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M1916 Holster, Kirkman
M1916 Holster Kirkman


 
: $99.99

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Product Description
 

ATF made leather holster for the M1911 .45 pistol. "Kirkman" is our factory mark. The materials for these holsters are made in USA. Assembly is done overseas.

The M1916 holster was standard issue for both world wars and Korea. It has both a wire hangar to fit on pistol, cartridge, or BAR belts as well as a loop through which a regular trouser belt can slide. The leather lace is used to tie around the wearer's thigh to prevent the holster from swinging.

ATF Holsters: In Fall 2012, I picked up several unissued, original holsters made by Boyt. I dis-assembled one of them and had the cutting dies made for all the parts. Our holsters have every piece that originals do, including the wood block. They are now hand stitched with golden tan linen thread rather than machine sewn in nylon. These are scary good.

How we make them: These are made using the top-quality US cowhide from Hermann Oak. We carefully inspect each hide for flaws, then die cut the holsters one our hydraulic press. The color and feel are identical to unissued originals. (See pics). The leather is NOT stiff as a board like the cheap holsters made from water buffalo. It's supple, but not soft. We then ship the parts to our overseas contractor for hand-stitching (keeps the cost down by more than 50%). When we get them back, each holster is test fitted with an M1911 pistol.

Features
Pattern taken directly from an unissued WWII (Boyt 1943) holster
Made from US materials (6, 8 and 12 oz. cowhide)
Dyed, cut, prepped and finished in USA
Hand stitched with tan linen thread (sewing is done overseas- doing it here would double the price of the holsters)

Fit
Every one of our holsters is test fitted with a real M1911 pistol before packaging.

Break In
Although we have put an M1911 in each holster and closed the flap, the holsters are still not broken in. Holsters are like new leather shoes, not slippers- the pistol won't just fall in- it needs to be shoved in the first few times. Breaking them in is simple- take the pistol in and out several times and twist it around a bit. Or just leave it in the holster for a few days. It will loosen up.

WARNING!
There are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of methods posted on the internet about how best to "break in" holsters. Many are utterly insane. Some involve hot water, oils, heating vents, and household appliances. We recommend nothing other than working the weapon into the holster! Holsters damaged or destroyed due to break-in attempts gone wrong are not returnable.

What else fit in these?
These holsters were designed and made for the US military M1911 .45 automatic pistol. These are NOT made for the .45 revolver! If you have turned your M1911 into some kind of "tactical operator zombie smoker" by adding scope rails, laser sights or who knows what to the frame or barrel it won't fit in these holsters.

Also, this is not a "universal-will-form-to-fit any .45 caliber pistol". They are made from leather, not latex.

About Leather Color
The dark russet color of used originals is a result of oil, dirt, sunlight and use. When new, they were raw- a very light tan. Some people call it "white." To darken the leather, simply use Neetsfoot or mink oil (not 10W 40). Use and time will darken it further. Laying it in the sun for a few hours alone will darken it also. See pic above for a demonstration- how long did it take to oil the holster? About 1 minute.

"Blemishes": Several people have complained about "blemishes" on their holsters. These are hand stitched, which is quite a bit of work. This often leaves small, smudged areas from sweaty fingers of the workers punching the holes & sewing them. These will gradually disappear as the holster darkens with use & oiling. It is not a defect. Originals have the same "flaws" for the same reason.
When you handle your holster with wet, sweaty and or dirty hands, it will leave dark marks too. This is how they were in WWII and how they are now- it's not a mistake.