Ingram M10 and M11 Leather Holsters

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

I had someone ask in another post about the Ingram leather holsters so I figured I’d share my collection of them.

First are the M10 hip holsters. From left to right

Original Military Armament Corporation Powder Springs, GA M10 hip holster , Interarms M10 hip holster, RPB industries M10 Ingram Hip holster with Cobray/Sionics logo. Notice how the interarms holster has been wet molded around an M10 SMG with the front strap and selector switch along with the ribs of the upper clearly visible molded into the leather, they were all like this.




Close ups of stamps:

Small MAC stamp on rear side of powder springs holster



INTERARMS stamp



COBRAY/Sionics Logo on RPB Industries M10 holster. Some of you may recognize this RPB M10 hip holster from the movie Escape from New York. Snake Plissken has one of these RPB M10 holsters that has been customized with straps to hold a suppressor.




Here are some more pics of the wet molded Interarms holster. It is the highest quality of the bunch, very thick solid hard leather and extremely well made, I wouldn’t be surprised if these were made by Paris Theodore/Seventrees or Ken Null, both of which made speciality holsters for Ingrams throughout the 1970s, the INTERARMS leather stamp is reminiscent of the Seventrees markings.





Here is an earlier version of the RPB industries holster that did not feature the contoured wet molding that the later, more popular model did. It also had Brass snaps, which were eventually replaced by black “pull the dot” snaps on the later examples. I have since sold this one:






OK now onto the M11 holsters:

I only have one of the M11 hip holsters, this one is an RPB industries M11 hip holster that was modeled after an earlier design that had been made by MAC, though the standard MAC M11 hip holster was the same thing as the MAC M10 holster I just shared.

On the right is an M11 .380 suppressor holster. These were sold as “barrel extension” holsters, though they are much too large for a barrel extension and fit the M11 380 suppressor perfectly. They also made a larger version of this for the M10 2 stage suppressor.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Limited to 10 pics in each post so I will continue here.

Close up of M11 hip holster Cobray/Sionics embossed logo


Rear of M11 hip holster


Onto a pic of the suppressor holster stamp. Note the smaller size stamp. They used 2 sizes, this one and the larger one that is seen on the hip holsters that have been posted so far.




Next we have my favorite, the RPB industries “Cutaway convertible shoulder holster”… these were for the small frame M11 .380 pistol or SMG. There were 2 distinctly different version of the RPB M11 shoulder holster, though it seems they only ever advertised it as the “cutaway shoulder holster” despite one version being a standard vertical rig (muzzle pointing down, grip pointing forward for cross draw) and the other one being an upside down rig that is very impractical and impossible to draw, it also keeps the muzzle pointed directly into your armpit!
Both holsters feature a hole in the flap for the charging handle so that they can be carried in the holster with the bolt cocked open! (Probably not wise with the armpit blaster rig)

On the left is the standard vertical shoulder holster, and the right is the upsidedown shoulder holster. originally the upside down shoulder holsters were sold as “quick release cutaway” hip holsters… and the standard vertical holster was being sold alongside it in the catalog as the “convertible shoulder holster” that could be worn either on the belt or with the shoulder harness. I have a feeling that nobody was purchasing the cutaway quick release hip holster, since it was so similar to the convertible and only a couple dollars cheaper.. so RPB punched 2 slots into the quick release cut aways to attach the shoulder harness, and the only way that it could be worn was upside down, despite it being completely impossible to draw the gun from it in this orientation.




Note belt loops on rear of both holsters. Either design can be worn as a hip holster or with the detachable shoulder harness.

Small logo on original vertical convertible shoulder Holster: the small logo vertical shoulder rig was commonly seen with a black leather harness with white nylon strap.



Large logo on upside down shoulder holster. note the deep dented impression from the stamp press, this one was a factory second obtained at auction, the flap has a metal plate in it to keep it stiff and provide resistance for the “quick release” opening, the metal plate was dented by the stamp press. This holster also has a metal Cobray marked plate on the opposite snap flap, to keep that one rigid as well for quick release opening. The quick release hip holster version was advertised in the catalog as being made for a “special government contract”. This upside down version of the shoulder holster normally came with a black and white checkered nylon strap on the leather harness, the harness on this one is not original, it is from a smith and Wesson rig.




Here is a page from the 1981 RPB catalog, it features each of the previously mentioned holsters, note that it shows the large logo upside down quick release style holster at the top for the shoulder holster, but the guy in the pic is wearing the small logo vertical version of the holster. The upside down quick release holster is also featured in its hip only configuration at the bottom. It’s doubtful anyone wanted to purchase it as a hip holster only when they advertise what appeared to be the same exact holster being sold with a shoulder harness as well for $6 more. This is why I suspect they converted the “cutaway quick release hip holsters” into upside down shoulder holsters to get rid of them. Also note that the snap configuration is different on the hip version of the cutaway holster. Both of the snap buttons are on the flap, whereas with the shoulder holster, it has one button on the flap, and then one stud for the retaining strap that has the button on it, opposite of the cut away hip holster. My upside down shoulder holster has the double snap quick release, but I don’t know if it came that way, the snaps were missing when I got it and I installed them in the “quick release” configuration myself.




Last but not least:

The desantis MAK SKATTER shoulder rig… these were one of the most popular shoulder holsters available for the Ingram, as they allowed it to be fired while attached to the holster, similar to an assault sling. They made the MAK skatter in 2 different models (sold as 3 different models), one for the M10/45 and another for the M10/9 or M11 .380. Both were the same exact harness, the only difference was the size of the detachable magazine pouch. The 45 version featured a large magazine pouch with adjustable snaps made to accommodate the M10/45 40rd magazine or 30rd magazines. The 9mm or 380 version featured a smaller pouch for 9mm/380 magazines. These holsters attached to the gun by replacing the stock hardware roll pin with a proprietary desantis pin that featured 2 snap studs that the holster snapped onto. The M10/9 and M11 380 desantis holsters are the same exact thing, the M11 version just includes an M11 size snap attachment pin and the M10/9 version comes with one for the M10.

Here is an M10/45 desantis rig. The brown leather version is the early original, it came out in 1982. At some point in the 90s or early 2000s they started to sell a different version of the desantis MAC rig (it came in the zippered clear vinyl red white and blue US flag packaging) it is much much lower quality cheaper construction and should be avoided if possible.. the brown leather desantis rig with the logo embossed into the snap straps is the good one. I have also had numerous examples of this exact same holster marked “National cartridge” instead. I suspect these were made by desantis for Euclid sales, as Euclid was the sole distributor for National Cartridge from what I can tell. I have an early Euclid price list that advertises the desantis shoulder rig, then all subsequent price lists advertise it as “national cartridge shoulder holster”.

Here is the desantis marked version:





If you read this far, then thank you for your interest! It brings me great pleasure to share my collection with the community!

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

This wouldn’t be complete without the classic DeSantis MAK skatter advertisement!

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

Ah thanks for posting! The cutaway shoulder style and the Desantis are really nice. My LGS back home in MA was wicked big on Desantis. I have always and still use my Desantis speed scabbards, OWB @ 3 o'clock has been impossible to top in terms of comfort/concealment.

I bet you could get the upside down shoulder holster snaps reinstalled if you wanted, you've got an abundance of options there.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Ah thanks for posting! The cutaway shoulder style and the Desantis are really nice. My LGS back home in MA was wicked big on Desantis. I have always and still use my Desantis speed scabbards, OWB @ 3 o'clock has been impossible to top in terms of comfort/concealment.

I bet you could get the upside down shoulder holster snaps reinstalled if you wanted, you've got an abundance of options there.

I know how to work with leather, I am able to install the snaps myself. That holster was an incomplete factory second blank when I received it. I punched all the holes for the snaps, installed the snaps, replaced the retaining strap for the gun because it had ripped off, and created a new steel tension plate for the flap because it was missing. I managed to recreate it with the Cobray stamp on the steel like the original, I salvaged the Cobray stamped piece of steel from a SWD M11/9 spring steel magazine coupler. I had to punch the slots for the shoulder harness, they had been drawn on with pencil at RPB but never punched. I also dyed it black, as it was still just natural tan leather. I decided to go with both snap buttons on the flap like the “cut away” hip holster because they advertised how fast it was in that configuration and I wanted to see what it was all about.. “the fastest SMG holster on the market today”… needless to say it is the most impractical shoulder holster ever made. Impossible to draw the gun regardless of how fast the flap unsnaps. This was likely only the “fastest SMG holster on the market” when it was in its belt configuration on the hip. As it cannot be drawn the same way from the upside down shoulder holster position. It is basically only good for concealed storage when you know you won’t have to get the gun out suddenly without warning. Sure looks awesome though! The other version of the RPB shoulder holster (normal vertical pointing down) is much more practical and easy to draw the gun, it was actually intended to be a shoulder holster.

Here’s some pics of the upside down style holster from a Japanese magazine from 1982 , notice the metal plate with the snap stud on it, if you look closely you will see that it’s marked with a Cobray stamp. You can also see the charging handle hole in the flap so that the gun can be carried, locked and loaded, aimed at the left side of your face.

The armpit blaster….

 

[GK8041]

Nice collection Ghost; thanks for sharing.

Curious if holsters, rigs and harnesses like these are being manufactured currently?

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Nice collection Ghost; thanks for sharing.

Curious if holsters, rigs and harnesses like these are being manufactured currently?

They are not but I have been known to make a repro from time to time and sell them to other collectors… not quite as nice as the original but better than nothing.

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

I know how to work with leather....

Yeah along with everything else you did to the holster, jeeze. So many people on this forum are self sufficient with stuff, I thought I was good with the cars and learning to be handy around the house.

the gun can be carried, locked and loaded, aimed at the left side of your face

hahahah I was thinking the same before I read what you typed here. Question... was it normal to carry a Mac with a loaded magazine, one ready to go and the bolt cocked back with the friggin barrel pointing right at your CPU organ? That had to just be a marketing gimmick no one really did that....right?

 

[slimshady]

Wouldn't the hole for a locked back cocking knob act as a means of preventing the bolt from slamming shut?

 

[GK8041]

They are not but I have been known to make a repro from time to time and sell them to other collectors… not quite as nice as the original but better than nothing.

I respect your expertise but I’m thinking with the revival and modernization of this family of firearms, (aftermarket uppers, rails/optics, CNC machined parts, suppressors, refinishing techniques, etc.) a re-thought, newly manufactured series of leather/nylon operational kit would come to market.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

I respect your expertise but I’m thinking with the revival and modernization of this family of firearms, (aftermarket uppers, rails/optics, CNC machined parts, suppressors, refinishing techniques, etc.) a re-thought, newly manufactured series of leather/nylon operational kit would come to market.

All the holsters on the market now are that kydex molded plastic crap. Not really my cup of tea. I love old gun leather, especially the Ingram gun leather. I think the reason nobody has mass produced any kind of holster for an Ingram in decades is because they just aren’t popular anymore. All these holsters from the 70s and 80s were the result of companies hoping to cash in on law enforcement sales. I don’t think there are too many PDs in 2024 that are looking for the most effective way to conceal their 1981 RPB M11 .380 open bolt. The market is limited to hobbyists and collectors, and when it comes to a mass produced item, this demographic is just way too small to justify the cost of production. To put things into perspective regarding the collectors value of these holsters, the hip holsters on average sell for 4-500 dollars, I have seen the RPB cutaways sell for 800 bucks (probably more nowadays) and I have personally sold at least 3 of the desantis rigs on GB in the last year, all started at 99 cents, 2 of them went for 1,850 and 1,900 bucks and the third went for 1200. Numerous others were listing in this time frame and sold for similar numbers. There was one that just sold 2 weeks ago on GB for 1200. So there is clearly a high demand amongst collectors, but how many die hard collectors are there who are gonna spend over a grand on a holster that they will never use outside of “LARPing” at the range.

Wouldn't the hole for a locked back cocking knob act as a means of preventing the bolt from slamming shut?

yes in theory it should prevent it from firing assuming the flap is a nice tight fit and one of the snaps doesn’t pop open allowing the flap to shift and the bolt to drop. I personally wouldn’t trust it, but I’m sure it was relatively safe with the handle being held captive by the hole and the gun’s safety switch engaged. I was just joking around.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Yeah along with everything else you did to the holster, jeeze. So many people on this forum are self sufficient with stuff, I thought I was good with the cars and learning to be handy around the house.


hahahah I was thinking the same before I read what you typed here. Question... was it normal to carry a Mac with a loaded magazine, one ready to go and the bolt cocked back with the friggin barrel pointing right at your CPU organ? That had to just be a marketing gimmick no one really did that....right

Believe it or not I taught myself to work with leather so that I could make a reproduction of the M11 .380 cutaway shoulder holster to complete my collection. They are so incredibly rare and hard to find. I had searched high and low to no avail and I was like ya know what, its just leather, I’ll make one myself. So that’s what I did, I ordered a custom Cobray logo leather stamp, some top grain black veg cured hides and a few sets of tools. I never quite got the hang of the tedious hand stitching process with such thick leather, so I constructed mine with rivets and it held great. Looked pretty close to the original. I used a SW shoulder harness for this one as well, as they are the correct style for these, the same style harness that RPB used just with snaps instead of velcro for the adjustments.






Eventually, after a lot of searching and posting classified ads, I managed to track down a couple of genuine originals and I sold off the reproduction on gunbroker.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Original RPB leather holster ad from 1979 Shotgun News




four 8.5x11 glossy B&W photos of RPB holsters, I suspect these were salesman materials, originally from the Don Thomas collection, obtained through a friend and fellow collector. These 4 photos are quite possibly my favorite pieces of original literature I have in my collection. The RPB holsters are my favorite accessory to collect.



Closer shot of the “cutaway” hip-holster. This is the same photo used in the catalog page I posted previously. This one does not appear to have the metal plate on the inside flap for the “quick release” opening but it does have both snap buttons on the top flap. It is a bit odd to close this one because you have to line the strap up underneath the flap to snap it together, it has a tendency to scuff the gun in that spot when snapping it shut.





Has anyone ever seen one of these? Or better yet, does anyone have one of these or a photo of one in the wild???

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

Believe it or not I taught myself to work with leather

I learned to sew way back; wicked big family, 10 kids, home made clothes blah blah blah

I think your Cobray logo is better than OEM haha. I'm not surprised the the holsters fetched that much at auction, congrats on the foresight to known they'd be desirable.

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

I learned to sew way back; wicked big family, 10 kids, home made clothes blah blah blah

I think your Cobray logo is better than OEM haha. I'm not surprised the the holsters fetched that much at auction, congrats on the foresight to known they'd be desirable.

It wasn’t the stitching itself that is difficult, it’s stitching the thick pieces of leather, getting through it. I didn’t really have access to a suitable shop at the time, and a drill press is required to create the holes for the stitching. Now that I have a full shop set up I could likely do a much more professional looking job. I did that last one in my kitchen lol

 

[slimshady]

A heavy needle chucked up in a Dremel drill chuck will burn the proper sized stitching hole in the leather. They make a spiked wheel that marks out the stitching spacing.

 

[Gaujo]

Which ones do you think are the best, most practical holsters?

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

A heavy needle chucked up in a Dremel drill chuck will burn the proper sized stitching hole in the leather. They make a spiked wheel that marks out the stitching spacing.

Yep I have the spiked wheels and all the leather tools. Good idea using the dremel, if I set it up with the dremel drill press attachment it would be a lot more practical. Now that I have a decent drill press I can do it the right way and start doing some stitching

 

[MitchWerbellsGhost87]

Which ones do you think are the best, most practical holsters?

The m11 .380 cut away quick release BELT holster is a good one. When you snap open the flap the gun still sits inside the holster balancing inside the trigger guard flap, making for a pretty fast draw. The standard vertical RPB 380 holster (not upside down) is a comfortable draw as well. The desantis shoulder rig is the easiest to use, the gun is at the ready and it carries 2 extra magazines.

 

[Gaujo]

The m11 .380 cut away quick release BELT holster is a good one. When you snap open the flap the gun still sits inside the holster balancing inside the trigger guard flap, making for a pretty fast draw. The standard vertical RPB 380 holster (not upside down) is a comfortable draw as well. The desantis shoulder rig is the easiest to use, the gun is at the ready and it carries 2 extra magazines.

Gonna need some high noon quick draw mag dump vids 😉