Shoulder holster designs

[curioushooter]

I think I have settled on this being the best shoulder holster for large frame revolvers with barrels over ~5." This is my first version. I've already found a few points to improve in future revisions.

There is no concealing these if you are a normal body shape, so that matter is dispensed with. Leaving durability, performance and comfort as the primary considerations.

I've always thought it funny how people blame belts and holsters for things that are the gun's fault. Holsters and belts CANNOT reduce the mass of a firearm. This is something that cannot be changed or modified. Nor can the shape of the firearm.

No matter how tight, thick, stiff or any other adjective you apply to a belt or holster mass is acted upon by gravity proportional to the amount of mass. Large frame revolvers (with the exception of the scandium-alloy ones) are all heavy, all over two pounds and many closer to three...about half the weight of a carbine.

Nobody would think of carrying a carbine on your belt. So why do people think a handgun that is about half its size and weight would be so great on your hip?

The answer is suspending the weight off your shoulder like you do a rifle being carried.

Of all the shoulder holster designs the most inspiring to me was the military "tanker" type holster. What is funny about this design is that short barreled firearms were the original application. It actually works better with longer barreled types. Every other shoulder holster concept I've dismissed for various reason. Even the military type needed a lot of improvement IMO. The retention system is absolutely abysmal for example.

So by combining borrowing a variety of design elements I have come up with an improved civilian tanker holster. I made this for my 6.5" S&W 624, but it would work in any N-frame under 6.5" in barrel. It is the first holster I have not wet molded and therefore is very flexible to the particular firearm.

The retention system is the fastest type except for a Bianchi-type thumb-break, which I have found unworkable in high riding cross draw positions.

It is in fact a faster draw than some of my friction-fit strong side belt holsters.

It is also remarkably comfortable and as east to put on as a t-shirt. The belt snap is not an essential as the revolver fits loose enough that gravity or your left elbow will keep it in place on the draw. Of course the belt snap is handy if you are wearing a belt and are crawling around on hands and knees (think field dressing).

This can be worn outside or inside a jacket or coat. Snap coats/jackets allow for a fast draw. Concealment is pretty good and would improve the bigger you are (unlike most concealment concepts).

This holster will work equally well for single actions and 10" or less barreled Contenders, too.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

First, let me say that I really like your holster. It is a very nice design, and seems to be really great workmanship.

But, I have to take issue with a couple of your statements. Holster design and gun size and shape can make a significant difference in the ability to conceal well. I used to really like shoulder holsters, and as a young man wearing a sports coat I could carry a full sized 1911 in a Bianchi X-15 vertical shoulder holster, and no one had a clue. Now that I'm late-older and, uhhh...shall we say portly, they no longer work for me. But, I can still conceal that same 1911 in an inside the waist band holster. A loose shirt or jacket makes it entirely invisible. For hip carry, a round butt firearm will not "print" on outside garment like a square butt.

But, as already stated, I do like your holster. Does the shoulder strap pass across the chest or around the back of the neck and around the other shoulder? If it's the strap across the chest, like the military tanker model you mentioned, then the visible strap is, of course a giveaway of concealment. I understand that for sporting use this doesn't matter at all.

[725]

Der Gebirgsjager beat me to it. Nice holster. I like the bandalaro type for hunting. I'm trying to sign one for my Ruger LCP for very discrete carry.

[curioushooter]

I used to really like shoulder holsters, and as a young man wearing a sports coat I could carry a full sized 1911 in a Bianchi X-15 vertical shoulder holster, and no one had a clue. Now that I'm late-older and, uhhh...shall we say portly, they no longer work for me.

This is indeed the case. Everybody thinks they are Clint Eastwood and can stuff a 6.5"N-frame under the shoulder and nobody is the wiser. The truth is that unless you are 6' 3" with a long, slim torso, narrow waist, and broad shoulders it is not only annoying it doesn't conceal well.

I dismissed the X-15 or other as I call them "Dirty Harry" rig designs because they do not work on me or most people and rely on a suit jacket to work well. Such holsters require a radical "reach-around" to access the grip. They also often have exposed triggers. I just don't go there.

Since the tanker type design rides forward it actually snugs under the pectoralis muscle and the grip is presented at an ideal angle to grasp. The thumb is in the right position to deploy the double-safety-strap snap. It is a pretty darn good draw motion. Certainly better than any strong side high rider could deliver.

With a big bulky coat on this thing conceals well enough that the bonehead J. Q. Public would never know; however, it does not provide what I consider true concealment.I can spot conceal carry "FAILURES" on almost a daily basis when I go out in public.

In any case that was not my intention here. This is a field holster for a field revolver.

I was surprised that I really didn't use much leather. It does have that long strap which requires a big piece but it really uses about the same amount of leather as any other big strong side holster. It takes a little longer to stitch than a regular holster, but not terrible.

I'd consider taking commissions on these once I work with it a little and figure out anything that needs to be improved. I want to build one for my contender next. I also think Blackhawks with 5.5-7.5" barrels would be a good fit for the design.

As for the workmanship...there are mistakes I see all over the thing. I was also not very happy with how the dye job turned out. I am not sold on these water-based-dyes. They seem to be effected by the moisture content of the leather much more than the alcohol types.

[fcvan]

I have always once you have a bulge you dress for it. I carried a 4" K frame or a 1911 for 20 years then my Wife bought me a Glock 22. I have used paddle holsters, a shoulder holster and pancake holsters. For the last bunch of years I've carried the G 22 in a paddle holster. I was out for a day with a buddy, also a LEO so I would have thought to look, it's not like I never said 'I'm never in a gun-free zone.'

I have pocket guns, compact guns, but my Wife won't give me back my 5 shot snubby. She says 'get your own.' I reminded her 'I have my own' to which she replied 'not anymore.' Even though a revolver, even a snubby is a compromise, I always carried spare speed loaders. Now I'd rather just carry the G22 and the spare magazines. Like I said, once you have a bulge, dress for it. I only had one officer ask me if I was carrying. I told him yes and that I was going to slowly display my badge.

Heck, I got pulled over one time and informed the officer I was off duty and carrying. 'What do you have?' '1911' 'can I see it?' 'sure, I'll get out of the car and hand you an empty weapon.' 'Okay.' We spent 10 minutes on the side of the road shooting the breeze and talking about our respective agencies. He appreciated that when he approached my car my window was down, dome light on, keys were on the dash, hands were through the steering wheel with my license between my fingers. Nothing says 'I'm not a threat' by displaying you know the drill.

[megasupermagnum]

Yeah, there's definitely a cut off somewhere in handgun size. I could theoretically conceal my 5" GP100 IWB easily, but I have never found an IWB I like to work with all day. OWB, I could need a long jacket. Step up just a little bit to my 4" N frame, and there just is not concealing that. I mean you could hide it such that people might not know what it is, but there is no hiding a bulge like that. I still do like my belt holster, and an 4" N frame is no problem to carry that way all day, just not concealed.

curiousshooter is talking more of a longer range, dedicated target or hunting handgun. As he says, even a comfortable holster is still 50 ounces of metal hanging off one side of your body. If nothing else, that can't be good for your back. I like that this design is essentially a pistol sling. I assume the snap loop on the bottom attaches to your pants or belt? I've tried other shoulder rigs, and often they are so cumbersome and elaborate as to be useless. I shouldn't have to navigate my way through webbing to put one on.

[curioushooter]

ve tried other shoulder rigs, and often they are so cumbersome and elaborate as to be useless.

Very true. If a shoulder holster is more difficult to put on than a shirt it has failed. If it requires another person, lots of adjustment, and instructional manual...it has failed.

I've tried and returned a lot of shoulder holsters. In fact, I started making holsters for myself because no shoulder holster I found satisfactory.

The thing with holsters is making a pattern is difficult and time consuming. So most makers try to adapt designs that are poorly suited to a given firearm all the time. In some cases the basic design is defective.

This holster design is about 80% M1942 US military design. But I corrected many of the deficiencies of that design (the retention system and shape of the upper part) whereas all the other custom makers just copy it because they have a pattern and stick to it. Since I make things one at a time I can actually tailor the back piece of this holster to fit a man's chest (or even a woman's) properly, making it much more comfortable.

Millitary designs are often very good in terms of being flexible and rugged, and they ALWAYS lend themselves to mass production. They often fail when it come to particulars. For example, the M1942 1911 design has a safety strap that compresses the grip safety (how's that for safe?) and doesn't do anything to protect the hammer.

A properly designed retention system increases safety (my design makes it absolutely impossible to hammer back and it offers quite a bit of impact protection) and facilitates rapid deployment (doesn't require two hands to operate or a radical reach-around).

My 6.5" S&W 642 with the Pachmayr presentations weighs 42 oz. Not a 50 oz blackhawk or M29, but but still considerable for all day hiking and hunting.

Where I live if you are willing to walk more than a mile to hunt on public land a whole world of hunting opportunities opens up. 95% of hunters in Indiana are too fat or simply not fit enough to roll more than few hundred yard from their vehicle to their stand or blind. While I do sometimes hunt in this manner it is pretty boring to me, so I like to hunt in the Hoosier National or State Forests in which case you cannot take an ATV in and you will often have to drag the animal on your own. Rigs like this make that much easier since you don't have a rifle/shotgun banging around your back or slung around your shoulder. This is a two hands free design that basically limits mobility in no way whatsoever.

[onelight]

Your holster looks very nice , good job !

[curioushooter]

He appreciated that when he approached my car my window was down, dome light on, keys were on the dash, hands were through the steering wheel with my license between my fingers. Nothing says 'I'm not a threat' by displaying you know the drill.

There is no reason why you should ever roll down the window, unlock the doors, take off your belt, remove the keys, or anything else. Lighting is the officers problem, not yours. He already knows everything as far a CCW goes from your plates, and probably a lot of stuff you'd be surprised about. All he really wants to do is what he has to do: confirm your idendity and licence to make sure car isn't stolen and write the ticket to harvest revenue for the department.

First rule:

Don't speed or drive with even the least bit of intoxication. So you don't get pulled over. I've been driving for 18 years, 2 as a trucker, and put down nearly a million miles. I have never been pulled over because I never speed, drink then drive, or use drugs. Also, always drive with a functioning dashcam/microphone.

The drill...

Pull over in a safe place, roll up windows, lock doors, and turn engine off put open hands at 11 and 1 o'clock on the wheel and await instructions. Put your face down and don't make eye contact if possible.

Put your licence and/or insurance card and registration against the window for officer to see once requested. Optional: a card that says I do not consent to search, please put any ticket under the wiper blade, and am I free to go?

In a state where you may have to sign a ticket then tell the officer that you will sign it once he has gone back inside the cruiser and you will put it on the wiper for him/her to retrieve. Don't open the window and give him a chance to "smell" something that will give him probable cause for anything. If this is unavoidable then slip the signed ticket through a tiny crack in the window. They can pretty much make up any smell they want as a way to justify searching the vehicle. If the window was never down, once this is established in court, any probable cause justification given based on odors (most DUI and Marijuana) will likely be thrown out.

Never answer their questions with anything but another question or another canned response. Their job is to pin some crime on you. You were stupid for speeding. No need to add more. Source: working as a forensic scientist for the Illinois State Police and talking to many troopers. They are not your friends. Never forget that. No need to be hostile, profane rude, or make their life more difficult, but there is no reason to talk to them or give them any more than the law requires. Most are good working folks doing their often difficult job and they deserve respect and complaiance. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Supplicating bootlickers and women who try to be cutsy have about a 50% chance of charming the officer and about a 50% chance of pissing them off from what I know.

Oh and if you live in one of the proto-communist states with checkpoints then just don't drive past those checkpoints. Go another way.