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Seeking history on this holster thing
MrM1A1
Member Posts: 2,764 ✭✭
I found this in my late father's estate, and am seeking any history/info I can find about it. I'm sure it's not rare or anything, I've just never seen anything like it.
It has 6 pistol holsters, 3 on each side. It also has a NSN, so I know it was government issued at one point. It is dated to '77. Can't seem to find anything looking up the NSN in the database, maybe I'm reading it wrong though, it's a little smudgy looking.
Was this used for training, or matches, or something else? Thank you in advance for any help!
It has 6 pistol holsters, 3 on each side. It also has a NSN, so I know it was government issued at one point. It is dated to '77. Can't seem to find anything looking up the NSN in the database, maybe I'm reading it wrong though, it's a little smudgy looking.
Was this used for training, or matches, or something else? Thank you in advance for any help!
Comments
. . . you have a holder from a warship that held 6 guns, in a rack system.
Correct.
Every Ship's armory had at least one of these....at least through the Viet Nam era.
Every Ship's armory had at least one of these....at least through the Viet Nam era.I notice this one is marked as being from several years after VN.
FWIW - I tried to pull up the NSN shown but it's apparently no longer active.
As the former First Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer on a US Navy ship I can positively state that this board/holster was not used in ship's armories for pistol storage. It was used in port to transport M1911 Colts to the Quarterdeck Watch and other locations when in port. Under normal conditions, The Command Duty Officer, The Officer of the Deck, and the Bos'n Mate of the Watch were issued side arms. In addition, sometimes the Duty Master of Arms and duty Gunners Mate would also be armed, depending upon the ship, and which port it was in.
Every Ship's armory had at least one of these....at least through the Viet Nam era.
Just out of curosity I don't see any place for magazines. Did they just get one or were they carried seperately?
quote:Originally posted by steg
As the former First Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer on a US Navy ship I can positively state that this board/holster was not used in ship's armories for pistol storage. It was used in port to transport M1911 Colts to the Quarterdeck Watch and other locations when in port. Under normal conditions, The Command Duty Officer, The Officer of the Deck, and the Bos'n Mate of the Watch were issued side arms. In addition, sometimes the Duty Master of Arms and duty Gunners Mate would also be armed, depending upon the ship, and which port it was in.
Every Ship's armory had at least one of these....at least through the Viet Nam era.
Just out of curosity I don't see any place for magazines. Did they just get one or were they carried seperately?
For watch purposes, only one magazine per pistol was issued. In some ports, where the Navy's presence was politically sensative, only the Officer of The Day's pistol was loaded with live ammunition. The reason for this was that there had been several incidents where locals had been shot while illegaly trying to board the ship, and this caused terrible anti-American riots ashore.
In such ports, even the Bow and Stern Sentries did not have live ammunition for their M1's. In a couple of cases that I know of, when bum boatmen tried to illegaly board, they got their heads bashed in! They were then held in custody until they were given to civilian authorities ashore.