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Shoulder Holsters


Ramblin Gambler

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I think I want a shoulder holster but I don't know much about them.  I'm sure some of you have experience so what should I look for?  What have you used and what did you like or dislike about it?  I've got more than one gun I might want to put in it.  Is it difficult to change out the actual holster part?  I've considered getting the local saddlemaker to make me something (I am a little smaller than the average horse) but I'd like to see if there's anything worthwhile out there already made. 

 

Uses:  I don't plan to EDC with it because I never wear a jacket.  The most common use will be so I can throw it on and be armed when I go out to check on something on the property.  Around the house I'm usually in gym shorts and they don't do a good job of holding a pistol up.  The other likely use will be for hunting. 

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Just now, watab kid said:

depends a lot on what your going to put in it , i have a variety from cowboy to military , but they are not interchangeable 

 

Initial thoughts are a 1911, an EAA witness, or an FK BRNO.  A revolver is a possibility too, but most likely autos of some sort.  The FK BRNO is a big honking gun.  So I'd need a different harness for each one unless the holster was universal enough to accept different guns? 

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I have a couple Galco shoulder holsters. I like them for long distance drives and will wear them with a coat/jacket, depending upon the time of year and the weather. 

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Shoulder rigs are like belt rigs. You may have to buy a couple before you find what works or that you don’t like them at all. For me it was inside the waistband holsters. Hate ‘em! Owned 3 before I gave up wasting money on trying them. Gave them away. 
 

I am actually considering a couple of shoulder holsters myself, but for different reasons. I want something like what Dirty Harry used for his “most powerful gun in the whole world” for my new model 25.

I also want a dual holster rig for my 2 Glock 34’s. Just for kicks. 
And I am considering one of these for my model 10 because I just want one. 
M3 Victory Revolver Premium Brown Drum Dyed Leather"Tanker" Shoulder Holster with shell loops marked JT&L 1943 Holster Only https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01BO4NCZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_D976P06865Q540ADQNA5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

It would be a shame to spend $200 to $700 on a shoulder rig only to find out that you hate wearing them. I would recommend going on the cheap just to see if you like having the weight of a gun on your upper torso. 
Here is a tanker rig for a 1911:

 

World War Supply US M3 OD Canvas 1911 .45 Tanker Shoulder Holster Marked JT&L for Colt 1911 and Similar Sized Semi Autos https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B083TN41V9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_P5WP7JVMP0WZAE0MK6KM

 

These folks don’t make the holsters but are like discount middlemen. They have inexpensive rigs as well. 
Here is a link to their 1911 shoulder rigs:

https://www.craftholsters.com/1911-1911-5-shoulder-holsters
 

I hope you find what you need. 

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Howdy,

Check on what 

Dirty Harry used.

I bet your piece iisnt bigger that his 44.

Ted Blocker might help you on the design with changing holsters.

They sure made me some nice suspenders out of shoulder holster leather

not belt leather.

I wear em ever day due to back problems.

And that reminds me I need to get some in black.

The tanker was meant to keep a gun with a pilot jumping in a hurry.

Not a fast draw rig but stable.  iirc.

Best

CR

 

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 Some years back I bought and used a simple black nylon shoulder holster rig for a Glock when I was recovering from hernia surgery and did not want to wear anything on my belt. It worked well enough and actually had quite a few advantages. I think the rig cost $20. Nothing fancy but definitely doable. Uncle Mikes, I think.  Nowhere near as quality and/or fancy as some of the nice leather rigs available but it certainly fulfilled a need.

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I have several holsters. Three half breeds from Bianchi. A Montana (also a half breed design) from Big Ed. Military holsters, both M3 and M7. And a couple of Uncle Mike's Sidekicks. They all have one thing in common.

 

The bottom needs to be attached to your belt. You need something to hold the bottom of the holster in place. If the bottom of the holster is not in place, when you try to draw through a half breed holster the entire holster pivots but the gun does not come out. When you try to draw from a pouch holster, like the military holsters, the entire holster comes up in the air.

 

Since I don't wear a belt with my gym shorts, that makes these holsters not be very helpful. Unless your draw is going to be "off hand grabs hold of holster to hold it still while near hand grabs gun", I don't think you will be happy with any of these.

 

I also have a Galco Miami Classic. All of the others are vertical holsters. The Miami Classic is horizontal. They do have belt attachments as accessories, for people that like them, but I've never used them. The holster stays in place. The gun comes out easily.

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46 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I have several holsters. Three half breeds from Bianchi. A Montana (also a half breed design) from Big Ed. Military holsters, both M3 and M7. And a couple of Uncle Mike's Sidekicks. They all have one thing in common.

 

The bottom needs to be attached to your belt. You need something to hold the bottom of the holster in place. If the bottom of the holster is not in place, when you try to draw through a half breed holster the entire holster pivots but the gun does not come out. When you try to draw from a pouch holster, like the military holsters, the entire holster comes up in the air.

 

Since I don't wear a belt with my gym shorts, that makes these holsters not be very helpful. Unless your draw is going to be "off hand grabs hold of holster to hold it still while near hand grabs gun", I don't think you will be happy with any of these.

 

I also have a Galco Miami Classic. All of the others are vertical holsters. The Miami Classic is horizontal. They do have belt attachments as accessories, for people that like them, but I've never used them. The holster stays in place. The gun comes out easily.

I have a shoulder holster and have only recently started wearing it, but I hate having it tied to my belt.  I'm going to try to run something low around my back to tie to the bottom of the holster, I think this option works best if you are drawing by pulling the gun forward, not up.  Hank strange had a holster review a while back that demonstrated something like this and I can see where not having it tied to your belt could be an advantage for me if it's worked out in such a way that I don't have to use both hands to draw.

 

El CupAJoe

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So open carry (since you are intending to use it only around the home place) and something that you can quickly throw on when things go bump in the night?

 

Bandoleer holster or one of those chest rigs that hand gun hunters are fond of using.  A tanker holster would work, too.

 

I don't do shoulder holsters because they are just too fiddly.  You've got to get them adjusted just right or they don't ride well on the shoulders or the gun is in the wrong spot after the rig settles into place.

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had to run to walmart last night, wanted to carry my 8" 1860 army in a shoulder holster just because I could, so I did, threw on a light jacket, no one the wiser.  Shoulder holsters are nice for carrying bigger guns.

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17 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

I think I want a shoulder holster but I don't know much about them.  I'm sure some of you have experience so what should I look for?  What have you used and what did you like or dislike about it?  I've got more than one gun I might want to put in it.  Is it difficult to change out the actual holster part?  I've considered getting the local saddlemaker to make me something (I am a little smaller than the average horse) but I'd like to see if there's anything worthwhile out there already made. 

 

Uses:  I don't plan to EDC with it because I never wear a jacket.  The most common use will be so I can throw it on and be armed when I go out to check on something on the property.  Around the house I'm usually in gym shorts and they don't do a good job of holding a pistol up.  The other likely use will be for hunting. 

Since concealment isn't an issue, there are some nylon rigs out there that have sufficient adjustments and "slack" to accommodate multiple guns of roughly the same size.

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11 hours ago, Chili Ron said:

Howdy,

Check on what 

Dirty Harry used.

I bet your piece iisnt bigger that his 44.

Ted Blocker might help you on the design with changing holsters.

They sure made me some nice suspenders out of shoulder holster leather

not belt leather.

I wear em ever day due to back problems.

And that reminds me I need to get some in black.

The tanker was meant to keep a gun with a pilot jumping in a hurry.

Not a fast draw rig but stable.  iirc.

Best

CR

 

I'll second Blocker, but Ted is long gone and there have been at least two new owners.  I'm grateful that they  keep his standards in the forefront and produce wonderful holsters.

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6 hours ago, El CupAJoe said:

had to run to walmart last night, wanted to carry my 8" 1860 army in a shoulder holster just because I could, so I did, threw on a light jacket, no one the wiser.  Shoulder holsters are nice for carrying bigger guns.

I hate to disagree with you about shoulder holsters for bigger guns.  Some years ago a friend/customer wanted me to build him a shoulder holster for his Freedom arms .454 Casull with a 7-1/2" full octagon barrel and a scope.  He was going to Africa, where he was a licensed professional hunter!  I ran some tests using a treadmill and taking blood pressure measurements with the shoulder rig and compared it to a belt rig on a 2-1/2" wide belt.  The belt rig was much less fatiguing! He was pleasantly surprised.

 

The problem with big guns in a shoulder rig is that the human body is a flexible T.  Even with additional straps and/or counterwighting magazines, etc., the shoulder and spine bend in the direction of the holstered gun.  Even without being aware of it, the wearer will tense muscles to compensate.  Eventually, this causes fatigue.  The human pelvis and hips are the strongest structure in the body.  Properly fitted, belt rigs will cause much less fatigue.  That saying, shoulder rigs can work okay will guns no heavier than a M1911 or Colt's SAA with a 5-1/2" barrel.  

Stay well and safe, Pards!

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