Junior Shooters

Posted by Junior Shooters

By: Andy Fink

When I was a kid growing up I enjoyed looking at holsters and gun rigs almost as much as I did guns. The right holster or gun rig (holster and belt) makes a huge difference. Ideally, it means drawing your handgun in fast, easy, controllable motion while wearing the holster or gun rig comfortable during a shooting match.  This may mean wearing the gun rig all day long for two or three days in a row so comfort is an important ingredient of a good holster.

                                 Wow! What a combination – matching holster, belt, knife sheath and cuffs. This is one classy outfit!

Having a comfortable holster that retains the handgun safely, while at the same time providing a fast draw, can cut seconds off your shooting time. This is very true in any of the action shooting sports such as cowboy action, Steel Challenge, USPSA, IDPA, and modern 3 gun matches

Holster made for a Ruger MK III .22 LR with a new one coming for the Tactical Solutions Paclite competition .22 LR – next to a quad magazine pouch for Ruger Mark III .22 magazines.

Junior Shooters hasn’t published a review of any holster manufacturers yet so I thought it was about time we did. We will be covering a number of holster manufacturers over the next few years and you will see them included in photos within articles on gun reviews as well. The first holster maker we are covering is Ted Blocker Holsters who makes all types of holsters and gun rigs.

                                 This holster is made for S&W’s M&P 9 (9 mm) and is shown with a
                                 companion dual magazine pouch.

They are used in just about every shooting sport where in which you can use a holster as well as various police forces and concealed carry.

The sewing and assembly area of their manufacturing facility.

Ted Blocker Leather got its start when interest in fast draw competitions led Ted and Jean Blocker to open their own holster business in 1972. Jean set a world record of .31 second on a David Frost television show taped at Knott’s Berry Farm. Ted was a bit quicker with a record draw of .29 second. In 1985, they moved Ted Blocker Holsters to San Dimas, California. However, being
        Another great looking cowboy action gun rig set.       raised in Oregon, Ted and Jean later moved the business near their roots in the Portland area.

Ted Blocker holsters and accessories have become quite well known and have been used in several movie productions such as Alien Nation, Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai, and Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, The Changelings, Public Enemies 2009 with Johnny Deep as John Dillinger along with Television programs like Simon and Simon, Dukes of Hazzard, Hunter, Southland, and an upcoming episode of Saving Grace with Holly Hunter, and most notably, Miami Vice.
                                       This is a USPSA/IDPA competition rig for a Sig Sauer 250 shown with a matching dual magazine pouch.

Sonny Crockett, played by Don Johnson, wore the Ted Blocker Lifeline Shoulder Rig the first season and into the second season of the show. One of Ted Blocker holsters biggest customers has been the Los Angeles police department so you know the holsters have to be sturdy and function exceptionally well.

The Heartbreaker gun rig for the lady cowboy action shooter with a straight right side holster and a left cross draw.

In 1999, the Blocker’s sold the business to Don and Shelley Brown. These are two of the nicest people you can meet. Courteous, and concerned about customer satisfaction, they are some of the first people Junior Shooters went to when we needed holsters for our local juniors to shoot with and use for testing out firearms. They responded immediately and continue to do so every time we get a new handgun in for reviewing. In fact, Don has even made holsters for handguns he had never done before such as the Ruger MK III .22, the Sig Sauer Mosquito, and Tactical Solutions custom Steel Challenge competition Paclite .22. We are very grateful for their support.

On the right: Competition style magazine pouches for the 1911 shown with Kimber 1911 9mm magazines.

Don began his career in the holster industry in the early 80’s with the George Lawrence Leather Company. While Don was with the Lawrence Company, a beautiful flower-carved Western Buscadero Rig that was presented to President Ronald Regan. In 2006, Don recreated two more rigs at the request of the ranch curator. When the Lawrence Company stopped production in Portland and not willing to leave the beautiful state of Oregon, Don continued to produce holsters as DB Leather.
1911 carry holster with mag pouches shown with a Kimber 9mm.
Now, with Ted Blocker Holsters, Don is able to combine his expertise gained at both companies to produce high quality leather goods.

Don and Shelley are both hunting and shooting sports enthusiasts. Don has had the privilege of attending classes by Massad Ayoob and Clint Smith. Shelley spent a weekend of defensive pistol training at Gunsite Academy. Both are NRA members and have been Single Action Shooting  Society  members
                                          Colt Mustang carry holster with single magazine pouch
since 1997 shooting under the aliases Coho Kid and Brassy Shell. Both participate in cowboy action shooting events, and Don participates in cowboy fast draw competitions. They know what works by experience not just second hand information.

We have received a large variety of holsters and gun rigs from Don & Shelley all of them made of high quality leather. Some of them include:

• Concealed carry holsters used for IDPA events.
• Modern competition holsters for Steel Challenge and USPSA molded for 1911s, Sig Sauer 250 & 226, S&W M&P, Glock, Ruger SR9.
• Cowboy action gun rigs both with straight holsters and cross draw.
• Cowboy fast draw rigs.
• Combination gun rigs that has mix of cowboy action and fast draw.   Cowboy fast draw gun rig with Charles Daly Lightning.
• Magazine pouches.
• Shotgun shell slides.
• Steel Challenge holsters to carry .22s in such as the Ruger Mark III, Tactical Solutions Paclite, Sig Sauer Mosquito, and Browning .22.

Ted Blocker Holsters? 4,500 square foot manufacturing facility and showroom is located in Tigard, Oregon, approximately 12-miles south of Portland. Skilled craftsmen use only the best top-grain vegetable tanned leather. All holsters are hand oiled or dip dyed in the Tigard facility. Refinished, or painted split leather is not acceptable for Ted Blocker Holsters. 
                                                      Ted Blockers showroom and manufacturing
                                                                    facility in Tigard, Oregon.

 A “Wild Bunch” 1911 gun rig with a Kimber 9mm & matching tooled dual mag pouch.
Every holster is molded to fit the gun, and over 400 gun models are available. All edges are sanded, beveled, buffed and finished with an edge coat. Attention to detail and customer service is what makes Ted Blocker Holsters stand out above the rest. He can even customize a gun rig just for you and give you exactly what you want.

At Ted Blocker Holsters you can find a full line of leather gun rigs including concealment, duty, competition, field, and western styles. Their website lists at least a dozen different western rigs including the beautifully carved 1920 rig, the lady favoring Heartbreaker and for those who prefer  the  droploop  style, the
                                              Competition holster for a Ruger SR9 & dual mag pouch. Mustang. Modern competition holsters and carry holsters are a big portion of their business. You can also take a look at shell holders, shoulder holster rigs, loading strips and badge holders. From basic plain finished rigs to the extremely fancy custom rigs you can get it all from Ted Blocker Holsters.

Quality and service from Don and Shelley are outstanding. In fact, when I had a holster that was a little tight making it difficult, at times to draw that pistol and mentioned it to Don, he said he would make up an new holster that was just a little bigger right away. In less than two weeks the new holster was delivered and the fit was perfect.
               Don at work ensuring that the customer
                  receives the best possible product.

In today’s hectic world where no one seems to be looking out for you but you, it is really refreshing to find such friendly folks doing such good leatherwork who stand behind their products. Don and Shelley are such folks. They produce high quality work from high quality people. 
                          Carry holster or IDPA holster, also used for Steel Challenge ? Glock 22.

When you are ready for your first quality gun rig, need to replace your current rig, or just want another perhaps more fancy outfit you really should take a look at Ted Blocker Holsters by going online at www.tedblocker.com or give them a call at 800-650-9742.

Copyright & Published By: Junior Shooters & Junior Sports Magazines May 2009.

Categories: Guns & Acc., Miscellaneous
Tags: Andy Fink, competition rigs, gun leather, gun rigs, gunleather, holster makers, holsters, jr shooter, jr shooters, junior, junior camps, junior shooter, junior shooters, junior shooting camps, junior writers, juniors, kids, learning to shoot, leather, leather makers, Olympics, sheaths, shooting, shooting sports, ted blocker, ted blocker holsters, youth shooting