Open trigger holster for hunting

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crestoncowboy

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I've deer hunted with both revolvers and semi autos for years. Usually my revolvers ride in a leather, thumb snap over the hammer holster with an enclosed trigger. Think Bianchi cyclone

I recently ordered a new holster for a new 44 mag I ordered to hunt with. DA revolver. Unfortunatly I ordered the Bianchi 5bhl holster. Open trigger. It does have the thumb snap. As well as a closed muzzle.

The company i ordered from will gladly take it back and exchange for the cyclone I have zero doubt there. But are there any on here who actually use and prefer the open trigger? Any benefit at all?

I've passed up the "box of unloved holster" stage many years ago. I'm up to "uhaul load of unloved holsters" just don't need another one I'll hate. But considering giving it a try
 
I have used the original Don Hume "Jordan" holster quite a bit and would be okay with it for hunting. There is no real advantage to the open trigger design for anything other than maximum speed hip shooting. The downsides include increased risk of shooting yourself, and less protection for the gun.

I personally would send it back, though. Draw speed is essentially a non-issue for hunting, but protecting the gun from brush, elements, and (at least if you hunt likeI do) slipping and falling all over the back country is fairly important. I really have gravitated toward hunting holsters that cover most if not all of the gun.
 
I have three thoughts.

My opinion is that for hunting, the more coverage the better. The holster is not only providing a method to carry the gun, it's also providing protection for it.

If I were carrying a gun in a situation where it might be exposed to the elements in an open top holster, I would definitely want the holster to have a drain hole.

My general philosophy about handguns without manual safeties is that the holster is part of the overall safety system and therefore it should cover all the controls on the firearm.
 
.38 Special said:
I have used the original Don Hume "Jordan" holster quite a bit and would be okay with it for hunting. There is no real advantage to the open trigger design for anything other than maximum speed hip shooting. The downsides include increased risk of shooting yourself, and less protection for the gun.

I personally would send it back, though. Draw speed is essentially a non-issue for hunting, but protecting the gun from brush, elements, and (at least if you hunt likeI do) slipping and falling all over the back country is fairly important. I really have gravitated toward hunting holsters that cover most if not all of the gun.
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JohnKSa said:
I have three thoughts.

My opinion is that for hunting, the more coverage the better. The holster is not only providing a method to carry the gun, it's also providing protection for it.

If I were carrying a gun in a situation where it might be exposed to the elements in an open top holster, I would definitely want the holster to have a drain hole.

My general philosophy about handguns without manual safeties is that the holster is part of the overall safety system and therefore it should cover all the controls on the firearm.
Click to expand...

And those are why I've always used one like a cyclone. In the case of these revolvers its more protecting to me. Not so much accidental discharge. The hammer is strapped down it would take an almost impossible amount of force to make it fire with the thumb snap in place. Holstering though might be a tiny bit more unsafe. I carry a Glock though, have for years, so I stay pretty aware of anything near the trigger when holstering.

I'll probably just send it back. I was wondering if there was any positives to the design I was missing. Lol. I sure didn't see any
 
The hammer is strapped down it would take an almost impossible amount of force to make it fire with the thumb snap in place.
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With the thumb snap in place, yes. I daily wear a couple of items on my belt that have flaps secured with snaps. I find them unsnapped occasionally. Sometimes I think it could be that I've forgotten to snap them the last time I replaced the item, but most of the time I think it's that they caught on something and the snap came undone.
 
JohnKSa said:
With the thumb snap in place, yes. I daily wear a couple of items on my belt that have flaps secured with snaps. I find them unsnapped occasionally. Sometimes I think it could be that I've forgotten to snap them the last time I replaced the item, but most of the time I think it's that they caught on something and the snap came undone.
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I've handgun hunted for 20 years mostly in a cyclone and never found it unsnapped. They are a pretty positive snap. My Leatherman and my flashlight are pretty much always undone though. So I can see that too. I have a safariland duty holster for my Glock 20 that is pretty much a two hand job to un snap.

If the Bianchi is in a blister pack I can re seal and not in an indestructible shipping container I'll post a picture of the colt in it.

Pretty much certain I don't like the open trigger though. Was stupid and my mistake though so i may just eat it and buy another. I don't like penalizing a company because I screwed up. And I have 50 or 100 holsters I don't use anyway. The closed bottom I don't think id care about. I have both. My safe has dows that go in the barrels for handgun storage so an open bottom can be in the safe while holstered. But a closed bottom keeps crap and sticks out but has to be upnholstered for my safe and stored somewhere . I've sat down in the woods and had mud up in the bottom of the holster too. So either way I think I'd accept that. But the trigger is likely a deal breaker

I was hoping one of the resident handgun hunters like CraigC would chime in with some super awesome benefit of the open trigger that I'm somehow missing.

If it's just for hip fire speed then it's no use to me. Surely Bianchi makes it for some practical reason. Who is hip firing Redhawks and anaconda and 29s anyway lol

I used to prefer the holsters that you could snap off your belt without taking the belt off. But can't find those that are fitted well
 
I understand the desire to cover and protect as many parts as possible of a gun that will be in the field. However, will the cylinder even rotate when the gun is in the holster if you pull the trigger? This is a revolver and not a semi-auto pistol. I would have different concerns if I were carrying a G20.
 
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Well I opened the shipping box. I'm questioning Bianchi now. Says "worn inside waistband" and slim for concealment. Right beside the owb signage. Then says worn high ride. Lol. Looks small for an anaconda too but idk. I suppose a holster would look small missing the trigger guard portion

The picture looks goofy too. And if she can't pull it off then I definitely can't. May just give it away.
 
crestoncowboy said:
The picture looks goofy too. And if she can't pull it off then I definitely can't. May just give it away.
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It's all relative. It is a big revolver in a hunting rig. I'm not sure I can picture that type of set up that wouldn't look similar.

crestoncowboy said:
Its for an Anaconda. But the package says fits the 29.

But if you see my above pictures the package is not accurate entirely anyway. Lol
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Yeah, I'm not a fan of the "generic" holster fit, and Bianchi is a big company, and no doubt has a bunch of folks that don't know much about guns, or possibly even holsters.
 
JTQ said:
With the empty gun inserted, and the thumb break not snapped, can you pull the trigger and get the cylinder to rotate?
Click to expand...

I left the house, at the shop working on a ranger and a big bear then a polaris sxs. But in my slightly worn cyclone from those pics, I'm fairly positive the cylinder would spin if you could get the trigger. And its fluted. A non fluted cylinder would probably spin even easier . I'll try the 29 and colt in the Holster later and see if it would spin. But the thumb snaps they use are pretty beefy. No way the hammer would unsnap it.
 
crestoncowboy said:
... I'm fairly positive the cylinder would spin if you could get the trigger. And its fluted. A non fluted cylinder would probably spin even easier .
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My revolver holster collection is very small, but I can't rotate the cylinder with the gun in the holster. However, my holster is an open top, and I suspect thumb break holsters are more flexible at the holster mouth to allow movement for the thumb break. In addition, since they are relying on the thumb break for retention, they don't count on holster shape to hold the gun as securely as an open top holster would.
 
IMHO, the issue about exposed triggers on revolver holsters is HUGELY exaggerated. Seems to me it's all borne out of the issues with Glocks having AD's when reholstering. It spawned a whole slew of myths, misconceptions and unfounded fears. We deal with it nearly daily with leathermakers who think everything is a Glock. Striker fired guns and DA autos, absolutely cover that trigger. Revolvers, it is a total non-issue. Revolver triggers have been exposed on holster designs going back 170yrs. The Threepersons is probably one of the most popular holster designs ever devised. The Bianchi 5BHL and Lawman have been in production for decades. They're classics. If the exposed trigger was a problem, they would not make them at all during these litigious times.

If the holster fits, there's no way the cylinder is going to turn when the gun is holstered.
 
I don't have a problem with that type holster ... in fact it's my favorite .
Bought one in 1971 for Ruger Blackhawk and because of age and wear replaced it with a new Bianchi 2 years ago ... never had the snap come un snapped and never had a problem with the open / exposed trigger ... I prefer it .

If you think it's "UnSafe" send it back ... I never had a problem with that design .
All of my holsters tend to be designed like that ... two are Police Department Issued holsters !
Gary
 
Just for what it is worth, the cylinder will spin in all of the Jordan style holsters I own - but most of them are decades old and may not fit as tightly as when they were new.

Going for maximum speed hits from the hip, I occasionally put a wax bullet into the floor a foot or so in front of me. I never came especially close to hitting myself in the leg with one, but have heard from people who have, so I wouldn't try it with live rounds. Having said that, it's definitely a niche activity, and again, I'd be fine with daily carry in an open-trigger holster. There's no real reason to, though, and especially in hunting situations I'd much rather have the gun completely covered.

This, by the way, is typical of my "Jordan" set up, with a very old Don Hume holster:
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And this is an illustration of a Threepersons style (this one from El Paso Saddlery, and which I like very much in general, but which leaves a lot of gun available to thorns, rocks, etc.) vs. a Milt Sparks AW200, which is still very fast, offers great retention (even when I'm falling off of stuff) and protects nearly all of the expensive parts, at least if you're not using ivory!
full.jpg
 
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gwpercle said:
I don't have a problem with that type holster ... in fact it's my favorite .
Bought one in 1971 for Ruger Blackhawk and because of age and wear replaced it with a new Bianchi 2 years ago ... never had the snap come un snapped and never had a problem with the open / exposed trigger ... I prefer it .

If you think it's "UnSafe" send it back ... I never had a problem with that design .
All of my holsters tend to be designed like that ... two are Police Department Issued holsters !
Gary
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I didn't think it unsafe. I never had that concern. I did say with the thumb strap it couldn't possibly move. I just don't see the point in letting sticks and limbs scratch up the trigger guard. Lol. In my second post I said it wasn't about accidental discharge.

Either way, like I thought, the colt won't even fit. Even though the box definitely has some dumb wording... it doesn't technically say it fits the Anaconda anyway so that's not on Bianchi. That was midways holster wizard that said it would. It did fit the model 29 and yes the cylinder would spin without any massive amount of pressure. Either way I would not worry about that. The strap will completly hold it in place. I'm guessing the holster fit the old anaconda. Not the new.

The colt does fit in the redhawk 7.5 inch holster. Lol. It's tight though. If the holster was new it might not. But it's been a great holster. Taken many deer wearing it. The trigger guard of the colt is fatter, or the colt would fit perfect. A tiny bit of shaving the holster where the front sides of the trigger guard hit (or the gun i suppose, lol) and it fits perfect. About 4 licks with a rasp, and the redhawk still fits perfect as well



I'll find a suitable holster that's a fit maybe. My redhawk holster is 1.5 inches too long. But it will work just fine

Any suggestions for a 6 inch new Anaconda holster
 
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Just my $.02. None of my holsters (semi-auto or revolver) leave the trigger exposed. That said except a few of my cheaper holsters none of my holsters have a retention strap. I have removed the retention straps from a couple of those. I want my trigger guard covered but nothing I have to fumble with to draw the weapon other than grabbing the grip.
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This is a quintessential revolver holster for me, Safariland 567. It covers the trigger guard, It has adjustable friction retention for positive retention but a very smooth draw. It is exceptionally stiff in both its construction of the envelope that protects the revolver and it mounting to my belt.
 
I have a safariland duty holster for my Glock 20 that is pretty much a two hand job to un snap.
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A true duty holster should have a strong snap, probably a one-way type and maybe some other retention methods.
Revolver triggers have been exposed on holster designs going back 170yrs.
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To be fair, they came about with SA designs where the trigger is essentially inert in an uncocked firearm. It's a slightly different issue in a DA revolver, especially if, as is the case in some designs, the cylinder will rotate with the gun holstered. I think that in a hunting situation, the bigger issue with holster coverage/lack thereof is protecting the firearm, but I wouldn't totally discount the possibility of something operating the DA trigger. If something gets in the triggerguard while the person is moving, a significant amount of force can be exerted on the trigger. DA triggers are typically under 15lbs; the motion of an adult could easily exert far more pressure than that against something that is firmly attached to a solid belt. I've twice snagged belt-worn leather items on things and ruined them by ripping the stitching apart. I suspect that a good deal more than 15lbs was required to accomplish that task.
 
If the cylinder will turn with the gun holstered, the fitment is wrong or the holster is worn out. Shouldn't have to rely on the strap or thumbreak for retention. IMHO, this is what happens with generic fit holsters. A S&W N-frame should never be carried in a holster that fits a Redhawk and a Redhawk shouldn't fit a holster made for an N-frame.
 
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