[Gunmeister]

Anyone ever tried one of these? Comments pro and con very much appreciated. JW
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj277/gunmeister/Holster.jpg

[357phase]

Got one yrs ago for a 3" or 4" GP100.It works better with the 4" but still wants to tilt forward since most of the revolver is above the belt.Keeps gun high and close to side with good tight fit.The 3" was not enough barrel to keep from leaning forward.May be some adjustment on belt loops,I don't remember and a good belt like I have now may help.I'll try to find the holster and see.that's all I remember for now as I barely used mine.

[Gunmeister]

You confirmed what I thought would happen. It looked too good to be true.
Thanks for your response you just saved me $75. I had planned to use one for my Ruger SP101 with 2.25" barrel.:cool:

[David E]

It carries the gun WAY too high.

[sophijo]

look at these....cheaper too. I have them and they work.

http://www.dmbullardleather.com/1429711.html

[Sam1911]

I use that holster to carry my 4" 629 fairly regularly. Moving the rear belt loop about 2" back takes one drill bit, a screw-driver and 59 seconds -- that takes care of any wobble. (Not that I had a problem with it, but better is better.)

It carries the gun up nice and high which makes it more concealable, and for me, more comfortable. I don't want an N-frame cylinder INSIDE my belt. Cylinder face resting on top of the belt works great, for me.

Having said that, if you are a short fellow, and/or high-waisted, this might not be comfortable for you. I stand about 6'2" tall and find it quite pleasant. I've used it in competition a fair bit, too, without issue.

It is well made, of VERY stiff/thick Kydex. Makes for an easy draw and very easy re-holstering. Your belt won't collapse it, for certain.

As the barrel is really the only part of the gun that's inside the belt, barrel length is probably important. Though, with a light & small gun like an SP101, I don't know how important that would be.

-Sam

[20nickels]

Hi Sam,
I've been looking at this holster for quite some time now with skepticism. Putting the cylinder above the beltline would be nice, but does it look like you grew an arm in your back when you lean over?

[20nickels]

Also, is your draw affected by how high it sits? Tks.

[357phase]

I took Sam1911's advice and moved the strap back.Helped a lot.Loops can be adjusted for cant as they have screws under the snaps.I might even use mine now.Thanks Sam.:)

[crebralfix]

I have one. It doesn't let go of the gun approximately 33% of the time.

[Tequila Mockingbird]

You confirmed what I thought would happen. It looked too good to be true. Thanks for your response you just saved me $75.

When I bought mine a few years ago, they were "only" about $50, but I've had good luck with mine. I carry either a S&W 649 in the "magnum" frame size or an old Model 60, and both carry easily and comfortably. The cylinder rides above the belt for comfort, and the portion that is below the belt is long enough to offset any "topheaviness". The amount of gripping force is adjustable, and the gun is easy to re-holster. I've tried other methods of carrying a revolver, but this works best for me.

[David E]

I have one. It doesn't let go of the gun approximately 33% of the time.

Really ? Doesn't let go how, exactly?

[Sam1911]

Putting the cylinder above the beltline would be nice, but does it look like you grew an arm in your back when you lean over?

Well, the gun is definitely *there*. I mean, any gun carried strong-side is going to have the possibility to print if you lean over injudiciously. And a 629 (wth the big rubber grips, no less) is not a small gun. But I have no problem with it. It doesn't seem to print terribly. But I also am aware of my posture and movements when carrying any gun, so I avoid bending strongly at the waist -- preferring to squat rather than bend. That keeps things discreet -- again, that's with any gun.

And, I'm in PA. I don't have to care if I "print" a little! :cool:

EDIT: Here's a recent pic of me carrying with that rig. http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94492&d=1237130077 If you look closely you can see the print of the gun butt. But look at my posture and what I'm doing. That motion stretches the cover garment tight over the right side/back. Worst-case printing scenario. Not too bad, IMHO. You can also get an idea of how high it sits.

Also, is your draw affected by how high it sits?

As I mentioned, I'm on the tall-ish side and that helps. Yes, the draw out of this holster is slightly different than the draw out of the Nelson type OWB holster I use in competition. That one sits lower and out away from my side more, so the draw is a little faster. With the Hoffner's, I'm sure I lean a bit more to the left to create working room for the gun to clear the holster as I draw, but it's not any real hinderance. I've used this rig in competition a fair bit. It didn't slow me down (more than a couple of tenths, anyway).

I have one. It doesn't let go of the gun approximately 33% of the time.
Uh, what? Like you were physically unable to remove the gun three-and-a-third tries out of 10? Egad.

There's a little tensioning screw you should find and ajust. It's the same device that's on EVERY holster with adjustable tension. You want it tight enough so the gun doesn't drop out, but not too tight so it's hard to draw. It's a very simple device, trial and error, find the balance. Also, remember that ANY IWB holster will have the tightness of the belt affecting how firmly the gun is being retained. Gotta set it up and test it with the gun and belt on you, or when you tighten your belt up you might not be able to draw the gun easily.

I'm not a salesman for the company or anything. There's positives and negatives to this holster as there are to all. I just happen to have found a combination that works for me. Glad to help others do the same.

-Sam

[crebralfix]

Hi David E,

While the gun sits high and is very comfortable, the holster doesn't let go every time. I remember seeing some kydex particles on various parts of the gun with some smearing. I suspect that there were some pressure points that were too strong, even though I had the tension set to the minimum.

The gist is that once it was bound up, no amount of pulling would result in the weapon being released. As I recall, there was no noticeable downward movement when finally getting the gun out (which generally required taking the holster off). I think the angle of pull affected this. The "window" was extremely narrow and even the most careful of draws still resulted in ~33% failure. Given where the grip was in relation to my belt, pulling at the exact angle was difficult.

I never had the holster fixed because they wanted some money to ship it back. I already had too much money into the holster. In the end, I just built my own holster for the S&W N-Frame.


RE: Concealability

The stocks of the revolver sat almost in the arm pit. The gun was very well concealed.