Real Gun, when I talk about EPS's glory days, I'm talking about back in the day, way before the Internet, when "big"(famous) ordered from them and it was made known to those in the know and/or to the general public.
I was surprised EPS was mentioned here in this forum so I was surprised when it was. I've been to untold number of gun shows and a few shooting events in my almost 52 years, and in all that time I've never heard EPS ever muttered or have ever noticed their wares displayed or sold other than at their shop. Not that that means anything other than I have heard other fine leather workers' items touted in all that time.
My only knowledge of EPS came from my grandfather as mentioned above before I ever made the trip out there to make my first order. While I was happy with the quality of my duty holster, duty belt and mag holder, I've seen just as good and better work from others. I was happy enough to go back other times, the latest in '13 for a concealed holster and mag holder for my plainclothes assignment I had. Again I was happy but I've seen better work elsewhere.
I'm sure they have their differing levels of quality when more money and prestige is an issue. I'm just a lowly public servant so their "good stuff" is out of my reach. Again, I'm not telling anyone to not use them, just that just because it has the oval stamp on it doesn't make it is necessarily better than other's offerings out there.