OWB carry holster for 4" .357 (eg GP100)?

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Warp

Warp

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I am almost surely going to pick up a 4" Ruger GP100 for my birthday next month. For now I am interested in an outside the waistband holster for openly (sometimes concealed, under heavy clothing) carrying said revolver. Right now I am looking at this http://www.opticsplanet.net/bianchi-7-shadow-ii-holster-plain-black-right-hand-18624.html

Good idea? Anything better you can tell me about? Requirements: Active retention device, leather, fits 1.75" belt. Preference: Covers the trigger guard at least as far as the trigger

Some background: I have been carrying open/concealed since 2005. My other preferred carry holsters are the comp tac M-TAC and C-TAC for IWB (always wanted to try a versa max II as well), the Galco Cop 3 slot for OWB carry, and a galco ankle glove or a pocket holster for my little 642
 
Go for it.. looks good.

I've been carrying my 4" 686 for the past month in a DeSantis pancake that basically looks the same. Shorts and T-shirt. Don't think mine will fit a 1.75" belt and is only for strong side use (2 belt slots).

I like pancakes, they're very comfortable for me yet hold guns in closely. I stick about an inch of the holster/muzzle down my back pocket. Depending upon positioning of my beltloops I sometimes thread my belt through the holster opposite of normal and make it IWB (Inside Waist Belt).
 
I got mine from "Simply Rugged". Great holsters. It's an open-top pancake holster, with no retaining strap called "Sourdough Pancake". It's tight enough not to need the strap. You can put the gun in it & turn the holster over. The Ruger GP100 stays in. Been using it for 4 or 5 years.
 
I used the GP-100 blue gun to make this one....the cartridge loops were added after the initial build...the guy hunts black bear, I think......
Misc152.jpg

Someone else saw it, and asked me to make him this one....
IMAG0199.jpg

IMAG0206.jpg
 
Those look pretty nice. Good job. Too bad there's no retention device though
 
"Those look pretty nice. Good job. Too bad there's no retention device though"

Thanks....they didn't want them, didn't need them...there's a lot of leather and gravity.;)
 
Warp,

I just received a holster like the one you're looking at, only for a Ruger SP 101, the Shadow 2. My SP 101 is 3" barrel, I love it! It has the retention strap, holds it very securely in place. It sits high on the hip, holds grips tight against the small of the back. I think you'll enjoy it if you decide to buy.
 
Warp,

I just received a holster like the one you're looking at, only for a Ruger SP 101, the Shadow 2. My SP 101 is 3" barrel, I love it! It has the retention strap, holds it very securely in place. It sits high on the hip, holds grips tight against the small of the back. I think you'll enjoy it if you decide to buy.
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Awesome! Thanks for the input
 
Warp wrote,
Those look pretty nice. Good job. Too bad there's no retention device though
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rayban wrote,
Thanks....they didn't want them, didn't need them...there's a lot of leather and gravity.
Click to expand...
I am always intrigued by the requests for retention devices. Then you read a post from somebody looking for tips on how to break in a new holster. It is so tight they are giving themselves a "weggie" trying to draw from the holster.

My guess is the retention device requesters have not owned a good leather holster.
 
I am always intrigued by the requests for retention devices. Then you read a post from somebody looking for tips on how to break in a new holster. It is so tight they are giving themselves a "weggie" trying to draw from the holster.

My guess is the retention device requesters have not owned a good leather holster.
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My guess is that the people who think openly carrying a pistol without a retention device is a good idea haven't done force on force training where another person tries to relieve you of your weapon. Hint: A tight holster doesn't do much to stop another guy from yanking your gun out of your holster.

I realize that your location is listed as Florida which means, unfortunately, you probably have zero (or next to zero) experience with carrying openly. However, please note that in much of the country we have that ability and that in my original post I specifically stated that the primary purpose of this holster will be to carry openly. ;)
 
My guess is that the people who think openly carrying a pistol without a retention device is a good idea
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Excellent point, and something I did overlook in your original post. I stand corrected.
 
My guess is that the people who think openly carrying a pistol without a retention device is a good idea haven't done force on force training where another person tries to relieve you of your weapon.
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Actually, I have...and I have had good duty holsters ripped apart at the seams, too. Back in the day when I wore clarino and carried a 5906 we trained and intentionally ripped holsters to show that even retention is only so good.
 
Actually, I have...and I have had good duty holsters ripped apart at the seams, too. Back in the day when I wore clarino and carried a 5906 we trained and intentionally ripped holsters to show that even retention is only so good.
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hmm. Can't say that I have seen that before. We were using Safariland holsters and they held together.

But still, ripping a quality holster apart is surely going to be more difficult than removing a firearm from an open top holster with friction as the only retention.
 
The holsters we were ripping were G&G. A man could grab the weapon by the grip and yank it either forward or two the side and tear the holster with one or two forcefull jerks....BUT I agree with you. Any retention is better than no retention if someone is trying to disarm you.
 
I don't put retention devices on any of the holsters I make, but then, I rarely open carry. Usually only when hunting, etc...the other hunters & hikers I encounter aren't usually trying to relieve me of my sidearm. A good, tightly molded leather holster seems best without having to fumble with snaps etc, on the draw. Yes, I practiced retention drills on active duty, but if the weapon is concealed, a retention device seems unecessary, unless you are doing some sort of extreme outdoor activity. Also, LEOs have a requirement to manually subdue & arrest opponents (necessitating a retention device on the holster), where the average civilian has a duty to retreat in a defensive situation. In all, it is a balancing act between draw speed, manual dexterity, retention etc... I wouldn't use a retention device - but that doesn't make it unecessary for some applications or based on personal preference.
 
Bianchi makes some great belt holsters... I have a couple of them. Even their "Accumold' line was a VERY good holster.

Rayban's stuff is very cool but still looks like a concealment rig.. I'm sure it's comfy on a regular belt--but not as suited to a 'gunbelt' style of carry.
 
I don't put retention devices on any of the holsters I make, but then, I rarely open carry. Usually only when hunting, etc...the other hunters & hikers I encounter aren't usually trying to relieve me of my sidearm. A good, tightly molded leather holster seems best without having to fumble with snaps etc, on the draw. Yes, I practiced retention drills on active duty, but if the weapon is concealed, a retention device seems unecessary, unless you are doing some sort of extreme outdoor activity. Also, LEOs have a requirement to manually subdue & arrest opponents (necessitating a retention device on the holster), where the average civilian has a duty to retreat in a defensive situation. In all, it is a balancing act between draw speed, manual dexterity, retention etc... I wouldn't use a retention device - but that doesn't make it unecessary for some applications or based on personal preference.
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Depends on the state.

But you do have a point. LEOs must go hands on with criminals. Then again if I was a LEO I wouldn't have a single retention device, like a thumbstrap, on my duty holster but rather a holster with multiple levels of retention...preferably with a hood guard as well.
 
Bianchi makes some great belt holsters... I have a couple of them. Even their "Accumold' line was a VERY good holster.

Rayban's stuff is very cool but still looks like a concealment rig.. I'm sure it's comfy on a regular belt--but not as suited to a 'gunbelt' style of carry.
Click to expand...

Good to know. The only product of theirs that I have or have used, to my knowledge, is speed strips.
 
Look at the Bianchi 7/7L MED. FRAME 4" REV. I carry my S&W 681 concealed in a tan right-hand unlined (Bianchi 7) on a 5.11 Double Duty TDU 1.75 inch reversible belt. It has an extra belt slot so you can carry strong side (FBI cant) or crossdraw. The only retention device is a thumb-break.

ECS
 
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