Club Obi Wan

Yeah, I know...it's just speculation, but I have an idea for an "Indy-style" holster for my Browning Hi Power: I'm going to take an old U.S. shoulder holster and modify it to carry my Hi Power in. I know others have said that Indy carried his Hi Power in his Mk. VII bag...I don't think a savvy guy like Indy would do that (unless forced to). We see him sticking it into his pants/belt on Katanga's ship when they are being boarded by the Nazis, but that's about it. We never quite see where it comes from (please enlighten me if I'm incorrect!) in the Raven Bar. I would like to think that Indy would keep it handy in a shoulder holster...quick at hand if needed, and hidden away beneath that great leather jacket of his. So, I'm going to be procuring the shoulder holster, adding a few straps of my own (like the leather strap "addition" to the Mk. VII bag?), and carry my Hi Power that way. What do y'all think?

Sounds like a plan to me. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson: thank you kindly, sir!

RonC wrote:We never quite see where it comes from (please enlighten me if I'm incorrect!) in the Raven Bar. I would like to think that Indy would keep it handy in a shoulder holster...quick at hand if needed, and hidden away beneath that great leather jacket of his.

I never gave that much thought but that's an interesting point. I don't think Indy wore his bag to the Raven Bar. (as seen in this pic TheOther Jones has on his site. http://republika.pl/theotherjones/wallpapers.htm)



So, he would more than likely have to have it somewhere else.


Pyro.

No problem. We see him place the 9mm in his waistband on the ship, but as you point out, we're never sure where it's pulled out in the bar, as he didn't have his bag with him. So, why not a shoulder holster? Go for it. You'll find, though, that with the side splits on the jacket, a shoulder holster tie down is difficult to conceal. I've tried it. Regards. Michaelson

Understand about the side splits...would be a problem! But, then, with my good ol' USAF special, that won't be a problem! (bear with me!....I may become an Indy purist yet!!!)

I figure indy probably had it in his jacket. There's an inside pocket, isn't there? Anyway, maybe you could do an overhaul on the holster so that it will be easily concealled or something.

Yep, there's an inside pocket, but in no way can it hold up the bulk of an automatic. I've tried that too. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

Dakota, I have had the opportunity to carry a Hi Power in the inside pocket of my leather jacket (in Angola, in Africa...and it was a Hi Power with Force Aerienne Zairoise markings, no less!...but that's another story)...it keeps wanting to fall out, due to the weight...it'll work, but it's not very practical....especially if you have to move around a lot.

Michaelson wrote:Yep, there's an inside pocket, but in no way can it hold up the bulk of an automatic. I've tried that too. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

Heh. I can see it now. Somebody is going to ask Peter to put a holster on the inside of Wested.

Pyr.

I believe Indy had it in his right cargo pocket. There is a shot where Indy is firing his S&W and runs out of bullets. He then ducks behind a wall (maybe a doorframe) and digs in to his cargo pocket. He then comes out from the wall and now has his Hi-Power. It is quick, so you have to watch carefully, but I think that is where he had it. Check it out.

That brings up another possibility, BDJ, the cargo pockets. Do we ever really see indy use the cargo pockets? I can't recall any time that he did.

BDJ, I remember that scene...my take on it was he was re-holstering his S&W when he went to his right side....but that's only speculation on my part.

The only time that we see Indy really using the cargo pockets is in LC when he has teh diary in there. However, in the Raven bar scene the is a split second where we see he reach over in that direction, and the next shot he has his HP. That's were I would put my extra gun if I didn't have a bag or ever holster.

BDJ, you may very well be right.

This is what I truly love about our hobby...there's enough detail in there to satisfy the "purists", who want to duplicate everything down to the finest detail (and I think that's GREAT....that's where we all get our detailed info!)...and there's enough room for speculation (i.e., Indy's possible shoulder holster) for those of us who like to think about the "what-ifs."

It could theorically explain how his pocket got torn that we see in the publicity photo....trying to yank that dang Hi-power out of the pocket in that scene. (grins) Regards. Michaelson

That's right! I forgot about that.

(When do those DVDs come out? Well, that's too long.)

RonC wrote:Yeah, I know...it's just speculation, but I have an idea for an "Indy-style" holster for my Browning Hi Power: I'm going to take an old U.S. shoulder holster and modify it to carry my Hi Power in.

Ron, I think you have something that you could market. You might have a winner.

Thanks, Renderking! I'll let all of you know how it turns out.

Indy still has a suitcase (you see it in his home and with him on the dock going to the Clipper). So I'm thinking he has both guns (can't be too careful), and just left his bag and suitcase in his room (wherever that is in Nepal) and left out the S&W and put the HP in his regular holster in place of the Smith.

Well, using that argument, where did the Smith come from in the fight if the 9mm was in his holster? We don't see it when he first arrives, and yet he started out using the Smith, then switched to the Browning, so one or the other had to be hidden either in a pocket or hidden holster. Regards. Michaelson

Minnesota, you may be correct, but I still think a savvy guy like Indy would have a better way to keep his Browning handy...but, again, that's just my opinion!

Well, I have a bid in on a surplus U.S. shoulder holster on Ebay....should know if I get it this evening. Now all I have to do is come up with straps and buckles...this is going to be a fun project! I made a preliminary drawing of the configuration...think I'm going to do it in "worn-looking" black leather (just to have it look a little different).

I don't think you would have to do much modifying to a US WWII shoulder holster. The HP is very close in size to the 1911 for which the shoulder holster was designed. You probably wouldn't have to modify at all. Just put your HP in and go.

The black US shoulder holster didn't come around until Vietnam. During WWII up until Vietnam the brown holsters were used. This goes for both the shoulder holsters and the web belt flap holster.

Luke

Skywlkrinc, I'm aware that the U.S. holsters were not black until the Viet Nam era...but we ARE talking fantasy here! That's how Indy was able to walk around in 1936-7 with a Mk. VII Pattern 1937 gas mask bag dated 1942! Seriously, I could've gone with the brown holster, but my personal preference was to try the black. The Hi Power will fit with no modification to the pouch itself...my mods will be to the strap system...I'm going to "civilianize" it and give it a 1930-ish shoulder holster look. After all, we are in this for the fun of it, right?

Ok, that makes more sense then. Sorry, I'm brain dead today.

Luke

While I think the shoulder holster is a great idea being that there is no evidence of it one way or the other, I would think Indy would have had it just tucked into his pants. Two belts would easily hold it up quite well. I always assumed he was digging in his cargo pocket for extra ammo and due to the editing we then see him next with the Browning in his hand. Remember how screwey the editing was in this scene. I don't think a cargo pocket would have fit a Browning and if so, the pocket would have been very bulky. We would have seen it.

Well, so far I have been beat out twice on original shoulder holsters on Ebay...so I've decided to just go ahead and get a modern reproduction in brown leather....I'll just do my modifications and "age" it all a bit.

Probably just as well, Ron. Usually the originals look great for display, but just aren't in good enough shape for actual use due to the leather condition. At least with a new one, you KNOW you're gun won't fall out the bottom of the holster the first time you're in the field. Regards. Michaelson

Once you get the right modern holster, would you let us know where you got it?

Michaelson, that is SO true! It is a whole lot easier to make good, new leather look "aged" than it is to make old, worn out leather serviceable.

Renderking Fisk, here's the link: http://www.armysurplusforless.com/produ ... olorID=398

IMA sells a nice reproduction M7 shoulder holster for $29.95
I'm probably going to get one for my 1911 clone.
http://www.ima-usa.com/p76.html

Luke

Luke, thanks for the link....beats the price from my link by a few dollars...every little bit helps.

Sure does.....save money on one piece of gear so you've got more to spend on the next piece.

Luke

Unless my eyes are playng tricks on me, I think I see Indy's gloves sticking out of his right hand cargo pocket during the opening Raven bar scene. Someone check it out.

Peace,
C

Wasn't Indy wearing his gloves during that shoot-out?

Luke

Yes, he was wearing his gloves during the Raven Bar shoot-out.

Yes. During the fight scene he is wearing his gloves. However prior to that when he and Marion are chatting in the bar the gloves are in his pocket.

C

Indy presumably got his HP from the propmaster or armorer or whoever it is who hangs onto the guns between shots. That's the problem - Indy wore no watch, yet he was always on time; he carried no wallet or keys (maybe that's why he had to leave his office by the window?), and his shoulder bag was always empty until he needed something, in which case it magically appeared in the bag. The jacket and shirt were so lightweight, and the trousers draped so nicely, it would be obvious if there was something in a pocket. Which is why Indy always appeared to travel literally with just the clothes on his back.

I have an Uncle Mike's web-style shoulder rig for a semi-auto pistol. I've worn it under sports jackets and suits, and it's a bit snug, but concealable under a light/draped sports jacket. Under a Wested, as naturally tight-fitting as it is, it would seem to me, in my opinion, that a shoulder holster would be very uncomfortable under a Wested, and pretty noticeable. Also, during the fight scenes, his jacket comes up, and out on occasion, so at least the tie-down, if not the rig itself would be visible on at least one occasion. Again, thus is the magic of movies, but thought I'd add to the Conspiracy Theory.

Maybe, just MAYBE he came across one of those Black Holes like from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, and he keeps his gear in a dimesional portal. That's why the staff is so long, in the map room. He's standing partially in the Black Hole...in case the Nazi's come in, he can duck down!!

Guys! Guys! This shoulder holster thing was just fantasy speculation about a fantasy world!!!! I just thought it would be neat to think of how Indy COULD have carried his Hi Power, if the events WERE real! I didn't mean to open a philosophical "can of worms"!....and I was trying to think of a way I could carry MY Hi Power should I wish to do so while wearing Indy gear myself.

Oh, is that all? Ok, then just stick the thing down in your waist band and forget it. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:Oh, is that all? Ok, then just stick the thing down in your waist band and forget it. Regards. Michaelson

Like this?

See there....a precedent. Of course, there's no WAY I'd try to sit DOWN with a Webley 'holstered' the way portrayed here, but this is a good example. Regards. Michaelson

....I try NOT to do that with loaded handguns!!!!!!!!!!

Boy, ain't THAT the truth, BUT, would you believe I videotaped a training session with a State Highway Patrol agency that needed an undercover office training video shot regarding plain clothes officer techniques, and they DID show waistband hide out as a legitimate carry techique!!!??? I was a bit, uh, dubious. Regards. Michaelson

THAT's understandable! I have a picture in one of my books showing an early-1870's border-type carrying an old Colt 1860 Conversion in a "bikini" holster in that manner. I didn't think it was a good idea...unless one is SERIOUSLY considering a long-term career with the Vienna Boys Choir!?!

Is that a Webley in your pants, or are you just glad to...oh...it IS a Webley! Never mind.

"....I try NOT to do that with loaded handguns!!!!!!!!!! "

True, but if we'll recall, the Webley was empty at the time in the movie that this scene takes place, on the beach.