The Mysterious One Arm Shoulder Holster

The Last Standing Knight · Aug 25, 2012

Does this exist?

Reason I ask is that I've watched some old TV shows from the late 50's- early 60's and some of the pistol toters had shoulder holsters that only had one over the shoulder strap similar to (for lack of a better term) a purse.

Any of these really exist and if so, how the heck did they stay in place without sliding down?

deadin · Aug 25, 2012

Velcro??

Wait, it didn't exist in the '50's. so maybe glue?

gdauth · Aug 25, 2012

Safety pins? Staples?

deadin · Aug 25, 2012

Concentration?

No, I have a shoulder holster from the period. Actually probably earlier ('30s/'40s) and it has two elastic "strings" attatched. I've never quite figured out how they hooked up, but I think they went around the chest or something.

Here's a pic.....

Alpo · Aug 25, 2012

Maybe similar to this?

In one of the Mike Hammer books, Mike is talking to some street punks, and stands in a way that allows them to see the strap of his shoulder holster going across his chest. Knowing that he was wearing a gun impressed them.

gasaman · Aug 25, 2012

deadin said:
Concentration?

No, I have a shoulder holster from the period. Actually probably earlier ('30s/'40s) and it has two elastic "strings" attatched. I've never quite figured out how they hooked up, but I think they went around the chest or something.

Here's a pic.....

The two elastic straps go around your strongside shoulder by way of across your back.

DustyJacket · Aug 25, 2012

The Last Standing Knight · Aug 25, 2012

The holters I saw looked similar to a modern one, but had NO straps going across the chest or back. The were literally over the shoulder and that was all. I couldn't see how one could've stayed in place.

wyo-man · Aug 25, 2012

Steve McGarrett from the original Hawaii 50 wore one. Never could figure out it stayed on his shoulder.

wyo-man

arjay · Aug 25, 2012

Jack Lord was a tough old bird.I think they just stapled it to his shoulder.

crankyoldlady · Aug 25, 2012

Sounds like the holster worn by Robert Ryan in the 1951 film "Flying Leathernecks".

Loyaljeeper · Feb 14, 2013

My grandfather used the one arm shoulder holster for a long time. It is only designed to be worn as a undergarment. When you put a coat over the holster it keeps the shoulder loop in place. I would love to have one today.

PDL · Feb 14, 2013

Can't remember where I saw it but I saw one that had a strap across the back that attached around the belt on the strong side. From the front this would appear to be a 1 arm holster since you wouldn't see anything around the strong arm.

feralmerril · Feb 14, 2013

I cant even keep most of my suspenders on! I have some of these side clip suspenders from perry but they arent my favorites.
Perry SIde Clip Suspenders | SuspenderStore
I now wear hickmans. Best solution to holding up a gun belt and holster too.
http://www.hickmansuspenders.com/inc/sdetail/164

Onomea · Feb 14, 2013

Feral, why do you prefer the Hickmans to the Perry's? (I have Perry's but no experience with Hickmans.)

carpriver · Feb 14, 2013

I have been

thinking about a shoulder holster that is also a pair of suspenders. But I am thinking of four straps (2 per side) with a single strap across the back to keep the suspenders from sliding off the shoulders. It still rolling around in the brain, the planning stage. I have just begun work on a shoulder holster for a rig I use form my 1911. I want to carry my 686 in a shoulder rig.

Berserker · Feb 14, 2013

Would this be the bandoleir style? I have thought about one for my SBH, 7.5". I wanted something I could just throw on going out the door, in bear country.

feralmerril · Feb 14, 2013

Onomea; I wore perrys for almost 20 years. I started wearing them as they have the plastic clips and unlike metal clips they wouldnt tear up my car seats and furniture. But there is two things wrong with them. First the clip openings for the belt isnt wide enough to accomidate a thick gun belt as I used to wear on my job. 2nd, the clip in back almost always falls off in the john, makeing you have to struggle to put it back on. Kinda rough for a fat guy.
The hickman comes with either metal hooks (again bad for funiture), leather button hole grabbers, (probley okay but you will have to sew buttons on your pants) and the third one and best is a leather loop that is adjustable like a belt. You run your belt, even can adjust it for a large wide gun belt, and they cant unhook when you drop your pants in the can. Someone mentioned them on another site about a month ago and I ordered two pair. They worked out well so I ordered two more pair. I am a big fat guy with noassatall and they work out the best of any I ever had. I use the belt style hickmans shown.

Roadtrash · Feb 15, 2013

If you remember the little "flap" that buttoned down on the shoulder of some uniform and some regular shirts year ago, I can't think of what they were called right now, the shoulder holster would go under this flap and with it buttoned down the holster stayed in place.

Don't you hate it when you can't think of a word now I'll be up all night trying to remember it. Dang.

feralmerril · Feb 15, 2013

The word you seek is epillets. (spelling)?

The Mysterious One Arm Shoulder Holster

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