Shoulder Holsters
The shoulder holster is another common method for concealed carry. Most shoulder holsters are extremely comfortable and distribute the weight of the gun across your shoulders. I always love when it gets cold so I can wear my jacket and shoulder holster more. Many offerings also usually come with a double magazine pouch standard.
-
Pros:
- One of the most comfortable methods, rivals OWB holsters. With a quality carry rig and much adjusting, the shoulder holster will distribute the weight of the gun so well you will forget you are carrying.
- No gun belt needed. Are you wearing a weak dress belt that’s not strong enough to hold up your gun? Not a problem with the shoulder holster.
- Extremely quick and easy draw. Assuming your jacket is open, the shoulder holster will rival any method on draw speed.
-
Cons:
- Must be wearing a jacket for true concealed carry. If you try to wear the shoulder holster with only a shirt there will be very obvious printing.
- Wearing a jacket zipped or buttoned can hinder drawing speed significantly. If you were using a different carry method (like IWB) the zipped jacket could simply be lifted up to reveal the gun. With a shoulder holster, you will need to unzip or unbutton the jacket.
Gun Choice:
For shoulder holster carry I normally either carry my Springfield Operator 1911 (full size) or Glock 30. With a thick jacket the full size 1911 is hidden fairly well. I also have a shoulder holster for my S&W .460 Magnum (8 3/8″ barrel), but that is definitely not something easy to conceal.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I really like your blog template, is makes it simple to navigate.
February 21st, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Interesting article, adding it to my boomarks!
March 31st, 2009 at 9:11 am
I am a skinny guy (6′1″, 160 lbs.) so finding a good shoulder holster can prove difficult. I use an Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement Pro Pak (http://www.unclemikesle.com/products/holsters/proPak/holsters_horiz_shoulder.html) to carry my full-size Springfield XDm .40, and it works great under a mid to heavy jacket. It is adjustable all over the place so you can really make it your own, and carries an extra mag. and its very comfortable because the shoulder straps are foam. With some practice, one can get pretty fast with the thumb break. Carrying in the hot summer months will be a challenge, as it takes a little more than a wind-breaker to hide such a large gun, but during the fall and winter, this is the way to go. One other disadvantage: There is nothing covering the trigger on this holster, so I do not carry the gun with a round chambered. The XDm only has a grip and trigger safety, so the gun could discharge easily if someone else got a hold of it, or if I were to misplace my trigger finger while drawing.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I am a big guy 5′9″ around 400 lbs in a wheelchair. I have trouble finding one to fit a big man
I thought about going to a fanny pack but have same problem
August 12th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
need a vertical shoulder holster for 8″ barrel 44 mag revolver.
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Guys, keep a look out at yard sales or auctions. I picked up a nice galco horizontal rig with a double mag pouch for $5.00. It didn’t fit my Walther P99, so I removed the holster, removed the paddle off of my fobus roto-holster, and intergrated the two with minimal effort. Point is, I’ve got a $150.00 rig for the price of about $35.00. Also had to remove center spacers on the mag pouch to receive thicker mags. Very well pleased with the result.
October 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Thanks for the info and website.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:43 am
I went to Fist, Inc. a couple of years ago and ordered a vertical carry shoulder rig for my Colt Commander. In the summer I generally wear shorts and a T-shirt with an open Hawaiian shirt over the rig with no problem of printing. I’m about 6′2 and 305 and have never really cared for IWB holsters. To help keep the shirt from blowing open, I have sewn a small pocket in each of the front corners of the Hawaiian shirt to insert a small round “buckshot” fishing weight. Works great and the Fist holster is the flattest and most comfortable I have tried.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Thanks for the great info! I’m thinking about going with the shoulder holster for my .38 Special to wear under my suit jacket. Being a lady, would this be just as comfortable for me? Do you suggest any specific ones for my piece? Thanks again for the great resource!