Shoulder Holsters

[Howard1955]

I'm looking for people who have experience using shoulder holsters. Especially if you carry/have carried a 1911 in one.

What has your experience been like? (Pro or Con)

Do you carry the gun horizontally, or ???

Do you carry a full-sized, or a commander-sized?

What brand of holster do you like best?

Any information you can share will be appreciated. I'm considering trying a shoulder holster to occasionally carry a commander-size 1911.

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[Alexx1401]

I'm looking for people who have experience using shoulder holsters. Especially if you carry/have carried a 1911 in one.

What has your experience been like? (Pro or Con)

Do you carry the gun horizontally, or ???

Do you carry a full-sized, or a commander-sized?

What brand of holster do you like best?

Any information you can share will be appreciated. I'm considering trying a shoulder holster to occasionally carry a commander-size 1911.

Being as I have been a 1911 fanboy all my life I have tried several. I at first tried a vertical. Cheap one and it was too uncomfortable. Finally bought a Bianchi. MUCH better comfort. Only down side was length. Finally bought a Miami Classic Horizontal. They are not cheap. They do work and work well. I have one that is WELL worn. They will print unless you are wearing something roomy. Some times like with a suit, I could care less if it shows. If you want one for this kind of dress you would need to have the coat tailored to it for it to hide well.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I like them in super cold/bad weather.. the gun is completely protected and warm (precious Hi-Powers!).
For city grabbin' I like the horizontal jackarse rig and out in the woods, it don't really matter. I've got a Safariland and Bianchi.. both great holsters

 

[The Quiet Man]

Being as I have been a 1911 fanboy all my life I have tried several. I at first tried a vertical. Cheap one and it was too uncomfortable. Finally bought a Bianchi. MUCH better comfort. Only down side was length. Finally bought a Miami Classic Horizontal. They are not cheap. They do work and work well. I have one that is WELL worn. They will print unless you are wearing something roomy. Some times like with a suit, I could care less if it shows. If you want one for this kind of dress you would need to have the coat tailored to it for it to hide well.

My experience exactly.

 

[nammac]

Being as I have been a 1911 fanboy all my life I have tried several. I at first tried a vertical. Cheap one and it was too uncomfortable. Finally bought a Bianchi. MUCH better comfort. Only down side was length. Finally bought a Miami Classic Horizontal. They are not cheap. They do work and work well. I have one that is WELL worn. They will print unless you are wearing something roomy. Some times like with a suit, I could care less if it shows. If you want one for this kind of dress you would need to have the coat tailored to it for it to hide well.

Very similar experience with a commander in a Miami Classic. Suits need to be properly fitted to accommodate the additional mass... Sport jackets, I went one size up...

Prefer iwb myself, regardless of weather or type of sidearm...

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I carried a Colt, Officers, .45ACP in a Galco Miami Classic for years and years! I liked the holster a lot. Obviously a horizontal, I also liked having two extra magazines under the other arm! One grab and on my way.
I still use shoulder holsters, though I don't carry the Colt anymore, for full sized pistols. A Sig .45 and a Beretta 92fs. Good luck in choosing a good holster!

 

[Howard1955]

I carried a Colt, Officers, .45ACP in a Galco Miami Classic for years and years! I liked the holster a lot. Obviously a horizontal, I also liked having two extra magazines under the other arm! One grab and on my way.
I still use shoulder holsters, though I don't carry the Colt anymore, for full sized pistols. A Sig .45 and a Beretta 92fs. Good luck in choosing a good holster!

Thanks for all your responses.

@Sgt Nambu - why do you say "obviously a horizontal"? Is that the only way the Galco rig is offered, or is it because it's your preferred style? Seems a vertical carry might conceal better, but might not be preferable?

Thanks for letting me pick your brains, guys. By the way, I came across an interesting shoulder holster while exploring the internet. It's not "the one" - but... well, it's this:

 

[Alexx1401]

Thanks for all your responses.

@Sgt Nambu - why do you say "obviously a horizontal"? Is that the only way the Galco rig is offered, or is it because it's your preferred style? Seems a vertical carry might conceal better, but might not be preferable?

Thanks for letting me pick your brains, guys. By the way, I came across an interesting shoulder holster while exploring the internet. It's not "the one" - but... well, it's this:

View attachment 356200

The only problem I had with the vertical was the length. One made to hold a standard 5" 1911 hangs a lot farther down than I had originally thought it would. Needed a coat to hide it. Jackets were not long enough. With the horizontal you don't have that. Of course then you do have to make sure the barrel is not showing at your back, if you care about printing.

 

[Natty Bumpo]

The Ken Null SMZ has a good reputation. It is quite different from most, and is one holster will host a variety of models. The video shows various guns and how they fit and deploy.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The Ken Null SMZ has a good reputation. It is quite different from most, and is one holster will host a variety of models. The video shows various guns and how they fit and deploy.

I didn't watch that whole thing but it looks like the snap goes through the trigger guard just in front of the trigger. It seems to me that with a lot of pistol designs you'd be assured of blowing a hole through some part of your body during holstering, unholstering or just carrying it around in that rig.

 

[WAYNO]

I'm looking for people who have experience using shoulder holsters. Especially if you carry/have carried a 1911 in one.

What has your experience been like? (Pro or Con)

Do you carry the gun horizontally, or ???

Do you carry a full-sized, or a commander-sized?

What brand of holster do you like best?

Any information you can share will be appreciated. I'm considering trying a shoulder holster to occasionally carry a commander-size 1911.

For years, I used shoulder holsters, almost exclusively. I own a shoulder holster for a big assortment of handguns.

1911's, large frame revolvers, little bitty guns, and everything in between. The right shoulder holster carries and conceals any gun better than any other holster. And an additional benefit, a shoulder holster is a very effective set of suspenders.

Lots of shoulder holsters to choose from, but I've found many are a waste. The Uncle mikes and similar products are often the first shoulder holster a feller buys. They are crap, and soon the buyer figures he hates shoulder holsters.

Through lots of trials, I have settled nearly exclusively on the Tri-Vertible by Pistol Packaging. It's so basic that at first glance it looks cheap. It's (relatively) inexpensive, easy to put on, easy to adjust, and carries a handgun well. It carries even a long barreled handgun high enough that it's easy to conceal under nearly any jacket or untucked shirt.

And in a shoulder holster, I carry vertically. Worn correctly, I often catch myself checking to see if my gun is still in place, as it's so comfortable I don't feel the gun at all. The Tri-Vertible can also be worn horizontally, but it's never my choice to do so.

WAYNO.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

@Sgt Nambu - why do you say "obviously a horizontal"? Is that the only way the Galco rig is offered, or is it because it's your preferred style? Seems a vertical carry might conceal better, but might not be preferable?

I don't believe that any Galco, Miami holster is vertical, I never had a problem concealing the short barreled 1911 horizontally! 'Course I've never been one to worry whether I print or not. Printing is not brandishing. OK, now!!! Well this shows how much I've got on the ball! Galco does indeed sell vertical Miami Classics! I've never seen one, hence my "obvious" blunder!


I'm going to rant a little here too. How many times have I read authoritative, know it all, self appointed experts, opinions on,
"Duuuh, you shouldn't carry in a shoulder holster, on account ya can't draw fast cause youse got a shirt or sumptin over it!"
Really???
I was a big, muscular guy. Eminently capable of ripping any shirt in this, or any other universe wide open! I was also gifted with being extremely quick, and I've always taken care to study my surroundings. Grow up in the sagebrush flats around Diamondback Nevada, and try to be a surroundings ignorer!
If I carried in winter, the coat was open. You just have to strategize as you go through the day, I, and all of us should, strategize for carrying my belt mounted, 3:00 pistols, just little different plan!

 

[MEP1000]

I love my Miami Classic II!! They differ from the original in that the shoulder straps are about 1.25 vs 1.0 inch wide. It makes a big difference in all day carry and way more practical IMHO than the 2.25 SSII should straps also made by Galco.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I too have used shoulder rigs over the years. My hands down favorite is an Alessi rig. For me it is the best, bar none. There is no doubt that they are spendy and I believe that the wait for mine was three months.

Oh well......

For me it is a three season rig. In summer I go to a different carry method. Check them out; you may like them.