I know I'm likely to get the phone book here

I'm looking for a K-Frame holster, for a Model 10 heavy barrel 4" - in leather - that

a) won't take 9+ months to make (I'd prefer to order it now and get it at the end of the week )
b) costs less than $200
c) OWB
d) does not have a thumb snap/strap
e) is good for concealment (i.e. not some monsterous flap holster that sticks out, or like you're an old west cowboy or something)

This would be a range and carry holster, for when I get comfortable enough with being able to draw and make my hits in a good time, without whiffing...I'm getting close to getting it under 2 seconds for my first hit on a 3x5 at 30 feet, so more practice more better. Anyway -

Frankly the best thing I've been able to find so far online is a Galco Combat Master; it ticks all the boxes, but...it's Galco, and about $50 overpriced for what you get. IMO they're just not great holsters. They do have the whole "Available right now" thing going for them though.

Another option I saw was a Tagua, but they make it for L and K frames which means it'll be "loose" a bit, since L frames are slightly bigger...so while it'll work as a gun bucket, it'll probably not be as snug as I was hoping for. Plus, it's Tagua...they make Galco look %100 top quality perfect

De Santis doesn't seem to make their Speed Scabbard for K-frames...only N frames I bought one for my Model 28 and would love to have one for this thing but alas...

I mean if I need to order a custom job and wait, I guess that'll be what I do...I was just hoping for something of decent quality that's out there already without needing to place an order for one to be made for me, you know?

Ideas?

Ive also been eyeing a galco holster for one of my revolvers

Mostly just to have for limited use since I use IWB appendix rigs most of the time

Don Hume H721.  available for that gun in no thumbsnap or thumbsnap.  I prefer the thumbsnap retention version myself.  

I carried a G22 in a h721 with thumbsnap for 25 years when I wasn’t wearing the duty rig.  About 20% off my carry on duty in 25 years was in that holster.  Plus off duty carry.  That holster got rained on, literally soaked in rivers and lakes at times.  It held its shape wonderfully.  The leather was thin, dense and tough.   The DeSantis and Bianchi Leathers were much thicker but much softer and never held their shape as long as the Don Hume.

I retired after 25+ years and gave the gun back to the department and the holster I gave to an officer that went to the Investigator side of the house.  It still looked excellent.


https://www.donhume.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_5&products_id=44


About $65 from the maker but likely a bit cheaper if you look around.

I have a drawer full of DeSantis and Bianchi.  In the old days when you bought a gun that was the best you were going to find in stock in a brick and mortar shop.   My 1911 Destantis fbi tilt thumbsnap has lost its shape a bit and it’s never had the water torture the Don Hume had at work.   The Bianchi that came with used gun buys usually look rough after about five years.  Not sure why I keep them in the drawer.  Most Bianchi designs in my possession carry like shit due to narrow belt loop spacing or single tunnel, and designed for belts too wide, and too much of a high ride for the support given.  

I like wide spacing of the loops and no higher than a mid ride.  I won’t wear my belt super tight due to past surgeries that make that painful in short order, so no high rides for me. ymmv

For 4” K frame holsters, my advice is to visit every old dusty gun shop around- most will have a used holster box filled with stuff, and almost always you will find a few 4” K holsters cheap.

If you want to buy new, my choice is simply rugged. Very high quality work, he has a part of his website called “gear to go” which is stuff ready to ship.

The sourdough pancake is one of his classic designs that works well and has stood the test of time. I have one for each revolver frame size I own.

The owner is a great guy, who supports a lot of great events and causes here locally in Arizona, and also has a really cool newer holster called the boomer, which is a revolver holster that incorporates a speed loader or speed strip pouch integral to the front of the holster.

I agree with the poster above about Simply Rugged.  I have several from him and they are all first class well made pieces.

Rob is a great guy and well known as a gun guy around here.  I too like the "Boomer" rig and would buy one for a K-frame.

Ebay.  There are 100's over there.

I don't know what their wait time is, but I have a Tom Threepersons holster from Lobo Gunleather  for a 442 that didn't take long IIRC.
No strap and it holds the gun in nicely.

Yeah the more I look at Lobo the more I'm liking it; they're in the same state and the holster I'm looking at is only marginally more expensive than a Galco, but probably a thousand percent better..

1791?

Check the holsterstore, they make alot of holster, reasonable  prices

Easy button

Simply rugged thread/

https://www.simplyrugged.com/

Yeah I saw that earlier and almost ordered one. What "scares" me is I can't find that model/holster on Mitch Rosen's web site. Either it's been discontinued and this is old stock (which is fine, it's not like it'll break and I'll need a warranty replacement), or it's a non-cataloged thing Mitch Rosen only makes for Dillon (which again is fine, mainly means the pool of people who have one/have opinions or reviews will be tiny).

Honestly the only reason I haven't ordered one yet is because I'm not real sure how good it will be for concealment. Most straight drop holsters like that are more geared for competition or duty; not concealment - so it'll stick out a bit more from the hip, etc. I can't find a review of that specific model anywhere.

Having said that, $125 for a holster of that quality is a steal...even if it's not a good holster, it'll still be a "good holster", if that makes any sense.

If the Combat Master rides where you want, and they are high and tight, but I'm no Galco fan either...
The best thing I've found that rides where I want (the vast majority of revolver holsters ride too low to suite me) is the Mernickle PS06-DA.

But if you can live with the gun lower on the belt, there are a LOT of really good options.

So I agree on straight drop holsters for semis. For revolvers I prefer it because  of the angle of the grip depending on ride hight..
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That's the only in stock good holster you'll find.

Simply rugged is pretty quick though.

Ryan Grizzle is probably the fastest good holster maker. The kramer, then milt sparks.

Fair enough; the only revolver holster that I have that I've used (like, twice, to the range) is an old Bianchi 7/7L, with a thumbsnap; I got it probably 20 years ago. It works but I don't like the thumbsnap; too many years of carrying 1911s IWB in a Milt SS2 to undo that muscle memory, and more recently AIWB carry of just about everything. I have a DeSantis Speed Scabbard for my Dad's old Model 28 (his first duty weapon, that he gave to me) but that's not a gun I really carry or even use...even though they're not worth a huge amount these days, it's in great condition with original box (I think it's a C&R now actually - edit - N222,xxx puts it 1975-1976 so not quite yet) and it's not something I'm going to actually "carry".

It's a shame that they don't make that holster for K-frames; I think it's pretty good for a mass-market thing...oh well.

Just put in the order for the Dillon holster; hopefully next week I'll get it and be able to play around with it.

In the mean time I need to stock up on some 38 Special and maybe some 357 and start getting in some real practice

What Ameshawki said!

If that 7L provides the retention you need without the thumbbreak snapped, then let it set, unsnapped. Assuming it rides where you want.
I have solid, old 1911 holsters that I don't snap and they are very functional for my use.
I also have old thumbbreaks for revolvers that aren't usable (retention wise) without being snapped.

Just something to check and keep in mind.

Might as well order some speedloaders/holders and a speedstrip or two. Maybe a belt slide.

+10 on getting email notices from the ebay on any holster you might be interested in. One mans trash is another mans treasure

Enjoy that gun & happy shooting.

Since you mentioned concealment I'll throw in some of my experience carrying a 4" N-frame for several years.
I'm rarely in a non permissive environment and I'm self employed and dress however I choose. I have carried a 4" N frame in NPE, but a 1911 or a 3 1/2" 1911 are of course easier. Open carry is a very, very common thing to see in my part of the world, no one cares, so there's that factor as well.

I carry my revolver OWB 98% of the time.
High & tight rule the world for me. Low holsters put the bottom of the holster way out in the open. Butt away from the body tents the gun (I roll with full size grips almost always).

I'm not anal on concealment as I don't have to be here, If I stop at a gas station and my gun is out for the world to see, nobody cares.
But in town I prefer to pull my shirt over the gun. I've lived/worked in Carhart T-shirts for decades. Carhart went woke so they are out for me, other good options are available tho.

I carry at a minimum 2 reloads. The Safariland CD-2's look fragile and not secure, but I've carried them forever with no lost speedloaders unless I put them behind the holster where "some" chairs will flip them onto the ground/floor. In front of the holster, all is good. On my motorcycles, in any chair, at church, no matter.

High riding holsters for revo's are harder to find (remember, t-shirt should cover). You can tell in pics on the net, where the cylinder will ride in relation to the top of the belt slots. Most are too low for my use/clothing.

Butt tucked in tight is also a harder thing to find, most people who carry a large revolver only do so in the wild, they don't care about high & tight.

I find very little difference between carrying a K frame, a L frame, or an N frame under my shirt. The thickness is relatively small.

Many people in internet land love the Simply Rugged pancake holster. I can only guess that they do much less draw practice than I do. That holster (and all pancakes) tend to collapse when the gun is out of the holster. That's a no go from me.

Pancakes as a rule also take up too much belt space (for my use). I keep my reloads just in front of the holster taking advantage of the shadow under my t-shirt that the holster has already created. So I want a smaller on the belt profile, extra leather is in my way. The "Avenger" style holsters also help here.

The Mernickle (that's my best option to date) I usually carry with the "cross draw" loops thru my belt, strong side, just in front of 3 o'clock, 2 speedloaders in front of that, another speedloader and/or a belt slide (6 rounds) on my left side. The cross draw loops put the gun in a very slight backward cant but raise the bottom of the holster a considerable amount. I use the rearward cant loops if I'll be driving all day as it unburies the butt from the seat and makes acess easier.

Sorry I wrote a novel, may be some of it might be helpful to folks wanting to all day carry a revo. Maybe not

ETA: shoulder mobility is a serious factor with High & tight holsters, I do have to contort just a bit to draw the gun but nothing troublesome. Cant is also affected by shoulder range. I live very rural, and draw my gun several times per day as I stroll around just for practice, sometimes for real as the coyotes/skunks/etc are thick this year. I've taken the belt off my rucksack to clear my holster. I ruck for fitness so it's no prob making things harder
Your world may well be different than mine.

No man, all info is good - there's a few forums I read for this stuff and that's a great write up. Yeah - pancakes are IMO not a great holster design for anyone who actually tries to use it/practice with it...by the time it's made stiff enough it's thicker than an Askins-style, or a Summer Special style IWB - and now you've lost 2x of the belt real estate for it. It might hide better in that there's no abrupt ledges, but you're already wearing a super long shirt anyway to cover it...it's not that much of an advantage.

I have an HKS dual speedloader pouch (which slides onto the belt; not a quick attach/detach thing by any means) and a couple speedloaders, but I haven't really worked on reloading yet. This is one of those "I should get better with this tool in the toolbox" things, now that I know I can actually shoot a revolver pretty well. Things fall apart when speed gets involved but that's what practice and training is for..

I always love 03RN's pictures and carry rigs.  Great stuff

Appreciate it

To continue on with the use of holsters in the field, with rucksacks, and trying to stay concealed in town is a process.

I agree that pancakes are not my choice either. Especially simplyruggeds. It's not so much that it collapses it's that it's retention by it's nature makes reholstering a pain.

Barranti makes the ccr which is pretty good but it needs a thong or hammer strap. I've had my mountain gun slide out while playing with my kids.
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It's low enough it works great with rucks.

The kramer pancake works pretty well. It's much stiffer than cowhide.
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It does not work with rucks but is very easy to conceal.

The kramer scabbard splits the difference
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It works OK with packs and conceals pretty well. It's also what I shoot the most with. Retention has never been an issue.

The milt sparks pmk rides lower than the kramer and tucks the grip in a little more. I'm waiting on one for my mountain gun
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The Dillon I linked earlier should be pretty similar to the kramer scabbard