suspenders & shoulder holsters

[captianworkbench]

I have a couple ideas and questions to run by you guys.

First off, I am a big guy who is shaped like an apple. When I carry strong side owb even a J frame will sag my pants. I am always hiking up my drawers.

This leads me to think both about suspenders and shoulder holsters.

I could add a set of suspenders to hold up my pants, or I could wear my gun in a shoulder holster to keep the weight off my pants.

I was thinking about combining the two.So this spawns a couple more questions.

First, for those of you who have worn a shoulder holster rig with both left and right side tie downs: Does the holster, harness, & tie downs act like suspenders?

Secondly, has anyone else thought of or done anything like this?

I was thinking of using some side clip 2" wide suspenders to start with. Sort of like what Duluth Trading offers. Instead of those alligator clips, I thought of making belt loops, kind of like Perry's suspenders.

Open to all ideas and thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[OKFC05]

My experience, you will have a blinding headache after several hours from the pressure if your pants are being held up by the gun shoulder harness. Same as carrying a heavy gun.

A shoulder holster is a special chalenge for drawing anyway, and not 1 person in 10 can do it without sweeping their left arm. One of the Secret Service agents wrote an article on the problems of using a shoulder holster along with all the other gear they carry, and it was hilarious. Feature trying to talk into a left-hand communicator and draw at the same time, with your right thumb hung under your suspenders....

 

[gboling]

I carried a 4" model 14 in a shoulder holster for years when wearing a suit. The gun and holster were on the left and a double speed loader holster was on the right. A 1/2" braided nylon strap was suspended below each, the holster and the speed loader holster. The two straps were passed under the trouser belt and was secured to itself by velcro. This, in effect kept the trouser belt from sagging but I had no additional weight on the belt and my waist was smaller than my hips.

I never considerred drawing the gun to be a problem. The only difference between drawing from it and a cross draw is the additional height. I found it or the cross draw most convienent when seated, in a car, at a desk, etc.

I do not understand how sweeping your left arm with the gun during the draw can be a problem. You can either control when the gun is fired or simply possessing the gun is a problem.

When wearing a suit coat it was just as quick if not quicker to draw from a shoulder hoslter or cross draw than from a strong side belt hoster. Sweeping away the coat tail go get to the strong side belt holster or strong side IWB holster was just as slow or slower than reaching under the left side of the coat to access the Shoulder or cross draw holster. Even when standing I preferred the shoulder or cross draw more accessable than the strong side belt holster because of the jacket covering it.

 

[PDL]

I had a nice verticle shoulder holster for my 1911. It was spring loaded with an open front. So the draw pulled the pistol foward, still verticle. It was leather around the holster side shoulder with elastic across the back and around the other shoulder. There was a leather strap at the back bottom of the holster that went around your belt. The weight was supported by the 'gun' side shoulder leather. I suppose some of the weight was take up by the strap on the belt as well.
For a large pistol it worked just fine.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The draw from a shoulder holster is affected, obviously, by chest size and arm length and whether or not you are wearing soft body armor and, of course, where the rig puts the butt of the gun and the safety strap. Plenty of people find certain shoulder rigs (or maybe even all of them) simply unusable.

Don't even think about buying a shoulder rig without trying it on first.

 

[george minze]

What ever you come up with remember this. Not being a big mouth just 40 years LE experience,,,,,Nothing says COP or carrying, as much as wearing both a belt and suspenders....Take it for what is worth, and it didn't cost anything to read....Good luck. I only weigh about 150, but, at 71 I have no butt anymore no pun intended. So for me it generally is a inside waist band holster.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
Have you considered a "Belly Band" holster?
A Belly Band or a Galco "Miami Classic" rig works for me.
Jimmy

 

[tops]

A shoulder holster hooked to your belt will keep your pants up. You can carry a 6 in. gun in a shoulder holster and sit down but that is hard to do with a belt holster. A shoulder holster under a shirt will keep dirt and trash out of your gun if you are rambling in the woods. I always use VERTICAL SHOULDER HOLSTERS because I don't want my gun pointing at the person behind me. I have a Bucheimer for a 2 1/2 in. M19, a homemade one for a 6 in. Python, and Bianchi for a 6 1/2 in. N frame and a 1911A1 Colt. I have belt holsters but VERTICAL shoulder holsters is my favorite way to carry. Larry

 

[Glock 'em down]

I've been totin' a gun as a cop for over 20 years now. I've also been wearing galluses (suspenders) longer than that - since I was a kid. I wear them on and off duty along with a belt. It looks kinda nerdy and old-manish, but so what?

Forget about a shoulder rig. They are not for fat boys like us.

On duty, I wear a Glock 22 in a Galco "Combat Master" OWB holster as well as a Galco MFP (Mag Flashlight Paddle) with a spare 15 round mag and a Surefire G2 flashlight and a pair of S&W cuffs in a Galco cuff case. Somedays (when the boss ain't around ) I'll wear my Colt Cobra in a Galco "Speed Master" OWB holster along with a Galco 2x2x2 ammo carrier and the same pair of S&W cuffs in the Galco cuff case.

With both modes of carry, they are mounted on a 1.75" Wilderness Instructor's belt with the C.S.M. (Combat Shooters Model) kydex insert. A good GUN belt is a necessity in my books. I also wear a set of Uncle Mike's duty suspenders.

Off duty, I wear the Colt Cobra rig again (minus the cuffs) but instead of the UM duty suspenders, I'll wear a pair of the Perry suspenders, because they lie flatter than the Uncle Mike's do.

Also, if the look of the Wilderness belt isn't for you, the absolute best bargain in a leather gun belt is by my good friends at looperlawenforcement.com. They make a reinforced belt that is as stiff as you could ever ask for that will hold up the heaviest weapon you can muster. It has a strip of kydex sandwiched between two straps of cowhide that absolutely WILL NOT warp, or they replace it - FREE! I have one of those that I wear for "dressing up" with Mrs GED.

And as for the metal clip on suspenders? Lose those things and get some that attach SECURELY with leather tabs or Perrys. The first time you are talking to somebody and one of the metal clips decides to go for himself, you'll know why. Those thangs turn loose of yer britches and go airborne!

Duluth Trading (Men's Duluth Trading Button Suspenders - Duluth Trading Company) makes some good ones...a little wide at 2 inches, but they're good braces. Filsons are my favorite! Filson - Shop By Category: Accessories: Belts & Suspenders: Tab Suspenders Good thick leather on the tabs, cotton elastic instead of nylon/polyester and 1.5" wide. They are kinda high at 50 bucks a pair, but IMHO they're worth it!

Don't forget the brass buttons!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

A friend of mine, also a retired cop, suffered a serious back injury years ago. He cannot wear a belt without aggravating his back, so he wears suspenders.

When he wanted a shoulder holster I made one for him. That holster featured a suede harness over the left shoulder with a 2-inch heavy elastic strap over the right shoulder down to the trouser belt-line and attached there with an alligator-type suspender clip. I added an elastic tie-down from the horizontal holster to fasten on the left side.

Now, when carrying his Kahr P40 in that holster, he does not wear his suspenders, since the tie-downs do the job for him. He loves that holster!

One note to add: all elastic straps will wear out with time, stretching out and losing the elasticity. After about one year of daily use, I installed new elastic straps to that holster, returning it to its original function.

So, if you pursue this idea, do so with the knowledge that strap replacement will be a periodic requirement.

 

[OKFC05]

do not understand how sweeping your left arm with the gun during the draw can be a problem. You can either control when the gun is fired or simply possessing the gun is a problem.

Accidents when drawing from shoulder holsters has caused many ranges and action pistol sanctioning bodies to ban them from range use. If you have your own range then this is obviously not a problem, and you can do whatever you want.

NRA, USPSA, and IDPA ban any holster from competition or classes which points the gun more than 1 meter to the rear, or which the shooter sweeps the official or himself when drawing.

 

[captianworkbench]

Thank you all for your input. I will take it all into consideration.

 

[max]

I first started wearing suspenders with my hunting pants and I found them very useful and comfortable. I have also worn them from time to time when carrying.

 

[gboling]

Accidents when drawing from shoulder holsters has caused many ranges and action pistol sanctioning bodies to ban them from range use. If you have your own range then this is obviously not a problem, and you can do whatever you want.

NRA, USPSA, and IDPA ban any holster from competition or classes which points the gun more than 1 meter to the rear, or which the shooter sweeps the official or himself when drawing.

My holster is a vertical model with the muzzle down. It was used on the LAPD combat range from about 1980 to 1989 but I would not hesitate to use it today if I were wearing a suit.

 

[flagman1776]

I have used both verticle & horrizonal shoulder holsters some... I'm sure others here have more experience than me. As a patrol officer my main weapon was carried exposed. I sometimes carried a M39-2 horrizontal (Miami Classic) bug.

Shoulder holsters do give fits on the range. When the dept I was on had a detective who used one qualify, they placed him on the extreem end of the fining line... so he'd only sweep his own arm on the draw. Really hairy sitting behind him at an in service seminar as his exposed muzzle was pointed at his fellow officers behind him.

The classic incident is hanging the gun up on the suspender when drawing. Be careful.
Russ

 

[PDL]

I've got to agree with posters who don't like a horizontal shoulder holster. The sweeping the arm I'm not sure I see with a verticle holster. If you tuck your cover garment with the non shooting hand while using a verticle shoulder holster; your arms is out of the way, and not swept.

But one of the unsung possitives about a shoulder holster is the firearm stays accessible if you have to drop your drawers for any reason.
A CID friend lost his belt holstered .38 in a bucket in Pleiku, not a pretty sight.

 

[captianworkbench]

I found some surplus side clip suspender on ebay really cheap in order to see if I like the concept.

Usually I wear my shirts untucked and they usually consist of polo type shirts or Hawaiian and similar type of button down shirts.

So I started wearing an under shirt that is tucked in, and then I put on the suspenders. Then I put my normal shirt on and you can't even see the suspenders. When my wife hugs me she notices them, but you can't really see them otherwise. I wore them this way to work all last week and no one noticed. Also, as a test the other day, I loaded down all of my pockets with whatever I felt like. I even put on one of my steel K frames. It worked out really well. I didn't have to tug at my pants at all.

So, I think I may have found a good combination. I am still wearing my gun strong side, and can get to it easily, and safely. My pants aren't falling down. I haven't added anything to my wardrobe that screams "look I am carrying a gun", and it is fairly comfortable.

That is the only aspect I might change. I may get some Y or H suspenders instead of the side clips. When I wear the side clip suspenders behind my hips, say at 4 and 8 o-clock positions, the front straps will cut me under the arms a little bit.

Oh, and the suspenders I bought clip onto your belt. I bought two pair and used a little elastic from one to lengthen the other pair, because I am a larger guy than these surplus suspenders were designed to fit.

Here is what I bought. (hopefully you will pardon the ebay link)

CONCEALED CARRY HOLSTER SUSPENDERS FREE SHIPPING - eBay (item 310185702810 end time Dec-25-09 10:53:42 PST)

 

[REDTAIL]

PDL the holster that you discribed in your post sounds like the Bianchi X-15 holster is it ?

 

[anchors]

I received a set of Perry's supenders for Christmas,what a difference it makes,no more sagging pants,as far as a shoulder holster is concerened my Ken Null SMZ doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

[PDL]

PDL the holster that you discribed in your post sounds like the Bianchi X-15 holster is it ?

I got it used so I don't know who made it but it's stamped 'longhorn' and a model number. That's all I can read anyway.
They look similar and sound like they hold the gun the same way. But the opposite shoulder strap on mine is elastic, not leather.
The safety strap that goes around the gun can be removed so that only the spring tension holds the gun in place.