Gun belts

[Marine24]

Looking to have an open carry field rig put together and wondering about appropriate belt widths.

I currently have a Wild Bunch setup from Mernickle that has a Mexican loop holster on a 2 1/2" wide belt with double mag pouch that works very well with my 1911.

Is there an advantage of having that wide of a belt for outside the pants/open carry?

 

[Watchdog]

Looking to have an open carry field rig put together and wondering about appropriate belt widths.
I currently have a Wild Bunch setup from Mernickle that has a Mexican loop holster on a 2 1/2" wide belt with double mag pouch that works very well with my 1911.
Is there an advantage of having that wide of a belt for outside the pants/open carry?

Not that .25-inch will make that much difference, but I've always had great results with a 2.25-inch wide belt for outside the pants/outside the belt loops.

That said, I think more depends on the thickness and stiffness of the belt rather than the width. I'm thinking your current rig must be sort of heavy?

Taking that one step further, I've had good experiences lately with a 1.75-inch wide belt worn inside the belt loops of my jeans. The belt is .25-inches thick and totally supports my full size 1911 in a Wild Bunch style holster.

A suede-lined belt is even better, as it keeps the belt from sliding around when you're active.

This is just my opinion, of course.

 

[Marine24]

Watchdog: Appreciate the insight.

My current setup isn't light but not uncomfortable either. There was a heavy dose of nostalgia involved when I opted for this setup and looking to assess is practical nature.

I like the easy on and off flexibility that outside the pants/belt loops offers plus the lower drop on the handgun compared to inside the loop belt carry. The easy on/off capability of a holster is something I look for in my concealed carry setups as well.

Seems most duty belts are 2.25" in width, which goes to your first point, but not sure if the width is dictated by the amount of gear a typical a police officer has hanging on that belt. Assume the answer is yes.

Would a 1.5 or 1.75" quality belt be sufficient for outside the loop carry if your gear was limited to a full size double stack 1911 (STI/Para) and a dual 14 round mag pouch?

Aesthetically it may not look traditional, but focused more on the practical/functional nature (Like the idea of the suede lining).

 

[bigmoose]

This Safariland (2 1/4" wide) is the best belt I have ever worn. It is comfortable yet stiff. The holster won't "sag" in unwanted positions. It is suede lined also. A very, very well made belt, they are getting hard to find. I have worn it over shorts, jeans, wool hunting pants. Hiking or hunting, it is the way to go. I use 2 belt tenders with it, by the way.

 

[Marine24]

Nice set up.

I'm a big fan of Safariland belts as well. Used one for a number of years to help carry my hunting stuff before I outgrew it. Still had a lot of life left in it.

Good option if I decide to stick with the wider belt.

Belt tenders?

 

[Watchdog]

My current setup isn't light but not uncomfortable either. There was a heavy dose of nostalgia involved when I opted for this setup and looking to assess is practical nature.

I understand about the nostalgia. Quite a few of my holster/belt combinations are nostalgia-based.

Would a 1.5 or 1.75" quality belt be sufficient for outside the loop carry if your gear was limited to a full size double stack 1911 (STI/Para) and a dual 14 round mag pouch?

I honestly don't know. Again, I think belt thickness would play a big part. You have to take your own preferences into account as well.

You might want to take a look at El Paso Saddlery's #150 River Belt. It's a sturdy 2.25-inch wide belt that's suede lined and with 1.50-inch billets.

 

[Watchdog]

This Safariland (2 1/4" wide) is the best belt I have ever worn. It is comfortable yet stiff. The holster won't "sag" in unwanted positions. It is suede lined also. A very, very well made belt, they are getting hard to find. I have worn it over shorts, jeans, wool hunting pants. Hiking or hunting, it is the way to go. I use 2 belt tenders with it, by the way.

You hit the nail on the head about the Safariland belts. I, too, had one back in the seventies. But it (and a Safariland holster) carried my Old Model Ruger Super Blackhawk up and down many a mountain and never sagged a bit.

And yep, they are hard to find. I've been looking...found a couple...but not in my size. I'll buy one in a heartbeat if I find one, cause I still have an old Safariland holster that'll fit on one just fine.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Just for the record, I see two separate discussions here. Maybe three.

1. Open carry in what amounts to a western-style rig, as used in various aspects of cowboy action shooting.

2. Open carry in normal clothes with a gun attached to your pants belt.

3. Open carry wearing a gun over a coat.

1. Sticking to item 1, which can be done under the other circumstances as well, I do not think you need to go to 2.5 inches. A 2' or 2.25" belt should work. El Paso Saddlery makes what they call a 1911 gun belt and it is designed for open carry and I am almost positive it's 2" or 2.25".

2. If you're going to open carry using the belt that holds your pants up then 1.25" or 1.5" will work, unless you're wearing dress pants that will only take a 1" belt, in which case a proper dress-gunbelt will still work but I would not carry too large a gun on it. From what I have seen, which is obviously not everything, most quality OWB holsters are designed for 1.25 or 1.5 inch belts in order to support large guns.

3. The real issue with coats is whether they are long or short. If you want to wear your gun OVER your coat your choice will be different probably than if you're carrying as described in item 1 and wearing a waist length or three-quarter coat.

I'm just putting my two cents in here because I love the concept but the question is open ended. I had to laugh because when I read "open carry" I literally pictured item 2, a gun on a pants belt, so I realized when I read the question there could easily be guys carrying the way we do in cowboy action shooting. I do not know why that didn't occur to me......I've done it in public! But on private property at NRA/FONRA functions and even weddings at outdoor venues - not on the street. Not yet, anyway. Well, now that I think about it, I did do it once "on the street". On a hunting trip when we went to a feed store and I had my jacket off. Nobody cared.

***GRJ***

 

[Marine24]

Picture of the old west come to mind don't they, but not quite the fast draw setups you are probably used to. Definitely not as fancy.

It is a personal preference for me to wear a setup that is similar to a western rig when out hunting or working at the in-laws small ranch, where concealment isn't a concern. My wife accuses me of trying to relive my youth and go play Cowboys and Indians again, but short of picking up a drop leg thigh holster for the Para P-14, seems like the most realistic way I would carry it.

 

[bigmoose]

Nice set up.



Belt tenders?

I am not sure I used the correct name, but I am referring to those little straps with two snaps on them. They wrap around both the gun belt and your pants belt, keeping the gun belt in a constant and secure position around your waist. They are often seen on cop's duty rigs.

 

[jinx]

In reference to "belt tenders", I have always known them to be "keepers"

 

[Watchdog]

In reference to "belt tenders", I have always known them to be "keepers"

I always thought "keeper" refers to the loop right behind the buckle that holds the belt tip down after it goes through the buckle. Some belts have one keeper, others have two, but what I'm referring to has nothing to do with securing the gunbelt to the pants belt.

We need someone like Eaglestroker to drop by this thread and clarify the terminology.

 

[Marine24]

If Wikipedia is considered a reliable source, here is their definition:

Belt keepers
In the past, many belts would sag and move around while around the waist while an officer was engaging in a physical activity. Belt keepers wrap around the duty belt and trouser belt, ensuring that the belt stays in place, even when the officer is taking something from the belt or engaging in an altercation with a suspect.

Like Watchdog, I always thought a keeper was what you tucked the end of your belt in to to keep it from flapping around, but seems it might have another definition when associated with duty belts.

 

[Eaglestroker]

^^ Learn something new every day.

 

[loeman]

I use both sizes for open carry. My 2.25 belt is a vintage Bianchi Riverbelt from ca. 1979. It is very thick and seems to be just about perfect for carrying an N or L frame out in the field. I'm pretty sure I love my vintage Bianchi just as much as you guys love your vintage Safariland. My second open carry belt is a 1.75 inch Bullhide belt. I've only had it for about one year, and I'm very impressed with the quality and function. It fits into my belt loops and will also support a large gun and double mag holder without sag. I'll be using it this weekend for my CCW qualifying session with my S&W 4506 and S&W Md. 681.

 

[Marine24]

How do you think the Bullhide belt would work outside the loops without the benefit of the belt loops to provide additional support?