Shooting from the Hip

A garage seems like an appropriate setting for the birth of a rock band, not a future multi-million dollar company. Yet, like Mattel and Apple Inc., Bianchi International began in 1958 with John Bianchi, a full-time Southern California police officer, simply constructing affordable quality holsters in his garage.

Follow the quantitative history of what later became an industry leader in holster creation and innovation and is now a part of the Safariland family.

• 1960 – The year Bianchi’s innovative thumb snap first seen on the Model 5BH/5BHL took the holster market by storm.
• $36 million – Bianchi International’s sales in 2004.
• 4 – Years of research that went into its synthetic universal military system holster design, or M12, which was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1984.
• 1992 – Bianchi introduced its AccuMold holsters, accessories and belts in this year, and these products continue to be its staple in the gun holster industry.
• 32 – Years the NRA Bianchi Cup Championship pistol tournament has been scouting the best marksmen in the world.
• 110,000 – Total amount of square feet in Bianchi International headquarters in Temecula, Calif., and its additional manufacturing facility in Imperial Valley, Calif.
• 20 million – The estimate of how many belts and holsters John Bianchi designed and manufactured during his career.
• 1 – Number of books authored by John Bianchi. Bluesteel & Gunleather, his one and only book published in 1978, gives an extensive history of gun holsters and its continuing development.
• 1983 – Year Bianchi acquired Gregory Mountain Products, an external-frame backpack manufacturer.
• $60 million – Amount Armor Holdings Inc. paid for Bianchi International in 2004.
• 105 – Miles separating GunHolsters.com headquarters and Columbia, Mo., the location of Bianchi’s first pistol-shooting tournament.
• 40 – Percentage of Bianchi’s business that came from Gregory packs in 1993.
• 1975 – The year that Bianchi produced its one-millionth holster.

And now it’s time to check out a western-inspired Bianchi holster that was first produced in the 1980s.

Safariland Holster

It’s something we unfortunately see all too often: A police officer just doing his job, protecting the community, and a criminal goes after his weapon, attempting to disarm him.

That was the case most recently in Ontario, Canada. An emotionally disturbed man went after an officer’s holster, and actually managed to tear it away from him, The Hamilton Spectator reported last week.

Fortunately the gun was locked safely inside a holster. The man was unable release it from the holster because of three safety clips, therefore not allowing him to shoot anyone.

According to the paper, the officers were equipped with Level Three Safariland holsters and have been for nearly two decades. However, it was the first time these holsters were put to a real-world test.

Read the full story here, and watch a review of the Safariland ALS holster below.

Safariland is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of laminate gun holsters, belts, and accessories used by law enforcement, military, competition, and sporting goods enthusiasts. More than 70 percent of law enforcement professionals in the United States use Safariland products, according to the maker’s website. The company offers a wide array of holster styles made of a number of different materials. The original and most extensive Safariland line is Safari-Laminate. The holsters are made from durable laminate and are best known as being one of the most popular choices of law enforcement professionals. Safari-Laminate is used for many products, including duty holsters, concealment holsters, competition holsters, and shoulder holsters.

The company offers other gun holster material choices as well. STX Tactical is a finish famous for strength, abrasion resistance, and protection. It’s heat-molded to fit the user’s exact weapon and can be easily cleaned. Lined with a suede-like material, it protects the weapon’s finish and absorbs oil from hands or lubricants. Super-Duty looks like leather but comes without the maintenance. It is highly durable and retains its function in hot or cold climate. Nylok and Nylok Pro are Safariland’s fabric options. Nylok Pro uses the Safari-Laminate technology to bond DuPont nylon to an unbreakable shell. Nylok products are made of the same tough material but without the shell interior. As the world’s largest supplier of holsters and duty gear, Safariland is always on the cutting edge of holster making and materials.