[Vanity] Seeking advice on quality shoulder holster rig for full-frame Sig 220 and extra mags.

The world we live in ^ | 11/07/2022 | Blueflag

[Blueflag]

In order to improve real-world firearm accessibility primarily in-vehicle and also 'dismounted,' I seek to acquire a decent quality, maybe even leather, shoulder holster rig for my full frame SIG p220. I also want it to have the 2-mag pouch on the other side for well, extra mags AND to balance the weight of a loaded P220, which is non-trivial. It needs to have the straps that secure the rig to one's belt, as I have tried other holsters without them that just don't work for my heavy SIGs. They do work just fine for my much smaller XDS.

I live in GA and have my weapons carry license, so there is no concern like the 'old days' about printing. Frankly I don't care about other knowing I am armed (if they look carefully.) I will be wearing this while driving and it'll be set up for a right hand draw, even though I am about 55% left-handed otherwise. Outside the vehicle I will wear a covering garment. I am not into open carry unless I am in the woods.

SO, GOT RECOMMENDATIONS?

[LouAvul]

Did you secure it with the belt straps?

Yes, I got the optional belt straps. They're extra. But the rig is worth it. I've had other shoulder rigs and this is by far the best.

[AAABEST]

I didn’t suggest it doesn’t couldn’t happen, because it does, but it really shouldn’t.

If you’re in a situation where potential unfriendlies are able to grab your stuff or get on top of you, a lot went wrong already.

[BDParrish]

Sporran?
The problem is the same with pocket carry.
Whatever else is in the sporran gets all messed up in there with the gun.
Same problem with any kind of purse carry. Need a dedicated holster sporran with a quick draw compartment separate from the make-up, and the Nails ‘N Spa punch cards, and the other vital edc items in the bag.
You’ve heard of our sword dance Colonel Darlin’? We could easily change that to a Glock Dance.
I don’t know how the Highland Fling would go with the handgun bouncing up and down in it but I can see how with training and practice...

[BDParrish]

“Sorry I hurt your feels, but zero, and I mean ZERO professionals and/or military run with shoulder holsters anymore.”
__________________________________
So nice of you to think of people’s feelings. However you are the one who seems to be afraid of being laughed at. Just teasing :-)

You are correct that a shoulder rig is never seen anymore. Even in their heyday, out of 20 plainclothes wearing coats and ties, maybe one or two of them had shoulder rigs. But your assumption that it is gone now from fear of being laughed at is perhaps an error on your part. They are gonna laugh at you for something so just own it and tease them right back y’know?

It might be allowed in some small local departments, but if there is retention training required, then nope. I know some of what I would need to do in that situation, but I expect no department is gonna hire someone to train two detectives who just feel like they wanna use a shoulder rig. The detectives don’t even wear coats anymore. It’s Glocks in a Galco Speed Paddle now, into the drawer and back on the hip and back into the desk again.

Anyway we are NOT LEO’s so we get to use custom equipment and follow customized training protocols. Why not? Perhaps you have guessed that I don’t share any reverence for police/military procedures and equipment. I am a follower of Marc McYoung’s teachings, and if you are not mad at me for teasing you FRiend, then let me point you to a great read about what we really need to know:

http://nononsenseselfdefense.com/

I would love to know sometime what you think if you decide to look at it!

[BDParrish]

A quick thought on Krav Maga.
I studied/practiced the original concept by Imi Sde Orr (Lichtenfeld) which is great for oldsters (me) and women (my daughter).

Beware of “dojo krav” as it has the same problems as all store front karate business, many times taught by the very same people who do all the KungFu/Grappling/MuyTai/PaintadaFence karate classes whatever you willing to pay for.
Beware of “Hollywood krav” which in the early early films was pretty good, but by now has become silly Bourne/Bond theatrics.

Here is what JLo said about krav maga from her film “ENOUGH”
Lopez’s character spends her life running away from her violent husband until she decides to fight back:

“[Krav Maga] levels out the playing field between men and women,” Lopez told MTV about her training, “Where it doesn’t matter how big or tall or strong you are. You can actually maneuver around that. It’s about getting out of the way, counter attacking and using whatever you can to get the upper hand.”

IMHO the real stuff doesn’t look impressive on film.
FReegards Blueflag!

[Disambiguator]

Just don’t carry anything else in the sporran.

[zeugma]

Bump to look at this later. I’d have a similar query for a Sig 226 and 229. Both at once would rock.

[Magnum44]

I’m going to concur with AAABest here. Big muzzling/safety issues with shoulder rigs and as he has pointed out, no serious tactical user is using them, especially with a semi.

If your goal here is to make a large pistol into a EDC, at least acknowledge you are at risk of violating rule #1 every time you draw or reholster rather than calling names.

Better yet, get a good IWB holster or a more compact gun if your frame is too small to conceal the 220.

[JohnnyP]

Is that the equivalent of going commando?

[Magnum44]

Shoulder holsters need to stay in 1970s TV shows where they belong.

Yep

[BDParrish]

LouAvul,

You like to watch the gun videos on YouTube? Nowadays most of them have an almost religious ritual approach to demonstrating that the weapon is clear. I am sure this is done this way as necessary to placate the keyboard warriors who otherwise will clog the comment section with the feeble attempt to correct. They have nothing real to contribute. They can only say what they know.

I saw a tube the other day called “This is what happens in a real gunfight!” The whole point of it was that for a passing moment during a life and death struggle with a murderous perp, (the good guys won,) the badge cam showed that one of the cops swept his partner’s lower leg as he moved behind the cruiser to get to the other side of him. The instructor was fine and he was correct of course in all he said, but it amused me that it was actually necessary to make a video about this heartbreaking but unavoidable, necessary evil.

At a gunstore some years ago, a shop patron complained that the store’s inventory in the gun case was “pointed at the customers”. Next day, all the pistols had been turned to the side!

Now our fine FR friends are saying that you are sweeping everyone behind you while your pistol is IN A SHOULDER HOLSTER!? I wonder what these dear folk have to say about appendix carry. (Not really.)

I love the gun people I really do. The defenders of the second amendment are the finest and best among us, but there are some dumb things that get spread around by them. One of the other commentators asked if it had ever happened that someone was shot by one who was drawing from a shoulder holster. Of course there is no such evidence.

As for the small of the back carry, you will remember a few years ago when every hospital was overrun with policemen with broken backs from falling over onto their duty belts. Plenty of evidence there and so congress stepped in, banned it, and all that is a distant memory now. (sarc)

Speaking of distant memories, remember all the striker fired pistols? I can still remember when people carried Glock pistols inside their waistband! I know right? So many people were shooting their testicles off that it had to be outlawed.
There was plenty of evidence for that when the birth rate fell drastically.

Way back in the 2020’s I used to open carry, and there were voices warning me, “You’ll be targeted, and they’ll take your gun out of your holster!” But I was proud and didn’t listen, and wanted to be all in your face at the coffee shop which was the only reason to open carry anyway. Finally so many of my friends were killed that way that my wife started to go to meetings with Mothers Against Open Carry, and I just quit.

[Magnum44]

gun videos on YouTube...most of them have an almost religious ritual approach to demonstrating that the weapon is clear. I am sure this is done this way as necessary to placate the keyboard warriors

Its done because there are too many people out there who dont practice safe gun handling and need every good example they can get. Its not to placate keyboard warriors. Its to enhance continuing education. (I dont post youtube videos BTW)

Regarding your relating the LEO video, which I dont think I have seen, you said "it amused me that it was actually necessary to make a video about this heartbreaking but unavoidable, necessary evil." We learn from mistakes and it may very well be the muzzling of his partner was NOT necessary, given better training practices. Very few people get to practice CQB or moving while shooting skills. Situations/geometry can change very fast.The first time you have to do that sort of thing is probably not the time to be sorting out which way to point your weapon.

Regarding guns on display in a store, I dont mind where they are pointed in a display cabinet. They are not going to shoot by themselves and they better be unloaded in any case. I do mind when customers handle them and have no awareness that they are muzzling others in the store regardless of it being unloaded. In those cases I consider the buyer to be ignorant, and the sales person to be inconsiderate of his other patrons.

Regarding Glocks, I carry one IWB, but the holster completely covers the trigger. No problem. I carry at 3 o'clock, never in the back. I have carried appendix but its not that comfortable for my build. Where people get in trouble with striker fired handguns is careless holstering (getting a garment hung up with the gun) or bad trigger finger habits when drawing/holstering

Now back to LouAvul's question. It is true that in a shoulder rig you are muzzling behind you as opposed to the ground beneath you. That is a smaller concern than the issue of cross drawing from the rig, where most 'self trained' carriers wind up muzzling their own arm as well people off to the side as they bring the gun out, and often with finger already on trigger.

So it is a safety thing, but there are other reasons shoulder rigs are out of fashion too. Access, speed of access, to name two.

Regarding so many of my friends were killed that way that must have been some rough neighborhood, or maybe I dont follow what you meant by 'killed that way'

[BDParrish]

I only wrote the (sarc) tag once. I was afraid repeating that would be patronizing and I thought my sarcasm was obvious, a mistake I make all too frequently. Pardon me please.

Would you take a moment and look at this “Gadget” for the Glock? The problem is with reholstering. I would hope that you take the hoster completely out of your pants, put the pistol in it, and then reinsert the whole system with the pistol IN the holster. Anyway, this device is something that Glock people need to know about:
https://tactipac.com/IWB-concealed-carry-holster-recent-news/glock-pistol-appendix-carry-safety-tip/

I only carry traditional double action autos and revolvers. I always reholster with a thumb on the hammer. Those who have trained in this way can now use a Glock!

Kind regards and FReep on!

[Magnum44]

Interesting device. Thanks, I’ll have to look into it more. I train with several former ‘operators’ and I will run it by them. Between them, they have put just about every gadget out there to serious field testing.

I don’t use or recommend any holster that won’t hold its shape or will collapse. I haven’t run into any issues reholstering IWB, just slow and deliberate.

FRegards, and stay safe