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Shoulder holster Vs IWB

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With the winter months coming, I think I may want to grab a shoulder holster.  My EDC is a SW MP9c that I currently use IWB.  However with so many layers on I am not sure this is the best option for functionality.  I don't care for those 5.11 under armor style shirts with the concealed carry pockets.  But I also don't want to have to lift a winter coat, hoody, t shirt to unholster.  I saw those Sneaky Pete holsters that look like insanely large cell phone cases but still that would be on my belt.  For those of you that can carry (or have carried other places), how would you handle the winter?

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I'd be damned if I can find it online, but I wear a concealment vest and it is great. Sturdy, plenty of pockets, can easily be warn under coats, easy access to firearm. If I can find it somewhere, I'll update my post...

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Found it.. I have an earlier version of it. Mine is green though... Has a vertical discrete slide in pocket just to the side of the zipper. Look at 2nd photo.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/concealment-vest-black?a=713613

 

This is like mine except Guide Gear wasn't making them when I got it. Sportsmans Guide has a ton of different style concealment vests..

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/guide-gear-concealment-vest?a=977330

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I Always carry weapon in same place, strong side waist. Duty weapon or off duty weapon (iwb)always same place, you don't want to find yourself in a deadly force situation and you are reaching in the wrong place for your weapon. Just practice getting under those layers to get it.

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My carry style remains the same regardless of the season. I believe that drastically changing carry location is never a good idea.

 

My primary carry gun is always on (or sometimes just under) my belt, strong side, on my hip.

 

The big reason I hate shoulder holsters is that they inherently violate rule 2 - Never point the muzzle at something you are not ready, justified, and willing to destroy.

 

When in the holster it's orientation ensures that the muzzle always points at everyone behind you. And the worst part - you sweep your own body parts with the muzzle on the draw (support side bicep/arm) and re-holster (shoulder/chest).

 

Also, weapon retention can be problematic with a shoulder rig.

 

They are a niche item.

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I'm not a fan of concealment clothing. The problem is the t shirts are uncomfortable and wearing the same jacket or vest all the time may not be appropriate for everywhere you go. Wearing you gun in the same place all the time is good advice but if you forget where you're wearing it you probably shouldn't be carrying a gun. That same place may not be appropriate everywhere also. When I hear someone say their gun is so light and holster is so comfortable they "don't even know it's there" that's how guns get lost. The larger sneaky Petes look like tablet cases and AFAIC give a bad guy something to target on to steal. To me they look out of place often.

 

That said the downsides to shoulder holsters are:

 

1. Security if you wind up going hand to hand.

 

2. You have to wear a full covering garment all the time not just pulling your shirt over a IWB or OWB.

 

3. They get hot.

 

4. Not good for live fire practice. I never went to a range where they allowed you to draw and fire from a shoulder holster.

 

2 & 3 are related anytime of year. Summer is easy to understand. You have to keep that covering garment on all the time. If you stop to eat and they have the heat up you eat and sweat. Go to any indoor activity and the same applies.

 

All that said I have several DeSantis NY Undercover shoulder holsters. They are the best I've found. They aren't cheap but will last forever. I have one that's over 25 years old. If they ever need repair (the snap broke on one of them after 10 years or so) they will fix it and get it back to you quick. I and l so have an older DeSantis nylon shoulder holster, adjustable one size fits all, that works well well if I'm inclined to carry my 5 1/2" Redhawk that way.

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Hell, wish I knew where it went. Years ago I had a Safariland leather shoulder holster for my 6" Python. Was unique compared to some. Always pointing down and had a break front. You'd thinking carrying a 6" revolver would be uncomfortable, but with that rig, (mostly leather), it was actually comfy.

Now I'm curious. Gonna go hunt around the house for it. Don't recall selling it or giving it away. Hmmmm.....

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Hell, wish I knew where it went. Years ago I had a Safariland leather shoulder holster for my 6" Python. Was unique compared to some. Always pointing down and had a break front. You'd thinking carrying a 6" revolver would be uncomfortable, but with that rig, (mostly leather), it was actually comfy. Now I'm curious. Gonna go hunt around the house for it. Don't recall selling it or giving it away. Hmmmm.....

That would be like the Bianchi X15. Long barrel guns just don't work well with a horizontal type of shoulder rig.

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the problem i've found when i tried out a shoulder holster was that even with the straps from the holster to my belt connected,....the dam thing moved around way too much. possibly due to it being my 1911, but still....

 

 i was thinking of trying some of that concealment underwear, only because of how i tend to walk around the house.........

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I get what you guys are saying about moving your location, but it does concern me during certain days.  Some days I wear sweat pants, draw string makes it a bit more diffictult to wear on the waist.  Wearing jeans or my 5.11s, i normally wear an undershirt, Tshit and hoody, and if its colder a jacket too.  Now drawing with just the hoody is simple but the jacket is much more difficult.  I was thinking about something like this just during the winter as I see your point to the shoulder rigs...

 

http://www.rothco.com/product-details/rothco-concealed-carry-soft-shell-jacket

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With the winter months coming, I think I may want to grab a shoulder holster.  My EDC is a SW MP9c that I currently use IWB.  However with so many layers on I am not sure this is the best option for functionality.  I don't care for those 5.11 under armor style shirts with the concealed carry pockets.  But I also don't want to have to lift a winter coat, hoody, t shirt to unholster.  I saw those Sneaky Pete holsters that look like insanely large cell phone cases but still that would be on my belt.  For those of you that can carry (or have carried other places), how would you handle the winter?

 

I have a shoulder holster you can borrow if you wanna try one out. But for stabilization, it has 2 pieces that clip to your belt, 1 on either side, so sweatpants w/ it would be a no-go.

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Yep, sort of like that with a green felt liner.

 

That would be like the Bianchi X15. Long barrel guns just don't work well with a horizontal type of shoulder rig.

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if I am going to be out and about and have an over sized hoody on or a jacket I generally carry OWB instead of IWB and when I purchase clothing I generally keep carry in mind.. so in winter it is a hoody and a top layer shell type jacket... I snowboard so the jackets I own are made to be VERY lightweight... but still warm.. wind and wet resistant..

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i have no experience with this yet.......

http://www.kangaroocarry.com/

 

but a customer just came in wearing one of these. he seems to really like it so far.

lmfao do you know how much time I spent mousing over the different options just for the animation..... its the simple things in life!

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As NJ doesn't trust me enough to let me carry a gun, this is a bit theoretical on my part, but I recently won a 511 Sabre 2 softshell at a match, and it has a nice quick zipper on the right hand side for getting to a hip holstered gun.

 

Its cute, I haven't played with it enough it to know if it works. http://www.511tactical.com/sabre-2-jacket.html

 

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