Hey All,
This new El Paso Saddlery IWB holster works VERY well for concealed carry!
Worn just behind the hip, I can sit and drive in comfort. I can draw easily from under an untucked shirt, and with the birdshead grip, this thing conceals better than my S&W K frames!

Quality leather...smooth side in....rough out......ride height is great.
If you have been wanting to conceal a single action, give them a call!

Nice shorty SA- what make/caliber is it?

Ruger Vaquero Birdshead w/Power Customs Bisley hammer kit installed.

Eagle Rosewood checkered Gunfighter grips.

This Ruger has all springs replaced with Wolf springs and also has a half-cock notch.

chambered in 45ACP!!

Too cool!!!

Nice gun, nice rig. the last time I ordered from El Paso Saddlery, (granted a number of years ago), it was about a 6-8 month wait, how long did it take to get yours?

-Klaus

My holster took about 2.5 months from ordering till it hit my doorstep.

Great looking gun, but even woith the birds-head grips & short barrel it's still kinda bulky. Being kinda wierd, I always wanted something like this but in a smaller frame with a 5-round cylinder.

Does the hammer bite into your side? I wonder if a hammer shield would be in order?
I like it. Looks to be well made and practical.
A friend of my Dad's when I was a kid carried a Colt 4 5/8 inch .45 inside his belt but with the loading gate open and no holster. He was in his 70's and let me shoot it a time or three.

No. This revolver actually carries much better than most would guess.....

I like the concept of a SAA as a carry gun!

I like it!

As R.K. Campbell (IIRC) said:


While the SAA is no longer a first line defensive handgun, a light powerful revolver that points like the finger of God cannot be discounted.

Ssshhhhhh! You must be very quite about the concept of carrying a SA revolver for defensive purposes..........many people will jump all over you and tell you that you will certainly never be able to fight with such an outdated weapon!!

I think there is some merit to the concept maybe not ideal for the big city guys but for a guy who lives in a rural environment I can see the advantages.

Not for the guy who feels the need to carry a high-cap auto-pistol and two (or more) spare mags, but probably would serve well enough in the real world for those who are proficient in single-action shooting. "Beware the man who owns one gun" comes to mind. Lots of people (LEO's and others) carried SAA's well into the double-action revolver and semi-auto era. Some still do (like the OP).

Two thoughts.

First, EPS makes GREAT leather. I probably have one EPS holster for each gun that I might ever carry, even if I never or seldom carry this one or that one. I like to be prepared to carry almost all of my handguns, especially concealed, and EPS does it right!

Second, since the door is open on this subject:

There are a couple of 21st century rules you need to remember if you're going to use a single action revolver for self defense. As a cowboy action shooter I have discussed this many times.

Rule 1 - any "righteous" shoot is just that, righteous, and it doesn't matter what gun you used. Do you run the risk of a cop or prosecutor coming after you for being a "cowboy", etc.? Maybe. Possibly. But if the actions you took were correct you're not going to have any serious issue because your gun looked like something the Lone Ranger used. Even on the civil lawsuit side it doesn't have that much impact so long as your actions were justifiable. Long answer for rule 1 but that's the most important part of the situation.

Rule 2 - Everyone with any common sense knows that you SHOULD train with your self defense tools. Instructors (and I am one) will routinely tell people to not cock their pistols or revolvers because the risk of an AD is too great. Well, if you're using a single action handgun you have to cock it if you want to use it. You DO run the risk of an AD if your trigger is too light or you haven't trained with it. So PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. Practice is actually more important with single action revolvers than double action revolvers for this reason alone.

Well, I had a third item but I've put the entire concept into 2 rules so we can leave it there.

***GRJ***

ISCS YODA,
Thanks for your contribution to the thread!
Yes, carrying a single action requires much practice, and for the longest time, I failed in specific aspects while training with a single action for carry.

Specifically, one handed operation (safely) and keeping my finger out of the trigger guard while cocking (one-handed).

Also, failing to fully cock the revolver when under "stress" (self-induced at the range, as part of training).

I am MUCH more proficient at two-handed operation, but we all know that, in a self defense scenario, this might not be possible.......

The single action revolver is NOT my first choice for a defensive sidearm, but I do carry it a fair bit, mostly while in rural settings.

Thanks for the tip of "practice, practice, practice" as many of us need that reminder.

For personal defense, I dont see anything wrong with a proper single action. Reloading is a bit slow. For the 45 ACP pictured, a 1911 magazine can be used. Just thumb the rounds into the chambers. For 38/357 and 44 Spl/Mag a Dessert Eagle mag can be used.

If you shoot a single action a lot, like the cowboy shooters, then you will be most familiar with that type. Remember, only hits count.

Uberti makes a smaller SAA type revolver in 38 Special and 41 Long Colt. It can be had with a round butt and 3 and 1/2 inch barrel. Then you are limiting yourself to 5 shots, you must be accurate.

Personally, I would choose a Vaquero in 44 Special. 3 and 3/4 inch if I could find one. The holster in this thread would work just fine IMHO. With a Dessert Eagle magazine and 6 bullet loops on my belt I would feel well armed. Corbon, Buffalo Bore and others make good factory ammo.

BTW, for a defense gun, I dont mess with the springs and trigger pull weight. Smooth up is OK but keep the springs stock.

Googled this one. "Stallion Old West Defense"- a 6 shot 38 spl. Empty chamber under the hammer = 5 rounds available. Pretty sweet looking.

I sometimes carry my 4 5/8" Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt in an OWB MERNICKLE PS6-SA. Rides high and tight.

Il Ling New does an 8-part video series on using a single action for self defense starting with :

1. Single-Action Self Defense -- Introduction



Steve