Channeling your inner Dirty Harry

I carry a cimarron 45 43/4 inch barrel sometimes on my property for fun.I carry it owb and iwb.

Sometimes a single action 44 mag 5.5" barrel. OWB holster. Mostly on Sunday with a coat.

627 with a 5 Inch barrel IWB Lobo. Not bad once you get a good belt.

Redhawk in .44Mag 5.5" barrel in a chest rig or on a belt. Not my EDC, but I have OC'd it a few times. Draws no more attention than any other OC'd handgun.

When I carried my 6" Colt Python I used a Bianchi X-15 shoulder holster. It worked great for me.

Not now, no. I've got plenty of guns that are easier to live with, nowadays.

However, my very first CCW had a 6" tube. I was nineteen at the time, and working night shift, alone, at a convenience store right off the highway. You know, the kind of place the tactically aware call a "Stop and Rob." When my grandfather heard about my new job, he went upstairs to his gun cabinet, and came down with a bundle.

"C'mon, boy," he said, and led the way out to his old jeep pickup. He drove his out of town, to the backyard of the American Legion, where we went to shoot.

When he unwrapped the bundle, it turned out to be his one and only centerfire handgun, a gorgeous mint condition late fifties S&W Model 14 Target Masterpiece, with a 6" barrel, in .38 Special. He handed it to me and said, "Boy, I want you to have this, on three conditions. One, you promise to keep it loaded, and keep it on you when you're at that job of yours. Two, you don't tell your grandmother where you're working, or what you're carrying. Three, you learn to use it."

We tackled number three that day. I'd been shooting shotguns and rifles since I was little, but the only pistol I'd shot was my dad's High Standard .22 target pistol, that always jammed about every third round. First he taught me something close to the Weaver Stance. Then the basic trick of controlling a double action trigger, ie, to squeeze through in smooth, controlled way, and then also to release it under control, rather than just jump off of it. He had me practice that dry, while he drank about four beers. Eventually, when I could stroke the trigger and hold the gun more or less still, we started with ammunition. I shot one cylinder at paper, he adjusted the sights for me, and one more group confirmed that Smith, Wesson, and I were ready to work together.

For the next 188 rounds, he had me chase his beer cans around. He'd shoot it with his "Constant Companion," (a little .22 snub,) and set it dancing, and I was supposed to hit it. This, as you may imagine, was a little frustrating for a first exercise, but whenever I'd whine, "But Gramps, what am I doing wrong," he'd give me The Look, and say, "It doesn't really matter how you did it wrong, does it? Here's how you do it right. Do that. Don't worry about the other."

Some time later, when I thought my finger was about to fall off, we went into the Legion, and he bought me a beer. The bartender asked if I was old enough, (I wasn't,) but he just said, "Now Rhonda, the boy just got his first pistol. Of course he is."

This being back in the prudent man days, before Ohio had CCW permits, there wasn't much leather or know how about carrying around. What I knew about how to carry a gun came from TV, and that basically meant shoulder holsters. Fortunately, that's not actually a bad method for a gun that size. After some digging, I found a nylon vertical shoulder rig, probably built for hunting or other field use. It actually worked fairly well, though, as it had big broad straps, and also snapped to the belt to help with stabilization and weight distribution. Worn over my uniform shirt, and topped with a flannel shirt, unbuttoned and untucked, I looked like a perfect little grunge kid.

I carried Gramps' gun for probably eight months, until I started to notice how the beautiful pristine finish was wearing. In an effort to save it, I decided to replace it with something a little less gorgeous and a little more compact. Since I was a little traumatized by the reliability of autos, I wanted to stick with revolvers. Also, by this time, I was starting to get reasonably decent with one. So it was that I scrimped and saved $300, and headed to the next gun show, looking for a snub. Unfortunately, the chiefs and dicks were all $500-600, way more than I could swing without trading the Masterpiece, which I wasn't about to do. I kept looking, trying to find another option. Then I found a table stacked full of raggedy looking revolvers. On closer inspection, they were police trades. I fondled probably half a hundred of them, before settling on a four inch Model 10, late of Memphis, for $185. I even had enough left over for some less ugly grips and a better shoulder rig. That was almost the end of my long barrel days, except for one odd chapter a few years later.

This was still prudent man times, not. EDC, so after I left that job, I didn't carry regularly. However, I did like to keep the option available so when leaving on a trip, I'd generally grab my pistol case and ammo can to take along. Should a situation arise that would justify a prudent man in going armed, I could load up. Anyhow, such a situation did arise. I found myself needing to track down an elusive address on foot in one of Cincinnati's worst areas, at about 2 AM. I got my boxes out, and found that, although I had several pistols, and several different kinds of ammo, none of it matched. Eventually, I found that I had one box of .44 Special, which would fit my Super Blackhawk. That's the only piece I could load, but it has a 7.5"' barrel. My eventual solution was to stick it in the inside breast pocket of my leather jacket.

The end.

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Thanks for a great story!

I agree. Great story. I hope others appreciate the totality of it also, and don't nitpick it.

I have a 7.5 stainless SBH 44 in a custom western belt/holster that I OC during hunting season. I don't go out to eat in it, but to and from the woods at convenient stores and such. I get some funny looks when people see that big iron on my hip. But 99% just look and smile and give me a big thumbs up.

Thanks guys. Next time I get home, I'll have to get the old Masterpiece out again. It's been far too long.

Don't think I'll be channeling Dirty Harry, though, so much as Bill the Brakeman.

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I tried once with my Model 29. It was way too heavy to be comfortable.

I knew before then that I'm a wuss compared to Harry Callahan.

Young AND stubborn

A few decades back I was toting a model 29 6 & 1/2" model [ still have it too ].

I was new to CCW and it was THE thing to CCW a wheel gun ,as we all knew they were reliable !.

I worked on an armored truck and that was the wheel gun I carried at work,so I wore it under a vest and outside the pants.

It concealed better than I expected as it was not spotted by my friends who thought that I must be wearing a snub.

btw = I am 5'4" and weighed about 180 back then [ bit more now ] and I still don't recall the weight EVER being a factor ----- back then .

Retired LEO now and my edc CCW is a Glock 23,still like small guns ---- for BUG's.

My 629 Mountain Gun fits in most jean pockets with the back of the grip sticking out. long shirt or a coat covers that in cool weather. I don't carry it much but I can.

While I don't carry a larger gun, my friend & gun mentor does.

He carries a SSA 45 Colt, 4 3/4".

He tends to dress casual, with a nicer shirt on & then a zippered hoodie, light jacket, or jack/shirt over top.

My 629 Mountain Gun fits in most jean pockets with the back of the grip sticking out. long shirt or a coat covers that in cool weather. I don't carry it much but I can.

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Yup. A steel S&W N-Frame is exactly the gun I think of when i think "pocket carry."

(says the guy with a Ruger LCP in his pocket)

Only carry revos I have now are two inch and 4 inch. Hip pocket for the 2 " and paddle side holster for the 4" . Usually.

Yup. A steel S&W N-Frame is exactly the gun I think of when i think "pocket carry."

(says the guy with a Ruger LCP in his pocket)

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There was a member here active a few years ago who used to swear he pocket carried a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull every day. And, that he kept his hand on the grip at all times for the fastest possible draw.

In a world of outrageous claims, that one was pretty noteworthy.

6.5" Model 57 with pocket holster.

Yeah, now sit down.

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I am not a big man,...but I occasionally carry a 6 1/2 inch Ruger Blackhawk in a crossdraw holster on a good 2 1/4" rig under a baggy sweatshirt without notice. Used to have a 4" S&W 629 that I carried OWB Oona good leather belt, with the holster tucked into the right back pocket of my blue jeans. My Dad stood about 5'3",...and never weighed more than about 125. He used to carry a SSA Colt 5.5 " in a strong side high rise rig OWB under a work jacket, and was both fast AND accurate. Point is, one can usually effectively conceal a bigger handgun than you might think.

I carry a 629 or 29 with 6" barrel occasionally. I carry them either in a Bianchi x15 or my Sig Saur coat.

Great story Matt!

I used to CC my S&W 586 6" in a shoulder holster rig occaisionally (especially to & from the range.) However, I just can't get into shoulder holsters for a number of reasons. Primarilly, the draw, which I don't train for. (Even after I made a few custom ones for myself.) This is when I was 'sensitive' about CC.

Now, I just don't give a crap and OC large framed revolvers if that is what I want to carry. They are what shoot best anyway. Mostly the aforementioned 586 or a 6.5 " Blackhawk in a thumb break pancake holster that I made.

The only time I ever carry a revolver with a long barrel is sometimes in my bib overalls while working around the yard. However, a fat old guy in overalls isn't exactly in the spirit of Dirty Harry.

i carried a rossi 6" 357 magnum every single day with jeans and a tshirt until very recently when i sold it. I used to carry it at the one o'clock position with a small IWB holster designed for a smaller auto. the barrel just passes through and goes down my right pant leg a bit. never had an issue, except sitting in cars is sometimes a little unpleasant.

here in okie territory we no longer have to worry about concealing, however, so now when i carry my revolvers i usually just stick em in a OWB leather holster. Maybe toss a light jacket on if I dont want to be outright conspicuous.