While at an estate sale I found a brand new Bianchi suede shoulder holster. Looked kinda small but for $10 I figured I would pick it up to see if any of my little autos would fit. My Walther PP fit perfectly. Now, I never even for a second considered a shoulder holster before that so I gave it a try around the house and yard. It fit well, held the gun securely, and I could draw with no problems. I now use it in the fall and spring with a light jacket. I doubt I'll ever get another but it is a good little rig. I keep a spare mag on my belt in an old snap shut knife pouch.
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Shoulder holster opinions
- Thread starter NateKirk
- Start date
MI's & agt's posts are chock full of goodness. I'l try not to repeat.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6395354&postcount=15
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6397583&postcount=25
I own a Galco Miami Classic II for my 1911s (GM carried most) and a Galco VHS for my 4" bbl S&W 629. And a M9 tanker holster for my GM 1911. MCII is a horizontal shoulder holster. VHS, is a vertical shoulder holster. M9 is more a chest holster.
Relative to belt holsters, SHs are slower, less comfy, good ones are less common, and more difficult to adjust to using. And you can't use them in IDPA.
That said, I own and use them when they are the best solution.
The Galcos are of good, not great quality. The M9 Tanker is of mediocre quality, but the design is solid. Were I to use the M9 more often, I would invest in one made by El Paso Saddlery. If a SH were my primary, rather than a secondary carry method for me, I would invest in a top of the line SH, not a Galco.
With a SH adjustment is king. And small adjustments make a big difference. Take the time to get it right. Then you'll wear it and find it is not right. Repeat until it is wear-able all day with comfort.
SH are the hottest, nastiest dadgum way to pack heat in the heat and humidity. No way I would wear one in Miami year round, that would be a near-constant heat rash. Same thing out in the woods if it is hot.
That said, I can get away with only a Dickies work shirt as a cover garment. Decently heavy material and dark colors help. Still too hot for summer carry south of the M-D line. Get it a size or two larger and keep it unbuttoned. One step up in cover garment weight is a sport coat or a denim jacket.
The longer the barrel, the more attractive is vertical carry relative to a horizontal carry. Prime example is a 4" N-frame S&W. Suckers are heavy and harder to pack on a belt than a GM 1911. I am big enough to conceal a GM 1911 in a horizontal holster. Not everyone has the bulk to manage that.
No matter what you see in Hollywierd, do not dual-carry Deagles in a SH for the love of Pete.
The M9 Tanker holster is tops for physical activity, as it is out of the way.
Belt stays/loops/thingys are a nice option to keep a SH from flopping about while upright and prevent the gun & ammo from flopping forward as much if you bend forward and don't use your legs as you ought.
I have seen two main styles of wear, which pertain most to horizontal SH. First is high & up tight against the pits. The second is slung lower. H&UT is a bit more concealable and not as floppy (when upright or bent over). Lower can be more comfy and less chafe-y. H&UT is harder to put on.
If you lift or are prone to weight gain & loss, a SH will be a grand PITA. Because it will require adjustment with any significant gain or loss. I have not worn SHs for stretches due to this as I cycle through the year and as my workouts trend between cardio and moving iron.
SH are better than strong side belt holsters for driving, but still not terrific or as good as a driving-particular holster.
An ill-adjusted SH may lead to the strap folding back on itself. Attend to poor adjustment PDQ.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6395354&postcount=15
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6397583&postcount=25
I own a Galco Miami Classic II for my 1911s (GM carried most) and a Galco VHS for my 4" bbl S&W 629. And a M9 tanker holster for my GM 1911. MCII is a horizontal shoulder holster. VHS, is a vertical shoulder holster. M9 is more a chest holster.
Relative to belt holsters, SHs are slower, less comfy, good ones are less common, and more difficult to adjust to using. And you can't use them in IDPA.
That said, I own and use them when they are the best solution.
The Galcos are of good, not great quality. The M9 Tanker is of mediocre quality, but the design is solid. Were I to use the M9 more often, I would invest in one made by El Paso Saddlery. If a SH were my primary, rather than a secondary carry method for me, I would invest in a top of the line SH, not a Galco.
With a SH adjustment is king. And small adjustments make a big difference. Take the time to get it right. Then you'll wear it and find it is not right. Repeat until it is wear-able all day with comfort.
SH are the hottest, nastiest dadgum way to pack heat in the heat and humidity. No way I would wear one in Miami year round, that would be a near-constant heat rash. Same thing out in the woods if it is hot.
That said, I can get away with only a Dickies work shirt as a cover garment. Decently heavy material and dark colors help. Still too hot for summer carry south of the M-D line. Get it a size or two larger and keep it unbuttoned. One step up in cover garment weight is a sport coat or a denim jacket.
The longer the barrel, the more attractive is vertical carry relative to a horizontal carry. Prime example is a 4" N-frame S&W. Suckers are heavy and harder to pack on a belt than a GM 1911. I am big enough to conceal a GM 1911 in a horizontal holster. Not everyone has the bulk to manage that.
No matter what you see in Hollywierd, do not dual-carry Deagles in a SH for the love of Pete.
The M9 Tanker holster is tops for physical activity, as it is out of the way.
Belt stays/loops/thingys are a nice option to keep a SH from flopping about while upright and prevent the gun & ammo from flopping forward as much if you bend forward and don't use your legs as you ought.
I have seen two main styles of wear, which pertain most to horizontal SH. First is high & up tight against the pits. The second is slung lower. H&UT is a bit more concealable and not as floppy (when upright or bent over). Lower can be more comfy and less chafe-y. H&UT is harder to put on.
If you lift or are prone to weight gain & loss, a SH will be a grand PITA. Because it will require adjustment with any significant gain or loss. I have not worn SHs for stretches due to this as I cycle through the year and as my workouts trend between cardio and moving iron.
SH are better than strong side belt holsters for driving, but still not terrific or as good as a driving-particular holster.
An ill-adjusted SH may lead to the strap folding back on itself. Attend to poor adjustment PDQ.
I used to go to estate sales every week. You won't often find firearm related goodies, but when you do is can be good stuff and usually cheap. I found a nice leather belt and holster for 1911s, Bianchi once again, for $15 that I gave to my son. It has some scuffing but is in great shape otherwise. At the time I thought I would be lucky if my Buckmark would fit but when I got home the 1911s slipped right into that puppy. Been about a year since the last sale I went to. There are too many zombies going to them now, it is no longer fun.....10 bucks is a steal!
Mike Irwin
Staff
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jfruser...
I realize that I left out another pervasive argument that's often trotted out against shoulder holsters...
The "someone will walk up to you and pull your gun right out of your holster!!!!!!"
I can't even begin to say how many times I've seen that argument, and I can't even begin to quantify just how ludicrous I think it is.
First off is the theory that carrying in a shoulder holster comes with a neon sign that points to whichever armpit the gun is under with "EASY ACCESS GUN HERE!" blinking on your chest and back.
The second is that, while shoulder holsters result in your gun screaming "TAKE ME NOW!", other kinds of hoslters, including belt and SOB, are so deep cover that the gun not only disappears, it casts a cloak of invisibility over the carrier, as well.
Third is the concept that someone will just walk up and take your gun. Uhm... really? And you, the erstwhile concealed carrier, are doing what while this nefarious individual violates your halitosis zone? Standing there like a quantum-locked weeping angle?
But, if someone really could walk up you to, lock eyeballs with you, and take your gun, why couldn't someone do the same thing if you're carrying in a waist holster?
Even more of the always-unanswered question to them is... why, if someone knows you're carrying a gun, are they going to approach you from the front?
Even the dumbest criminal should know that coming up from behind and introducing Mr. Rock to Mr. Skull is MUCH better way to A) get said gun, and B) not get shot while trying to get said gun.
Of course, the counter to that observation always seems to be that you've just encountered Who Flung Poo, the 97th level Ninja Master, who stealths in and stealths out before you even know you've been stealthed!
Which leads to the final question... if you're carrying CONCEALED, no matter how you're carrying concealed, why does anyone know you're carrying concealed, neon shoulder holster announcement system not withstanding?
I realize that I left out another pervasive argument that's often trotted out against shoulder holsters...
The "someone will walk up to you and pull your gun right out of your holster!!!!!!"
I can't even begin to say how many times I've seen that argument, and I can't even begin to quantify just how ludicrous I think it is.
First off is the theory that carrying in a shoulder holster comes with a neon sign that points to whichever armpit the gun is under with "EASY ACCESS GUN HERE!" blinking on your chest and back.
The second is that, while shoulder holsters result in your gun screaming "TAKE ME NOW!", other kinds of hoslters, including belt and SOB, are so deep cover that the gun not only disappears, it casts a cloak of invisibility over the carrier, as well.
Third is the concept that someone will just walk up and take your gun. Uhm... really? And you, the erstwhile concealed carrier, are doing what while this nefarious individual violates your halitosis zone? Standing there like a quantum-locked weeping angle?
But, if someone really could walk up you to, lock eyeballs with you, and take your gun, why couldn't someone do the same thing if you're carrying in a waist holster?
Even more of the always-unanswered question to them is... why, if someone knows you're carrying a gun, are they going to approach you from the front?
Even the dumbest criminal should know that coming up from behind and introducing Mr. Rock to Mr. Skull is MUCH better way to A) get said gun, and B) not get shot while trying to get said gun.
Of course, the counter to that observation always seems to be that you've just encountered Who Flung Poo, the 97th level Ninja Master, who stealths in and stealths out before you even know you've been stealthed!
Which leads to the final question... if you're carrying CONCEALED, no matter how you're carrying concealed, why does anyone know you're carrying concealed, neon shoulder holster announcement system not withstanding?