Nelson’s Summer Special
Above from left: Bruce Nelson (Combat Leather), Milt Sparks (early with very thin leather, Idaho City marked), two Milt Sparks (contemporary, for 5″ and 4 1/4″, Boise marked), and lastly another Idaho City Milt Sparks, sans “sweat guard.”
Of Bruce Nelson’s designs, the Summer Special may be his most original. Bruce reportedly granted Milt permission to use the Summer Special design, as we see here. I find the variations of Milt’s Summer Specials interesting. Of course, of these only the first and last were likely made by Milt because they bear the early Idaho City mark. The two with sweat guards are marked “TK,” for Milt’s successor, Tony Kanaly.
Inside Bruce’s holster we see written “Gage / 469 1 3/4,” which I interpret to mean it was made for an S&W 469 pistol on a 1 3/4″ belt, possibly for someone named “Gage.”
The Summer Special is a very practical design that has endured to this day, and dare I say, will continue well into the future.
