Revolver Crossdraw Carry For Driving Use: Bianchi UM8R Versus Galco Switchback

[willie]

Though right handed, I would use left hand holsters when carrying a handgun when hunting with a long gun. This kept the long gun from hitting the handgun. When fishing and wishing to have a handgun with me, I have used a right hand holster worn on the left side resulting in butt forward position. In the first case I got tired of walking around with so much iron. In the second case, I opted for a quality iwb J frame holster and bought pants that permitted comfortable carry. I went broke buying less than adequate holsters before I decided to spend coin and do it right.

[JonInWA]

Well, it's not perfect, but the UM84R actually works acceptably decently as an automotively-oriented cross-draw. The GP100 (or Security Six) sit a bit low in the holster, but it's easily enough indexed and drawn from a seated position with a vest or jacket as my cover garnment. The holster is a tad long, so I have to watch myself when lowering into a car seat, especially the lower-placed ones on my wife's sports coupe to prevent the holster from hanging up during seating, but otherwise no big deal. I do like having the additional holster depth for security due to the lack of a retention strap. The revolver is snugged in nicely into my side, but not oppressively so. There is a bit of the bottom of the holster splaying out a bit, but an appropriate concealment garnment covers that.

It's a bit bulky, but I think that's just pretty much the nature of the beast on a cross-draw set-up; with the right concealment garnment (usually a Propper Icon vest) concealment without obvious printing is comfortably achieved.

I suspect from Galco's images that the Switchback might give me a bit better index for draw, but then loosening the retention strap would in turn slow the process, so comparatively it's probably a bit of a wash between the Switchback and the UM84R-and I've already got the UM84R, so I might as well put it to good use during COVID-19.

Reloads are 1-2 Safariland Comp III Speedloaders, carried in a Tactical Tailor single or dual AR15 magazine pouch on my strong side hip, around the 2 o'clock position. I may also carry a loose Comp II speedloader in my strong side vest pocket, and/or a Bianchi Speed Strip carried upside-down in a Galco leather flapped 2X2X2 pouch on my belt, at either the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock position.

The image below was taken from a mirror; I'm right handed, so the holster is postioned on my left hip at about 10 o'clock.





Comp III Speedloaders Carried In Tactical Tailor pouch:



Propper Icon Vest Concealing GP100 With Compact Grip In UM84R




Best, Jon