Holster options for 1985 S&W 649 Bodyguard

The West Virginian · Oct 27, 2013

Good morning, all.

I posted the following questions in a thread I started in the S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present. It then dawned on me that this might be the better forum to post it.

Essentially, on eBay there is a Galco Royal Guard RG158 IWB and a Bianchi Silent Partner #209 shoulder holster marked S&W Chief.

When I check the specs on the Galco it lists the 649 Bodyguard 2" as one of the revolvers this holster will accept. Might any of you good people use, or used, the Royal Guard with an older Bodyguard? If so, was the fit acceptable?

In regards to the Bianchi the Chief's Special and Bodyguard are built on the J frame, but will the humpback design of the Bodyguard prohibit the holster from positively retaining the revolver?

Than you so much, all, for any assistance you can offer.

Take care.
Aaron

Don 73 · Oct 27, 2013

Try zero9holsters.com they custom make all their holsters to fit each gun. I've been pushing them a lot lately, but A) they are my friends and B) they make a quality product.

NCIC105 · Oct 27, 2013

Go to eBay and buy some Kydex and made your own. Easy to work with and you can get the fit you want...Lot of videos on how to make a Kydex holster on you tube.

hotrod150 · Oct 27, 2013

Here's a scan from an old 1987 Bianchi showing the #209 Silent Partner. This should work just fine with a Bodyguard or Centennial. But note how the gun is retained-- the trigger guard fits into a pocket and an elastic gusset holds the holster closed. Magnas will work fine, but if you have grips that fill in the space behind the trigger guard (t-grips, boot grips) they might not allow the gun to fit into the holster properly.
Although I've never owned one, I've always liked the looks of the #209 Silent Partner. It appears to be made of soft glove leather and ought to be comfortable. I was on the lookout for one, but a while back I bought a DeSantis shoulder holster rig instead. It carries the gun at about the same angle as the Silent Partner, but uses a thumbbreak to retain the gun. I usually carry IWB, but the shoulder holster rig is convenient to throw on under a jacket if I wanna walk down to the mailbox or something and don't feel like changing out of my sweatpants.

mc5aw · Oct 28, 2013

The West Virginian said:
Good morning, all.

I posted the following questions in a thread I started in the S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present. It then dawned on me that this might be the better forum to post it.

Essentially, on eBay there is a Galco Royal Guard RG158 IWB and a Bianchi Silent Partner #209 shoulder holster marked S&W Chief.

When I check the specs on the Galco it lists the 649 Bodyguard 2" as one of the revolvers this holster will accept. Might any of you good people use, or used, the Royal Guard with an older Bodyguard? If so, was the fit acceptable?

In regards to the Bianchi the Chief's Special and Bodyguard are built on the J frame, but will the humpback design of the Bodyguard prohibit the holster from positively retaining the revolver?

Than you so much, all, for any assistance you can offer.

Take care.
Aaron

Aaron ... The Galco rig should work fine. The thing to look for on certain shoulder holsters is the retention strap (if applicable). Rigs that are designed for Bodyguard and Centennial models will have the strap over the trigger guard as opposed to over the hammer.

If you want to compare and contrast a bit with a cost effective custom holster, Lobo Leather and Bell Charter Oak are both Forum members and have a long track record of excellent service and quality.

Pay no attention to those posting ridiculous responses that have nothing to do with your inquiry. (Kydex, etc.)

The West Virginian · Oct 28, 2013

Good morning, all.

I can't thank you enough for the thoughts and information.

I don't mind Kydex for certain firearms. I actually had a Tommy Theis IWB for my Glock 26, and my Kahr CM9 and H&K USPc .40 both were carried in Crossbreeds. For my 649, however, the snob in me is coming out and I'd prefer a quality, leather holster.

I prefer the Silent Partner of the two holsters mentioned in my first post simply because I have watched too many police dramas from the 60s and 70s. I'd really like to find a true upside down holster like the Berns-Martin, Safariland, and Bianchi but they are rare and tend to be quite pricey if one can be located. C Rusty Sherrick makes an excellent reproduction of the upside down rig, and I am trying to convince myself the almost $200 price tag is worth it.

Thank you for the pic, hotrod150. I think the Silent Partner will work pretty well.

Take car.
Aaron

hotrod150 · Oct 28, 2013

I had a Berns- Martin Lightning for a while and I didn't really care for the clamshell-spring arrangement so I sold it off. Although it is a classic, I think I'd rather have the Silent Partner- assuming of course that the elastic gusset is in good shape and still has plenty of snap.
FWIW the Bianchi version of the B-M Lightning is the #9R "Special Agent". Bianchi also makes a another version of the Silent Partner, the #208 Silent Partner II-- the gun rides exactly the same but the holster is made out of stiff leather as opposed to the #209's glove leather. Here's another scan from the 1987 BIanchi catalog showing the #9R and the #208.

mc5aw · Oct 28, 2013

Aaron ... If you want a real 1st class shoulder rig, check out the Andrews Leather Monarch. I recently sold one that I had made for a Model 49.

Andrews Custom Leather

sipowicz · Oct 28, 2013

Aless makes a great shoulder rig for the j-frame...it snaps through the trigger guard so it doesn't matter what style j you have....I have one for my 442 and it works great.

Pic taken from the web....not a j-frame.

Also check out ken null for a minimal rig that from what I have heard, works well...

And check out Lobo gun leather for the IWB...a custom rig that is less expensive than the galco and it's thinner in the pants for more comfort, it also has an offset clip for more concealment....you can get straps if you want, mine has a clip.

mc5aw · Oct 28, 2013

Sip ... The Null City Slicker is indeed slick. Very fast, very minimalist, and cost effective. Takes a bit of practice to get used to, but once you're there, it's a sweet rig. And of course, anything from Ray @ Lobo is outstanding.

AZretired · Oct 28, 2013

The West Virginian said:
Good morning, all.

I can't thank you enough for the thoughts and information.

I don't mind Kydex for certain firearms. I actually had a Tommy Theis IWB for my Glock 26, and my Kahr CM9 and H&K USPc .40 both were carried in Crossbreeds. For my 649, however, the snob in me is coming out and I'd prefer a quality, leather holster.

I prefer the Silent Partner of the two holsters mentioned in my first post simply because I have watched too many police dramas from the 60s and 70s. I'd really like to find a true upside down holster like the Berns-Martin, Safariland, and Bianchi but they are rare and tend to be quite pricey if one can be located. C Rusty Sherrick makes an excellent reproduction of the upside down rig, and I am trying to convince myself the almost $200 price tag is worth it.

Thank you for the pic, hotrod150. I think the Silent Partner will work pretty well.

Take car.
Aaron

Ken Null Holsters still makes an upside down holster rig (City Slicker SKR) specifically for J-Frames. The holster is some type of plastic but the harness is leather. They have been making it for about 40 years.

Holster options for 1985 S&W 649 Bodyguard

The West Virginian

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