Thoughts on Shoulder Holsters?

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Dorrin79

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I was wondering what the general concensus on the Shoulder Holster was around here.

I recently obtained (received as a xmas gift, actually) a Bianchi shoulder rig for my 1911.

Personally, I love it! Way more comfortable than any other carry mode I've tried, and still plenty accessible. Even better, the gun is still at hand even when seated, in the car, etc.

Obviously, one serious drawback is that you have to wear a cover garment at all times.

What are ya'lls thoughts? Anybody here use them regularly? Is there a serious problem with them I am overlooking? I think IWB is good for smaller pistols but it's quite a task to stick a 5" 1911 in my pants, personally.

:cool:
 
In my experience, those who find shoulder holsters comfortable, accessible and concealable tend to be on the rangy side with long arms. I’m just about the opposite build and find them to be impractical for me. IWB is my preferred method of carry for a 4†N frame or a 1911.
The good news is that there seem to be a bunch of good deals on used shoulder holsters.
;)
 
I've had and used a Bianchi X-15 for some while .. intermittent use I might add .. but sometimes in winter months I do use it, tho snub tends to stay put as a BUG!

p95_shorig_s.jpg


Overall I favor the front break .... it does tho creak a bit!! My build suits this type of rig .. 6'.00" and about 205 .... quite broad up top and still not too huge around waist ... thus a fairly natural space for it to live.

I do agree tho ..... not suitable for all builds ....... but the shorter guy could still maybe do OK with a horizontal rig, as long as muzzle does not print too easily at rear!
 
I don't have a lot of experience with a shoulder holster, but the little I do have was positive.
As I see it, there are two problems with the shoulder holster, both related. One as you mentioned is that you have to wear a cover gament all the time to conceal the gun. This isn't practical here in the desert and isn't really practical anywhere in the US in the summer. This brings us to point #2. For a self defense gun I think you need to take as many variables out of the equation as possible and make the process as simple as possible. One (of several) ways I do this is to always carry my gun in the same place on my body. If I need it, I don't have to remember where I put it. For me, that is on or near my right hip. If I am openly carrying I have the gun on my belt on my right hip. If I am carrying IWB I have the gun just behind my right hip and if I am using a pocket holster I carry in my right rear pocket. I drop my strong hand down to my stong side and there is a gun there. With a shoulder holster I would have a winter carry and summer carry involving opposite sides of my body. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't remove my cover garment in a lot of places if I got too warm.
The one place I did use a shoulder holster was while hunting a couple years ago. It was very comfortable, didn't bottom out on the seat of my truck, didn't bottom out when I sat on rocks or the ground, it was protected from the weather........................... I wasn't going to need to make any fast draws with my handgun, so having to unzip my coat to draw the gun was no big deal.
I would love to be able to use a shoulder holster. It seems like the best place to carry a gun in many ways. But it doesn't suit my lifestyle or my climate.
 
And that's different from a hip holster.... how?

Because with a hip holster, especially an IWB, the cover gament is usually just an untucked shirt. With a shoulder holster it would have to be some kind of coat or additional shirt over top of the regular shirt. When it is 110 degrees here, I am not going to be wearing two shirts or a coat . I can however wear a T-Shirt with an IWB holster completely concealed. True, if we want to pick nits, it is a cover garment so I should say that you don't have to wear an ADDITIONAL cover garment.
 
An IWB is NOT a hip holster, is an inside the waistband holster, which is a different animal entirely.

Granted, a hip or IWB can be concealed with an untucked shirt, but that method of dress looks pretty stupid when you're wearing a button down and a tie. :)

One of my neighbors routinely carries a Walther PPK in a hip holster with an untucked T-shirt. As I've pointed out to him numerous times, he's not really carrying concealed because about 75 percent of the time he's either printing badly or the bottom of the holster is peeking out from underneath his shirt.

What this really comes down to is the simple fact that no single holster is perfect for every person in every situation at all times.
 
:confused:
Ok, I call a hip holster, any holster carried on my hip. Hip being the operative word whether it is hung from the belt inside my pants or outside my pants.

"but that method of dress looks pretty stupid when you're wearing a button down and a tie."

I guess I will never find that out since I haven't worn a tie for years other than my Class A uniform for a funeral.
 
I have worn my shoulder holster under just a button down shirt. It does not require a jacket.

But I do wear a t-shirt under it for comfort, so I guess it still qualifies as a "cover garment" compared to "just a t-shirt".
 
I've always been intrigued by shoulder rigs because of the cool factor. All those cop shows growing up must have made an impression on me.

The only problem I have, and this is with carrying in general, is that I sweat copiously and covering a weapon is extremely difficult. Even in the freezing winters down here, I can puddle up real quick. How, then, do I cover any rig when I have to strip down for thermal regulation?

I like them a bunch, but can't figure out how to work one. I'm looking for a solution, standby.....
 
one other thing nobody else has mentioned. everytime you draw your weapon, you are crossing your opposite arm with a loaded gun!!! can you say ".45hp in the elbow??? OUCH
 
I use a Galco Miami Special for my Glocks model 17 and 22. I am short and fat. I love shoulder rigs.

Ocassionally, I will carry my Sig P-239 in a Galco Summer Special IWB "cowboy" style (on the belt) holster, but that requires a jacket or vest that hangs down low. I refuse to wear an untucked, or unbottoned shirt. I guess that what I'm saying is that no one holster is best in all situations, but I perfer the shoulder rig 90- percent of the time.

For several years, I carried a Ruger Security Six, .357 Mag. with 6 inch barrel in an old shoulder rig with no maker's identification that I got used for $5 at a gunshow. It worked just fine.

Unless wearing a suit or sport coat, I have trouble concealing a weapon in a cowboy holster.
 
I use a Miami Classic to carry my StarPD for 12 hour shifts in my taxi. I'm right handed but use a left hand rig so I won't have to turn with my hand in the wrong position in case of BG in back seat. In summer I wear an untucked/unbuttoned shirt over the rig with a tee shirt under. Have no trouble with comfort when wearing, but it sure feels good to get rid of that extra weight at the end of the night.
 
No one seems to have touched on the issue of having the gun carried horizontaly, if that is the case with your particular shoulder holster.
Do you consider it a big issue or an issue at all?
 
Bainx: non-issue.

I have the Galco SS2 for my USP .45c and have been very happy with it. Of course, around here I can use it 6 months (or more) out of the year. For me, horizontal carry works better than vertical carry because I have a short span between my armpit and waist. Everyone is built different, so its nice to have options. I don't think I've ever carryied in the shoulder rig during the summer time.
 
Anybody else have an issue with extended SH wear causing an achy neck/shoulders? I find I tend to go around more tensed up with a SH than with any of the belt-level rigs. Maybe I wear it too tight...

TC
TFL Survivor
 
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