Abstract: An improved side-release belt buckle has a male part with a resilient member and a female part with a cavity for releasably securing the resilient member, wherein the female part has a buckle-release aperture on a side (e.g., the top of the buckle) whose geometric normal is substantially aligned with a surface of the wearer's body. The aperture being substantially free of extension into a side (i.e., the front face of the buckle) that has a normal directed away from the wearer's body. The invention has application to saftey buckles for use in strapping firearm holsters and other articles to wearers.