Ever Carry a Ridiculously Large Pistol?

I think at some early point in the lives of most gunners, we try to do something really, really stupid. In the 70s, there were things that I did that, by all rights, I should have been arrested for... at the very least. :p

These days, when I see a post about someone who's "common sense filter" is not yet fully matured, I try and remember what it was like to be young, ignorant and loaded with an excess of testosterone.

Cheers,
C
 
I carry a 7.5" 44 Mag camping. It's not anything that I have or ever would carry in the city, but with the expensive cross-chest holster, it works and is comfortable.

I want to get a similar holster for my newish RBH. This one will carry the gun lower than the one I have now. It is the Doc Holliday holster and 185 bucks, ouch.

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I carry a 4" S&W K-Frame regularly. Depending on holster and clothing, it's not as hard as most people seem to think.

I expect Jim March to chime in any moment on his carry choices :)
 
I've carried a 7 1/2" Super Blakhawk back in the 80's, also carried a Colt SAA Buntline Special, with 12" barrel. With the Buntline, I just used the same holster I carried my 4 3/4" gun in, the barrel stuck out a long ways though. Carried cross draw, neither are unmanagable, however, over time, I've become more interested in shorter guns overall, most of the longer ones have been cut down or traded off. I mostly carry a 4" 29, or a 4 5/8" Ruger SA. Both seem fine in a good belt rig. I've carried them all day, days/weeks/months on end without any problem. The longer barrels are a real nuisance getting in and out of vehicles, and just living with regularly.
 
In my younger and slimmer days I carried this modified S&W 28 which is a 44 special 3 inch every day, all day in a DeSantis scabbard with a thumb break.
Nowadays I’m just happy to be able to carry my belly much less an N frame smith. Now it’s a Glock 26 but I still have enough room that it’s in the pants.
 
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Twice in my earlier years I carried my only handgun (at the time) concealed.

For about 4 months a 7.5" Ruger SBH in .44mag (full of .44spl 200gr GDHPs)...

...and for about a week, an 1851 Colt Navy reproduction.

The Ruger saved my life (though it wasn't carried concealed at that moment), partly I think due to the impressive gout of flame from a +P magnum load fired into a wheat field from a rural road at night :) It caused 4 men with bats to decide to be elsewhere...fast.

The Navy Colt was never pressed into use, but 6 rounds would have beat the heck outta no rounds. :D
 
oh geez! I saw a guy at the gun show the other weekend at a leatherworker's booth looking for a concealed holster for his gold (with etched tiger stripes) D-Eagle .50!!!

I couldn't believe he was asking for "something I can carry with"

:eek:
 
I see that many of us have had the luck to grow up... and learn from the experience! My own leg iron is a 5.5 Redhawk.. not that large but with some speed-loaders and a suitable knife, a real pants-dragging rig. And a .44 carbine to top it off... a really unneeded accessory.
 
Tried a Desert Eagle one time on a quick trip to the store. It wasn't so much the size & weight, nor lack of ability to conceal it. No, rather it was the knowledge that the only thing slower to get into action would be an empty flintlock! :eek:
 
Had a buddy who tried a dan wesson model 12 6 inch for about 5 mins after he was determined to prove me wrong on it being a poor carry choice. i carry a SA 1911a1 loaded circa 1980s in a dan wesson iwb holster. id prefer a commander to be honest.....
 
Depends on what you call ridiculous, This has been carried a lot in the woods and on the range and I don't consider it ridiculous even with the 7 1/2" barrel.

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On the other hand 7 1/2 pounds of Colt Walker on my hip is a real load and I have two of them. More than a few minutes at a time and my old back and knees start to snarl and let me know that this is a really bad idea.

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I carried a DE in 50AE on an errand once. It was winter and I wore a ski jacket so concealment wasn't the difficult part. It was just heavy. It constantly reminded me it was there...
 
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