The versatile Yaqui Slide: short on leather, high in utility, the Yaqui Slide is one of the best CCW holsters

Guns Magazine, Oct, 2002 by Gregory Col. Akers

Twenty-three years in the Marine Corps have made me a firm believer in the principle that "simple is good" --the organization has a way of helping you develop such an attitude. Overtime, you sort of integrate this philosophy into everything from operational concepts to equipment, even food. I suspect this is why the Yaqui slide caught my attention back in 1981 when I was living in Southern California.

I saw my first Yaqui Slide just outside of Temecula, Calif. I was a poor youngster from Kansas who frequently attended a monthly match in the region. As you would expect for the period, the majority of shooters were using Bianchi and Davis holsters.

Another popular holster was a little plastic thing called a "snick." While this device was pretty nifty and ahead of its time, the idea of blued steel in a plastic holster didn't hold much appeal. What did catch my attention were a couple of the guys who I considered to be real Southern California gunfighters using Yaqui slides made by Milt Sparks.

Cooper's Signature Holster

I think I first learned of the Yaqui Slide in Cooper on Handguns (revised edition 1975). It was required reading in the '70s if you had aspirations to become a gunfighter. Colonel Cooper credits Eduardo Chahim from El Salvador in bringing the design to his attention.

He described the Yaqui slide as a:

"Sort of superior belt loop which carries the pistol comfortably and unostentatiously over the right hip. It is friction tight against two G's, while still as fast as another waistband carrier."

As you would expect, Col. Cooper recognized the practicality of such a holster.

The beauty of the slide is its simplicity. It is small, fast, and conceals the pistol nicely. It is unobtrusive--you can leave it on your belt, remove the pistol, and it doesn't look much like a holster. The Yaqui slide is the perfect complement to those who appreciate a no-nonsense ensemble.

Generally, the Yaqui consists of two pieces of leather. One piece is folded to form a sleeve or tube through which the belt is passed, and the other is sewn to this envelope to form the loop that holds the gun. The design, simple to describe, is a bit more difficult to make. Today we see a substantial amount of variation in what is being marketed as the "Yaqui Slide."

Milt Sparks

I believe Milt Sparks was the first to market a Yaqui slide in the United States. The first such belt slide I ever owned was a Sparks given to me by a friend. I still have that slide but now it has many miles behind it. Sparks no longer offers the Yaqui, but they were widely distributed, and you may come across one at a gun shop or show.

The holster is made of thick, high quality leather. A welt formed of several layers of leather accommodates the width of the trigger guard, and makes this a stable, rugged holster. One size fits both the Browning Hi-Power and 1911 variations.

It is not a friction fit, nor does it have any tension holding devices. While it is a bit looser than other Yaqui slides, I have used one for 17 years and have not lost a gun. One possible disadvantage to this style is that the pistol is not held as close to the body as several of the other slides available, but it is considered acceptable by the IDPA. The slide will accommodate a 1 3/4 inch belt and it incorporates a rectangular cutout for a belt loop.

The purpose of this cut-out is to lock the holster in position over a trousers' belt loop. This is okay provided your belt loops are similarly located. In other words, the location of the holster will change given the location of the belt loop. While this sounds like a great idea, and I have no doubt it has utility value, I've never used it. I like being able to slide the holster along my belt and my belt loop never seems to be in the right place.

The Sparks also has the most forward cant of all the Yaquis I've seen. If you do turn up a Sparks, expect to get A thick, quality piece of leather with equally impressive workmanship.

A Texas Yaqui

Kirkpatrick Leather's version of the Yaqui Slide is a form fitted slide made to accommodate a 1 1/2 inch belt. The slide does not have a belt loop cutout, but again I don't consider this a deficiency. Several manufacturers have one slide for all large frame SA autos; however, Kirkpatrick manufactures a slide specifically to fit the 1911 or Browning Hi-Power.

Not only do they form-fit the slide to the specific auto, the slide body is molded with a curve to match the curve of your hip--a unique feature. Kirkpatrick Leather is quality throughout--leather, stitching, and finish. A real bargain at $36 plus shipping and handling.

Three More "Good Ones"

Several holster makers have incorporated some of the newer holster technology into their versions of the Yaqui Slide. Galco, Aker, and DeSantis each market a Yaqui; however, they all come with tension devices to enhance retention of the pistol. Generally, they are very similar with some small variations.

The Aker uses two flathead allen screws (wrench provided) to adjust holster tension. Galco and DeSantis also use two screws but are the traditional round headed tension screws. All three models have the belt loop cutout and are made not only for the large frame SA auto but also for DA autos. The majority of my experience is with the SA auto but I have carried my SIG in Galco's Yaqui and was very pleased.