just got a 686+ 2 1/2 , i want to get a good holster i have read about simply rugged, lobo, Kramer , rgrizzle, so i want some input on what you guy are using .

Here is is some of the things i want it has to durable , comfortable owb no iwb good retention and able to conceal well , i am a big guy about 265lbs not fat but very broad and wide shouldered , any and all opinions welcome i want to order soon cause i know it will take 6-8 weeks to get one .

Tucker Gunleather

HF3 revolver holster, best I've used for concealment (I'm normally a Sparks/Alessi junkie). Carry a 4" N-frame daily.

$110., less than 8 weeks to your door.

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matt

I own two sourdough pancake holsters from Simply Rugged. One of them for a J frame 442 and the other I bought for a L frame 696 which has a 3" barrel. Both retain the guns very well and hold them close enough to my body to conceal the guns very well while wearing a long shirt or jacket. Both are extremely well made and were delivered quite quickly. They were about $60.00 each. I also use the L frame holster to carry a K frame 66 with a 2 1/2" barrel and although it does not fit quite as snug it still retains the gun.

Milt sparks PMK

or

Holsters by RGrizzle

Country Boy

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The American dream is alive

Galco Combat Master will do a good job and not take two or three months to arrive.

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Centennial Every Day

This would be my second choice, have a couple and they do work well for me, MUCH better than the Galco Concealable, IMO.

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matt

thx all who replied, i was looking at that galco i saw it for sale somewhere cant remember , are they usa made, also how are the snap on holsters are they tight or do they sag easy on easy off would be a nice option.

I have two Simple Rugged holsters, best money I've spent. Made in the USA, you can talk to a real person, and the products are first class.

Ditto ^



Regards ,
George

This. Maybe I am just impatient.

Rgrizzle makes great stuff as well.

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M66, M&P 360, 642, M85 UL/Ti

I have 4" revolver holsters from Grizzle and Alessi, which have the finest materials and workmanship you could want. I even have an IWB holster for a 686, which is problematic because the belt puts so much pressure on the cylinder it is hard to draw. On the whole, I prefer pancake holsters for comfort, function and concealability. Quick snap pancakes put too much tension on the cylinder too, so I recommend the belt slot type.

Barrels 6" or longer are hard to draw from a high-ride holster. For longer barrels, look for a western style or duty-type holster, or a shoulder holster for convenience and limited concealability. I have an Alessi "Fieldmaster" for a 6" 629, which I like a lot.

Galco makes are some of the better mass-produced types, but the fit is generally poor and the leather too soft. You probably need a thumb break Galco for adequate retention. Galco tends to tout certain popular features, like high-ride, even if they don't make functional sense.

Pancake from simply rugged - carry a 4" N frame more often then not - I'm 5'9" 215lbs and I can hide it with a t shirt

thank you that is exactly the feedback i was looking for , and thanks to the rest of you for the input as well keep it coming.

I carry my 2-1/2" S&W 66 in a Lobo Enhanced Pancake.
I have another for my 2-1/2" S&W 310 Night Guard.
I have a Lobo Model 1 Pancake for my 3" S&W 625.

I can keep going for a while, I have 8 total, and two more on order. My brother has 4. Ray does very good work. The wait time is 4 to 5 weeks normally. His prices are also very reasonable.

I have a couple Model 1 Pancakes, the rest are his later Enhanced Pancake design.
I normally get mine in Medium Tan.
I add the Inner Hammer Shield to mine for concealed carry.
Thumb Break Retention is also an option.
The Enhanced Pancake comes Detail Boned to the gun.
With your 686 if it is a 7 shooter, which I believe yours is. You will want to specify to NOT Bone the Cylinder Flutes, unless he has a 7 shot Try Gun to fit it to. I requested that he not Bone the Flutes on my LCR holster, as I use the holster to carry both my 5 shot LCR 357, as well as my 8 Shot LCR 22.
I carry everything from my 4" Model 610 N Frame, down to my LCR 22 in the Lobo Enhanced Pancake holsters. The only time I carry in anything besides the Lobo Pancakes is when bumming around in the woods. Then I might use one of my old Bianchi holsters with Thumb Break Retention for a little better retention, and to not scuff up my Lobo holsters which are all still in great condition.
I have all 8 of my Lobo Pancakes in the Open Top design with Inner Hammer Shield. I use them all for concealed carry. If I had a dedicated bumming around in the woods gun that I needed a new holster for, I would probably switch to the Lobo Enhanced Avenger Model, and get it with Thumb Break Retention.
I have a horse riding holster on order for the Wife. She trailrides her horses all over Southern Missouri, and has been known to go Brush Popping with fair frequency. I consulted Ray and he recommended a Lobo Full Flap holster with Zero Cant for the LCR. With Zero Cant it can be worn on either side. The LCR is not a Thumb Break Retention friendly handgun, so the Full Flap was the best answer for handgun security. It is also a good design for the application as she can take the holster off if she wants to and throw it in the saddle bags, or floor board of the truck and not worry about scuffing the gun up. In this application the main concern was in not losing the UltraLite handgun, and not fast accessability. She will be open carrying, and probably have a couple shotshells up front in warm weather for snakes.
The point is, Ray makes several different holsters, with several options. His prices are great for a Custom Made Holster. You can still afford to have it your way when you order from him.

Check out the Lobo website. He is a great guy to deal with. Between my brother and I we have I believe 12 of his holsters, and 2 more on order. Everyone has been of great quality.

Lobo Gun Leather - Home

Bob in Misouri

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ICORE MO2908

RVL33,

All of the above mentioned holsters are very good. I have probably at least three of each mentioned for various weapons. I am about your size and have carried for many years. I would caution you to spend a great deal of time in the selection of the belt that will carry the holster. The belt is often ignored and holsters blamed for "floppy" and sloppy carry results.

Regards

Bill

I agree with the folks who said Simply Rugged. Well made and at a good price. I also have a Tom Threepersons holster for my 28-2 made by El Paso Saddlery. It's also is a very well made holster.

yeah i got a good belt same one i have been wearing for 20 yrs now, it was custom made from a local cobbler and is about 1 3/4 and thick as a truck mud flap ,the guys at work would tease me about that lol!!!

do any of you get the smooth option on your holster or is it only really good for a blue gun as not wear the blue off.

thx bob for the reply , i really like the avenger style did you get one for the wife , and would it be just as concealable as the enhanced pancake in your opinion.

The holster Ray recommended for the wife to carry a Ruger LCR in while riding her horse was his Full Flap Holster, with Neutral Cant so that it can be worn on either side. The main concerns were protecting the handgun, and her not losing the gun in the middle of no where.

I do not have one of Rays Enhanced Avenger holsters at this time. I will probably get one for my XDm sooner or later. I do have an Avenger made by Rafter S Holsters in Black Shark for my Custom 1911. It is a great holster for the 1911.

Will the Enhanced Avenger be as concealable as the Enhanced Pancake? I am not sure. My first couple Pancakes worked so well that I have ended up with 8 of them so far. My guess is that the Enhanced Pancake will be a little tighter to the body than the Enhanced Avenger carrying a Revolver.

Another concern is your belt loop locations. I normally wear either Rustler Blue Jeans, or Woolrich Elite Tactical Pants.

I normally carry at 4 O'Clock.
With the Pancake Holsters I have a pants belt loop under the holster wearing the Blue Jeans.
Wearing the Woolrich Tactical pants the Pancake Holster is between belt loops at 4 O'Clock.

I have the Enhanced Pancake for my 2-1/2" 66 out. It looks to be a hair over 6" from where the belt enters the holster belt tunnels, to where it exits. You have about 4" of belt exposed under the holster.

With the Avenger you will probably have the holster between belt loops, as the holster belt tunnels will be closer together. I would estimate about 4" of belt taken up by the holster.

With luck someone with the Lobo Enhanced Avenger for a Revolver will post some information.

Bob

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ICORE MO2908

I've bought and used holsters from nearly every gun leather outfit you can think of over the decades (been carrying nearly every day for 40+ years) and there are a lot of good ones out there. For a long time, my favorite was El Paso Saddlery, but a few years ago, Lobo Gun Leather became my preferred holster maker.

If you're looking for a top quality holster at a reasonable price with an acceptable wait time, I believe forum member Ray @ Lobo Gun Leather is the man to go to.









BobR1: I have a Lobo belt slide holster in the works for my H&K P2000 SK .40 S&W, but my next is going to be a Lobo Avenger. From experience, I know these holsters aren't quite as concealable as a pancake, but they have their advantages. They sit a bit lower and make for an easier, faster draw, at least for me. They look darn good, too!

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Steve
NJ State Trooper (rtd)

ok time to ask more ? s i bought a cheap tagua holster that seems good for a cheap need it right now holster but her are some of my observations with this style of holster pancake style .

1. holster seems to ride to high for me which makes it print real bad, is it the holster or the fact that the barrel is 2 1/2 which makes it seem grip or but heavy my belt is good 1 1/2 inches and really thick so i dont think that is the problem.

2. would it be to much to ask one of the makers mentioned in this thread
to drop it down some like lobo enhanced avenger , or pancake style, also i do not like the cant it makes drawing very difficult for me when i have it at 3:30 or 4:00 esp with how high it rides on me.

any more suggestions are welcome this is all new to me as far as carrying i have had pistols for along time just never carried it at length so i need to go to the wisdom of you more experienced people on the matter i dont want throw my money in a black hole so just trying to figure this out thanks all for the help.

I carry the 4" N-frame daily in a Tucker HF3.

I cannot conceal even my baby Glocks OWB as easily as I can this combo, and do so even under just a dark tshirt. It's that good.

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matt

Ray at Lobo is very easy to work with about modifications. I have about 18-20 of his holsters now and they are all top notch. Every one has fit perfectly-something I cannot say for Elpaso where the holsters go for 3 times the price.
I recently got a flap holster for my M&P .357 Sig. It is the best made flap holster I have had since I started packing in 1961. His enhanced Avenger is also top notch and easier to draw from than the original as espoused by Bianchi.
I also recently got one of his #5 holsters for my Colt New Agent and the best double mag pouch for the Officers size mags ever. Over the years I have accumulated boxes full of holsters, not of the Lobos are going into a box, they are all being put to good use, among the best IMHO.

Since this thread is still going, I'll show you a couple of holsters.

Wrap around -- Askins style by Ryan Grizzle, his Workin Man for a 586/686. He usually only does this for autos, but my thinking was a revolver's a round gun so it ought to go in a round holster.





Pancake -- Ray at Lobo Gun Leather, this is a lined pancake with hammer shields guarding the hammer front and back, made for a 657 Mountain gun. Round gun in a flat holster, but seems to work OK.



Both guys are easy to work with. Both holsters have only single stitching around the gun whereas some makers will do a double row. Ray makes a point of offering customization. Ryan said he only does the workin man for autos, but did one for a revolver after all.

Vern

Hey REV, I love GALCO and its' predecessor JackAss Leather Co. I only have one Simply Rugged, but it is an awesome holster. It is the sourdough pancake for a 4" N-frame. I also like DeSantis for the cop three-slot holster. I have used these extensively. The Galco Royal Guard is my favorite for my 1911. The are spendy, but WORTH it. If you look on the auction sites, you can get a used or new one cheaper. I'd put a WTB ad on the forum and odds are one of the members will have what you need. For your info, I like the Royal Guard because it is made with a curved piece of leather for the back, then the front or outside of the holster is made by forming the leather around the gun. When the gun is drawn, it does not have the tendency to close because of the two pieces of leather being sewn together are not flat and then spread to accommodate the gun. Good luck in your choice.

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Go big or stay home

A Simply Rugged Silver Dollar Pancake for my Taurus 85 is in town according to USPS tracking and scheduled for delivery tomorrow. I ordered the in and out straps in case I ever need them but plan to carry OWB... $70 to my door. Tomorrow will be 26 days since the order was placed.

thx vern i like that first one is that his askins , sort of like the avenger from lobo , i also like that the second pic where the leather goes over the cylinder i have seen lobo's pancake and would like it to do the same does he make that style of pancake anymore .

i still would like to get some imput on how your holsters ride mine seems to high for me would the ones you posted ride a little lower or can they be made to ride a little lower.

thx sprefix i will try to do some checking the one i have seen on various sites they are pictured with autos so it leaves me with alot of concerns , i have been looking on this and other sites and it seems that they are for 4" guns or k frames or whatever else so i have been trying maybe i will try the wtb on here thx again for the advise.

I favor crossdraws, for good concealability and easy access when seated or driving an auto. Our fellow forum member, Lefty @ Bell Charter Oak, makes a line of VERY innovative holsters . Workmanship and materials are superb, price is reasonable as well as delivery time. Lefty is a retired NYC PD --"Old Flatfoot"--who has rubbed elbows with some of the greats like Jim Cirillo, etc. He has a wealth of experience and it shows in his design and execution. He LOVES veterans and disabled guys, and goes out of his way to help us out. Give him a tumble, you WON'T be sorry.....BELL CHARTER OAK CUSTOM HOLSTERS (607) 783-2483

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I have always been a Bianchi holster fan. Their lined holsters have always met my expectations.

i was just looking at r grizzle's Georgia snap is seems like it would be just about perfect as the cyl is about center with the belt looking like it would ride lower and with my gun being 2 1/2 inch it would not feel but heavy i just don't know about the snap on part seems nice but in practical means i would have to have some reviews from people that have this set up.

thx i have seen some of his work he has some nice stuff i think i like that ice scabbard but don't think it is made for a L frame 686.

I really like the floral threepersons holster (the stag gripped one at bottom) but does it have any carry/snap strap for retention (I probably didn't use the right term, but I meant anything to keep the gun from falling out!!)

C&R Bill i am sure you could get the snap strap i know i have seen them before but i cant tell you who the maker was but it is just a strap so it cant be that big a deal to have done .

There are a lot of reply's and each one has merits. I carry a 2.5" 66 and I believe the Galco Combat Master is tops. High & tight to the body, with full enclosure of the trigger guard. There is no safety stap or thumb break to deal with, and the holster holds my piece firmly. Top quality construction is another plus.............

i have seen that holster it does look nice , but i want something that is a little lower of a ride and not so high, tight is fine though.

I guess I never answered your question. I think the revolver holsters in my photos ride a little high. I'd prefer to have the trigger/trigger guard on my belt. I don't know if you can tell, but both holsters have the trigger guard most if not all the way above the belt. That makes it easier to conceal, but if you're not so limber any more (like me) it makes a tough draw.

I have a Hi Power holster by Eric Larsen of H.B.E. Specialty Leather Works that puts it more where I want it. It's easier to draw, but the muzzle hangs lower.



Eric will set the cant and height any way you want it, but he does mostly autos. He's the one you want for CZ holsters, but that won't help your S&W.

Vern

I'd go with the Simply Rugged. Simply Rugged Holsters I'd get it with the inside out straps too. That way you can carry both OWB & IWB with the same holster. Rob does excellent work, his holsters are tops. I use one regularly & it's a great holster.
Frank

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US RIDE FOR THE BRAND OR LEAVE

ok thanks vern i will take a look at his site, and yes the draw is hard for me ride being to high at 3:30 4:00 my upper body is very wide and broad shouldered and i think that is the part of the problem .

the muzzle should not be a concern for me at 2 1/2 ".

i do like his stuff but i will not go iwb i don't think that will work for me at all .