[Prepster]

I accomplished this wonderful task by buying a Sourdough Pancake holster from Simply Rugged.

I'm only 5'6'' and 120 lbs., so concealing anything other than a pocket rocket is a bit of a challenge. Usually I end up with said pocket rocket, or I'm OCing in the warmer weather, or I have an awkward buldge in my jacket that looks like a freakish tumor.

I just received the holster today, and the turnaround time was fantastic. If memory serves me correctly, I ordered my holster on October 9th, and it was in my hands this afternoon (27th). The leather is fairly stiff at the moment, but I'd imagine like any leather holster it just needs a little time to loosen up. It's pretty comfortable, but it does eat up an extra couple inches of belt space, so some of mine don't quite work with it. The leather is nice and thick, and the oxblood coloring is pretty stylish. :cool: Photos are attached (first one is just gun+holster, and no, I'm not ashamed to admit I sleep on floral-print sheets, second one is me wearing it)

I tried it out with a coat, and it vanishes. It works well under a light button down shirt, but certain movements cause printing. Again, bear in mind that I'm a smaller guy, for most of you that probably wouldn't happen. It works pretty well with a hoody, which I can get away with because I'm still in college. Of course, I can't actually wear it to college, because seeking higher education makes me a second class citizen.

The draw is pretty quick. It isn't low-riding western rig quick, but fast enough that I feel comfortable with it. I'm not that used to high-riding holsters, but practice makes perfect. I like the cross-draw ability as well, but I'm not meaty enough to conceal it that way (the grip sticks out a hair too much), so cross-draw will be for long car trips or woods carry only.

All things said, I'm quite happy. It's hard to argue with $70 shipped for custom leather, especially for a holster that just plain works. :)

[Airman193SOS]

Jesus, the gun is almost as big as you are!

[jhco]

cool, but I don't know if I would consider a single action revolver a "practical" carry gun. Still cool either way, I love cowboy guns.

[MikePGS]

cool what caliber and barrel length?

[Prepster]

Oops! I did forget to mention minor details. Caliber is .45 colt, barrel length is 4 5/8''

Hey Airman, no need to rub it in ;)

[MikePGS]

Nice! I'm somewhat obsessed with the SA revolvers, very cool and nice job :)

[James T Thomas]

The "oxblood" color is appealing. I like it too.

That leather will soften with use and time, and when you get the urge to purchase another, may I recommend one with a thumb snap strap? To keep it secure during any jogging you might do. And to bind the trigger down -secure.

I think that if you force yourself to be vigilant and remain alert, you may never need to quick draw. Of course any one can always be surprised, but watch how you do things and go about your movements, and you can preclude that from happening.

I too like the SA revolver, and one of the features it has, is the inherent safety of only firing when the hammer is cocked. At any rate, my advice: Take it to school with you.
If you can cover it with a light jacket or other clothing. I would not worry about printing. Many of the members here can confirm that the general public goes on with their day to day lives; oblivious to what their surroundings are.
And besides, doesn't everyone carry all kinds of things on their belts? Like cell phones, cameras; electronic devices of all sorts.

They may "expel" you for violation of school policies, but you can always enroll elsewhere. Today, the institutions are clamoring for students and their money! It is better to be kicked out by the provost than to be carried out head first.

{Sorry for the poor poetic attempt. I need to return to college.}

[corpsmanup!]

"cool, but I don't know if I would consider a single action revolver a "practical" carry gun. Still cool either way, I love cowboy guns."

You obviously haven't read sixguns by elmer keith. anything practiced enough can become fast as lightning. I carry a superblackhawk in .44 mag.

[Euclidean]

They may "expel" you for violation of school policies, but you can always enroll elsewhere. Today, the institutions are clamoring for students and their money! It is better to be kicked out by the provost than to be carried out head first.

If only this were the issue! My problem is that it's illegal and the state would prosecute me. I'd go to jail for 20 years and being a convicted felon, I'd never work in a professional field so all my education would be a waste.

But very nice setup, and a fine firearm. I am jealous.

[SaxonPig]

Ditto corspmanup.

I cannot consider a SA revolver as practical.

[mgregg85]

I personally wouldn't consider a SA revolver practical, but thats because I really am not practiced with one at all.

If you practice with it regularly, I'm sure it would get the job done. The one thing I would really be concerned about is the slow reload speed after 6 shots have been fired.

[Coyote3855]

Just curious, why do you two consider a SA not practical? I think Prepster is better armed with a six round Vaquero in .45 Colt than with, say, a 5 shot S&W snubbie .38 or a pocket rocket in .380 or 9mm. If the SA is the gun he likes and practices with, I think it's practical. It doesn't have 20 rounds in the magazine or glow in the dark sights or a light rail, but I feel well armed with my Vaquero or even with a Colt clone with only five in the wheel.

[SaxonPig]

Slow follow up shots and agonizing slow reloads.

I said it's not practical, not that it's worthless.

Carry what makes you happy. C3855: I routinely carry J frame revolvers. My SAAs stay in the safe when it's time to arm up for urban carry.

[Yo Mama]

I'm only 5'6'' and 120 lbs., so concealing anything other than a pocket rocket is a bit of a challenge. Usually I end up with said pocket rocket, or I'm OCing in the warmer weather, or I have an awkward buldge in my jacket that looks like a freakish tumor.

I think you haven't gotten to the right platform, and set up. First, I'm 5'11'', and 145 lbs soaking wet. I can ccw a 1911 no problem. I'm just seeing from your pics that you can do this as well. There are so many guns that are made for ccw.

You need a thin gun, good holster, and good belt.

[Rodman579]

i disagree with the slow followup shots. i guess you have never seen a cowboy action shooting match, those guys can run a hogleg mighty fast. i can shoot my single actions as fast and as accurate as my 1911, i sm very wuick with either but i practice. i do however agree with the reloading of single action is slow especially if in a critical situation but on the other hand you could always use it for a club, lol.

[.38 Special]

I think folks overestimate the need for reloads. When was the last time you heard of an armed citizen involved in a running gun battle with multiple magazine changes, despite that scenario being so common in the so-called "practical" pistol matches?

[LeonCarr]

I read an article in an old Guns & Ammo magazine about the police transitioning from revolvers to autos. The article stated that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38s until the 1980s, and never had to reload during a documented gunfight. The article also stated that the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Department carried Smith & Wesson Model .38s until the 1980s, and never had to reload during a documented gunfight. I do not know the origin of the statistics, but they are believable. In most of the gunfights I have researched or read about, it is usually over in the first six rounds or less.

To get back on topic, the purpose of the above was to illustrate that the Single Action Revolver is still usable as a defensive handgun and practical carry piece. The way to fix the alleged slow loading and unloading is to practice your loading procedure, and do what single action shooters have been doing since 1836...carry two of them :).

Prepster...great holster, and what caliber is your Vaquero?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[SaxonPig]

I've been in one gunfight... and I ran my 1911 dry. So in my experience, a reload is required 100% of the time.

So much for statistics.

Plan for the worst case scenario. There are far better choices for personal defense than the SA.

[.38 Special]

Plan for the worst case scenario.

No handgun is useful in the worst case scenario.

[MikePGS]

really no gun at all is sufficient for the worst case scenario... so each of us has to make a personal decision as to what is or isn't sufficient for our purposes.

[jinksnyou]

I also use a single action at times for CCW mine is a custom built Old Style Ruger Vaquero .45cal 4 5/8 bbl. It is carried in a Bob Mernickle single action strong side conceal carry holster PS6-SA REF1 on a Mernickle belt with a 6 round belt slide ammo carrier.
The gun rides high but tucked into my body.
Comes out Smooth as silk !!
I believe this holster also comes in cross draw.

[1911Tuner]

1873-pattern Single-action revolvers aren't as impractical for carry as one might imagine. Practice is the key to success with any platform.

It does require a little reprogramming and moving outside of the norm...but it can be done...with practice.

The 1873 SAA points like your mother's index finger when she caught you in a lie. The big-bore calibers like .45 Colt and .44 Special strike with authority even at moderate velocities. Recoil is manageable and the somewhat slower followup requires you to focus on accuracy, trigger, and shot placement...which is a good thing.

My grandfather carried an old Colt .44 Special. He carried it hammer down on an empty chamber 90% of the time...and when he had to go to town...he loaded the 6th round and rested the firing pin between the rims. At one time, for him..."Town" was across the ridge into Harlan, Kentucky in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Google "Bloody Harlan" for a description. He never broke the habit...even when they moved to Wise County, Va. and later on to Fordtown, Tennessee, near Kingsport.

He didn't worry much about reloading. He once said that if he lived long enough to fire six rounds, he'd have plenty of time to reload. I remember seeing him knock apples off a tree with the gun at 20 paces...in a frighteningly short span of time for a man of his age.... so I tend to take his comment seriously. If anyone saw the movie "Doc" with Stacy Keach in the title role...there was a scene when he was doing a shooting exhibition for Billy Clanton while explaining that speed was okay, but accuracy was much more important as he drew and blasted whisky bottles off a fence. Grandpap shot a lot like that...and just about that quick.

I've recently gotten back into single-actions, and have been working hard with a pair of New Vaqueros and carrying a Cimarron Model P in .44 Special. After a little effort and practice, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed...even in my hands and with my aging eyes. Wyatt Earp said of the '73 Colt...as told by Bat Masterson: "It falls onto the target with a deadly certainty."

And it does...

[Cocked & Locked]

I usually carry something other than a SA. But when I do, I carry this Beretta .45 Colt and I do not feel inadequately armed...jus' something comforting about those big heavy bullets.

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2169/3082611/6263277/317263131.jpg

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2169/3082611/6263277/317263137.jpg

[Prepster]

Cocked and Locked, that rig is beautiful!

Jinksnyou, I considered the Mernickle, but liked the cross-draw of the Sourdough. Yours looks pretty nice though.

1911Tuner, you summed it up perfectly. The SAA platform just works for me, like it did for your Grandfather. By no means am I up to the level of Evil Roy or Holy Terror, but I'm no slouch either. I believe that 6 rounds ought to solve any civilian level conflict, but hey, to each their own.

[SaxonPig]

38 Special- Yes, we all are aware that a handgun makes an inferior weapon compared to a rifle (and thank you for pointing out the obvious). Unfortunately, civilians are generally prohibited from carrying a rifle around town and I really wouldn't want to go about my business with my FAL in my hand, anyway, so we must use our intelligence and realize that we must make do with the DEFENSIVE weapon (the handgun) that does the job best for us.

That's not a SA revolver. Is the SA useless? No. Is it my first choice? No. Is it the best choice? No. Are there better options? Yes.

That's all I am saying.

[Coyote3855]

C&L, Nice rig! Is the knife a Moore Maker?

Saxon Pig. Your points are well made and valid. No argument here.

Who was it said that the purpose of a handgun is to fight your way back to your rifle? Clint Smith, maybe?

[1911Tuner]

we must make do with the DEFENSIVE weapon (the handgun) that does the job best for us.

That's not a SA revolver. Is the SA useless? No. Is it my first choice? No. Is it the best choice? No. Are there better options? Yes.

Exactly. If I have even a hint that trouble may be coming when I'm away from home...and a rifle/shotgun...I want a 1911...but the truth is that my chances of actually needing to reach for a gun are about as slim as my chances of winning the powerball. For general knockin' around the ol' homestead and runnin' down to Michael's Grocery or to Food Lion at High Rock Landing...I feel not at all disadvantaged with a SA revolver.

In cool weather, I can tuck it into the front of my waistband cross-draw fashion and cover it with a sweatshirt as slick as a button, and I can have it in my hand and ready to go about as fast as I can with a 1911 on my hip, covered by the same garment with even less chance of snagging it.

And...being the paranoid sort...I've considered that a SA revolver...like the lever-action carbine...is the most politically correct repeating handgun there is. I know that if it's a good shoot, it's a good shoot and the platform "shouldn't" make a whit of difference...but juries tend to be unpredictable critters. If only one member has bought into the semi-auto tripe...he/she can hang you out to dry based on that unfounded aversion. John Wayne's six-shooter is much less likely than a "Glock Fo-Tay" to draw hoots from the crowd and predetermined mindsets from uneducated and unconvinced hoplophobes.

Ralph! I want a rig like that! Where did you get it?

Oh...I don't do the CAS scene, by the way, and don't intend to. I just like single-action revolvers. First love that I never quite got over. :cool:

[Cocked & Locked]

C&L, Nice rig! Is the knife a Moore Maker?

Yes...good eye! The knife is a Moore Maker, carbon steel and sharp as a scapel. :cool:


Ralph! I want a rig like that! Where did you get it?

Johnny...I don't remember, had it a long time. The holster is for a Colt Trooper 4". One day I stuck the 3.5" Beretta SA in it out of curiosity and it was a perfect fit...fills the leather to the bottom. The snap/strap even fits the SA right when I use it. :)

[inutero1212]

well, my only two cents on the subject matter are this; I have shot many handguns and have two that come to mind as being the most intuitively pointing and accurate. One was my taurus pt99 and it took me thousands of rounds for it to get that way for me. The other was a 4.5" barreled ruger SAA. I never before had fired the ruger and it for that matter was the first SAA I ever fired, but watching those big old bullets (.45LC) fall one on top of the other at 7yrds using only the front sight post made me happy. If you keep the chambers clean they reload pretty quick too. I wouldn't take one back to Iraq with me, but I wouldn't feel the least bit unarmed going to the store to grab a case of beer either.

[inutero1212]

the taurus btw is my daily carry weapon and a walther ppk/s by interarms for light clothes and wet places.

[jinksnyou]

Cocked & Locked nice Rig !

[.38 Special]

38 Special- Yes, we all are aware that a handgun makes an inferior weapon compared to a rifle (and thank you for pointing out the obvious). Unfortunately, civilians are generally prohibited from carrying a rifle around town and I really wouldn't want to go about my business with my FAL in my hand, anyway, so we must use our intelligence and realize that we must make do with the DEFENSIVE weapon (the handgun) that does the job best for us.

That's not a SA revolver. Is the SA useless? No. Is it my first choice? No. Is it the best choice? No. Are there better options? Yes.

That's all I am saying.

What you are saying is that the best option for you must be the best option for everyone. This deserves rebuttal, no matter how convinced you may be of your own opinion.

[inutero1212]

amen to that, SAA's for everyone :D

[1911Tuner]

Who was it said that the purpose of a handgun is to fight your way back to your rifle? Clint Smith, maybe?

Yep. Heard that one, too. It appears to makes perfect sense...in theory...but it assumes a lot that may or may not be possible in the real world.

It assumes that...if you're under fire, and your rifle is in the trunk of your car or behind the seat of your pickup, that your attackers are going to hold their fire while you fumble for your keys...get the rifle out of whatever it's zipped up in...lock and load...and return to the fight...instead of taking advantage of your diverted attention to flank you and wait for your head to reappear and shoot it fulla holes.

Uh-huh.

I'd say that if you don't have your rifle in hand when the fight starts, your chances of getting to it and getting it in action...alive... are fairly slim.

The late, great Yogi Berra once said:

"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice...they ain't."

[.38 Special]

amen to that, SAA's for everyone

Heheh... Nah, an SAA wouldn't be the best choice for me, though I wouldn't exactly feel unarmed with one. I'm just not omniscient enough to proclaim that they aren't the best choice for someone else. Anyone who's seen a champion fast draw shooter, for instance, would think twice before starting a gunfight with him, regardless of how many cartridges his plastic-fantastic might hold.

As for Clint Smith, I like his stuff a lot, but don't see the "fighting your way to your rifle" deal as at all realistic. My impression of the typical civilian gun fight is that it's very fast, very ugly, and over within a few seconds. Again, the "extended gunfight with multiple magazine changes" scenario just doesn't seem to exist outside of competition.

[1911Tuner]

An SAA wouldn't be the best choice for me, though I wouldn't exactly feel unarmed with one. I'm just not omniscient enough to proclaim that they aren't the best choice for someone else.

True enough. Any handgun is a pretty ineffectual thing to trust your life to. It's main attribute lies in the fact that it's packable.

The plain truth is that very few of us here...me included...have a genuine need to carry a sidearm. Guys who do normally carry two...or three.

98% of us carry because it comforts us, and because we can...and because it's better to have it and not need it than vice-versa...and in such an emergency, any gun is better than no gun.

Or, like the man said:

"It ain't much of a gun, but it sure beats throwin' rocks all to Helen Gone."

[docmagnum357]

Prepster,
You have either good luck, or very good natural instncts. Rob Lehy is a mater craftsman. His holsters are just what the name implies, simplr rugged. What he doesn't tell you is that he knows about carrying concealed, and Big guns at that. I have a Sourdough for my 6.5" 629 classic. Yes, virginia, I really do carry a 44 magnum to work every day. On Sundays I carry two. The other one rides in a shoulder holster. And I carry at least two speed loaders, and sometimes four.

As a concealed carry instructor, I often run into people who think that concealed carry means a small gun. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to hit something, anything, you had better have a big gun. Not so much caliber wise, but weight, sight radius, and enough room to make the mechanicals inside smoooooth, so you can hit what you are shooting at. If your "pocket rocket" is not capable of enough accuracy to hit a snuff can lid at twenty five yards slow fire, and I mean in you hands, not in a machine rest, what is going to happen under stress? Will you be able to hit someone in the heart or brain at twenty five feet? not likely. It would be hard enough with a good shooting handgun. Remember, all handguns, even your .45 or my .44 magnum are poor excuses for power, although they both are stone killers on even large game. I try to make people understand that it is better to spend a good deal on a holster, and get something that works the first time than to get a box of junk. Very few of them listen.

If I could give you one more piece of advice? Wyat Earp was quoted as saying something like draw as fast as you want to, but take your damn sweet time aiming. We have a whole generation of gun school "instructors" teaching spray and pray with a handgun. I say hit what you shoot at ( the Heart or the brain) two or three times with a heavy caliber, medium speed bullet, and the fight is over. You are not justified to even draw your weapon unless you are truly about to lose your life, anyway, so stand your ground and shoot straight.

Single action disadvantage? I don't think so. If you know what you are doing, your thumb will have the hammer cocked, and your sights will fall back basically on the target, all during recoil. You just have to do it enough to get it into muscle memory. Folks will tell you that you can't do all that while you are under strss, but people fly airplanes in crash landings, drive dirt track cars in four wheel skids, and learn how to swim, box, and stay married, and all kinds of other things that demand a cool head during absolute terror. As a matter of fact, having something to occupy your mind will help you not to panic, if it is ingrained. You are on the right track, and keep up the good work.

[Prepster]

Docmagnum357, thanks for the kind words. I learned the large gun lesson the hard way; I traded a PPK in for the Vaquero. The PPK had a fixed barrel and was very accurate if I really took my time, but it had tiny sights and an awkward grip (felt good in the store, not so much when I fired it). Sure, I could shoot it faster, but I would end up all over the place beyond 7-10 yards if I took advantage of that speed. The Vaquero is reasonably quick and accurate at the same time. Works for me.

I really didn't mean to spur this intense a debate about SA vs. DA vs. semi-auto, but I think what everyone can take away from this thread is that one should shoot what they are comfortable with, and everyone has different needs and different ways to fulfill those needs.

[Rexster]

Prepster, nice set-up there, both iron and leather! :)

As for the wisdom of carrying an SA sixgun, well, if one is familiar with the weapon, it is not a bad choice. An SA that fits well is likely to point well, and will comfortably throw a big hunk of lead, which helps that all-important first shot really mean something. Most gunfights are over before the weapon is empty, for better or for worse.

Coyote3855: "I think Prepster is better armed with a six round Vaquero in .45 Colt than with, say, a 5 shot S&W snubbie .38 or a pocket rocket in .380 or 9mm."

I can agree with Coyote3855 there; J-frames and some pocket pistols have significant limitations of their own. A standard-sized SA handles so much better in practiced hands than an undersized weapon. I have tried and ultimately rejected several pocket pistols as just to clumsy to use effectively, and my hands are not large. The Kel-tec .32 is a particularly egregious example, with a PPK not too far behind. The Kel-tec was so small it squirmed during the trigger pull, no matter how hard I tried to stabilize it, and the PPK kicked way out of proportion to its power level, making quick follow-up shots more difficult that I thought reasonable.

Just to be clear, I am not advocating that someone who is not familiar with SA sixguns should choose such a weapon for personal defensive carry! I am saying that someone who knows his SA sixgun well is not being unwise if he chooses to carry such a weapon.

[MikePGS]

I can't help but grin everytime I look at that picture Prepster, thanks again for posting it.

[Timber-line]

I am new to The High Road, but enjoyed this discussion so much I decided I would add a thought or two. History has long proven the effectiveness of the large caliber six gun . Although the advent of the double stack plastic wonder guns has changed the landscape of the qualification range, the bad guys are still being made in the same old format...and as such, one single .45 or .44 to the torso usually ends the dispute, regardless of how many rounds are in the magazine or missed their intended target. In the civilian world it is highly unlikely one would encounter a protracted exchange of voluminous gun fire in an effort to save the day (or one's life). And further, it is likewise highly unlikely that after having fired six rounds without settling things, that six more rounds would likely do any better by that point (everything having gone to pieces). If tomorrow a new gun were to appear that had a capacity of 30 rounds and was of practical size and weight and caliber for self defense, human nature would incline folks to drop our current wonder-guns and look at them as obsolete and inadequate...that's a psychological issue not a real world issue...one .45...one bad guy..."one riot, one Ranger".

[1911Tuner]

Timberline...Good logic. I've often said that if ya need more than 5 or 6 rounds to solve the problem, you're likely in over your head so deep that the only thing that'll save ya is an act of Providence.

[Prepster]

I can't help but grin everytime I look at that picture Prepster, thanks again for posting it.

Haha, no problem. My housemates tell me I've lost my mind, but there's just something magical about having that big piece of iron on your hip that makes me not really care what they think :evil:.

[ambidextrous1]

It's a great looking holster, Prepster, and a nice combination of steel and leather; and I LOVE the floral-printed sheets!:D

[MikePGS]

My housemates tell me I've lost my mind, but there's just something magical about having that big piece of iron on your hip that makes me not really care what they think
Yeah i don't know what it is, but theres something almost enchanting about a Single-Action revolver. I'm really interested in them, but i don't know that it would be a practical first pistol, since i don't think i'll be able to buy another pistol for some time.

[20nickels]

Nice rig. I think you made a fine carry choice. Start reloading if you have not already and go forth and shoot!

[Coyote3855]

1911 Tuner: "It appears to makes perfect sense...in theory...but it assumes a lot that may or may not be possible in the real world."

I think Clint Smith, if that's who said it, was making the same point as others have made here. A handgun has limitations. Many situations would be resolved more efficiently by a long gun.

If I can be allowed another unattributed quote: An old timer was observed to be carrying a handgun and was asked, "Are you expecting trouble?" His response was "No, if I was expecting trouble I would have brought my rifle."

Babba bing....

[Tarvis]

The leather is fairly stiff at the moment, but I'd imagine like any leather holster it just needs a little time to loosen up.
Saddle soap ;).
An old timer was observed to be carrying a handgun and was asked, "Are you expecting trouble?" His response was "No, if I was expecting trouble I would have brought my rifle."
Exactly. If you are in a serious gun fight (I think the average number of shots fired is two) you use the pistol to get to the rifle. Guys, you can argue this either way, but when it comes down to it, something is better than nothing, and there is almost always something "better" than the something you carry in at least one person's eyes.

[SwampWolf]

The late, great Yogi Berra once said:

I might be wrong about this but, last I heard, Yogi's still kicking!

[no_problem]

Nice work! ..that is one big a**ed gun!

[rdrancher]

Prepster - Nice looking setup there.

I had a Mernickle PS6 for my Ruger Blackhawk, but I never liked the holster, so I sold it.

The Simply Rugged looks interesting. Could you possibly provide a front view photo so we can see how close the gun is held to the body?

rd

[1911Tuner]

I think Clint Smith, if that's who said it, was making the same point as others have made here. A handgun has limitations. Many situations would be resolved more efficiently by a long gun.

All guns have limitations...even Ma Deuce. I'm not arguing that. I'm simply stating that getting to a rifle after the fight starts is a pretty fanciful notion. Or, maybe a better way of putting it would be:

When you're up to your cajones in crocodiles, it's hard to remember that your primary objective was to drain the swamp.

If I can be allowed another unattributed quote:

That would be Jaquin Jackson.

[1911Tuner]

I might be wrong about this but, last I heard, Yogi's still kicking!

So he is! I stand corrected. I distinctly remembered hearing that he died about 3 years ago.

Maybe I need to lay off the jalapeno dip before bedtime...

[Prepster]

The Simply Rugged looks interesting. Could you possibly provide a front view photo so we can see how close the gun is held to the body?

Here you go. Sorry about the quality, I'm away from my DSLR at the moment. I'm standing at a slight angle because I wear it at 3:30-ish, straight on you can't see it too well.

[boomcrash]

I never used a single action for carry, but did have a Ruger .45 Colt for a truck gun a while back.

Fast follow-up shots are possible. I use the thumb of the support hand to cock the gun immediatly after each shot. When the gun recoils, I use the off hand thumb on the hammer as the gun is being brought back on target.

The practice of ...shoot two, then reload two... might be the answer for reloading.

That leather looks mighty good!

[20nickels]

^^...shoot two, then reload two...

Why take yerself out of the fight?

[rdrancher]

Thank's for the new photo Prepster. Nice holster - fits nice and tight to the body.

rd

[Coyote3855]

1911 Tuner: We are in violent agreement here. Thanks for the source of the quote.

[Meeteetse]

I have carried a Ruger Vaquero Sheriff's model in 45 with a 3 1/2" barrel several times and never felt poorly armed. I also carry a reload on a belt slide, since I don't plan to miss, :D, I don't worry about carrying a lot of ammo.

I guess the way I look at it, since I no longer work for LE, and I don't go looking for trouble, the chances are slim that I will need a gun, at least, I hope, very seldom. If I do, a single action can get me out of harms way. Is it my first choice, of course not, but it can and has worked for me.

[ArchAngelCD]

Simply Rugged makes some of the best products I've ever seen or used. I do like their holsters for sure!

[rtn]

Good looking rig you've got there, Prepster!

[batmann]

IMHO, a SA Ruger is a very practical personal protection side arm. Yes, they are slow to reload, but I can't remember a situation where, unless you are being attacked by "I am Legend" zombies, that 2-3 rounds won't settle the problem.
The only time I have ever needed a gun, I only needed to show it---- I was just very lucky. I guess my point is a SA is viable .

[goon]

I totally get the OP's point.
Good to know that there are some good holsters available that can allow you to conceal a full-size revolver.

[CSA 357]

Hey! You got me looking for a good holster for my colt saa, well if i knew there would be trouble i would carry my ar 15! :d

[1911Tuner]

If I knew there would be trouble I would carry my ar 15!

If I even thought there would be trouble, I'd have a rifle or shotgun close at hand...like within arm's reach.

The pistol or revolver is for those times when you don't think there will be trouble...and there likely won't be trouble...but you want to be able to deal with trouble if it just happens to find you.

Or...as another sage old gunny put it:

"A pistol is like an ambulance. You don't need one often, but when you do...you need it badly and you need it immediately."

Anyway...on topic once again...

In most instances, a big-bore single action revolver will serve you well if you shoot well.

[ArchAngelCD]

I could see someone wanting to carry a SA revolver if that's what they shoot most. Someone who shoot a lot of Cowboy Action and almost nothing else would probably be well served by using the handgun they fire all the time.

[Gary A]

There is no concealed carry where I live so that point is moot. However, I have been relying on a Blackhawk Convertible .45 loaded with Federal 230 grain Hydrashok .45 acp as my primary "go-to" handgun at home. The reason being that I don't own a 1911 being a revolver guy, and the .45 hits hard (nearly 1000 fps out of my Blackhawk according to a chrony) without the supersonic 'crack' of my .357s, is heavy and low pressure, and clearly hits harder than any 158 grain .38 +P. I would not expect the need for a reload but there are other weapons available here at home should more be required and given the time to get to them. Reloading is not such a critical factor here on the homestead, it seems to me. I would be just as happy with a big .45 Colt load but happen to have a good supply of the Federal rounds.

It's pretty peaceful around here and I pray these thoughts remain merely speculative.

[Blank Stare 73]

This has been an interesting discussion for me. All I own are single action revolvers :) I own the Beretta Stampede in 357 magnum, A couple of Open Tops in .38spl and a Ruger Single Six. I've considered getting a 45 long colt, but just cn't get past the price of the ammo (married with kids = poor) :D

Anyway really enjoyed this thread



Blank Stare

[MikePGS]

you can always get the blackhawk convertible with both .45 lc and .45 a.c.p. :) its slightly cheaper, at least.

[Gary A]

.45 a.c.p. its slightly cheaper, at least

That's right. Around here, .45 acp tends to run just a little less than .357 and really not that much more than .38 Special has gotten to be. Much cheaper than .45 Colt.

[revolverman357]

I use the Mernickle P6SA for my blackhawks and vaquero's.
The Vaquero carries a little better because of the fixed sights. My arm sometimes rubs the adjustable sight of the blackhawk.
I do like the holster though, and I never feel undergunned with a 45 Colt SA revolver.

[Timber-line]

Just a further note on this very interesting topic. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that a good single action has a tremendously higher probability of always going "bang" at least six times in a row. There is a very real reason we do those malfunction drills when we practice at the qualification range with our lethal tupperware...

Oh, and one other thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is that a powerful revolver cartridge with a hard cast bullet has a way of turning cover into concealment, that is to say an object that may stop a .40 S&W may be totally insufficient to stop something like a .44 mag or powerfully loaded .45 Colt, or .44 Spec. With hard cast bullets these can make hiding behind the average automobile mostly futile (unless the engine block is encountered), something to be said for that...in the wide open country (away from the city, penetration may just come in handy).

[Otony]

Back from the dead! Just thought I would toss in my two cents worth. I usually tote a Glock 32 but having grown up on SA revolvers occasionally this type of rig feels a lot more comforting.

This is a Ruger Sheriff's Model in .44 Special, 3.75" barrel along with, well whadda ya know, a Simply Rugged blini-pancake in sharkskin!

I am going to change out the hammer for a lower profile Super Blackhawk hammer and call it good.

It all comes down to what your most comfortable with, right?

[Sniper X]

Did same with my 4in Security Six.....

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/93/l_d34b08fa877a4f98a1dc35972a44b6e3.jpg

of course not SA but still a great carry piece!

Love the holster too....

[HGUNHNTR]

Nice, the fact that you like your carry gun and are proud of it will serve you well. I know of a couple guys that leave theirs at home simply because they felt it was uncomfortable to carry, or weren't familiar enough with the gun. I don't want to sound cliche' but I would rather have a SA revolver in my hand when the shtf, than be wishing for my Glock 27.

BTW I'm not arguing with a guy carrying 6 rounds of .45 Colt.