A truly comfortable shoulder holster?

[Lobo]

About 4 months ago a friend of mine inquired about shoulder holsters. He cannot wear a belt due to an old back injury and (as most of us know) any firearm worth carrying is difficult to secure inside a waistband without a belt.

I was right in the middle of my comments about my experiences with shoulder holsters through the years (uneven weight distribution, resulting in constant shifting of the harness, every time you get into or out of a car, bend over, etc., the harness needs to be adjusted back to the proper position; most wearers tend to tighten the harness to prevent this movement, thus restricting upper body movement when wearing the shoulder holster) when I saw that he wears suspenders. That gave me something to think about.

I made up the black holster shown in the first couple of photos for him. He has been wearing it for about 3 months now, and he has given me some feedback that resulted in a few modifications to the basic design. The tan holster shown in photos is a pre-production prototype that I have been using and evaluating for over a month. So far, I am very pleased with it.

Basic thumb-break horizontal holster design, suspended by 1-inch heavy-duty nylon straps and a suede leather shoulder pad. The weight is supported in very nearly a straight down line, so the shoulder pad has less tendency to be displaced in normal movement. The off-side strap is made of heavy woven elastic, 1.5" width, with a steel alligator clip to secure to the waistline. A similar strap holds the holster side to the waistband to prevent "slapping" of the holster.

General comments:

1. The suede leather shoulder pad is very comfortable, conforming to the shoulder, and the sueded leather provides just enough friction to retain position under normal body movement.

2. The elastic strap to the off-side does not have to be tightly adjusted. When opened to the length necessary to reach the waistband and clipped, the strap can then be pulled about 4 inches or so, tensioning the elastic without any discomfort. In normal movement of the body, the elastic expands and contracts easily and comfortably.

3. The elastic tie-down on the holster side requires no tensioning at all, serving mainly to prevent the holster from flopping and slapping during movement. My experience with the tan holster leads me to believe that this strap can be eliminated completely without noticeable effect.

4. The pistol shown is a Kahr P40 .40 S&W, 16.1 oz. empty weight. I barely notice the weight when wearing this holster. I have also worn this holster with a Kimber Pro Carry II .45 ACP (28 oz. empty weight) and it is also very comfortable. Putting in a full-size steel frame M1911 .45 pistol, or the Browning Hi Power with 15 rounds loaded (about 40 oz. weight), and the weight becomes noticeable but not objectionable. The harness stays in place, and no shifting of position was experienced during a 100 yard jog.

5. Holster is easy to put on and take off, requiring only a few seconds to do either.

6. Same harness can be adjusted to fit from about a size 34 to a size 50-plus.

7. Concealment is excellent with no noticeable lumps or protrusions from the shoulder pad or straps. I have worn it under a short-sleeved shirt in public. Access to the pistol is good, even when the outer garment is fastened at the front, since the drawing hand can simply be inserted from under the bottom of the outer garment.

Plans for the production model:

A. Eliminate the holster-side tie-down strap.

B. Shoulder pad of a single layer of 4-5 oz. suede leather, using suede backers where the nylon and elastic straps are sewn in. This will reduce bulk somewhat, allowing better conformation to the shoulder. Also reduces production time by not having to sew around the perimeter of a two-layer shoulder pad.

C. Offer a choice of alligator clip or leather strap with snap to secure the off-side strap at the waist or belt.

NOTE: Since beginning this project it has been brought to my attention that a couple of other makers have produced similar designs. So, while my project resulted from independent work, it appears that I am not the first person to try this approach.

Questions: I would appreciate comments and suggestions. Also, your input on retail pricing will be appreciated. I'm planning an initial production run of a couple of dozen units by the end of this month.

Thanks.

Edited February 8, 2009 by Lobo

[MBOGO]

It seems like a sound design. What did you mean by "A. Eliminate the holster-side tie-down strap." the strap that secures the rig to the beltline, or the retension strap on the pistol?

Edited February 8, 2009 by MBOGO

[Lobo]

It seems like a sound design. What did you mean by "A. Eliminate the holster-side tie-down strap." the strap that secures the rig to the beltline, or the retension strap on the pistol?

I was refering to the strap to the beltline.

[dickf]

The design is an old military pattern. Many countries have used this shoulder holster pattern for over 50 years - I also know that some still use them for their flyboys.

I think it makes sense, but regardless of the padded Y, it suffers from uneven weight distribution. Thus, shifting and slipping is inevitable with this style. I also think that eliminating the holster-side tie down would be a mistake - it will flop.

The biggest problem I have with shoulder rigs, is that the pistol needs to be up under my arm far enough to conceal properly, but then my arm can't hang naturally. They simply don't work well for me unless I have a jacket, large sweatshirt, or heavy coat (which make the pistol pretty inaccessible and useless).

I do wish you good luck with this though - if you nail it, you could make a serious advancement in shoulder rigs.

[kfiretwo]

The design is an old military pattern. Many countries have used this shoulder holster pattern for over 50 years - I also know that some still use them for their flyboys.

I think it makes sense, but regardless of the padded Y, it suffers from uneven weight distribution. Thus, shifting and slipping is inevitable with this style. I also think that eliminating the holster-side tie down would be a mistake - it will flop.

The biggest problem I have with shoulder rigs, is that the pistol needs to be up under my arm far enough to conceal properly, but then my arm can't hang naturally. They simply don't work well for me unless I have a jacket, large sweatshirt, or heavy coat (which make the pistol pretty inaccessible and useless).

I do wish you good luck with this though - if you nail it, you could make a serious advancement in shoulder rigs.

i myself like my gun lower to the belt n fastened with the grip titled slightly up for more of a natural draw sight n squee motion, good luck with ur adventure

[Echo4V]

Just from eyeballing your design, I have a suggestion that may or may not be worth considering. Personally, since it's meant to resemble suspenders, I would move the Y so that it sits more in line with the center of the shoulders and extend the front strap (on the holster) to accomodate this shift. I would also lower the holster to make it sit more on the wearer's flank instead of rib cage. The lower hang of the holster will make it easier to get to the pistol.

If you move the Y then I would add one more strap with an aligator clip to attach in the back so that you essentially have Y suspenders with a holster added. This would serve the purpose of holding up the pants as well so that your wearer doesn't have on two sets of suspenders when they are carrying the holster.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like what you have, it looks like a nice holster as is but, you asked for suggestions so this is mine.

Hope it helps or at least gives you some food for thought.

David