An order was placed for 10,000 M12’s at $31.27 each for an FMS case. Apparently thousands of these have been ordered (on and off) for years, some going to US depots. Aren’t these so…1980’s?
https://dibbs2.bsm.dla.mil/Downloads/Awards/24SEP18/SPE7L418P2441.PDF
Nice. This is only a little less $$ than what the NIW surplus ones are going for on Amazon. Search “Weckworth 12” if you’re interested, and note that different manufacturer flavors fluctuate in price relative to each other.
I remember how happy I was to finally get one, even if I did have to buy it myself. I couldnt stand the black leather “US” shoulder holster our unit issued. Every time you got issued one, it was a different holster out of a big box full and required a bit of screwing around with to get it to fit and never in broken in condition, they were either unserviceable, torn and missing bits or Brand new and stiff as a board.
There were no mag pouches lol
Ahhhh the 90s!
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One of the best days of my life was discovering my new HK USP would fit in a M12 holster.
With respect, is there much short of a Micro Uzi that will not fit in a M12?
I have a M12 in the basement, but haven’t put a gun it in years. I remember how cool they looked in the Bianchi catalogues circa 1988.
The M12 did/does a decent job of protection and retention (which I think is what it was designed for), but the chief knock against it is that it makes quickly drawing the weapon in an emergency potentially problematic. IIRC, the USAF quit using it some time ago because of this.
Well at the time, it was probably the ONLY military holster that could handle a USP. I probably went through two dozen “large size” holsters in 1994 trying to find one that would work.
I was big into these at one time, I’ve got one with a shoulder harness and thumb strap, the Bianchi were nicer than the Hill Country and some other contractors. I also have some similar Bianchi holsters made for small autos and some for revolvers, I still like the holsters for field use but never really cared for the belt attachment though.
Its a good design. That’s what I carry my Beretta M9a3 in.
Kind of makes you wonder how the procurement system works. Weckworth was just awarded a purchase order for 10,000 M12’s, yet you can buy new-in-the-pack Weckworth M12’s on eBay.
I imagine it’s kind of like lab clean-up day at my work:
“We don’t need all this crap…Throw it out!”
Six Months Later
“What happened to all that stuff we had down here? Oh well, better order more!”
Easy to be fast and loose with someone else’s money…
Love that M12, though! I keep one or two around because you can shove pretty much any handgun in there and head out.
They aren’t terrible. I carry a 686 in the R version when hunting. Better than a serpa (you won’t shoot yourself) at least.
They do a fantastic job of keeping a crew served weapon gunner, pilot, etc. attached to their pistol on an LCE covered, protected, and available if SHTF. There were even shoulder, thumb strap instead of flap, drop extended, etc. accessories for them.
With more modern battle belts, rigger belts, and plate hangers I am not sure if they still use the same attachment.
They do a very, very poor job of giving somebody a primary weapon they can draw fast or a secondary weapon they can rapidly transition to. There is even a leather version for GOs.
I’ll admit my old one still does service as a catch all holster attached to the mower
I still have a couple and it still serves well for my purpose. A p226 and 1911 are interchangeable.
I still have a few for inclement weather duty. I’ve worn them during the onset of hurricanes and they actually didn’t fill up with water, unlike most of the other shit I was wearing.
M-12. That’s for hunting Soviets in the woods, I heard.
I wonder if the large HK Mark 23 (without suppressor or LAM) would fit? Cross draw or right thigh? Might have to get one if it would work.
Nope. I don’t even think the USP45 will fit. But the Mk23 is a definite no go, slide and trigger guard are both way too long.
Same with the old leather flap holsters we carried our M1911’s in back in the day. While in the ROK I made an open holster in the craft shop and they actually let me wear it on MP patrol (in the mid ‘70’s, until I DEROSed). The worst thing about the old flap holsters was how they’d slap the side of your leg while running.