Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Shoulder

Shoulder holsters are expensive. And out fashion so there are few options. And expensive
because of all the leather involved, among other things.

But I want to try one with my pistols. When I borrowed MBtGE's .44 it was amazing how well that big hog leg disappeared because of the shoulder holster I carried it with.

So I am looking for a halfway decent one that won't break the bank. And I prefer it hold the pistol muzzle down instead of back toward the poor bastard following behind me.

This might be my best bet. DeSantis



Hey, it looks like it isn't model specific. That's helpful for to try a few different pistols. Custom fit to a specific model is better, but beggars shant be choosers for a mere experiment. As it is, it is expensive.

This sort of thing ends in tears, is my guess. If there is one thing I've learned with this hobby is that if you try to save a buck and get something ALMOST as good you end up being disappointed. Especially with holsters. Better off just popping for the good or better stuff if you are serious. Or have a very low threshold of acceptability. A holster that doesn't work for you will sit in a drawer taking up space forever.

Anyway, THAT is why I hesitate.





5 comments:

Crucis said...

Frank James (http://frankwjames.blogspot.com/) had a series of posts on should holsters some time ago. He uses them frequently. As a farmer, they are more comfortable than IWB or OWB holsters. Frank also carries large frame pistols and revolvers. Go to his blog and do a search. He has some good info and holster product reviews there.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

I read all those Farmer Frank posts before this. His are all decent, and expensive. Or decent and obsolete and not made anymore.

Crucis said...

There's an old adage that still applies---ya get what ya pay for.

Personally, I prefer the Galco vertical shoulder holster but I'm not about to spring $130 bucks.

Bubblehead Les. said...

Good rig if you have to do a lot of sitting and/or driving. A little hot in the summer, but if I see a person wearing a "tactical" vest in the summer around here, I'm automatically wonder on which side of his belt is his holster. But with all the yuppies I see picking up their coffee in the morning and stopping at the grocery store on the way home in their summer suits...just don't forget your suitcoat.

Geodkyt said...

Once you wear a proper leather holster, you WILL NOT like te nylon shoulder rig for CCW. It's uncomfortable, prints more, and hols the gun less securely -- that's just the physical properties of nylon working against you.

You can save good money by shopping eBay (or online police supply stores -- the good eBay sellers ARE these guys) for individual componants, and assemble your rig the way you want it.

You can substitute the Galco suede shoulder straps for the priceier fancy leather ones (although the price difference isn't much when getting it this way -- still less than $50).

If you already know you like a paticular shoulder rig set up (verical, horizontal, etc.), go ahead and spend the bucks. You WILL end up spending the money anyway.

Keep in mind that horizontal carry is no more dangerous to bystanders than your belt rig presents to everyone on the floors below you in any multi-story building. As long as the gun stays in the holster, it will not go off. As for screwing up teh draw and shooting someone (maybe yourself), that can happen with ANY rig, and the various shoulder rigs are about equally suceptible to it. So there is no real safety advantage to vertical carry for CCW.

But if it makes you happy, go for it. I've used both, and would happily use a vertical rig if carrying a gun too long for horizontal carry (say a 4" N-frame, or a 5" Government Model, rather than my preferred 3" K-frames or 4.25" Commander)