holster.

http://www.icollector.com/WWII-Japan...ster_i12219560

Webley holster?

RickB · July 28, 2016, 11:50 AM

The angle of the belt loop makes it look like the holster is for cross-draw use?
Old military cross-draw holsters are often "left-handed", as the sabre would be drawn with the right hand.
The shape looks like it could accommodate a Luger, or Glisenti, or maybe a Baby Nambu?
The 7" length might be throwing me off.

July 23, 2016, 05:14 PM	#2
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	Some form of size reference would have been extremely helpful. Looks like a revolver holster from the late 19th century. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

July 24, 2016, 09:42 AM	#5
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	My guess would be a short barreled double action type of revolver. But unless someone here has a twin to it, it might be easier to identify at a gun show, especially if you could actually try various guns in it. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

July 24, 2016, 05:19 PM	#7
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	The size is way to small for any military revolver, you could barely get a 3" J-frame gun into those 7". Military revolvers were BIG, usually with 6" barrels or so, but even a Nagant at 4.5" wouldn't fit that holster. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

July 25, 2016, 10:23 AM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	Looks very much to me like the generic "one size fits most, sort of" holsters that were common in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. I've seen many of these over the years, and have one that came with my Great Grandfather's H&R .32 Double Action breaktop. These things were made, and sold, like M&Ms, and often accompanied one of the guns from the lesser manufacturers, H&R, Iver Johnson, etc., as a package deal. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 25, 2016, 10:26 AM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	"It looked like it could be European military to me. WW1 or older. Just couldn't find a match." I'd bet not. Every European military holster I've ever seen has been far better quality. The stitching and general forming on that thing is atrocious. European military holsters also tended to be quite a bit heavier leather. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 23, 2016, 06:24 PM	#3
mcb66 Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2013 Posts: 117	Sorry about that. My pictures with the scale didn't get attached. Too big I guess. It's about 7 inches long. I'll try them again.

July 24, 2016, 03:09 PM	#6
mcb66 Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2013 Posts: 117	It looked like it could be European military to me. WW1 or older. Just couldn't find a match.

July 25, 2016, 08:56 PM	#10
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	Looking at the pictures, I see extra holes in several places. I believe that this holster was cut down from another holster and stitched back together. That would account for the odd shape and extra holes. TK

July 26, 2016, 06:40 AM	#11
mcb66 Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2013 Posts: 117	The random holes are one of the things that bothered me about it. The clamshell type top piece seemed somewhat uncommon also. I like the idea that it is a cut down (recycled) of some sort.

July 26, 2016, 12:15 PM	#12
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Looks decidedly home made to me. A commercial maker would have used one piece of leather for the whole thing. If it was an issue holster from anywhere there'd be manufacturer's stamps on it. Or the remains of stamps. Like this. http://www.ima-usa.com/u-s-wwii-smit...y-holster.html __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 26, 2016, 12:54 PM	#13
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	"A commercial maker would have used one piece of leather for the whole thing." Judging by some of the holsters I've seen that were paired with the lesser handguns of yesteryear... no. Scrapping pieces together wasn't out of bounds. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

July 26, 2016, 04:24 PM	#14
drobs Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2015 Location: South Central MO / Africa Posts: 1,111	The flap of the holster almost resembles a Japanese Nambu holster that was refitted for something else. Could be a flare gun holster. http://www.icollector.com/WWII-Japan...ster_i12219560 Webley holster? __________________ NRA Life Member Last edited by drobs; July 26, 2016 at 04:32 PM.

July 28, 2016, 11:50 AM	#15
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	The angle of the belt loop makes it look like the holster is for cross-draw use? Old military cross-draw holsters are often "left-handed", as the sabre would be drawn with the right hand. The shape looks like it could accommodate a Luger, or Glisenti, or maybe a Baby Nambu? The 7" length might be throwing me off. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.