Holster for 1911

[sceva]

I recently got a 1911 ( Springfield Ronin 9mm ) after many years away from one. Once I get the grips I want on it etc I will probably take this with my when traveling at times instead of my old Ruger Speed Six. Can anyone recommend a holster for comfortable carry and in a car riding/driving. I'm looking at simple belt slides, Speed Scabbards and possibly IWB. Maybe Shoulder but doubtful.

Suggestions; used is actually preferred to keep costs down. It is for occasional use but I do want a decent product. Leather - Brown. I'll likely watch the classifieds as I am in no hurry.

Also; Magazine carriers. With a 1911 9mm outside magazine dimensions are same, Correct? I believe a 1911 mag carrier isn't caliber specific.

 

[Baxter6551]

You are correct on the mag holder. For cost I would recommend a DeSantis speed scabbard which is available in brown. They also make a cross draw good for extended car travel comfort. A great crossdraw is a Haugen leather Huntington Wedge.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have carried a full-size 1911 pistol for most of the past 54 years, with the vast majority of that time as concealed carry. For the best overall combination of comfort, accessibility, security, and concealment my first recommendation is a good pancake-style holster carried strong-side just behind the point of the hip bone (about 3:30 position for right-handers), and having a butt-forward cant of about 10 to 15 degrees.

Equal comfort along with a small increase in accessibility can be had with the Avenger-style holster, with slightly reduced concealment.

Some users find that a slide shield improves comfort. Basically, just an extended panel of leather on the body side to protect the body from contact with the hammer, rear sight, and exposed slide. I prefer my holsters without this feature, but lots of people insist upon it.

I avoid the belt slide style holsters because the exposed muzzle and slide can cause the pistol to be pushed upward when seated or driving a car.

The 1911 magazines are all of the same basic external dimensions regardless of caliber. A pouch for one will accept the others. Double mag pouches are considerably more bulky, take up more belt space, and far more noticeable from a comfort perspective, but there are a few decent compact double pouches. Usually I prefer a single mag pouch carried weak side right at the point of the hip (I've been known to carry 2 single mag pouches when I felt the need for the extra ammo, easier to manage on the belt than most double mag pouches).

The foundation of any good carry rig is the belt. A strong well-made belt will support the holstered pistol all day long without constant adjustments as you sit, stand, bend over, get in and out of the car, etc. No holster can be expected to perform at optimum level without good support.

I hope this helps.

 

[Chubbs103]

I've become a little set in my ways over the last few years.

I like Kramer belt scabbards (pancake holster) for OWB and Milt Sparks Versa Max IIs for IWB.

 

[Mainsail]

Privateer Leather cross-draw works very well for driving and is my EDC with a Sig P239 .357Sig.

Although I don't see it on the website, Wes makes a great cross-draw mag pouch as well. Email him for the info.

 

[Grayfox]

I've been carrying 1911s for about 30 years. What works best for me is the Askin's Avenger style. In fact, I like it for most any semi-auto. It conceals very well, but doesn't take up quite as much belt space as pancake styles. Most of the good holster makers offer something in this style. This one is an old Dillion which they used to sell. I believe they were actually made by Kramer.

 

[rednichols]

Lobo and I will have to disagree on the 'get a good gunbelt' myth. I've written time and again: if your belt holster needs a wide, stiff gunbelt (which appears to be the definition of 'a good gunbelt') your holster is poorly designed.

Get the centre of gravity right and your pistol will not tip outwards, get the belt loop right and your pistol will not turn the grip inwards or outwards to excess, get the carry angle right and your grip will not print under your clothes. The ideal for the auto is with the ejector button of a 1911 (or comparable spot on another pistol) just at the uppermost edge of the trousers belt; for a revolver, with the cylinder' length centred on the width of the belt itself; the barrel length and frame will then sort itself out.

The "good gunbelt" myth began in the 1970s as the fast draw then combat shooters drifted away from buscadero sets to concealment sets; by 'statute' set out by Cooper. At that time jeans had wide loops themselves and we 'hippies wore wide belts in these loops because we could. So the likes of Anderson and Pineda sold their trousers belts this way, and as 'lodge pins' these belts showed the wearer was among the cognoscenti. The holsters were carrying the pistol too high! Below image of an Anderson open front shows the pants and the trousers; the buscadero belt is circa 1970 only and discarded soon after for the concealables mandated afterwards.

 

[Chubbs103]

I'll disagree with rednichols' disagreement.

A good belt doesn't need to be particularly wide, but it does need to have some stiffness. I prefer it to have a pretty good fit to the slots in the holster as well. Even with a good holster, the first time you run up a flight of stairs carrying a gun on a floppy belt, you'll be shopping for a new one.

 

[URIT]

Back on point. This holster gets my vote...
mtrcustomleather dot com/product/b-1a-slim-line-deluxe-pancake-belt-slide-holster/
They list the 1911 Springfield Ronin 9mm with 4.25" or 5" barrel, and they have other holster options too.
I like to the Remora single mag holder, because I can carry in my pocket or waistline with confidence. I bought a two pack which was a good deal.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Lobo and I will have to disagree on the 'get a good gunbelt' myth. I've written time and again: if your belt holster needs a wide, stiff gunbelt (which appears to be the definition of 'a good gunbelt') your holster is poorly designed.

Get the centre of gravity right and your pistol will not tip outwards, get the belt loop right and your pistol will not turn the grip inwards or outwards to excess, get the carry angle right and your grip will not print under your clothes. The ideal for the auto is with the ejector button of a 1911 (or comparable spot on another pistol) just at the uppermost edge of the trousers belt; for a revolver, with the cylinder' length centred on the width of the belt itself; the barrel length and frame will then sort itself out.

The "good gunbelt" myth began in the 1970s as the fast draw then combat shooters drifted away from buscadero sets to concealment sets; by 'statute' set out by Cooper. At that time jeans had wide loops themselves and we 'hippies wore wide belts in these loops because we could. So the likes of Anderson and Pineda sold their trousers belts this way, and as 'lodge pins' these belts showed the wearer was among the cognoscenti. The holsters were carrying the pistol too high! Below image of an Anderson open front shows the pants and the trousers; the buscadero belt is circa 1970 only and discarded soon after for the concealables mandated afterwards.

Red and I don't always agree on everything. That's fine; two perspectives can be more useful than only one, and neither one may be 100% accurate.

Red has stated his opinion, essentially that the sturdy belt thing was a myth. My response is that I have carried with narrow dress belts and with thick wide belts, and I find that the heavy-duty belts support the weight better, allow the holster to shift around less, and do not share the tendency of narrow belts to cause discomfort in use. A well-made belt will also last far longer under hard use.

I am now wearing a two-layer horsehide belt that I made about 12 years ago. It will easily go another 12 years. Very few department store mens' belts will last a year when supporting a holstered handgun daily. Much more economical in the long run.

 

[sceva]

Thank you for the suggestions; They pretty much mirror what I was thinking a good pancake or avenger style I also like the idea of a cross draw for comfort in the car. . I like the idea of the minimal belt slide but I am leery as well about how much pistol is exposed. I will keep an eye out for something along these likes and a decent single mag pouch.
As far as the belt goes; I have worn an El Paso Saddle 1 1/2" russett dress belt for about 25 years ( I am on my second one; the other still hade life in it but I needed one an inch or so longer)

Looks like I am going to get one of Ray's fine products; a nice pancake and probably a pouch.

Thank you all

 

[rednichols]

I've refreshed my awareness of Ray's (Lobo) holster line on his former company's website, and I see that his designs adhere very closely to the principles I've set out for c-g.

"Get a good gunbelt" is a pat phrase that evolved from holsters like these, that are so incredibly topheavy that the only way to make it all worse is to put either a snubby .44 Mag or a 19 round 9mm auto in one. For THESE you'd HAVE to have a 'good' gunbelt to keep the pistol upright, and the weight would nag at you constantly.

It's a Galco; contrast that poor design with another Galco and you'll see a slide holster done well. In the '70s it was 'vogue' to carry high in concealment but we learned better as the Lobo site shows.

Very few sites and/or catalogues for holsters show the backside of the holster, or the holster on a belt and worn by a person; so buyers simply have to guess at how the holster is worn. Then when it's a poor result the holster ends up in the reject box that every gunman has at home and a replacement is sought.

But when you KNOW a well-balanced holster when you see it, you'll not only buy it but skip the 'good' gunbelt 'cause you know you won't need it .

 

[sceva]

Thanks Red; I appreciate the insight ( and the history lesson ) I remember those with the high carry; wasn't a fan.

Ray had a few lightly used holster he offered at a great price; I am getting a Model 1 Dark Cordovan Brown Pancake that Ray made himself before selling the business. along with a single oiled tan pancake-style mag pouch.

For you viewing pleasure

 

[sceva]

New photos added above

 

[sceva]

I've refreshed my awareness of Ray's (Lobo) holster line on his former company's website, and I see that his designs adhere very closely to the principles I've set out for c-g.

"Get a good gunbelt" is a pat phrase that evolved from holsters like these, that are so incredibly topheavy that the only way to make it all worse is to put either a snubby .44 Mag or a 19 round 9mm auto in one. For THESE you'd HAVE to have a 'good' gunbelt to keep the pistol upright, and the weight would nag at you constantly.

It's a Galco; contrast that poor design with another Galco and you'll see a slide holster done well. In the '70s it was 'vogue' to carry high in concealment but we learned better as the Lobo site shows.

Very few sites and/or catalogues for holsters show the backside of the holster, or the holster on a belt and worn by a person; so buyers simply have to guess at how the holster is worn. Then when it's a poor result the holster ends up in the reject box that every gunman has at home and a replacement is sought.

But when you KNOW a well-balanced holster when you see it, you'll not only buy it but skip the 'good' gunbelt 'cause you know you won't need it .

I even notice a slight difference between my Original Ray's Lobo and the current one on the Lobo website. The older one sits slightly lower in relation to the belt loops. Not a lot like in your illustration and it may just be the normal holster to holster variation. I like the slightly deeper one (mine)