Shoulder Holsters Need Thumb Break Retention?

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

Assuming a well constructed leather holster with boning and a tighter fit, these seem almost unnecessary with the thumb break to keep the pistol retained well enough. The original Miami Special or Jackass rig was designed for a vice cop, according to the following....

https://www.galcogunleather.com/abou...i-classic.html

That makes me wonder if it was just ordered that way by the vice cop because he was used to carrying on duty with other thumb break retention holsters. As a regular Joe Schmo who mostly works/lives at the house and wants to carry in a shoulder right... should I bother with thumb break retention or call it good to carry unsnapped?

The reason this came up is I just purchased a High Noon Undertaker shoulder rig and the thumb break is nowhere near close to fitting and being able to snap over the uncocked DA/SA hammer or my USP Full Size. Makes me wonder if it was molded for an LEM model or meant to be carried cocked and locked (this seems unlikely, the holster is molded for safety off)?

[HeavyDuty]

I’ve never had a leather shoulder holster that didn’t loosen up with time and body moisture. My first Miami Classic for a P7PSP got loose enough that the pistol would start moving but for the thumbbreak, the replacement never got used enough to stretch.

[BillSWPA]

Unlike a belt holster, gravity is not working in your favor with a horizontal shoulder holster. Insist on a properly fitting and working thumb break.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HCM]

Assuming a well constructed leather holster with boning and a tighter fit, these seem almost unnecessary with the thumb break to keep the pistol retained well enough. The original Miami Special or Jackass rig was designed for a vice cop, according to the following....

https://www.galcogunleather.com/abou...i-classic.html

That makes me wonder if it was just ordered that way by the vice cop because he was used to carrying on duty with other thumb break retention holsters. As a regular Joe Schmo who mostly works/lives at the house and wants to carry in a shoulder right... should I bother with thumb break retention or call it good to carry unsnapped?

The reason this came up is I just purchased a High Noon Undertaker shoulder rig and the thumb break is nowhere near close to fitting and being able to snap over the uncocked DA/SA hammer or my USP Full Size. Makes me wonder if it was molded for an LEM model or meant to be carried cocked and locked (this seems unlikely, the holster is molded for safety off)?

Have you called High Noon ? Is there a tension adjustment or break in required ?

If not they need to address it.

Re: shoulder holsters, it doesn't necessarily have to be a thumb break but some form of retention is necessary for shoulder holsters because / Gravity.

[LtDave]

Alessi makes/made a number of shoulder holsters with pull through snaps instead of a thumb break.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

Have you called High Noon ? Is there a tension adjustment or break in required ?

If not they need to address it.

Re: shoulder holsters, it doesn't necessarily have to be a thumb break but some form of retention is necessary for shoulder holsters because / Gravity.

I just put it together this morning before posting, I don't believe they are open right now but I sent them a message on their site.. There's a solid inch of distance between the male/female sides of the thumb snap. I have the gun seated all the way and there is an adjustment screw, which is a bit tight as expected being brand new. It's not broken in yet but I don't know how I'd break it in far enough to cover than distance really. Makes me wonder if the leather just really shrunk up drying because there's almost 1/2" difference between where the back of the slide ends on the pistol vs the holster. Anybody know whether High Noon is reputed to make good stuff, this has me not so sure really. FWIW, I bought this off their clearance page, which is supposed to be perfectly function aside from the odd blemish or other flaw with stitching, etc.

[HCM]

I just put it together this morning before posting, I don't believe they are open right now but I sent them a message on their site.. There's a solid inch of distance between the male/female sides of the thumb snap. I have the gun seated all the way and there is an adjustment screw, which is a bit tight as expected being brand new. It's not broken in yet but I don't know how I'd break it in far enough to cover than distance really. Makes me wonder if the leather just really shrunk up drying because there's almost 1/2" difference between where the back of the slide ends on the pistol vs the holster. Anybody know whether High Noon is reputed to make good stuff, this has me not so sure really. FWIW, I bought this off their clearance page, which is supposed to be perfectly function aside from the odd blemish or other flaw with stitching, etc.

An inch ? Sounds like they sent you a holster for a USP Compact instead of a full size.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

An inch ? Sounds like they sent you a holster for a USP Compact instead of a full size.

I had the same thought, but the shape of the trigger guard is rounded like the full size rather than recurved like the compact. The other thought I had was maybe the spurred hammer of my DA/SA doesn't jive, assuming it was molded off an LEM bobbed hammer mold. That doesn't make sense either really, since it's got a spot that's obviously blocked for the safety off position DA/SA, which assumes double action carry. Single Action hammer cocked doesn't work either. The pistol is fully seated against the bumper in front of trigger guard which serves as the retention screw.

[El Cid]

Alessi makes/made a number of shoulder holsters with pull through snaps instead of a thumb break.

Alessi is no longer really Alessi. After Lou passed the family ran things for a while but sold the company and name. The new owners have been the source of many complaints in terms of quality and not delivering orders.

My daily ankle BUG is in a holster made by Lou in 2006 or 2007. Recent purchases however have been from Ritchie Gunleather. He was either Lou’s partner or apprentice - not sure which. So if I wanted that style shoulder rig I’d go with him.

http://www.ritchieholsters.com/catal...ll-thru-hsh-pt

ETA: here is a link to the one I had made by Coffman Concealment. It uses Kydex since my duty pistols always have weapon lights. And I went with a thumb break for the reasons others have already stated.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....l=1#post759269

[JTQ]

Alessi is no longer really Alessi. After Lou passed the family ran things for a while but sold the company and name. The new owners have been the source of many complaints in terms of quality and not delivering orders.

I think Alessi holsters is no more. After Lou Alessi passed, Tom Kulwicki helped run Alessi holsters with the Alessi family, but he passed away himself in 2018. That was probably the time frame for the lack of delivered orders.

Ritchie Gun Leather does offer many of the Alessi designs