Who do we like for Drop leg holsters - USP 45

[Tuefelhunden]

If there is a good post on this already please redirect me and disregard but I am looking for some input on good drop leg holsters. The issue is I recently picked up a new Badlands day fanny pack for hunting and realized it will probably interfere with standard belt carry. My other preferred method in the field would normally be a Recon chest pack but again with the new shoulder straps and my bino's case again a likely interference. So this has led me to consider the drop leg as an option but I have zero experience with them. Plan to carry my USP 45 as per usual. Thanks!

[JDB]

If there is a good post on this already please redirect me and disregard but I am looking for some input on good drop leg holsters. The issue is I recently picked up a new Badlands day fanny pack for hunting and realized it will probably interfere with standard belt carry. My other preferred method in the field would normally be a Recon chest pack but again with the new shoulder straps and my bino's case again a likely interference. So this has led me to consider the drop leg as an option but I have zero experience with them. Plan to carry my USP 45 as per usual. Thanks!

My short answer is I hate regular drop legs. But maybe look at Safariland's options that just barely drop the gun below the belt line enough to get your pack's waistbelt on. We get issued big Safariland kits for our Sig M17s, and I skip the normal drop leg arrangements and just add the short (3"? 4"? or so) drop piece on my gun belt and attach my holster to that.

Walking any distance with normal drop leg rigs gets miserable fast.

[BillSWPA]

I don't use a drop leg holster, but if I needed one, the one I would want is made by C. Rusty Sherrick.

http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/Holsters.html

I do not see this holster listed anymore, but it is pictured in the upper right portion of the photo at the top of the page.

Unlike many drop leg holsters, this one does not drop the gun very far. Hopefully it would be just enough to stay clear of soft body armor without being low enough to be uncomfortable.

[JDB]

I don't use a drop leg holster, but if I needed one, the one I would want is made by C. Rusty Sherrick.

http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/Holsters.html

I do not see this holster listed anymore, but it is pictured in the upper right portion of the photo at the top of the page.

Unlike many drop leg holsters, this one does not drop the gun very far. Hopefully it would be just enough to stay clear of soft body armor without being low enough to be uncomfortable.

That looks nice. The Safariland drop piece is plastic, and though somewhat flexible, it's rigid enough that I wouldn't want to wear a heavy pack with it on all day.

[Tuefelhunden]

Thank you! I will check them both out. I hadn't thought of the comfort aspect over long distance hiking. Given my intended purpose that's big factor. I also thought about shoulder holsters but then that's one more thing hanging off my shoulders and could potentially get tangled up in the draw. Pro's and con's either way I suppose. Again thanks for the suggestions.

[GJM]

For a USP, I would run a chest rig like the Kenai, a Wilderness Safepacker on the pack's waist belt, a Safariland shroud that lowers the pistol just below the waist belt, or an appendix holster.

[Clusterfrack]

I've been down this rabbithole. Here's what I came up with:
(see other posts in the quoted thread for more info)

Final version, with Safariland UBL Mid-Ride / QLS and T-Rex thigh strap.

My goal for this project is a way to carry my Glock 20 or P-07 OWB while I’m hiking in bear and cougar country with a pack that has a waist belt. I’ve tried two approaches, with only partial success. Surprisingly, AIWB with a JMCK WC2.5 and Mastermind ACP pillow-wedge are comfortable for an all-day adventure. But, obviously there’s a trade-off with sweat and flexibility at the waist. As well, AIWB is not optimal when wearing raingear. The 2nd and more promising rig is a Safariland Pro-Fit GLS holster on a 6070UBL Mid-Ride QLS drop mount. I have GLS’s for the G20 and P-07, and they work way better than a $50 holster has a right to: gamer-fast draws and solid L1 retention. They also fit guns with RDS. However, when the UBL is attached to my pants belt it pulls my pants down. And raingear presents a problem as well. @GJM, @JCL, @Cdub_NW

I wanted a 2” thin, flexible yet stiff-enough belt that I can wear OVER all of my clothes, and UNDER the pack belt. After looking at a bunch of low-profile battle and duty belts, I decided to try to make one instead. The results are very promising. Images follow in the next post.

(See parts list below from Strapworks.com)
Instructions:
1. Cut Biothane to the desired length, about 4-6” less than minimum waist circumference. Do not make Biothane too long! There is no way to trim it after inserting it in the webbing.
2. Use a hole punch to make a hole at one end of the Biothane. Trim corners 1/4" to make it not catch on webbing.
3. Drop Paracord (total length >16’) through the 2” tubular nylon strap
4. Loop the paracord through the hole in the Biothane and tie off with a bowline knot at least 2’ up the cord.
5. Tie the other end of the paracord to a solid object (e.g. gunsafe handle)
6. Grab tubular nylon and pull Biothane inside it, until it’s about 4” from the end and the knot is visible. This step will take some massaging, but I had no problem with it.
7. Untie paracord and pull out
8. Measure final length of belt, including strap needed to secure the female side of the buckle, and to adjust the free end on the male side as needed (at least 12” on that side).
9. Cut and press ends, preferably using a hot knife. I used a torch and a razor blade clamped in Vice Grips.
10. Thread buckles on, female fixed on gun side, male with free end for adjustment.

5’ x 2 Inch Tubular Nylon Black with Blue Tracer. Note: polyester webbing does not work.
WSR-NYL-TUB-002-BLB

2 Inch Plastic 3-Bar Slide
PLH-SLD-002-BLK

3’ x 2 Inch Biothane Granite High Flex Black Opaque (longer if you're a 'big boy')
WSR-BIO-GRT-002-FLX-BLK

No-Sew 2" Cobra Buckle (allows belt to be used as a [use-at-your-own-risk] belay/safety belt)
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKPPGNV/

--OR--
2 Inch Plastic Side Release Buckle Single Adjust
PLH-SRB-002-SAD-DST


Total ~ $30 ($65 with Cobra buckle)

[JonInWA]

Several years ago, I had Tactical Tailor build a modular one for my Glocks (G17-G21); with the addition of double buckles on the retaining straps (slippage was encountered with single buckles when traversing wet grasses), it's now excellent.

Best, Jon

[Tuefelhunden]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I thought of the chest rig option and it is by far my favorite normal field carry mode as it doesn't weigh me down at the belt but probably is an interference with chest mounted bino's and case. I could certainly try AIWB or look at a slight drop leg. If I had the clearance an OWB cross draw might work as well. Nice thing about this pack is that it can be cinched up higher off of the waist line because of the shoulder straps placing the pack belt at say the navel instead of waist. That's probably the ticket adjusting for a higher ride height to give me more belt mounted options.

[LittleLebowski]

I'd go chest rig.