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shoulder holster ?
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
9x18_Walther
New member
I've heard this argument from others, mostly safety-conscience instructors. A lot of training facilities and ranges around me ban shoulder holsters.
It is very difficult to draw from a shoulder holster without sweeping people with the muzzle.
Back to Jeff Cooper's four rules:
4. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Now, I understand that the four rules can not always apply (before someone rebuts here), but the ability to observe them with a holstered weapon is always a positive. When a handgun or rifle is in a case and a person walks into a gun store, I can ensure you that the muzzle will sweep multiple individuals (although "unloaded", right? see rule #1). Some people would argue that the four rules only apply when you are handling the gun, aka indicating that you can only "sweep" people if you are handling a gun. I disagree with this.
Now true accidental discharges do happen, albeit rarely. Even if you practice perfect gun handling and your weapon decides to discharge are you willing to accept the responsibility of putting a bullet directly downrange behind you?
Most people also find shoulder holsters vastly impractical and hard to conceal unless you are a very large person.
If you are still interested in a shoulder holster system, you should take a look at the Galco VHS which points vertically instead of horizontally.
It is very difficult to draw from a shoulder holster without sweeping people with the muzzle.
Back to Jeff Cooper's four rules:
4. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Now, I understand that the four rules can not always apply (before someone rebuts here), but the ability to observe them with a holstered weapon is always a positive. When a handgun or rifle is in a case and a person walks into a gun store, I can ensure you that the muzzle will sweep multiple individuals (although "unloaded", right? see rule #1). Some people would argue that the four rules only apply when you are handling the gun, aka indicating that you can only "sweep" people if you are handling a gun. I disagree with this.
Now true accidental discharges do happen, albeit rarely. Even if you practice perfect gun handling and your weapon decides to discharge are you willing to accept the responsibility of putting a bullet directly downrange behind you?
Most people also find shoulder holsters vastly impractical and hard to conceal unless you are a very large person.
If you are still interested in a shoulder holster system, you should take a look at the Galco VHS which points vertically instead of horizontally.
It's not because of where the barrel is pointing while holstered. Guns that are properly cased or properly holstered (cased/holstered in such a way as to make it impossible to fire the gun until uncased/unholstred) are generally considered to be immune from the muzzle control rule.
The issue is what happens when the gun is drawn/while the gun is being drawn.
At the range, guns are supposed to ALWAYS be kept pointing downrange when not cased/holstered. That's generally interpreted to mean that the muzzle of the gun never points more than 90 degrees away from the downrange direction, but some ranges are more restrictive than that.
Ranges also don't like people pointing their firearms at themselves at any time.
Drawing from a horizontal shoulder holster will generally involve sweeping one's weak-side arm although that can be avoided if one is particularly mindful of the issue so that's not a showstopper.
Picture yourself drawing from a horizontal shoulder holster in such a way that the muzzle is pointing downrange during the entire process and it becomes apparent why ranges don't like horizontal shoulder holsters. It is possible to pull it off, but it involves facing away from downrange during the initial part of the draw and then pivoting the body back toward the downrange direction as the gun comes out of the holster.
The issue is what happens when the gun is drawn/while the gun is being drawn.
At the range, guns are supposed to ALWAYS be kept pointing downrange when not cased/holstered. That's generally interpreted to mean that the muzzle of the gun never points more than 90 degrees away from the downrange direction, but some ranges are more restrictive than that.
Ranges also don't like people pointing their firearms at themselves at any time.
Drawing from a horizontal shoulder holster will generally involve sweeping one's weak-side arm although that can be avoided if one is particularly mindful of the issue so that's not a showstopper.
Picture yourself drawing from a horizontal shoulder holster in such a way that the muzzle is pointing downrange during the entire process and it becomes apparent why ranges don't like horizontal shoulder holsters. It is possible to pull it off, but it involves facing away from downrange during the initial part of the draw and then pivoting the body back toward the downrange direction as the gun comes out of the holster.
9x18_Walther
New member
It's not because of where the barrel is pointing while holstered. Guns that are properly cased or properly holstered (cased/holstered in such a way as to make it impossible to fire the gun until uncased/unholstred) are generally considered to be immune from the muzzle control rule.
While my post suggested that I would not use a shoulder holster because of the muzzle pointing horizontally, I'd like to emphasize that JohnKSa is correct.
Any properly fitting holster is safe (shoulder holsters included).
I like to err on a more cautious side and wouldn't use a shoulder holster due to the possibility of a true accidental discharge sending a bullet backwards.
However, one could very well argue that a vertical holster is less safe in an multi-story office building.
boondocker385
New member
Since I see people sweep with hip carry regularly, I don't see the issue with a shoulder holster if you are careful.