Holster for Victory Model, do you have WW2 period photos ?

[Cowboy4]

This Craighead holster has been in my collection for at least 25 years.

Not too often but I have seen a few at shows and others on-line.

Reading other posts, I understand it is believed they were distributed in WW2.

The ones with a rivet at the toe are supposedly post war.

I have seen many WW2 photos of other victory holsters (i.e. shore patrol type, shoulder type), but none of this model. I have seen Korea and Vietnam photos of this holster (mostly died in black).

 

So here is my question, do you have WW2 pictures you could post where this holster is clearly visible?

 

Thank you in advance.

[Fausto]

Hi Cowboy,

that's a very good question that I asked myself many times, as an avid collector of these revolver holsters. I think that these half flap babies were not so largerly issued during WWII. As you say, we have some good pictures of the full flap (unmarked) Victory holster and plenty of shoulder holsters pics in WWII action, but we have to wait the post War to see the half flap, always in black colour.

Something to think about is also that - as far as I know - we have ONLY the Craighead made surely dated WWII (1943). The other WWII known maker, R.I.A., didn't date them and had the rivet on the bottom which means that if the rule "no rivet WWII, rivet post War" is right these were made shortly post War. The first sure dates on R.I.A. are the M.R.T. markings with early '50s dates, which obviously doesn't mean that they were not made earlier, maybe late WWII time.

Well, I think that we have no sure clues that these holsters were made (excluding the Craighead) and issued in quantity during WWII. Also the Boyt and the Enger-Kress that I have or I have seen have "all" M.R.T. dates running in the early-mid '50s.

Here some pictures of these nice pieces. Please note the two R.I.A. with different style flap and, more important, the different style (three pieces and two pieces) construction.

Fausto

[Fausto]

R.I.A. back (left MRT 3-54, right MRT 9-53)

[Fausto]

Boyt & Enger-Kress...

[Fausto]

Boyt (very late MRT May 1962) & Enger-Kress (MRT Jan.1951)...

[Fausto]

and two Craihead...

[Cowboy4]

Fausto,

 

Thank you for the very detailed reply. Nice pictures and very very nice holsters.

 

Given your familiarity with this model I have one more question.

 

Have you ever found one of these holsters with visible signs of use and hip wear ?

For example, with scratches on the inside caused by handling the gun; I am specifically refererring to the "clear" leather models, not the ones in black from the Vietnam era.

 

All of the ones I have seen were in unissued conditions, the wear, if any, was due to age not use.

 

Like many collectors if I have a choice I tend to buy items in good condition; with this holster, in my experience, good condition is the only choice.

 

I found my Craighead holster in an Army-Navy Surplus store in Boston; even if it was 25 years ago I still remember there was a big pile of them and they were all wrapped in off-white kraft paper, in my opinion it was the original wrapping by the manufacturer.

 

Thank you.

[Fausto]

Hi Cowboy,

thanks for your kind notes. Well: I collect only items in like mint-unused condition, so I never focused on used ones, but I can say that I have seen some R.I.A. ones in used-battered condition for sale or in pictures in the books. But who had used them? Military guys or someone who simply got them as surplus? Anyway I have never seen a Craighead, or a Boyt or an Enger-Kress in used condition... I think that our friend and great expert Charlie Flick could help on these holsters if he will look at this topic...

I too got some Craighead holsters in the sealed OD bag nearly 40 years ago, but they were M1916 for the .45: they were made with the softest and nicest leather ever encountered on a M1916, but the leg thong was very fragile and corroded at the brass eyelet: if you just touched it, it got broken. Of a half dozen bought at that time I have only one surviving with its original thong still in place...

Fausto