Holsters I've coem to love ... and some not so much

[Blackwater]

If you're gonna' carry out and about or in the woods, a good holster is really priceless, considered over time. Some that have proven their merits to me, and that I have come to almost love, are as follows:

1. Bianchi's older 1L for SA revolvers. They used to have a long tab after the snap strap that goes over the hammer. Curl that out by "training" the leather tab, and it was no big trick to swipe your gun hand up the holster and unsnap that strap with the heel of the hand as you reached for the gun. Not much slower than an open topped (strapless) holster, and MUCH faster than the hammer loop on traditional "western style" holsters. I've never liked the western style holsters. Never got the hang of getting that thong off the hammer anywhere nearly as quickly as the strap on the 1L. I now have 2 El Paso Saddlery versions of this holster. Can't recall the designation, but they've really impressed me, because they still have that long tab below the snap. Bianchi has shortened the tab on their 1L's now, and I much prefer the El Passo Saddlery versions now. Boy! Were they tight as they come from the factory! GREAT leatherwork!

2. The "Askins Avenger," originally made and marketed by Bianchi in large numbers, I believe (?). Some used to have a big patch of leather with a hole in the middle that could be placed over the hammer to retain the pistol. However, I've never known anyone to use it. I'm sure they do, but I've just never known anyone to do so. This holster tucks the butt in close to and slightly into the body, making it very concealable. I can conceal my 4" Lwt. Kimber .45 as easy (if not more easily) than a 5-shot snybby revolver! And it's not appreciably heavier, too! And it's VERY fast for a concealment holster, too. Not as secure, of course, as a holster with a strap or some retention device, but for SD, I want to be able to access my gun as quickly as possible. Safety straps and detention devices just don't allow that kind of speed. I'm not nearly as fast as I once was, and this makes it even more important, at least potentially in a street encounter. To each his own, but this would be my first choice for street carry in an OWB holster model when using an auto. Mine is the Galco, which is simply called the "Avenger." Very good holster!

3. Andrews Leather's McDaniel IWB holster for the .45 is without doubt, the most comparatively comfortable IWB holster I've found. It sets the gun at the proper position for a kidney position draw. Mine has the thumbsnap safety strap. I think if I got another, it'd be the strapless open-top variety. It's made both ways. Got mine directly from Andrews at a gun show. I was NOT intending to buy a holster, but he talked me into trying it, and I was so impressed I couldn't NOT buy it! That man knows his holsters! And he's a really great guy, too, even if he DID cost me money! Oh! And it tucks that butt in to the body very nicely, making it the best IWB holster I've ever used or tried for concealed carry. No slouch on speed, either, but not as fast as the Avenger.

4. The Bianchi (or other versions) 5BHL. This is a std. these days for DA revolvers. It has the thumb snap strap for retention, and is pretty darn quick to draw from if you've practiced a fair bit. It doesn't conceal nearly as well as the Avenger or McDaniel, but revolvers are naturally harder to conceal anyway. Autos are just thinner, and with the right holster, easier to conceal.

I have a number of other holsters. I think I've got 5 or 6 just for the .45's. What you're going to do and where you're going to go and how you'll be dressed makes a big difference in which holster is the "best" for that application.

These are just some of my all time great favorites, because they've proven to be realiable, fit the guns very well, and closely, and just feel and handle "right" for me in the things I wear a pistol for doing. It's a lot harder to make a holster concealable AND quick than it is to make a good field holster. Picking the ones I have has come over a lot of years and a lot of different holsters. What are your favorites that have worked well for you?

[ktw]

What are your favorites that have worked well for you?

Most of mine are the pancake style from Simply Rugged.

-ktw

[shoot-n-lead]

1. Bianchi's older 1L for SA revolvers.

Almost all of my single actions wear one of these...great holster.

When I buy a new single action, the first order of business is to get a 1L for it...every gun has it's own holster. There are a couple of guns that I don't ever use, that do not have their holster. Matter of fact, I buy every used 1L that I see for sale...if someone does not beat me to it.

[Butler Ford]

I believe that the Bianchi and the El Paso Saddlery holsters your referring to are renditions of the Tom Threepersons design from the 1920's.

https://www.atf.gov/our-history/tom-threepersons

BF

[shoot-n-lead]

I believe that the Bianchi and the El Paso Saddlery holsters your referring to are renditions of the Tom Threepersons design from the 1920's.

https://www.atf.gov/our-history/tom-threepersons

BF

They are similar, but not quite the same. I prefer the Bianchi to the Threepersons...by a little bit.

[Petrol & Powder]

I think that anyone that's serious about handguns for any length of time is forced to learn about holsters.
I remember one gun rag writer that referred to holsters as the "leather part of the gun" and there's some truth to that.

Being a bit old school, I tend to gravitate towards leather holsters but I have a few synthetic types as well. It's a tool box, pick the right tool.

When it comes to the topic of holsters we all have our preferences. In the end, it generally comes down to a pair of compromises:
speed vs. security
concealment vs. comfort

There are a lot of little things that matter. How high or low the gun rides in relation to the belt. The angle of the gun in relation to the belt. How close to the body the gun is held. Can the gun be re-holstered one handed? Will the holster retain the gun during strenuous activity? Is the holster comfortable? Will it last?

For concealed carry use I'll accept an open top holster but for all other roles I want some type of retention device. A well made leather pancake style holster with a thumb break strap is close to being a universal "do-it-all" design for me. I probably have more of those than anything else.

A lot of the old classic designs became "classic" because they work !

Take your time when selecting a holster and be competely honest with yourself. Remember - it is the leather part of the gun.

[Thumbcocker]

+1 for Simply Rugged pancake design

[B. Lumpkin]

Menickle tends to be my number one choice in holsters, followed closely by Milt Sparks.

[Blackwater]

I forgot to list the holsters that I haven't wound up liking so much. One is the old Bianchi Cyclone, I believe it's called, that is supposed to work either crossdraw or strong side. It just didn't place the gun where I was used to finding it, so my prior learning worked against me in that. It also placed the gun a little higher than I like - again, probably my prior learning working against me, but that counts, when toting a gun.

A second that disappointed me (or that just didn't meld with my prior learning again?) was Bianchi's S.A.O. that was supposed, IIRC, to be similar to the Cyclone. I could just never quite get "comfortable" with it, and had to think too much to draw with it. Had I stuck with these, could I have "learned" thsee holsters? Probably. As one gets some age on him, one finds more and more that our conditioning is one of the few assets we retain, largely.

I even learned to adapt to several nylon shoulder holsters, but that was enough different that I think it's all in how the holsters are adjusted, rather than which one you get. Have 4 of these, IIRC, and I feel pretty comfortable with them. One's a horiz. for my 4" Lwt. Kimber .45, and other than too short a tab on the thumbsnap, I actually like it pretty well. The other 3 carry the gun vertical on the left side, and two are "hunting" holsters, in camo, for Super B's or Contenders. One is for scoped guns, and the other for plain irons. They do a good job of keeping the gun accessible, if the top of the jacket is left open and not zipped or buttoned, and free the hands for whatever needs doing.

I've long lent an evil eye toward Andrews' Leather's "Double Safari" rig, that carries a pair of 1911's. It's a bit spendy for us ol' retired desperados, though, and I haven't pulled the trigger on that one .... yet. I guess the extra mags would need to be carried on the belt. could work, though, I think.

On shoulder holsters, the horiz. draw might be a tad quicker, but for vertical carry, I don't use the strap across the hammer, and that's certainly not slow! And it's accessible to either hand, standing or sitting, etc. Pretty versatile rig, and I really need to practice with it more.

Main thing I've learned about holsters is that they're a BIG part of the "rig," and NOT just "something to carry it in." The right holster makes a BIG difference in how you CAN use the gun. Add in some practice to get precise (and SAFE!!!) with what you have, and you're about as good to go as it gets. I think holsters are the Rodney Dangerfields of CCW. They just don't get much real respect. And that's a mistake. A good holster can and with decent care (Neat's foot once every other year, minimum), will, last a lifetime and more, and they can and will, if you make the right pick for YOU (builds and habits and usual wear differ), bring MUCH pleasure and security and speed to you if and when you need it.

They deserve much more credit than they get. Even among the cheap, nylon jobs, there are differences that really matter, but most folks, if they can't get one they think of as "really nice," just don't put much thought into holster selection, and would sometimes be as well off if they carried their gun in a croker sack, like Little Matie in "True Grit." Picking the right holster is all about ergonomics, and personal habits, and sometimes, physical limitations, like lost fingers, etc. I really admire folks who have some sort of "disability" or problem to solve in carrying. The most consistent thing I've noted is that those who put the most thought into selecting their holsters, and then practice with them, are the ones who are most satisfied, and who are most capable of defending themselves in a bad situation. Waiting until one gets IN to a bad situation is a poor time to realize "I should have thought more about my pick of holster and practiced with it more." In a tight, we do pretty much EXACTLY what we've trained ourselves to do, and if we hesitate, or have something causing a delay, we may wind up going to the morgue instead of home, afterward. That isn't much of a choice! But being able to use what we have smoothly and quickly, so that our thoughts and attention can be focued ONLY on the adversary, CAN truly be our salvation. Even cheaper holsters can be made to work, if we'll but bother outselves to figure out how to make the most of them.

I love my guns, but my holsters are increasingly gaining on them as I get older, and realize more just what friends they've really been, while I was focused elsewhere. Sooner or later, the things of REAL value to us HAVE to be realized for what they truly are, and the value they have given us. Good holsters are but one of those type things, but they can, at least sometimes, make a huge difference to us. How can we not respect that? Lots and lots of thought have gone into holster design and execution. All kinds of materials have been used in making them. The ones that have stood the test of time have done so in varying conditions and circumstances, and are really good ones to focus on as a first holster. Some deliberation on how you anticipate using it can help make a decision about whether you want an open top, thumb snam, or thumb break retainer, or one of the more inventive "security" holsters.

Personally, if I'm carrying concealed, I see no need and some minuses in any kind of retaining strap. If it's concealed, who's gonna' try to "snatch" it? Carrying concealed is something we have to learn to do, and keep it concealed. I never bend over, but squat down, so it doesn't "print" through my jacket. It's tough trying to be a "gentleman," but what's life without a challenge? Good thought and due considerations about each of the traits a holster has - position, angle, retention devices, ease of draw, and more - become a factor in making our choice. Make a good choice, and you'll never swear AT your holster, you'll swear BY it!

[Char-Gar]

For field holsters, I look to Simply Rugged, El Paso Saddlery and Doc Barranti. You can find something you like from these three in your preferred price range.

[B. Lumpkin]

Blackwater-Stop lolly gaggin' and get the double shoulder holster. I hemmed and hawed for years about buying a complete western setup for a pair of Colt SAA revolvers. It was spendy because of all the tooling, but you know what? Years have passed by, and I still smile near ear to ear every time I put that belt on and load it up with the reassuring weight of a pair of Colt SAA revolvers. Worth every penny and then some.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have very strong feelings about pistol holsters which is the reason I started making my own. I made the one you see in my avatar. I cannot even look at one made of plastic. I equate them with things like eating to foo are maybe even voting for a democrat, heaven forbid. I remember getting into a disagreement in a LGS with a salesman from Bianchi because they made all their holsters with a butt forward design. When I asked him why, he said, " we make them that way because that's what people buy". I argued that they buy them because they have no choice, it's what you make. He countered with this, " a forward slant allows you to get the gun out faster, to which I asked, if that is so then why doesn't the quick draw crowd use a butt forward design. He didn't have an answer to that. Of course you are free to buy whatever type of holster you like. You can carry your handgun in a bag or sack for all I care. I am just stating my personal preference. As has been stated by others, your millage may vary.

[Mk42gunner]

I like the Bianchi Askins Avenger, the lined version is easier on the finish of your gun, the unlined one is a bit less bulk. They can be threaded on the belt with your pants belt loop positively positioning the holster, making sure you know where it is.

Robert

[Wayne R. Scott]

Most of mine are the pancake style from Simply Rugged.

-ktw

Same here, also use a Chesty Puller rig.

[rintinglen]

I like snubnosed revolvers, and until I got a little too manly (read thick and and durable--not fat), one of my favorite rigs was the old Bianchi 9R. It was an upside down, clam-shell, style holster that rode under the off-hand arm and was amazingly fast with practice. Unfortunately, as my chest size got larger, my arms did not grow longer and I can't effectively carry that way now. But for thems as is skinny or have long arms, that is an excellent carry mode, at least under a jacket or light coat.

These days, my tastes in leather run to thumb-break strong side scabbards and open-topped pancakes.181188181189181190181191181192 I make my own to get the covered trigger guard I prefer, but the Bianchi 5B is great if you carry out in the open.

[Butler Ford]

Excellent topic that gets too little thought and coverage. For concealed carry, I have migrated to Galco's Concealable belt holster http://www.galcogunleather.com/concealable-belt-holster_8_4_1064.html I have been using one for a 1911 since about 1999 or 2000.
I've yet to find a field duty holster for a single action that I'm in love with. I carry my rifle/shotgun in my right hand or shoulder and my knife on my right side so I want a cross draw holster. I am a portly fellow and most of the cross draw holsters I have tried leave my "porch" resting on the hammer so this is a search in progress.
Not meaning to broaden this topic too much, the belts used to carry said holsters are about as important as the holsters themselves. While shopping for the previously mentioned holsters, I noticed Galco's precurved belt. My belts have always had to stretch and roll over at the back belt loop in order to feel good. Well made gun belts that were heavy duty enough to support the gun did not do this and never felt really comfortable. The Galco belt felt like one that had been worn for years. I recently measured mine and with daily wear for the last 16-17 years, has stretched less than 1/2".

BF

[MT Gianni]

I like my DA revolvers in a thumb break strong side holster. Auto's can be thumb break or tension held. SA I do OK with a good thong strap or a button. SA for me is a hunting arm so it needs to be secure first and easy to draw a close second.

[Bookworm]

"Thick and durable...", "...portly...." - I'm loving the descriptions.
I married "Miss Fry-it-in-butter", and have changed body shapes (as could be predicted) as the married years stack up. These adjectives could very easily be used for me too.

I've been using a Simply Rugged Sourdough pancake holster, crossdraw, and like it alot. It holds the revolver up high enough that it doesn't get in the way of anything.
They are made for almost all single-actions. If you have a question about fit, just email them.
I emailed about an Astra A70 holster - he was familiar with the firearm - a somewhat obscure piece- and assured me he had made holsters for it.
Very happy with the ones I have.