Sidearm/holsters

JJMoody said:

A couple thoughts

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JJ, nice work. I had John Jackson build my Chest Holsters. Snaps connect different holsters (Ruger Alaskan 44 Mag, Glock 31, Sig P226 and Sig P220) to the shoulder-waist straps. My handguns ride higher than those in your pics….over the tip of my sternum. Fishing vest conceals in Yellowstone NP. Open chest carry when horseback on MT Public Lands and when stream fly fishing. Drop-leg won't work very well riding and fishing. Safe Hunting & Fishing!

They adjust also. Top of waders to under bino pouch.

Anyone have experience with these chest holsters?
I am looking for either a stand alone chest holster or something that integrates with my bino chest system

HighDesertHunter said:

Anyone have experience with these chest holsters?

Kenai Chest Holster - Across the Chest, Fast & Efficient Draw | GunfightersINC

Carry your firearm confidently outdoors with the Kenai Chest Holster. Perfect for hiking, camping & hunting. Your ultimate outdoor companion.

gunfightersinc.com

I am looking for either a stand alone chest holster or something that integrates with my bino chest system

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Yes, I find them to be very workable. As a stand alone unit. The attachments to bino harnesses are not to my liking, mostly because when you draw the firearm from a chest holster the amount of movement needs to be minimal. If the holster moves with the firearm it will require a longer draw stroke and add time when you may not have any. You also may not have the range of motion to draw the firearm if your on the ground in mid attack. The gunfighters rig has minimal movement during the draw and the small elastic section in the strap that encompasses your body does not restrict your breathing or feel too tight. I use this rig while fishing, hunting and hiking with small automatics and large frame revolvers, with barrel lengths of 5" or less. Less is better. Layering a bino system over these holsters will work but I just didnt like it. If I need binos I use a strong side belt holster, the Milt Sparks AW200 and a Milt Sparks belt. The belt must support (be heavy enough) the holstered gun to be comfortable.

When riding horses/mules, you never want a handgun on your belt. I witnessed first hand a good friend get bucked off when Javelina ran out in front of us, he landed on the hip with the gun. The man screamed and cried for 15 minutes. So, a shoulder holster is the way to go, or not carry one at all.

VinceMule said:

When riding horses/mules, you never want a handgun on your belt. I witnessed first hand a good friend get bucked off when Javelina ran out in front of us, he landed on the hip with the gun. The man screamed and cried for 15 minutes. So, a shoulder holster is the way to go, or not carry one at all.

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Respectfully, landing on a rock, log or anything else may give the same outcome. A six foot drop from a saddle is hard on the body. Shoulder rigs present access issues, reaching across the torso can be a challenge especially if you have a bino harness on, not to mention layers of clothing. All methods of carry have pros and cons be aware of them before you choose. Your access is the number one priority otherwise you might as well have it in a backpack. Your physique, flexibilty, and activity all have a role in the selection of a holster.

Not carrying at all, that certainly does solve the issue.

My current setup is a sherpa on the waistband of my pack. That works well. Positive lock, easy access... until I drop my pack. And if I am trying to use it during an archery hunt, I drop the pack often.

The Real Arizona Cowboys I rode with thought that anyone riding a horse/mule while wearing a handgun on their hip was unsafe to be around.

HighDesertHunter said:

My current setup is a sherpa on the waistband of my pack. That works well. Positive lock, easy access... until I drop my pack. And if I am trying to use it during an archery hunt, I drop the pack often.

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When I suit up, the first accessory on is my FHF Bino Chest Pouch with Razco Holster beneath and this setup is always the last accessory off. The compromise is the Razco Holster is closer to my waist than the point of my sternum which, as previously stated, is the location of my Jackson Chest Harness-Holster. I'd rather my handgun be higher, but not enough to move my Binos elsewhere. Another compromise!

Hill People Gear kit bag

Win.308Stealth said:

A few years back did a caribou hunt in Alaska and carried my brothers Ruger Super Redhawk in .480 in a nylon holster at the hip. Was not bad to carry all day long, kind of gave you peace of mind.
Now I bought a Glock G40 10mm, and this will be my primary sidaerm on my hunting, fishing, and trips to the woods. Just wondering what kind of holsters you are using? I have carried a 1911 in a Blackhawk Serpa holster and kind of like that one. But just trying to see what everyone else's experiences are. Always open to peoples thoughts and opinions. Thanks in advance.

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I carry my 44 Mag in a Slade Saddle Shop custom holster made to fit my 1950's Lawrence gunbelt I got from my uncle. Also have the original holster for 4" 357 Combat Mag. I carry 1911 in 3 different leather belt holsters. Generally use the thumbreak holster on hunts and the friction retention for daily carry.

Like the OP, I also have a Glock 40.



I tried a few readily available to me before I settled with:



This was the only one I tried that I could pull out of the holster with one hand unassisted without modification. And it's half the price of most of the others.

I carry a Glock 20 in a Craft, "cross draw" holster. The Glock holds tight up against my body, it does not move or make any noise like many of the plastic holsters out there do. The holster/gun is positioned where accessibility is easy and the way the holster is canted it is a straight pull out of the holster and not a "pull up and out" retrieve from the holster. What I learned from the folks at Craft was that the proper cant for a cross-draw holster is that where the front edge of the slide has to make the bottom front edge of the grip parallel with each other. With the handgun positioned in this manner the retrieve from the holster is a straight pull. Sort of like what it would look like if the handgun was being held up while it was on a flat surface making the grip and the front of the handgun on the same plane. I have tried a number of holsters, this one works the best for me, and I have carried a handgun strapped to my hip daily for decades. I do not like chest rigs for a number of reasons, the one that most concerns me is that it is noisy, secondly it gets in the way when I shoulder my rifle. I black bear hunt from a ground blind, noise is a strong concern. There are no buckles or loose straps to catch or rattle on this holster. We recently went to using a Streamlight/laser light set up on our Glock 20s. Oftentimes retrieving a black bear is done in the dark, in close quarters where swinging or ever carrying a rifle is almost impossible. Craft makes a cross draw holster for a light setup also. With this holster being made of leather the fit is quite tight when you first get the holster out of the package. What I learned from a friend who does leather work is to wrap your handgun in plastic wrap or even a plastic shopping bag. Once the handgun is protected with plastic, submerge the holster in luke warm water where you will see small bubbles rising to the top of the water. Once these bubbles stop, like a half-hour, remove the holster from the water and place the handgun inside of the holster, stretching out the thumb break strap so that snaps into place. Let the holster dry slowly on its own, it takes about 24 hours. This process will make a custom fit to your handgun. This is just my $.02 worth, and this holster is worth taking a look at. These holsters run in the $85 range, if you are interested in one I recommend ordering one as soon as possible. My experience has been that it takes about a month to get one because at the time that I made my purchase is was a special order item. I realize that this post is like seven-years old, but... if I am reading it there are also others with interest reading the thread also.

HighDesertHunter said:

Anyone have experience with these chest holsters?

Kenai Chest Holster - Across the Chest, Fast & Efficient Draw | GunfightersINC

Carry your firearm confidently outdoors with the Kenai Chest Holster. Perfect for hiking, camping & hunting. Your ultimate outdoor companion.

gunfightersinc.com

I am looking for either a stand alone chest holster or something that integrates with my bino chest system

Click to expand...

I've had one for several years for my 500 S&W, they are great, and they work with a heavy backpack on.

And the thing is, given my guns size and weight, it'll be even better if you run a smaller weapon, which you likely do.

I also have the stealthgear chest rig and I can't say I like it as much, I've used it with the 500 but these days it stays set up for my P320.

The benefit to the stealthgear is that you can set it up with the Safariland QLS system, or similar, and therefore switch between guns easier.

I did that, but got away from it because it means there is more separation between the gun and your chest, this can actually aid with drawing a bit, however, it means the gun has more leverage on the mounting platform, on the harness.
That meant that the gun tended to flop around more, it got in the way more.

So I just directly attach the holster shell to it now.


So, in general, I would recommend the Kenai as a first choice, I've wore one doing a lot of activities, no failures, no issues, no nothing wrong.