Holster for .44 Mag...

[mjbreuer]

I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Mag in the 7.5" variety. I use it primarily for bear guiding, baiting protection, and bear hunting. Some tinkering and fun shooting here and there. This bear season I've decided that I hate my current holster, which is a Hunter series side holster. It's perfect for tinkering around, but doesn't work well while carrying buckets at my side, busting through brush, moving logs around, etc...

Anyone have any suggestions? Chest? Bandolier? Shoulder? Sword-draw over the shoulder style like a samurai?

Thanks for any advice, guys!

[rugersol]

I got this fer my Bisley Hunter ... Evil Roy x-draw! ...



$120ish fer jest a holster ... he uses two layers of leather, and puts a sheet of steel between, to keep its shape ... best there is!

When I ordered mine, he said he gets a lot of requests fer that ... jest tell him what gun it's fer, and he'll know exactly what ya want!

It also helps if ya already got a 3in belt ... if ya don't, ya could pick up a "tool belt" at Fleet Farm.

[MissouriDave]

Nice holster Rugersol.

[MissouriDave]

This is my holster for my Blackhawk. It is a Mernickle CA6. I had it made with a cross draw holster strong side. That way I can carry it strong side or cross draw. When it is cross draw (usually is) the bullets are all up front where I can get at them easily. Buffalo horn grips.



I've tried different things as well and western cross draw works best for me. Both Rugersol an I have been using them for a long time, and I think I can safely say we both would agree that cross draw keeps the gun out of the way better, keeps rifle stocks from getting nicked, and makes a better hand rest.

[rugersol]

Nice rig, Dave!

I ain't half the hunter Dave is ... and usually when I've gone out, I've come back with a list of **** I wouldn't do, next time ... x-draw holster never came close to makin' that list!

I'll hafta see if I can get a pic of my original x-draw Mernickle rig I had made fer my Anaconda (back when he was still in Canada) ... it's kind of a semi-drop-loop semi-x-draw ... custom, 'course ... don't know that he'd make one, again ... he's "big time", now! I still think it's the perfect set-up ... but fer the money, ya jest can't beat a slide-on!

Neat bonus is, yer +1 strong-side holster away from a "race-ready" SASS rig! In fact, 'fore we heard of SASS, my buddy (other one) bought a strong-side drop-loop Mernickle rig, and when he wanted to do SASS, he jest ordered a x-draw slide-on! ... 5yr later, and he's still usin' it!

[1911fan]

With no disrespect to the fancy holsters shown, they wont work well for the job described. He wants to use the holster doing work, and with a 7.5 inch SBH. that means a drop holster is going to put the muzzle down by his knee, and lugging a 5 gallon pail of bear bait will wreck havoc on the holster and gun in short time. I have used a 3 point chest holster, I believe made by galco, IIRC, that had one strap over the shoulder and it joined in to the strap that went around the belly, holding the gun quite well in place. Its not speed draw holster, but its available and rather easy to use, the one I had was a flap holster, which was very nice for keeping the crap out of the gun when crawling around.

http://www.mernickleholsters.com/sh/sh7cus1.html


Here is the only one I can find on Galco. its not a flap like I had....

[rugersol]

that means a drop holster is going to put the muzzle down by his knee

I think ya read a bit too much into that ... look at the pics, again ... muzzle won't be much lower 'n yer nuts! Even with my semi-drop, it's only 3 - 4in lower 'n what's pictured!

They may be purdy (thanks!), but if ya ask Bob real nice, I bet he'd make ya a plain one!

That ain't to say that that chest rig is a bad way to go, neither! Myself, I don't care fer such things on the outside of my coat ... and inside, means I gotta unzip, to get it!

[JJ]

that means a drop holster is going to put the muzzle down by his knee

That ain't to say that that chest rig is a bad way to go, neither! Myself, I don't care fer such things on the outside of my coat ... and inside, means I gotta unzip, to get it!

You do realize that bear baiting is going on right now, and that the season wraps up early in Sept right? Iffin I twas a guessin man, I t'would guess the holster would be worn over little more then long sleeve T-shirt.

[rugersol]

that means a drop holster is going to put the muzzle down by his knee

That ain't to say that that chest rig is a bad way to go, neither! Myself, I don't care fer such things on the outside of my coat ... and inside, means I gotta unzip, to get it!

You do realize that bear baiting is going on right now, and that the season wraps up early in Sept right? Iffin I twas a guessin man, I t'would guess the holster would be worn over little more then long sleeve T-shirt.

I woulda guessed mid-October ... also woulda figured to possibly use the thing fer more than jest bear ... but again, that's jest me!

[JJ]

You do realize that bear baiting is going on right now, and that the season wraps up early in Sept right? Iffin I twas a guessin man, I t'would guess the holster would be worn over little more then long sleeve T-shirt.

I woulda guessed mid-October ... also woulda figured to possibly use the thing fer more than jest bear ... but again, that's jest me!

Iff'n He wern't mah pal and all I prolly wood 'ave guessed the same.

[MissouriDave]

Ya'll no wer all havin fun now!

Edit:
I have a friend n' Hinckley that's been baitin da bears every yer fer about 30 of em. Wears the same stuff Rugersol and I do. Jest sayin it werks for most pepl. Gettin a zipper undun an puttin on an takin off layers as ya heat up werkin might be a problem wit doe's chest rigs. Dey're kinda newfangld tings. But iffen da reguler stuff dont werk, might wanna give er a tri.

[Rem700]

Never bothered carrying while running baits.
What I did wear dureing training season and fall harvest while guideing Mi/Wi was a 7 1/2" Ruger SRH in a Uncle Mike shoulder holster converted to a Bandoler type holster. It worked good for easy on and off getting out of vehicles and for extra secure there was a strap on the back of the holster that could be placed around your regular belt and helped keep the holster from flopping around which helped when leading 4-8 hounds on leashes thru the pucker brush. I utilized the same type rig with a 5 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk in .357 while running cats in Idaho and Montana as well.

[1911fan]

As far as the on and off, its one snap and the whole rig is loose, I had two snaps on mine which allowed you to have a light clothes setting and a bundled up setting with no issue. Before I got sick, I used to run a trap line and after I got followed by two large grey forest dogs, I decided the .32 might be a little light for them.

I know a lot of people who use the chest rigs and like them, I know just as many who like the side holsters, but for me, a side holster was either buried under a couple of layers, or always getting in the way of hauling stuff. The chest holster worked really well, and I had no trouble sitting down in the truck with it either....cross draw holsters and a gut are not sympatico if you get my meaning.

[mjbreuer]

I've got 13 bears wanting what I carry in every day, and I've had a sow bluff me, I will continue to carry while checking baits...

Thanks for all of the opinions/advice, guys! I think the cross-draw is out. I hate my hip holster now, and I don't think that would solve anything.

I've considered the chest or bandolier styles and wonder if carrying boxes/bags/buckets against my chest will not mesh with them.

Any thoughts on a vertical shoulder holster? I know JJ had mentioned to me the concern of speed and getting on target when drawing from there, but would there be other concerns? I would think it wouldn't take much longer than a chest draw with adrenaline going...

[1911fan]

If one was bluffing at you already, I think I would go for something more handy, like a trapper carbine over the shoulder.