Posted: 12/12/2014 10:41:41 PM EDT
|
Does any body on here use a shoulder holster? How well does that work for you and how well do you find that it conceals?
I'm looking to conceal a G19 and/or 26 in a shoulder holster on my 5'10 150lb frame. After I eat a few dozen sammiches.... |
|
Key thing with a shoulder holster is doing it right. Even a good shoulder rig will be uncomfortable and inefficient if poorly adjusted & fit. A poor shoulder holster will suck no matter what you do. The Miami Classic that SJustice mentions is a very good one, although old-school & far from cutting-edge. Not an insult at all, their even-older Jackass version is actually my favorite harness. A leather holster-body in a shoulder rig can be thick & bulky; I prefer Kydex, but that's largely because thinness (and anything else that helps concealability) is extremely important to me.
I've pretty much settled on the Jackass rig for the harness section of my rigs, which is basically just a softer, suede version of the miami classic. For the holster bodies I use kydex pull-thru's from www.survivalsheath.com. I have three set up this way; one for glock 19, one for glock 26, and one for kahr cm9's. Biggest mistakes/problems when fitting & adjusting are that most people wear them too low. They can be more comfortable that way, but lose a lot of concealability and also flop around a lot. Adjusted high & tight under the pect, with muzzle diagonally up (which the miami classic style harnesses tend to), you can conceal a lot of gun under a jacket. Same way, you can also conceal a pretty-good gun (g26's & cm9's in my case) under a one-size-large, tucked-in dress shirt. Poorly adjusted, or poor rig to begin with, you just can't do that. Upsides to a shoulder rig are that they don't require a stiff 'gunbelt' belt, if concealed properly, they can be harder to detect than a belt holster or pocket holster, and if you ever find yourself needing to use a stall in a public restroom, the gun remains holstered, undisturbed. Downsides are that if in deeper concealment (ie, under a shirt), they tend to be slower to draw from; at least for me. They also (the diagonal & horizontal ones) also 'sweep' a whole lot of things throughout the day. The nice lady sitting behind you in church, your kid in the backseat of your car, etc. Not a danger with a good, protective holster, but it's a valid concern imo and bears consideration. This same sweeping means they can't be used in many training and competition settings, since they're pointing the wrong way (ie, at the officials, spectators, whoever) when you start to draw them. As far as you personally with the G19's & G26's that you mention, at 5'10" & 150 you would likely have trouble accomplishing any under-the-shirt concealment. I'm 6'3" and 260-ish and I still have to be very conscious & intentional about it. 
|
|
I would look for a verticle SH, instead of the horitonal ones.
No muzzel sweep, as it's pointed down. Easier to draw from, as you're reaching lower, and at a better angle, espcially if you have a decent chest (if your gut is huge, disregard). Less bounce, as most verticle holsters have a belt tab to them. Easiser to conceal, as you just have to fit the grip, not the length, across your body. Ability to reholster with one hand, and hold secure - a HZ holster has to have the tab affixed to be secure. Faster draw, as a verticle holster does not need a tab unless you're running around. |
|
I have a Galco Jackass for my 1911. It's nice for when you want to take a break from belt carry.
I'm 5'8" and medium build and my commander length 1911 conceals just fine, even under just a Hawaiian shirt. As an aside; I haven't carried IWB in years, and can see no purpose for doing so. Under the law here, a concealed carry license only allows the option of concealed carry, it does not require it. So sorta-concealed or mostly-concealed are fine, as is not-concealed-at-all. OWB is much more comfortable as is a good shoulder holster. |
|
I hate to be the Devils advocate but I will. I am similar size and weight it sounds like to you and shoulder holsters kind of only work well for the bigger guys, designed really only for bigger guys, and do not conceal at all on slender guys. I am 6'1" 155# and after trying almost every time of carry style I have found that IWB (kydex hybrid leather) or OWB (Kydex) conceal the best, offer the best draw, and work for people of our size.
If you plan on wearing larger winter jackets you could do a shoulder holster. |
|
Quoted:
When I first started carrieng I used two different shoulder holsters. They were ok with a jacket, but I changed to a OWB and have not gone back. That was my experience as well. I had the Galco Miami holster and the 5.11 holster Tshirts. I didnt find either conceals very well unless I have a very thick jacket on. I still do the Galco around the house, but its not for concealment its just so I can have a weapon on me if I choose not to put pants on lol |
|
Galco Jack Ass rig. Used to spend a lot of time driving and felt it was a good compromise at the time. Fairly comfortable after much trial and error on getting it adjusted properly. Always did feel that in order to conceal it effectively, a dark colored or heavy shirt or jacket was needed to reduce printing of the harness. I also never cared for the fact the it was not the most stable platform to draw from.
|
|
Quoted:
I've been using the same Alessi's shoulder holster for 20+ years with my PPK/s and just had him make one for my Glock 42. Pricey but worth every penny. http://www.alessigunholsters.com/bodyguard/ +1 on Alessi. I had one of their pull-thru Bodyguard double rigs for J-frame revolvers a long time ago. Great holster, but like a moron I sold it with the guns. Afaik, they pioneered the pull-thru snap; at least they're where I first discovered it. Another one I haven't seen mentioned is Ken Null. Not sure if he's still around, my newest one of his is a 15-year-old SMZ for a detonics combat master. The smz and skr were both way ahead of their time imo. If they're still in business, they are worth looking into. He did some (at the time) very innovative and outside-the-box things that work very well. Alessi and Ken Null both - they're expensive, but worth it imo. |
|
Quoted:
I hate to be the Devils advocate but I will. I am similar size and weight it sounds like to you and shoulder holsters kind of only work well for the bigger guys, designed really only for bigger guys, and do not conceal at all on slender guys. I am 6'1" 155# and after trying almost every time of carry style I have found that IWB (kydex hybrid leather) or OWB (Kydex) conceal the best, offer the best draw, and work for people of our size. If you plan on wearing larger winter jackets you could do a shoulder holster. Well the good news is that during the winter time I wont have any trouble; I tend to wear a full length duster whenever it is cold and/or blustery  But for summer time I suppose it is time to start compiling a holster collection to figure out what works.
|
|
Quoted:
Galco Miami classic. +1, I picked one up a few years ago. I don't use it all the time, but that's primarily personal preference. It's quite comfortable, distributes weight nicely with two mags, and conceals easily under minimal clothing. I'm 6'1, small/medium build and I could get away with wearing it with a G19 under a t shirt without worrying about printing etc.. although I prefer it over a t shirt, under a button up style shirt.. |
| When I was brand new to carrying 15 years or so back I sometimes carried a 1911 or G23 in a Galco Jackass or Miami Classic. It was cool until I started taking defensive shooting classes. Then I learned all of the shortcomings. To say nothing of the inconvenience of cover garments for those of us who wear shorts and a teeshirt 10 months out of the year. |
|
Quoted:
after having some back and other issues that prevent me from carrying on my belt ive been considering a shoulder rig myself since its not all that great trying to off body carry. Guys, you really need to rethink this idea that a shoulder rig will relieve back issues. Think about this. Your shoulders are supported by your BACK…the lumbar vertebrae above your pelvis. Carrying on the belt is what places a load on your HIPS and LEGS and gets it off your back. Every backpacker knows this which is why good back packs are designed to place the weight on the hips and legs with a hip belt, and get the weight off the shoulders; the shoulder straps are only to stabilize the balance of the load. The hips carry the weight. |
|
Thanks for all of the responses and advice. I think that I'll be looking at procuring a Galco Jackass Rig. I tend to wear long sleeves all year round, so concealing the rig wont be an issue.
Now just to find a Jackass that will work for a CZ PO1..... I hear the ones for USPs, G19s, and SIG p228s will fit the PO1 |
|
Quoted:
I think you're a lot better off CCW'ing a Glock in an IWB or hybrid rig. http://shop.blade-tech.com/images/resized/X0003-Nano%20IWB%20Holster%201.png-300x350.png http://bestiwbholster.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/desantis_intruder.jpg The only place I've seen shoulder holsters popular for Glock CCW, is Hollywood Action movies. This. I had a Miami Classic holster when I was brand new to CCW. Draw is way slower than any IWB holster, and if you intend to train with it, you will muzzle sweep everyone standing next to you. That said, they are comfortable when you are stuck in the car for hours. I don't see many reputable individuals running them, and for the same price you can buy any number of top of the line custom holsters. I would skip it. |