Anyone here use Shoulder Holsters?

[tank_monkey]

I've never thought about it, but recently I noticed a buddy of mine who was a detective for the SO had a hip holster under his suit coat. I asked around and everyone I know who is plain clothes uses a hip holster and not a shoulder holster. I've tried wearing and drawing from a shoulder holster before and it sucks. Regardless of how tight you adjust the snaps and stays, the holster STILL hangs up when you try to draw the gun quickly. I guess a shoulder rig is not for a quick access but for concealment under jackets or overcoats?

Anyone here use or is a fan of shoulder rigs?

[dfariswheel]

One of the few TV shows I watch is "The First 48" on A&E which follows real homicide cops during an investigation.
A good number of them wear shoulder holsters. These are from many cities so apparently shoulder holsters aren't as dead among cops as thought.

I have used shoulders holsters on occasion for many years.
Now days I usually carry in a fanny pack or cross draw holster.
But, early this year I built another refinement of my own design horizontal shoulder holster.
This is a refinement of the old Stein Holster Company "Snatch" holster from the 60's.

The Stein "Snatch" name came from the pull-through safety strap. To draw, you simply grab the gun and pull, and it pops out of the holster.
Of the various shoulder holster designs I've made over the years, this type is the fastest.
Unlike vertical shoulder holsters, a properly designed horizontal shoulder holster allows getting a full shooting grip on the gun before it's started out of the leather because the gun butt is completely exposed with no leather over it.
All vertical shoulder holsters either have leather over the gun butt requiring pulling the gun out part way, then shifting the grip to draw
or allow the gun butt to stick out badly, compromising concealment.

With the horizontal holsters with the strap going over the butt, the gun is held close to the body and conceals better, but since you can only get a couple of fingers on the but and have to shift the grip to get a shooting grip, that "juggling" can easily cause fumbling the draw or even dropping the gun under stress.

The various "Miami Vice" horizontal holsters are much faster, and as long as it's properly adjusted you don't get as much printing through the back of the jacket as you might think.
Most of these use standard thumb breaks to help retain the gun, but I prefer the pull through for the speed. The pull through plus the close molding retains the gun very well.

I wish I had access to Kydex many years ago when I was still doing a lot of building, because I always thought that a plastic holster that formed it's own retention spring would have been a perfect solution to the usual springs used to retain the gun.
Of the vertical holsters with springs, the old "Dirty Harry" design with the curved wire spring was by far the best.

Of the horizontal shoulder holsters, the best I ever used is the old Hardy-Jeff Cooper design.
This rides close to the body without the butt sticking out and no leather over the gun butt because the pants belt passes through the bottom of the holster itself instead of the usual strap on the back and pulls the butt in against the side.
The Hardy-Cooper is still made by Nevada Gun Leather.
I've made versions of this using a Galco type harness and a "Dirty Harry" curved wire spring.

http://www.nevadagunleather.com/Spri...olster-156.htm

For harnesses, I think the Galco designs are the best. All 4 straps join in the back in a flexible attachment that allows the harness to form to the body better then the old one-piece figure-8 or the type that has a wide strap going over the shoulder and a narrow elastic. leather, or canvas strap going around the other shoulder.
The Galco type works the best because by loosening or tightening the front and rear harness straps you can shift the attachment point down between your shoulder blades instead of the usual right in the middle of your neck.
This is more comfortable and conceals better.

Here's my latest take on the Stein Snatch Holster:



When I wear a cross draw I use my design of a "reversed seam" holster for my S&W Model 66 or Kahr Arms K9.
These conceal very well and are extremely fast.
The forward seam forms it's own sight track.
If I clasp my hands in front, my gun hand is literally ON the gun. All I have to do is lift the shirt tail with the off hand and draw.
This is the fastest draw from a waist holster there is other then the strong side appendix carry.

Most of the time these days I carry my Kahr Arms K9 in a Blackhawk Urban Carry fanny pack. It is also very fast, and where I live a lot of people wear packs so it doesn't necessarily scream "GUN".

S&W Model 66 Combat Magnum cross draw.


Kahr K9 cross draw.



Blackhawk Urban Carry. Also known as the "5-5-10" because you can draw and fire 5 shots in 5 seconds at 10 yards.
I built an internal Kydex holster to position the gun and protect the magazine catch from accidentally being depressed, allowing the mag to come out part way.

[Ruskiegunlover]

I use a miami classic, both a verticle and horizontal for my berettas and sigs. I drive frequently out of state. Nothing better on road trips then a shoulder rig. In winter I use them more often for running around town with a coat on.

[l921428x]

I use one often.

[Justin]

I use a shoulder holster for my .357 magnum during the cold months. But in addition to that, I always keep a .38 snub nose in my pocket just in case I need to do a quick draw. I feel that everyone who carries should always have a backup gun.