Jeff Cooper Holster

[webber]

I have seen Youtube videos and photos
of Mr. Cooper using a Yaqui Slide Handgun Holster.
Was that the holster he finally chose as the best?
Does anyone know? Or was he like some of us and tried different ones and never really love any of them?

[Fowler]

Barranti makes a great version of the holster, I don’t think it is the end all be all of 1911 holsters. But it is very versatile, holds any 1911, very comfortable to wear.

I prefer a in the pant holster generally but for the range they are nice.

[wendigo]

The Colonel did seem to prefer the Yaqui slide, and there are a number of offerings out there that vary from faithful to the original to in-name-only. Kirkpatrick and Barranti look to be the current makers offering legit versions.

I like belt slides for 1911's but have never used an actual Yaqui. The closest I've gotten is Galco's Jak Slide, which is a comfortable minimalist option but the belt on the outside format requires two hands to reholster.

[markwell]

The Colonel did use the Yaqui slide. However, be aware that if the muzzle on your pistol contacts something like the arm of a chair (pushing upwards on the muzzle) when sitting down you may find your weapon on the deck. Just sayin'.

[Fowler]

Jan 1, 2024 15:42:31 GMT -5 markwell said:

The Colonel did use the Yaqui slide. However, be aware that if the muzzle on your pistol contacts something like the arm of a chair (pushing upwards on the muzzle) when sitting down you may find your weapon on the deck. Just sayin'.

Ha that sounds familiar. Sickening this isn’t it?

[cas]

I have one... I find they're good for "range use", or rather improvised range use, where you don't have a bench, but need to free up your hands.

As for other uses, I watched and videoed a friend get DQ'd from a large (expensive entry fee) multi gun match from an open bottom holster. Shooting his rifle prone he bent his right leg, his hip/thigh pushed the gun partially out of his holster. When he got up to run to the next position, he left the pistol behind. It stunk, first stage of the match, pistol was unloaded and not even used in that stage, but it ended his day and made me realize I don't want to use a holster like that for anything other than standing in one spot.

[ridenshoot]

I tried using a Yaqui Slide for a short time but quickly found that I would bang my exposed slide against things like chair arms or the back of a bench. Luckily, I never did have my gun pop out, though I could see how that could happen, as it wasn't a very tight fit relatively speaking.  Also, I was concerned that if my concealing garment were to be raised too much or snag on something, the slide would peak out and it would be obvious that I was carrying a firearm, whereas a full coverage, black holster might not be as obvious.  

Like most folks who carry a concealed firearm, I have "the bin of misfit holsters", I don't even think the Yaqui Slide made it into the bin, it just went down the road.  It took me a quite a bit of searching but I finally fell in love with Kramer Leather's Vertical Scabbard made out of horsehide.  Horsehide is stiff and keeps it's shape, it is formed to the gun so there is a really strong friction fit, much like you get with Kydex. Once I have decided I am going to keep a carry gun I order one of these holsters for it, I highly recommend them.


 

[bigmuddy]

I have the Galco version. About 90% of the time I am wearing Wrangler jeans. Found the slide on my firearm was rubbing on the rivet at the top of my jeans pocket. Left a pretty good “rub mark” after just one (the last) day of use. It now lies in the box of holsters I never use.

Dan

[alukban]

Jan 1, 2024 16:26:45 GMT -5 cas said:

I have one... I find they're good for "range use", or rather improvised range use, where you don't have a bench, but need to free up your hands.

As for other uses, I watched and videoed a friend get DQ'd from a large (expensive entry fee) multi gun match from an open bottom holster. Shooting his rifle prone he bent his right leg, his hip/thigh pushed the gun partially out of his holster. When he got up to run to the next position, he left the pistol behind. It stunk, first stage of the match, pistol was unloaded and not even used in that stage, but it ended his day and made me realize I don't want to use a holster like that for anything other than standing in one spot.

Just add a thumb break or hammer snap, no?

It would be interesting to me if there were a hybrid leather/kydex version that offerd more positive retention.

[cas]

Might as well add the bottom of a holster to it as well and protect the gun.


The holster I mention above wasn't even minimalist type like a Yaqui Slide, but rather big flat sandwich type molded kydex jobber, so it had some inherent retention built into it. It just allowed the last 1 1/2" or so of slide to stick out, and that was enough.

[contender]

Just like guns,, having different holsters for different purposes is a necessity. The Yaqui holster was likely what the Col. felt worked at the time he would wear one. I've used one,, and found it to have it's place,, but over time,, it's been worn less than other options.

[rexster]

I believe that I used the old-school (Not the current one) Galco version, briefly, for a 1911. Add me to the list of those whose slides were brassed by the rivet on Wrangler jeans. With suitable trousers, I seem to remember the Yaqui Slide made a decent casual range holster. I recently acquired the lefty variant of the Galco version, which is adjustable for several pistols, to be a casual range holster, as I try to decide whether to re-adopt an S&W Model 3913, or perhaps some other auto, as a lefty carry gun, or a “Texas* reload” second gun, when toting a revolver. (I still carry right-side “primary,” but my right hand, arm, and shoulder are not aging as well as those parts on my left side, so, I do not always fully trust my right hand to be a best stable platform for auto-loader reliability.

*We Texians were carrying multiple pistols long before the late, great Jim Cirillo used the term “New York Reload” during an interview by Mas Ayoob. (“Texians” was not a typo. My mother’s ancestors were here when Texas was not yet part of the USA.)

[davet]

I attended an early 250 class at Gunsite in December of 1977. Cooper was wearing a Yaqui Slide made by Milt Sparks and wore it all week. When asked about it he said it suited his purposes well because if he went to town (Prescott) he could put his pistol in his vehicle's console and no one he encountered would suspect it was a firearms holster. Understand this was 17 years before Arizona passed its concealed carry legislation.

Dave

[tacomaslim]

Jan 1, 2024 17:50:45 GMT -5 ridenshoot said:

I tried using a Yaqui Slide for a short time but quickly found that I would bang my exposed slide against things like chair arms or the back of a bench. Luckily, I never did have my gun pop out, though I could see how that could happen, as it wasn't a very tight fit relatively speaking.  Also, I was concerned that if my concealing garment were to be raised too much or snag on something, the slide would peak out and it would be obvious that I was carrying a firearm, whereas a full coverage, black holster might not be as obvious.  

Like most folks who carry a concealed firearm, I have "the bin of misfit holsters", I don't even think the Yaqui Slide made it into the bin, it just went down the road.  It took me a quite a bit of searching but I finally fell in love with Kramer Leather's Vertical Scabbard made out of horsehide.  Horsehide is stiff and keeps it's shape, it is formed to the gun so there is a really strong friction fit, much like you get with Kydex. Once I have decided I am going to keep a carry gun I order one of these holsters for it, I highly recommend them.


 

I've found nothing I like better than Kramer and the shop is less than15 minutes from my house. A good friend of mine has a 25+ year old  Kramer 1911 holster still in use.