Shoulder holster or cross draw

[elktrout]

I have an HK VP9sk 9mm. What are good shoulder holsters or cross draw holsters for CCW?

 

[Mstafford88]

To help better answer that question, is there a specific reason you choose to carry that way vs other?

 

[elktrout]

I am no longer as limber as I was in my younger years. Appendix carry is not for me. Strong side is my preference, but my ability to reach back is hindered by shoulder issues. I can more easily reach across to shoulder carry position or even a cross draw that is a little forward on the hip.

 

[balin]

I would think cross draw may be a better option, especially as time goes by. And this coming from a guy that had 1 shoulder rebuilt and the other replaced. Appendix carry is my prefer.

 

[Mstafford88]

I am no longer as limber as I was in my younger years. Appendix carry is not for me. Strong side is my preference, but my ability to reach back is hindered by shoulder issues. I can more easily reach across to shoulder carry position or even a cross draw that is a little forward on the hip.

Makes sense, I carry 3 o'clock because that’s just where I’m used to the pistol being on my duty belt for over a decade but I see where you’re coming from. Old detective I worked with carried the old school style, typical “tv cop” shoulder rig. I’ll try and see if I can figure out what he used. Was a nice setup even if it’s not my preference

 

[jmorris]

I wish It was cool enough here to carry with a shoulder holster and conceal it, without sticking out anytime except a few days during the winter…

 

[CapnMac]

"Modern" thinking on both cross-draw and holster rigs can turn into flamewars on "modern" notions of "flagging."

Realistically, you are the only person who can actually answer your question. What is the best holster for you? Dunno. Much like the rest of us, you have to just buy one and see. (This is why virtually all of us have a bin of holsters that "seemed like a good idea at the time.")

And, of course, your climate, what cover garments you are comfortable with, and what the local laws are, all matter in this. Which is why this winds up being something which is specific to each of us, individually, rather than en masse. There's no one universal solution.

But, luckily, we live in something close to a "golden age" where we have nearly as many solutions as we have people.

 

[dobedo]

Try both and do the one you like.

 

[Charlie98]

shoulder issues.

If you have shoulder issues, then a shoulder holster is not for you. I use one for either my .45, or my Kahr 9mm, once in a blue moon... usually when I'm traveling, for myriad reasons... but at the end of the day, I am SOOOO glad to get that thing off. I have back and neck issues, and carrying that weight gets old after a few hours.

The only issue you might have carrying crossdraw is actually concealing the pistol, if that's required.

 

[film495]

if I might have to sit or drive, I certainly don't want anything on my hip and prefer a shoulder rig. If I'm out on a property, hiking on private property, I want OWB on my hip.

 

[Atavar]

I wish It was cool enough here to carry with a shoulder holster and conceal it, without sticking out anytime except a few days during the winter…

Hawaiian or Cuban shirt two sizes over, with a tucked tshirt. That’s my plan.
The floral patterns tend to camo the printing.

 

[roo_ster]

Ditto on the shoulder issues. I have moved strong side OWB & IWB a bit forward to ~3 O'clock, but I had, even before shoulder issues, acquired cross-draw & shoulder holster options for my preferred CCWs. So I do have a few lessons learned.

GENERAL BAD SHOULDER CCW LESSONS LEARNED

1. If you have a gut or more severe shoulder issues, 9 O'clock cross-draw and LOW SLUNG shoulder holster carry can be difficult. Unless you have NBA player arm length. Cross-draw will have to be closer to 12 O'clock & shoulder will have to be tucked up closer into your arm pit.

2. For really bad shoulders, like mine was for a while, AIWB can be helpful. AIWB is contraindicated for noobs, given elevated probabilities of negligent discharge during admin, the elevated severity of wounds suffered in such an eventuality, and the highly elevated fiddly-ness / PITA-ness of getting AIWB carry right (hardware & technique). Don't let anyone fool you: AIWB IS more dangerous and harder to get comfy than strong side OWB/IWB or cross-draw or shoulder. But AIWB can be a great help if your shoulder is buggered. I went form 100% AIWB down to maybe 5% of the time carrying AIWB after my shoulder healed enough to get back to OWB/IWB strong side carry.

AIWB Quick Tips:

a. AIWB-particular holster. AIWB is so fiddly, you may have to cycle through a few. Not like buying a nice OWB from El Paso Saddlery and calling it good.​

b. Continuously adjustable belt, not one with discrete holes. You'll need to adjust it fractions of an inch to get any sort of comfy. And RE-adjust when you do different things other than stand around at the range looking pretty for yootoob vidyas.​

c. Longer bbls are better, up to a point. And shorter bbls are less comfy. Example: 2" J-frame is torture for me, while a 1911 with 5" bbl carries nicely. Same maker, same holster, but for different guns.​

3. Don't forget AOWB-Appendix Outside the Waist Band carry. That cross-draw holster you bought? Presumably for carry at 9 O'clock? Slide that puppy over to 1 O'clock. This works best with shorter bbls.

SHOULDER HOLSTERS
I have long term carry experience with Galco Miami Classic II & VHS and Bianchi X-15. All three can work, but folks who with more experience than I will generally suggest one of the custom holster makers. Like I wrote above, likely you'll need to bring it up into your armpit a bit. That can be tough with the vertical carry holsters (VHS & X-15) unless you get creative and craft your own holster tie-down. Unless you have a really short back. Shoulder holsters are fiddly, too. Alomost as fiddly as AIWB, but once dialed in, do not need attention like an AIWB. You will profit if you enlist someone to help with fitment.

CROSS-DRAW HOLSTERS
I have several and none (except the soft floppy one) are bad, some are better. The better two are one made by Andrews and another by a hobbyist on http://smith-wessonforum.com/ (snubbyfan). The Andrews is finished better, but snubbyfan's works great and functions as well as any cross-draw I have owned. I have my eye on the El Paso Saddlery Cross Cover and getting Simply Rugged to build me a dedicated cross-draw for wilderness carry.

Good luck.

 

[JTQ]

As far as "Appendix" goes, you don't have to wear it inside the waistband. You can wear strong side OWB forward of the hip if that helps with your mobility. Of course you won't use a muzzle rear canted holster. Straight drop or muzzle forward would work.

C. Rusty Sherrick's Dual Use Cross Draw would be one option http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/holsters/cross.html

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'm in the woods. Shoulder holster is slower but if I have to go, gonne is in the same place.

 

[The Night Rider]

I have minimal experience at best with shoulder holsters and none at all with cross draw.

I probably didn't have good holsters but all the shoulder holsters I ever used were floppy as hell and didn't secure the gun very well.

Plus it's probably hard on your spine. I would go with cross draw

 

[.308 Norma]

Much like the rest of us, you have to just buy one and see. (This is why virtually all of us have a bin of holsters that "seemed like a good idea at the time.")

Yep, my holster "bins" are a couple of popcorn tins like you see in the stores around Christmas time. They stack easily, and they're full of 3 different types of popcorn when you buy them.

 

[old lady new shooter]

you have to just buy one and see. (This is why virtually all of us have a bin of holsters that "seemed like a good idea at the time.")

I so hate this. Why can't there be holster stores where you could go in and actually try out different ones?

 

[CapnMac]

I so hate this. Why can't there be holster stores where you could go in and actually try out different ones?

An excellent question.
Like as not, the cost overhead to stockpile all the various kinds, types, sizes, etc. would be just too high.

There is also an issue in that there are Health Regulations (upon retailers) about skin contact on leather. It's largely held to be an old fashioned notion that leather ought not be shared between people, but still exists, none the less. (Pointing out saddles and tack seems to no swerve Regulations once Writ.)

 

[old lady new shooter]

An excellent question.
Like as not, the cost overhead to stockpile all the various kinds, types, sizes, etc. would be just too high.

There is also an issue in that there are Health Regulations (upon retailers) about skin contact on leather. It's largely held to be an old fashioned notion that leather ought not be shared between people, but still exists, none the less. (Pointing out saddles and tack seems to no swerve Regulations once Writ.)

I don't buy it, you're not putting the holster on a body part, but you need to try it to see how it works with your gun and carry method. And a lot of holsters aren't leather anyway.

Back in the day when shoe stores had salespeople, they would bring you "peds" (stocking material with a light elastic edge that would cover the entire sole of the foot but only go up slightly over the edges) that were mandatory to wear when trying on shoes. Nowadays customers pick out and try on their own shoes... go in any shoe store and watch all the bare feet going in the shoes. If govt were really worried about "skin contact on leather" they would outlaw self-serve shoe stores.

 

[CapnMac]

And a lot of holsters aren't leather anyway.

But, you, as a retailer, would need to have all/most of the stock for a given firearm. That could be 10-15 holsters. Which could be US$1000 to 1500 in product in the store to sell the one holster. For just the one size & type of firearm. Then, the retailer would have to multiply that out over the hundred of firearms out there.

Which is going to need a bit of expensive real estate in the store, both for storage, and for the fitting. Like as not, you'd need a dedicated employee to handle the "concierge service" of getting the fit "right," too.

As a wild-donkey guess, a person would need to start with around 30 to 50 grand in inventory, and $40-50K in employee payroll. Which is a lot to spend up front when getting people to come into your store and drop a c-note or more for a holster could be tough trade to build up.

Ok, so, that actually suggests (at least to me) that maybe there's an untapped market in a drive-to-your house holster fit service. But, that would likely need to be a sizable city to have a large enough customer base to not need a "day job" to feed your self & pay rent. (And there's the reality that large cities tend to be less gun-friendly, which cuts down on your actual customer base.)

I don't have the neat answers, I'm just trying to reason this out from the retail side to the customer. I mean, if a tack shop like DM Bullock (or El Paso or the like) offered a come-to-your house for custom fit of custom holsters, I'd be breaking the benjamins out right now.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Occurs to me that a person could make a second-hand holster store, offering all the bin-queen holsters from area shooters and selling them on consignment, thus eliminating the inventory investment.

 

[Hillbilly Hydrographics]

My shoulder rigs I use a wider more ergonomic back panel that helps spread out the weight. So it don't have those hot spots like alot of mass market rigs. I also use a thin poly quilt batting and a layer of soft suede that doesn't add much extra bulk but adds a slight cushion to be more form fitting where it needs to be. I also use several Chicago screw fastners so rigs have alot of adjustment room to get the perfect fit. Cause if something don't fit good or function good it's not gonna get used.

 

[jmorris]

Occurs to me that a person could make a second-hand holster store, offering all the bin-queen holsters from area shooters and selling them on consignment, thus eliminating the inventory investment.

Would be easier to keep the doors open on a hotdog stand in Dearborn Michigan. That’s a pretty narrow focus for the overhead of a “walk in“ busines.

There was one gun store/range in Garland Texas that had a very large variety of holsters from many mfg, I used to go to from time to time, just to compare. Most don’t carry but a few.

If you get into competitive shooting, bring the subject up at a match sometime and you’ll probably get many offers to play with a large number of CC holsters, after the match.