My favorite setup is a vertical that attaches to the belt with the offside being an elastic strap or other system that wraps the off shoulder. This works for me driving, hiking around hunting, and on motorcycles.
I want to try out the Craft Holsters (Falco) Vertical Roto-Shoulder Holster.
Glad I could help you make an informed decision.
It's definitely a niche holster for me and doesn't get much use.
It is nice to know I can grab one harness and have a gun and 2 reloads no matter what I'm wearing.
Thread update: It's been an interesting year, medically-wise. Between the hip flexor issue and what turned out to be a quadruple hernia surgery, I did decide to go ahead and put my toe in the water with a shoulder holster. Many, many thanks to all the participants and suggestions on the thread here.
What did I end up with? This: https://www.berettausa.com/en-us/ra-...n-lthr/e02226/
It's Beretta's proprietary vertical shoulder holster for my 92D. While I'm generally a bit wary of manufacturer's direct offerings (figuring that someone else likely gave them a low bid to re-label one of their middling-quality products), there were some features on this that I found interesting;
-The leather quality looked decent;
-Other user's reviews of this, and similar Beretta holsters was pretty impressive;
-I didn't come with a support-side magazine pouch set-up, which to me was a plus, and most manufacturers feel compelled to tack on a dual magazine pouch, which adds significant bulk and weight. When I experimented with O3RN's Galco loaner (thanks again, O3RN), I was pretty unimpressed with the attached-magazine-pouch-on-the-harness approach. In my (admittedly limited) trials and use, I found the dual pouch set-up to be bulky and somewhat difficult and cumbersome to actually extract a magazine out of it, especially single-handedly (with the gun in my strong hand while attempting). I am perfectly content with, and strongly preferential towards, spare reload magazines on a belt pouch(es). Currently, I'm placing the reload magazine(s)/pouch(s) on my weak side, behind the holster itself.
-The Beretta holster comes with a spider-web set-up, with the straps connected with a heavy leather back plate. The surgical elk/suede straps from the holster swivel at both the holster and back plate, and the underarm securing strap is adjustable, suitably heavy, and elastic. The bottom of the holster features a belt retention tab, fastened by a sturdy gripper (it also has cuts for a belt, so a belt can be either held by grippered tab, or can be threaded through the loop-it's a very well-thought out system/option).
-The thumb-break is nicely shaped, and probably better released via the support hand. On release, the holster opens slightly like a clamshell, facilitating the draw. I've used it for two days, and I'm impressed. It conceals the big 92D very effectively under a vest or jacket, although with a vest from the right position, the weak-side elastic retention strap may be somewhat visible through the vest's armhole. Since there's a thumb-break, and by intrinsic design, draws and re-holstering will be slower than with my normal kydex belt holsters, but are still quite operationally viable. Overall comfort is quite good as well, but I'll need to spend more time wearing it to decide if that's truly the case (or if I need to make any other adjustments-it literally fit me like a glove out of the box the way Beretta had it set-up).
-Price was also a factor, being about half of what other contenders were. I realize that was mostly because of there not being a magazine pouch attached, but I didn't want or need an attached magazine pouch, and this way I didn't have to pay for one. Not that the asking price was onerous, but Beretta was also kind enough to give me an additional 15% discount price as well when I tactfully asked, which was decent of them (particularly since these Beretta holsters are pretty much only available directly from the Beretta store, and not through other distributors, so any pricing flex is up to Beretta).
Why the Beretta as opposed to the HKs? Well, I'm launching into my Beretta 92D carry/duty/competition period, which goes from April through August. Why a vertical as opposed to horizontal orientation? Because I thing that with a large gun like the 92D the vertical works better, likely prints less, and is more comfortable. If I pursue a shoulder holster for my HK P30L/VP40, that one will likely be a horizontal set-up, though (although I'll concurrently inquire with El Paso Saddlery if they'll similarly construct one without an attached magazine pouch, or, at the very most, a single magazine pouch).
I'll keep the forum posted on my longer-term results with this. While I much prefer my normal IWB/OWB holsters, it looks like this shoulder rig is very viable, and of commendable quality. I don't know specifically which Italian holster maker makes it for Beretta, but to date I'm impressed.
Best, Jon
Last edited by JonInWA; 04-05-2019 at 01:07 PM.
Other features that I appreciate on the rig is how the triggerguard is totally enclosed, but the magazine release is not at all-that way there's no interference with my release, particularly important in that I am using an extended release.
Best, Jon
Very cool, Jon.
I can see how the standard flapped mag pouches can be bulky. I'd encourage you to try horizontal friction-fit retention pouches, too. I bought the Galco Miami Classic II, which has the horizontal mag pouches. It's certainly not as quick/easy as a belt pouch, but it's definitely not a bear to use. It's fairly flat as well since it isn't flapped, so it conceals nicely.
With mine, I keep a mag in one pouch and a flashlight in the other. I most commonly used mine as an at-home rig since it's so comfortable when lounging around on a big soft couch. This way when I throw it on, if I have to go get the mail, take out the trash, whatever, I at least have the gun, spare mag, and a flashlight.
I'm interested in your experience that it took two hands to draw, though. With mine, I simply chicken-wing my left arm to clear it from the muzzle upon drawing, and just draw with my right hand. I only have to use my left hand to help with the re-holster. When drawing, the holster will come forward a few inches and then stop as the harness runs out of "travel", I guess you could call it.
Did you try wearing it tighter/higher up to mitigate how much it would travel before hitting resistance, allowing you to pull out the gun?
In the mean time, I'm glad to hear you found a workable solution with the Beretta rig.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
I'll freely admit that I may not have done true justice to the Galco Miami Classic that O3RN was good enough to lend me; doubtlessly if I'd more judiciously adjusted the holster/strap set-up, one-handed draw would have been better facilitated. The rig was pretty much brand new, so some further use/break-in doubtlessly would have further facilitated things for the better as well.Originally Posted by TGS
The open magazine pouches that Galco uses in the Classic II look to be an improvement from both speed of draw and reduction of bulk. However, I still prefer using a belt-mounted pouch(s) for spare magazine stowage, and, in my case, with a double-stack magazine pistol, I normally find 1 spare magazine to be sufficient (However for duty use, I admit that I normally carry 2 reload magazines).
I thought that there might be an imbalance issue with he Beretta vertical rig, in that there were no spare magazines on the opposite side of the rig to counterbalance, but so far that doesn't seem to be the case, as the provision of the belt mounting at the bottom of the holster seems to provide nice stability (both from excessive movement and sway and balance-wise). If necessary, I can snug the securing elastic strap tighter for additional stability, although it seems fine set up the way it currently is.
Best, Jon
When/if you go looking for a horizontal rig, given your thoughts on off-side mag pouches, I recommend Sam Andrews' Solo rig.
I had one for a Kahr that was superb.
http://www.andrewsleather.com/traditional.htm
"It's surprising how often you start wondering just how featureless a desert some people's inner landscapes must be."
-Maple Syrup Actual
Thanks, Chuck. Interestingly, it looks very, very similar in construction philosophy to the Beretta rig. I'll definitely keep them in mind.
Best, Jon
I have been looking at these lately for my P30L, they seem like you get the best of both worlds (vert./horiz.). Expensive though, too scared to pony up the dough to give it a try not having used anything like it before...
http://www.ritchieholsters.com/catal...ster-for-autos
Though I have not tried them, Ritchie Leather makes one of the best ankle rigs out there by many's opinion. If I were so inclined as to try ankle carry I would start there, I would also look at Alessi as I believe they are very similar being Skip Ritchie worked with Lou Alessi for many years in the shop.
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