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Excerpts from Jerry Ahern's article in
HANDGUNS Magazine
May, 1996 ('Best Choices' Issue)
The original article spanned three pages and was very complimentary.
Representative passages have been selected for your information.
GREAT GEAR FROM NORTH OF THE BORDER
Bob Mernickle of British Columbia is the first Canadian holstermaker whose work I recall having examined. If Mernickle's work is typical, Canadian holstermakers have a great deal to offer U.S. consumers. Design is great and the craftmanship is extraordinary.
The Western rig Bob Mernickle sent for examination is a Hollywood-style fast-draw rig with metal-reinforced holster. Some of Mernickle's rigs feature metal reinforcing leather in three areas: the holster, the drop shank and in the portion of the belt from which the holster shank extends. A classically beautiful rig with a straight drop, this sample I discovered is only a pretty basic model. It features hand-tooling, border stamping in diamond-shape frames and a stamping treatment covering almost all leather surfaces in tiny sun-bursts, imparting a pebble grain look, a texture that is both unique and extremely pleasing to the eye and the hand. The upper billets are tipped in the diamond pattern too. The cartridge loops feature an eye-catching breather hole centered on each loop. Double-thickness leather is used throughout. The belts are designed so that buckles can be interchanged very easily. There is a hammer thong of the traditional type and a leg thong as well. This is a gorgeous holster rig. But for Mernickle it's rather plain. Exotic skin in-lays are standard options for Mernickle, and rather than appearing garish as such holster embellishments can sometimes look, the result is elegant in the extreme.
The Mernickle concealment rigs
are an excellent example of eye-appealing form serving function. The holster lips are contoured for enhanced clearance at the front and for full combat grip. Matching spare magazine pouches were also sent for evaluation; these were singles and cosmetically a match to the holsters.
The cutaway lines of Mernickle concealment holsters reflect Mernickle's
fast-draw background, where clearing the muzzle from the leather makes the critical difference.
In concealed carry, weight and especially bulk can be important factors. When there is too much holster for the gun, concealment suffers. The leather-to-gun ratio with the Mernickle concealment holsters seems just right.
Mernickle's work is phenomenally good-looking. And it is functionally excellent, whether you're packing a slicked-up single action to the competition line or a defensive handgun on the mean streets of the U.S.A., Canada or anyplace in the world.
The comments on two of the pictures accompanying the article are very interesting. On a picture displaying the back of one of the personal carry holsters, Ahern noted:
This stabilizer flap is found on all Mernickle concealment holsters. It is quite effective in giving support to gun and holster.
And on a picture of the personal carry crossdraw rig, Ahern says:
This Mernickle crossdraw rig actually hugs the gun butt to the body, making it very concealable - something few crossdraw holsters accomplish.
You may also want to read some of our customers' e-mail for a "real" person's review of our holsters
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