If you’re a RevolverGuy, you’ve got one. A story, that is, about “the one that got away.” Actually, if you’re like me, you probably have several, but there’s one that just nags at you more than the rest, and which probably says more about you and your tastes than all the others. As I sit here thinking about it, there’s a handful of lost ballistic opportunities that still sting. Some of them were mine for the asking, others were just long shots, but all of them make me wonder, “what if?”
Author: Mike
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mike Wood is a bonafide revolver nut, a certified law enforcement instructor in handgun, shotgun, patrol rifle, less-lethal, and diversionary device disciplines, and the author of Newhall Shooting: A Tactical Analysis, the definitive study of the infamous, 1970 California Highway Patrol shootout in Newhall, California. Mike wrote the "Tactical Analysis" column at Police1.com for 8 years, and enjoys teaching both armed citizens and law enforcement officers.
A RevolverGuy’s Guide To Gun Belts
RevolverGuys are usually pretty savvy, and do a good job of selecting their equipment, but there’s one gear issue that tends to raise its head with frequency amongst handgunners, and it seems that RevolverGuys are not immune to it. That issue is selecting an appropriate belt for carrying a handgun.
Galco Phoenix Belt Holster and SB5 Gun Belt
There’s a whole lot of talented folks out there making gun leather these days, and a RevolverGuy could get dizzy trying to keep up with them. A lot of these are “mom and pop” shops manned by a single craftsman, or a small team of them. They make fine, beautiful, custom products to order, but this personal touch often comes at the cost of increased price and wait times. Continue reading “Galco Phoenix Belt Holster and SB5 Gun Belt”
The Great Revolver Frame War – Part II
The Great Revolver Frame War – Part I
Back in the days before drastic, fantastic, plastic pistols ruled the day, companies like Sturm, Ruger and Smith & Wesson were locked in a battle to decide who would be crowned the King of the double action revolver market. The distinction was important, as the double action revolver represented the largest segment of the commercial and law enforcement handgun markets. Continue reading “The Great Revolver Frame War – Part I”
Fighting Leather: The Clamshell Holster
Any RevolverGuy who grew up like I did, watching a steady diet of the 1970s police drama Adam-12, will certainly remember those Blue Knights, Malloy and Reed, each drawing a Combat Masterpiece revolver from a clamshell holster that sprung open like magic every time our heroes needed to draw down on some counterculture scumbag. The image of those great sixguns being drawn from the trick holsters was pure TV magic! Continue reading “Fighting Leather: The Clamshell Holster”
The Making of a RevolverGuy: My First Revolver
My first gun, not surprisingly, was a .22 rifle. That seems to be where most of us start out, because it’s a lot easier to teach a youngster how to shoot a rifle than it is a handgun. I always had a lot of fun with that rifle, but the time came when I wanted to shoot a handgun, instead. I didn’t know it quite yet, but I was ready to take my first steps as a RevolverGuy. Continue reading “The Making of a RevolverGuy: My First Revolver”
A Review of the Tex Shoemaker Jordan Rig
Is there anything sweeter to a RevolverGuy than packing a classic revolver in a classic holster made out of premium leather? I have to admit that I spend more time carrying guns (bottom feeders, no less!) in polymer holsters these days, but my revolvers all ride in cow or horse hide. I won’t deny that modern chemistry has given us some wonderful materials to make belts and holsters from, but my round guns will always get holstered in leather, thank you very much.
Luckily for me, Justin understands this quirk in my nature. He might pack his 640 Pro in a polymer holster worn on a nylon riggers belt, but he still gets the fact that custom leather rigs are special, and that some guns deserve them. Recently, in a wonderful, RevolverGuy type of gesture, he gave me a Jordan holster for my cherished Smith & Wesson Combat Magnum. It’s a beautiful rig, and I’d like to give you a tour of it. Continue reading “A Review of the Tex Shoemaker Jordan Rig”
Fighting Leather: The Jordan Holster
The sands of time fall slowly through the neck of the hourglass at the border, and sometimes they stop entirely. Despite the progress made in other parts of the nation by the early part of the 20th Century, the border Southwest of the 1920s to 1940s looked virtually unchanged from the days before the Mexican-American War, almost a hundred years earlier (1846-48). The endless revolutions, bandit wars, cross-border raids, smuggling, looting, livestock theft, lynchings, military invasions, murder, and “normal” border violence disproved any notion that the days of the “Wild West” were over. Continue reading “Fighting Leather: The Jordan Holster”
Missing Link: The Smith & Wesson Model 68
When Smith & Wesson introduced their Model 69 Combat Magnum revolver in .44 Magnum back in 2016, there were a few RevolverGuys out there who wondered if S&W skipped a model number. The shooting world already knew about the popular Model 67 Combat Masterpiece Stainless, and now we had the new Model 69 Combat Magnum in .44, but shouldn’t there have been something in the middle? A Smith & Wesson Model 68, perhaps? Continue reading “Missing Link: The Smith & Wesson Model 68”