shoulder rig

B

bladesmith 1

New member
Does anyone use a shoulder rig for conceal carry ? If so, is it a vertical or horizontal set up ? My wife's brother died a couple of years ago and I got his really nice one for a 1911 but the wife had a heart attack when she saw the gun carried horizontal, and sometimes pointing at her. I now would like one or two for my different revolvers, preferably a vertical one, but having trouble navigating the holster web sites for a rig for early single action revolvers. I have a couple of 1858 and one 1875 Remington revolvers and not having much luck. Can anyone help ? Thanks - Paul
 
I have both styles for a 1911 & prefer the horizontal. I tried to get used to the vertical draw as I know it has a preferred muzzle direction during carry and drawing with less chance of sweeping bystanders but it's not as fast & natural of a motion for me. I did have an old spring loaded clamshell style vertical rig that you basically pulled the gun through, easy draw but it was real hard on the guns finish. My favorite is an Andrews Monarch rig with the three mag/boot knife option that balances out a commander perfectly.
Check out the Wes Hardin Shoulder Rig for a single action revolver
http://www.andrewsleather.com/traditional.htm
 
Last edited:
For revolvers with longer barrels, I prefer the Bianchi X15. It's a vertical style with s]ring loaded open front. You poll the gun thru the front to draw. Sold mostly by length so 1 holster will work with many similar sized revolvers. My large sjze works with 6 1/2" N frame, 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk, 6" K frame and even a 1858 Remington. The holster makes big heavy revolvers comfortable. Need to get a s.aller size for the 1911, High Power and Ruger P90.
 
Jimbo, how big are you ? I'm 6' 4" at 275#s and one review said the rig was too small for someone that size. But then I saw one ad where a x-large size could be ordered. I'll have to check into the Bianchis a little more.
 
Well, a buddy gave me a rig. He had it set up for left hand, and a small auto. I had a cross draw holster I had made for a 5" barrel 1875 Remington. A little cutting, a couple of rivets, and some snaps, I now have a vertical shoulder rig for my more recent purchased 1875. The first one was 20 years ago when I was in SASS shooting. I'm glad I didn't discard the holster I didn't have any use for. I had ordered, and received a should rig, but now a days most want to use machines for the stitching and if there's any down in the holster it's just asking for problems. When the gun is mounted and removed it rubs on the stitching and in no time it's history. Then you have problems because you can't get in to repair it. So I'm back to doing some leather work.
 
The only concealment rig I have is horizontal, but I'm considering a change to vertical.
Virtually all the shooting I do is competition, in which sweeping anyone with a gun, loaded or not, is considered dangerous enough for disqualification, yet when I get in the car with my family, I'm sweeping a family member with a loaded gun, and never gave it a second thought.
I have a really old vertical model, with an elastic strap that loops around the weak-side shoulder, and a flat spring sewn into the pouch to retain the gun, Eliot Ness style, and it really isn't a bad set-up.
 
I carry in the Alessi horizontal with thumb break and a Ritchie vertical. Both are great comfortable holsters.

Another favorite is my Ares Tactical Kydex Shoulder Holster. It has only friction retention, but it works great!
 
Last edited:
If I can find my shoulder rigs, I'm going back to them. Why? Olde. Don't want the weight on my hips. Yeah it's slower (cross draw as you have to reach across the body) but when you squat in the woods, it's in the same place.
 
> shoulder ... 1911

My EDC is a .38 snubby in an "upside down" holster. It normally rides against my skin under a polo shirt. Reach up, pull down, swing, fire. The butt of the gun is about the same place as a regular belt holster, except you pull down instead of up.

In cooler weather I wear a De Santis "CEO" with a 1911. The De Santis is the closest I can get to the old Brown Shoe Leather upside down revolver design. The default rigging of the CEO has the gun butt-down at about a 45 degree angle; with some adjustments I got the pouch to hang a little more vertical.

There are pictures of most basic types of shoulder rigs here: http://dave2.freeshell.org/tech1/shoulder/holsters.htm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top