Bianchi 5BHL Thumbsnap Holster - Ruger Sp101 3-Inch (Tan)

This is a high quality, molded leather holster.It will take some time to break in.I've had several others like this.... and they all take 2-3 months of daily wear/use to be perfect. If you can't deal with the break in.... buy a nylon Uncle Mikes (a different - but quality) holster. Give this the time it needs and you will love it and keep it for the life of the gun.

I have packed my 3 inch 101 for years in a Bianchi nylon open-ended slide holster.. The problem is that I hike the high desert of Utah and every time I sit down I risk ramming the muzzle into dirt or rocks. There are plenty of leather holsters with closed ends for the shorter barrel, but I have had trouble finding such a holster for the 3 inch model. This 5BHL holster appears to be the perfect solution. The craftsmanship is excellent. I especially like the double stitching on the belt loop and the fact that the loop is molded to make it easier to get on and off the belt. I wear mine on a 1 1/4 inch standard jeans belt, and the holster rides high and comfortably tight to the body. I was somewhat concerned about the holster being lined when I ordered. I wanted a compact holster, and Amazon did not carry the unlined model of the Bianchi. But the lining is thin, and the holster is solid and compact.Here's the only problem. The thumb-break strap rides right on the tip of the hammer spur. Getting the strap snapped over the gun the first time is a challenge. I struggled and finally succeeded by liberally lubricating the holster with swear words. I'm at a loss why Bianchi does not notch or scallop the strap to dodge the hammer spur. I considered notching it myself, but I would have had to cut through some of the liner stitching. Having finally snapped the strap, I left the gun in the holster for a week, and the strap now snaps, barely. I suspect the hammer spur may wear a hole in the lining in time (as in a "long" time).I'm delighted I found this holster. All in all, it is a fine holster for a great price.

I purchased this for a 3" S&W J frame and the fit is perfect. Other reviews have mentioned that the thumbsnap needed to be stretched to fit and I did not find that to be the case. This is a size 3 on the Bianchi size chart and fits a 3" J frame perfectly. While the holster fit on the firearm is perfect, the belt slot is very snug and is going to require some stretching and break-in. I tried it using a 1 1/2" belt of fairly normal thickness and it took a lot of effort to squeeze the belt through the belt slot.The holster is made in Mexico and shows very good craftsmanship as is typical of Bianchi products and Mexican leather goods in general. The main disappointment is in the holster lining. This is a Bianchi model 5BHL, which means that it is supposed to be suede lined. If the lining is suede, then it is the most coarse suede that I have ever seen. This is the only thing that keeps me from giving this holster 5 stars. The firearm that the holster will be used with is stainless steel, so blue wear is not an issue. However, it is certainly not the luxurious lining that I have seen in Bianchi holsters of the past.

I bought this for my Ruger SP101 3”. There are a few minor differences between the picture/discription, and what I got, but nothing worth deducting a star. I’d give it 4.5 if I could, but definitely not 4. The little flap that covers the rear sight (shown in the picture and mentioned in the description) is not there on mine. That’s fine because the 3” Ruger SP101 doesn’t have adjustable sights, but some of the other brands it is made for might. I’m pretty sure this picture is shown with the 4” SP101. Also, the boning in the picture is WAY more detailed than what it got. That being said, this thing is a sweet little chunk of leather. Some parts of it are close to 3/8” thick. It fits the SP101 like a glove. As far as I can tell all sizes of this holster are beefy and awesome. I ordered this first from another company and they accidentally sent me one for a 6” colt anaconda, and the construction in that was also awesome, although I had no way to judge fit. I am loosely considering getting one for my 7.5” super Blackhawk. If the price is right, get one. You won’t be disappointed. I only paid $45 for mine, but I’d still be happy with t if I paid $65.

Great quality holster.

It DOES fit a 3" sp101 with hammer. Perfectly I might add. Not sure why the others saying it won't.Great quality leather. Great fit. Great stitching. Pretty compact size. Snap works great! Trigger guard is not needed on this type of strap holster if you're wondering. The hammer won't budge even if you pull the trigger while it's holstered. The only risk I could see if it came unbuttoned and the Tigger got pulled, bumped, or worse case grabbed by a bad person....The gun would fire in the holster while it's on your belt. As long as it's buttoned and strapped...It's not a worry.Gripes:. Don't care for the belt loop. It's a 1/4 or more gap. I don't own... Nor seen a belt that thick. Lol. This makes it not really sit too snug against the body. Like a pancake holster would. Also the thumb break isn't reinforced with a plate like others I've seen. So far doesn't effect the function of the break. It's really thick leather and doubled up in that spot.All in all very happy with it. I'd give 4.5 stars if I could because if the belt loop.

Reviewing this brand new holster I just got today so these are initial impressions.Bought this for a S&W Model 60 J-frame with a 3" full underlug barrel and adjustable sights. It fits into the holster perfectly but is very tight at first, to get the thumbsnap closed you have to really push the revolver down into the holster and kind of finagle the snap closed. But after unsnapping it comes out easily enough with just a little tug.But that's a good thing since it will wear in without becoming loose and letting the revolver flop around. Have had several Bianchi holsters over the years including one of these 5BHL models for a larger K-frame size revolver and from what I can see this one definitely maintains the high quality I'm used to.