[Deputy]

The past couple of days I got to try out two holsters, a Bianchi 5BHL with my S&W 629 4 inch, and an Uncle Mikes "universal" holster with my Charter Arms .44 Bulldog. The Uncle Mikes holster is now in the local landfill. What a POS!!! But the Binachi gets two thumbs up. Comfortable and concealable, even with a big canon. I also tried out the appendix carry...sorta. The Uncle Mikes was so frigging uncomfortable that I tossed it and just shoved the little revolver in the appendix position. It was okay as far as comfort, but I can't see it being useful carried there for any kind of expeditious draw. Note I didn't say "fast draw". If you read a different thread I started, I am not a big fan of fast draw techniques.

Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that the two best methods of carry for me are going to be hip carry or shoulder holster. Those two methods allow concealment without discomfort and also easy access. I just have to make sure I get the RIGHT holster for the gun.

Dep

 

[searcher451]

The three-way marriage of individual to weapon to holster is akin to what Winston Churchill, speaking of Russia, described as "a riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma."

Think about the difficulty of, first and foremost, finding a weapon that's right for you. Once you eventually discover it, you must learn to shoot it and become instinctive with it before it will be any good to you. And then comes the really tough part: determining an appropriate way to carry it so that it's easily retreived when the time comes but effectively and comfortably concealed as you go through your day. Finding the right holster is often one part skill and two parts choice and three parts research and four parts suggestion and five dumb parts luck. Even with all that, it's seldom easy to accomplish. It's also something that doesn't stay "fixed" for long. The holster that felt absolutely perfect yesterday is an indifferent fit today and a relic that's headed to the "for sale" section of the forum tomorrow.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to find the correct marriage? Unlikely; it seems to be, rather, another example of one size does not fit all and one man's preferred method of carry and concealment is often another man's recipe for disaster. If it were easy, after all, as many as a hundred different holster-makers would be out of business by next week, relegated to the scrapheap of history.

So what's to be done? All of the above, including (and especially) trial and error. Think about what seems right for you, given your build or shape or preference, pick up a suggestion from a friend or someone on the forum you trust, research the holster, look for a good buy, get one, and then give it a try. If it doesn't work, start again ... and again. The only thing I'm sure about in all of this is to never get rid of one -- even if you are absolutely sure that it isn't right for you. It may not work today, you see, but it very well could be perfect tomorrow.

 

[Deputy]

Well said Searcher. The major downside is paying big samolies for a holster and then having to sell it at a loss. I've been lucky so far in that I bought either relatively inexpensive holsters, or the places I bought from give refunds. I am actually good friends with the Ted Blocker Holster people. They are the ones on the S&W forum that are making an exact reproduction of the Dirty Harry shoulder holster. So I may consult with them about a holster for my PPK and Charter Arms guns.

Dep

 

[searcher451]

Well said Searcher. The major downside is paying big samolies for a holster and then having to sell it at a loss. I've been lucky so far in that I bought either relatively inexpensive holsters, or the places I bought from give refunds. I am actually good friends with the Ted Blocker Holster people. They are the ones on the S&W forum that are making an exact reproduction of the Dirty Harry shoulder holster. So I may consult with them about a holster for my PPK and Charter Arms guns.

Dep

Ah, the old having-friends-in-the-holster-business ploy. Maxwell Smart would be pleased to hear that. I've had decent luck with Uncle Mike's holsters; I've got one for hip carry now that works just fine with a P99c. I've been using a DeSantis IWB that has its moments, although I find it a bit uncomfortable to use all day; it's for the PPK/S. (Dropping a afew pounds would undoubtedly help.) I just ordered a Mika pocket holster, also for the PPK/S, and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. It won't be right for all occasions, to be sure, but I suspect that it has at least some of the answers. And sometimes, that's as good as it's going to get.

If you have any luck with the shoulder holster for the PPK, Dep, let us all know. That sounds very Bond-like, indeed.

 

[153]

Like both Searcher451 and Deputy I have had my share of holster woes. I have never been a fan of the IWB, but have probably used that style more than any other.

I find shoulder holsters uncomfortable, and the gun seems to back away from my hand when I reach for it. The exception are the old Army M3 and M7 holsters - but they are good for the woods and not much else.

I have settled on strong side OWB holsters in leather. Right now my favorites are two old models, one is a "Safety Speed Holster" for my Colt Cobra, it is leather that folds around the revolver and has a tension screw to keep the piece in place. I like that it has no safety strap and zero cant. I have a similiar holster for my S&W 66, is styled after the old thumb-breaks, but again has no safety strap and uses a tension screw to keep the revolver in place.

Other than old IWB rough out leather, haven't much for the PP/PPK pistols. I have been lookiing at the Don Hume JIT for my older P99, but am not sure if the front sight will hang up on the bottom of the holster.

As for Uncle Mike....I like his grips, but the majority of his holsters belond right where Deputy left his .....

If anyone the Don Hume JIT for the P99 I would appreciate a review.

 

[WaltherP99man]

As I was reading your thread, the Hume holsters were the first thing that came to mind. The JIT is a great holster. I have a friend that gets one for every gun he has from 1911s to Sigs to Glocks. He has trained everywhere from Gunsite to Quantico and is currently a small arms instructor for the military.

No issues. He swears by them. And when he talks I listen.

Here's a good place to get Hume's from:

Gunner's Alley

You can also buy them direct from Hume.

 

[sailormanCGA72]

Last weekend, I bought the Bianchi Minimalist for my PPK. It requires me to wear my shirt outside my pants and an undershirt between the gun and my skin feels much better. I wore it today for the first time and it feels very comfortable. My other two holsters are the smart carry and the Kangaroo. The smart carry is hard to reach when sitting down. The kangaroo is not thick enough to keep the gun from collecting moisture. After a day of weaing the Kangaroo in south Texas and the holster and PPK are soaking wet. I'm not an untucked shirt kind of guy, but I may have to head that way when I can't wear a vest or jacket.

 

[Deputy]

Hmmmm....that Bianchi Minimalist looks VERY interesting!!! But I'm still thinking shoulder holster.

 

[Deputy]

Holster Update

Went to my local gunshop to poke around and see what I could blow the wad on. Noticed the Uncle Mike's display rack and spun it around till something caught my eye. Found a holstrer for small and medium (not J-Frame) revolvers. Took a chance for $18.95 and grabbed it. WOW!!! Perfect fit for my Charter Arms .44 Bulldog!!!!
I've been looking all over the place for a holster for this gun and now I found one at a great price. Finally something good in the holster department for me
Oh yeah...I tried to order a S&W CS 45 auto. This is a really neat pistol in 9MM and .45ACP. Bad news is they are discontinued, even though S&W still shows them on their website. My gun shop called S&W direct and they have 40 of them left at the factory. But they don't sell dealer direct. So my gun shop called CDNN. They are famous for getting S&W closeouts. CDNN is going to try and get the last batch of these pitsols from Smith. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one. I also found out the Marlin 1894SS Carbine I want is out of stock EVERYWHERE. So that is on order for me too. Worse case scenario is I can order a S&W nickel Model 24 in .44 Special. Lew Horton has these, but only 250 were made. Retail is $1225.

Dep

 

[searcher451]

Dep: I posted this awhile back, but it's still timely.

For everyone looking to add a holster or two, here's a rebate notice from our friends at Uncle Mike's, good for $5 off the purchase price between now and the end of the year.

http://www.uncle-mikes.com/_promotions.html

As the saying goes, five bucks is five bucks.

 

[SELFDEFENSE]

I have used Bianchi Minimalists for Glock 19 and Colt 1991 and was quite satisfied for the price.

 

[Deputy]

More and more I am liking the Uncle Mike Sidekick holsters. With the exception of that crappy "universal" holster I tossed, the Sidekicks all fit well and are priced right. Not what you would want to buy if you are into Quickdraw McGraw stuff, but a nice, solid holster for hip carry.