Pistol Carry While Backpacking: Behind the Head?

[barnbwt]

I've been gathering what I need to start carrying my .357 mag when I'm out on the trail. I do a good deal of solo hiking, so it makes since to me to have something as useful as a sidearm along for the ride. I chose the S&W TRR8 based on capacity (8 x .357), it's light weight, and impeccible quality. I managed to find a holster that can accomodate a 5" N-frame with a barrel shroud, in the Bianchi X15. I'll be making some moonclip holders shortly to carry two sets of reloads.

Now I need to work on putting it all together. The shoulder holster setup is decently comfortable with my pack (believe it or not), and does a pretty effective job at concealment if I'm wearing even a light cover garment. However, there is an unforeseen blunder in my setup; with the pack loaded down to +50lbs and straps cinched properly, I can't reach across my chest to access the holster easily ! I've never really bothered to pay attention to it, but a pack restricts movement across the body pretty severly. So, I've been looking into alternative holster locations.

My criteria were in this order:
Unobtrusiveness (paramount)
Accessibility (needs to be pack mounted, I'll have a separate holster for dismounted use)
Concealment (of a 5" full grip N-frame)
Protection (least important, but necessary condition)

No. 1 rules out waist and back mounted holsters (IWB especially)
No. 2 rules out pockets (and apparently, cross-draw shoulder holsters)
No. 3 rules out drop leg and chest holster (it's also really hot in Texas)
No. 4 and 3 rule out holsters that leave much of the gun exposed in a bucket-like holster ("quick-draw" shoulder holster)

These criteria pretty much eliminated every carry solution I've thought of, save one. Behind the head carry. I realized my pack has a ~1'x1' flat panel behind the head and shoulders that has plenty of clearance from my head, and I can reach back much more easily than across. I'd basically mount a holster pointing the barrel sideways with the handle up, and draw horizontally. For concealment, I'd just need to drape something off the pack over the holster.

Has anyone tried this and found it satisfactory? Are they any other solutions ya'll have found successful for heavy backpacking?

TCB

 

[mokin]

What type of pack are you using? I faced a similar situation and found a pouch that resembles a camera bag that I could mount on the waist belt of my pack. I rigged it cross draw and kept extra magazines in the pouch as well.

 

[armoredman]

Fanny pack or SafePacker rigs.

 

[06]

Seems a reasonable place and would center the weight. I carry mine on my waist strap in a cross draw. Easily accessible and easily concealed with a shirt draped off the shoulder strap. Looks crappy but hopefully makes "smokey" happy.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Downside? If you have to quickly dump your pack, you shed your gun.

 

[leadcounsel]

I would never carry a gun over my spine, and especially over my neck. A bad fall could paralyze you.

Get a concealable chest rig.

 

[Hunter125]

I would find an appropriately sized pouch and attach it to your shoulder straps or pack belt. You could keep other things like maps in it as well in case someone asks about it. I wouldn't think any kind of pouch would be intrusive while backpacking.

 

[rcmodel]

We used to 100-mile tape a fighting knife to a pack strap.

But as said, you lose the pack, you lose the knife or gun.

Your best bet is a chest carry shoulder holster something like this.
http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/Chest_Holsters.php

rc

 

[rcmodel]

We used to 100-mile tape a knife or holster to our pack straps in the Army.
But as already said, if you have to drop the pack in a fight, you lose the gun or knife with it.

Your best bet is something like this.
http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/Chest_Holsters.php

No, it won't be comfortable, but nobody ever said carrying a gun and a heavy pack is going to be comfortable.

rc

 

[Texan Scott]

Behind the head carry

I did something like this a long time ago.... came in real handy while defeating terrorists in an office highrise. Bruce Willis made a movie about it. Of course, all that 100-mile-an-hour tape removes a lot of body hair. That'll make you shout 'yippee ki-yay' plus a few more words after that.
Try a cross-the-chest rig under a windbreaker, instead.

 

[gazpacho]

Wilderness Safepacker

It would be easy to rig it for low torso carry, such that if you have to ditch your pack, you would still have your gun. It is very versatile, and rugged.

Your hatchet or machette should be in the behind the head carry position.

 

[tarosean]

Sew a holster to the pack...

I did this with my hunting pistol, because it has a 10.5" barrel and was a pain to holster on my hip.

 

[freedom475]

The chest holster is the very best way to carry a pistol with a backpack. It just becomes part of you.

No thanks on attaching my gun to my pack....any time you drop your pack you will be without your gun. You can spend $100's on fancy Mojo's and calls, but anyone that duck hunts know the best duck call in the world is to move to the edge of the blind and pull your pants down to pee....Works everytime! So when answering natures call in bear/lion/wolf country you sure don't want your gun to come off with your pack.

It is well known that if somthing big and hairy with teeth grabs you or is chasing you, you can usually drop your pack and it will chew on the pack for a few minutes until it figures out that you are not part of it...

The chest holster does not conceal too well in hot weather, but it is still the best option for the backpacker. Here is my 7X Leather chest holster carring an X-frame, 500 magnum.

 

[barnbwt]

Thanks for the responses, guys. You really do get more attention since the Holster forum was un-banished from inside the Handgun forum . I still haven't heard from anyone who's tried to carry this way...

Most of the ideas are workable, but would be a headache on longer hikes. I've tried waist band, and my arms clank against the butt on every stride (5" N frame), and it hangs up on everything. As far as chest holsters, no concealment possible in our ++100F Texan summers, and it would have to ride under my sternum strap *ow*. Fanny packs are difficult to wear with a waist belt on, and don't afford fast access to the firearm. I know carry is more important than comfort, but why not try for both if it's possible?

Here's a picture (not me, this guy looks way more serious than me) of this pack, and I've boxed the area where I'd like to stow the piece.

Shameless plug because I love the pack, buy here: http://www.rei.com/product/795524/rei-xt-85-pack

Though he has the top lid slid forward, on mine there is a good sized area behind the head. As you can see, there is no "fall danger" in placing a gun there (especially since my GPS and other hard objects are in that top cavity anyway). I'd just have a holster sewn/strapped to the pack, with a loose cover cloth "pocket" laid over it. Has anyone ever seen or tried a carry style like this (maybe in a car)? There's no harm in me trying it, so I'll get pics of the setup when I have a chance to play with it.

Yes, I'd lose the revolver if I dump the pack, but it's also more accessible than just about any other solution (except chest). I'm far less concerned about being jumped by a mountain lion than I am about muggers (and to a lesser extent, hogs) and idiots who think I'm on "their" land. It would also be nice to be able to thru-hike through towns (where you would actually get mugged) and still be suitably armed. As I said, I'll be sure to have a means for carry when the pack is removed. I'd also have a hard time sweating all over the gun with it back there

At any rate, I've tried "dump" the pack as practice for emergencies, and it isn't easy; I have a very snug waist strap with a heavy buckle, and a sternum strap to go through first. It would be far faster to reach for the gun and shoot back than it would be to dismount, summersault away, draw, turn and shoot. I've decided that practicing agility and fall prevention while wearing the pack is more practical than "emergency separation." Hiking with the pack is like walking around inside a giant fat kid; you won't be doing anything gracefully.

Your hatchet or machette should be in the behind the head carry position.

My 11" kukri (hatchet and a machete: see I am an ultra-lighter ) is in a kydex tilt-out sheath above/behind my right shoulder on the side of my pack. A quick reach back and
"AYO GHURKALI!!"

TCB

 

[BigWoolyBanjo]

Dude, get a SafePacker. It will attach to the wide waist strap of your backpack. You can position it where you would normally carry a hip holster, for an easy draw. And it will hold at least one speed loader. You won't be sorry and no one will know what it is. Hidden in plain sight. Good luck!

 

[BSA1]

My criteria were in this order:
Unobtrusiveness (paramount)
Accessibility (needs to be pack mounted, I'll have a separate holster for dismounted use)
Concealment (of a 5" full grip N-frame)

I don't understand your criteria. Why does your gun have to be unobtrusive and concealed?

 

[leadcounsel]

I second the safepacker idea.

 

[barnbwt]

I don't understand your criteria. Why does your gun have to be unobtrusive and concealed? [/QUOTE=BSA1]

Unobtrusive because I'll be wearing it 10+ hours a day while carrying a heavy pack. Anything rubbing or digging into me will cause saddle sores , and leather-on skin tends to not be the most hygenic thing in the world after a couple days.

Concealed because it's common to hike through populated and even urban areas on a long distance through-hike to resupply and chat with humans for a change. Texas doesn't allow any open carry outside of "sporting" purposes (gunrange, hunting, etc.) and many city-folk and cops would give me a hard time for open-carry regardless of legality.

It's also not a great idea to leave the pack somewhere while doing business in town, so I keep the pack on my person. However, I'd still like to have access to the gun if needed (as opposed to just sticking in a zippered pocket).

TCB

 

[PocketRocket]

It seems that you thought about it quite a bit and I think you pretty much decided on it. I don’t mean that in a negative way because sometimes this is a good way to see if there were any considerations that you may have missed.

So, why don’t you go with your idea (It seems workable to me) and wring it out in some reasonable scenarios and report back here with some perceptions and photos. I, for one, would be very interested.

 

[Dnaltrop]

http://www.tedblockerholsters.com/product.cfm?pi=61DF291A-9F02-221F-098214F6A8820FEF

The Mountaineer chest rig.

 

[CWL]

I don't like the idea simply because you will need to do a 270 degree sweep every time you need to draw it.

 

[lobo9er]

this works pretty good if you can open carry for hunting. It might conceal easier than the chest rig
Pistol Packaging - Bandito. I have one for a Desert Eagle.
Easy on and off its made like a bandolier. The chest rigs look pretty secure though. The Bandito can move around some. Looking forward to testing it out on white tail drives this fall.

 

[1KPerDay]

this works pretty good if you can open carry.

Texas doesn't allow any open carry outside of "sporting" purposes (gunrange, hunting, etc.) and many city-folk and cops would give me a hard time for open-carry regardless of legality.

.......

 

[Cosmoline]

It's an interesting idea. But I don't think anyone has tried it. I'd suggest sewing a little pistol pocket right there on the backpack and giving it a try with an unloaded piece.

 

[barnbwt]

I don't like the idea simply because you will need to do a 270 degree sweep every time you need to draw it.

That's a good point... hmmm... If my first move is to tilt the barrel up after drawing it out to my right:

1)90deg sweep from left to up
2)90deg sweep from up to front/right hand side.

That's more barrel-fling than most holsters, to be true, but I'm only expecting to use this in the backwoods. It's probably slower than a chest-rig, especially for shooting to the left, but I'd have to try it out to see if that's a big deal (my sight acquisition speed is by far the limiting factor ).

Hopefully I'll be trying this out in a few weeks, I've got the pack cover all finished, just need to mount webbing tie-on points to attach the holster and keep everything secure:



It'll go right there above the rain "bib"

TCB