.22 mag H&R revolver shoulder holster

[industromatic]

I am thinking of getting or making a shoulder holster for open carry in TX NM AZ UT CO when hiking or bike packing in the desert. Does a holster like that work well with the gun at a slant, not vertical or horizontal? Is vertical the best way to keep the gun from flopping around as you move? I'd have a pack on my back in all cases. My H&R has a 6" barrel.

 

[jeepnik]

Simply Rugged has models for the 999. Add the Chesty Puller rig and you have a good chest carry system.
https://www.simplyrugged.com/

 

[ExtremeSquared]

May seem odd, but I often use a m7/m9 when biking in the wilderness. Holds pretty much anything as long as you can draw without the front sight getting hung up. You can shift the position a bit while it's on. Hasn't been a problem on half-day sweaty 50+ mile rides. I'm sure you'd want to replace that clunky hardware with chicago screws if you have a backpack on.

Be careful, m7/m9 holsters do vary in quality depending on source. Try to get US "surplus" and not a knockoff.

 

[bannockburn]

ExtremeSquared

May seem odd, but I often use a m7/m9 when biking in the wilderness. Holds pretty much anything as long as you can draw without the front sight getting hung up.

In the cooler/colder weather months I occasionally used my M9 shoulder holster under my field jacket, to carry whatever full size semi-auto I had at the time. Worked really well and was very comfortable to use.

 

[industromatic]

I often use a m7/m9 when biking in the wilderness.

One of those govt spec holsters for right handed seems like a good quality starting point for me, thanks. When you say to replace clunky hardware I am thinking the buckles can be adjusted and fitted to me, then take them off and use a chicago screw to hold the same place as the buckle. The lift-the-dot snap looks like a good keeper.

 

[WestKentucky]

I had... maybe still have... an Iraq war bring back holster for an unknown pistol. It was found in a rental house I cleaned out for a old coworker along with detailed maps and some other stuff. That holster was a vertical shoulder holster with a strap that went across the back and had a chest strap. Seems somewhat reminiscent of what a pilot or tank commander might wear as they would be armed but minimally and would be able to move inside of a small space. That seems about ideal for what you are asking about. I wish I knew for sure what happened to it. It was a taco design with a spring loaded taco shell that gripped the gun securely but also let it pop out either to the front or down with a quick motion. It was too small for my m9 but it worked OK for medium sized pistols like a Makarov.

 

[ExtremeSquared]

The bonus to cheap unfitted leather vs. fitted is that you can absolutely saturate it with sweat, and just lexol/oil/wax it occasionally and not feel too bad about it. Shoulder holsters are great for outdoor activities, and both of my leather holsters have been saturated to the point that they may as well have been sitting in the ocean. It's not ideal leather care, but I've been given no compelling reason to move to nylon either.

 

[industromatic]

Shopping is one source at $50+ship for m7/m9 surplus holsters. Is there a sewing pattern for them out there? The knock-offs are obviously not true to pattern at the trigger guard slot -- they move it all over relative to the stitching. And the leather is thin even in the GI version. I might take some old-good thick leather from my dad's trunk and make a holster, but that would be way off. I might just buy one of the m7 surplus holsters from charlies/armynavysurplus soon, and use it some before wanting to do a custom sewing job. I'm not too concerned with the finish on the H&R 676 -- it is just going to be a tool on a tool belt. The ejector on that gun has a square front edge I'm thinking of rounding off with a grinder anyway, so no finish there...