I carry in a Galco shoulder holster regularly during the cooler months, so basically any jacket day, 50 degrees or colder. I have what is essentially the Miami Classic II, though I purchased separate components as I wanted a wider shoulder harness. I carry a HK USPc in .357 SIG w/ two reloads and purchased the following components separately:

- SSH Harness (2.75" Wide)
- S3H Shoulder Holster
- HCL Horizontal Mag Carrier

I really like the Horizontal Mag Carrier as it's MUCH easier to draw from than the traditional vertical snap/flap design and has a tension screw for retention adjustment.

Like anything else, it takes a little getting used to though. The harness straps though fairly soft, initially bothered my collarbone area after a few hours. Not sure if it needed some 'break-in' or I did, but I don't even really notice I'm wearing it any more.

The SSH Harness I purchased is no longer available, but if you're interested in a wide(r) harness than the 1.5" wide version of the Miami Classic II, Galco currently offers both 2" wide and 2.5" wide variants. The following pic shows relative differences in some of the various harness widths:



Here's a couple of links from the Galco website for you to browse:

Galco Shoulder Holster Systems

Galco Shoulder Holster Components

For most applications, I'd recommend the The Miami Classic II --> Galco Miami Classic II

Hope this helps...

I have a High Noon Holsters rig that I bought for my G23 years ago. Prett standard design, dual mag holders, all leather belt tie downs and strap retention on the horizontal holster. Does the job, and is my favorite way to carry if it is an option. That G23 size holster fit a few other pistols, I used it to hold an HK USP Compact 9mm for a while too. I bought it while I was in Florida working a case in like 2004-05. I think I got it for only around $100 back then, which was cheaper than the Galco and to me was built just as well. Not sure what it would sell for now, but it was well made and had a fair amount of adjustability to fit flat across my back and shoulders and tied down well to my belt for anchor. I gotta dig it back out and see if it might fit any of my current pistols.

I have a High Noon Holsters Undertaker. It's very nicely made, comfortable and looks great. However, you just never actually use a shoulder holster. Mine sits on top of the safe.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
I have an Alessi “Bodyguard” horizontal shoulder rig. It has Alessi’s “Quickbreak” retention system. A sharp tug on the pistol pops a snap in the trigger guard. That retention system is offered only for pistols with safetys. And maybe revolvers – don’t know.

Unfortunately Mr. Alessi has expired – Tom carries on the business. Mine arrived about a month after I ordered it.

It’s excellent – comfortable, and doesn’t dangle when I lean forward. A pouch for two mags on the off side.

Tom, unfortunately, passed away a couple years ago. Skip and Bob Ritchie make the shoulder with the pull through snap you described and I agree, it's great.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
I have an Alessi “Bodyguard” horizontal shoulder rig. It has Alessi’s “Quickbreak” retention system. A sharp tug on the pistol pops a snap in the trigger guard. That retention system is offered only for pistols with safetys. And maybe revolvers – don’t know.

I had a heckuva time convincing Tom to make me one of those for my SIG P239 SAS DAK, but he finally did it for me.

I don't know about safeties. Tom was balking at my request because the DAK wasn't DA/SA. Took a lot of convincing DAK has a much longer, much more deliberate trigger pull than a striker-fired pistol.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
It’s excellent – comfortable, and doesn’t dangle when I lean forward. A pouch for two mags on the off side.

The Bodyguard is indeed a very nice shoulder rig.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Unfortunately Mr. Alessi has expired – Tom carries on the business. Mine arrived about a month after I ordered it.

Tom, unfortunately, passed away a couple years ago.

Yup. In 2018, my notes have it

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
Skip and Bob Ritchie make the shoulder with the pull through snap you described and I agree, it's great.

I did not know that. Thanks for the info.

N.B. Skip Ritchie was a partner and protégé of Louis Alessi.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
Andrews Monarch. I love this holster system, ...

It's a great system, but, the absence of hold-down ties is a double-edged sword: If one side's heavier than the other the entire rig will tend to slide a bit toward the heavier side.

Not a lot, mind you, but, for people like me who are a bit >< OCD, it's kind of annoying. I find myself often re-settling it.

I had to laugh at an episode of Monk we watched recently. He'd gotten a haircut from not-his-usual barber, swore his sideburns were uneven, and that was making his head tilt to one side.

Like that

I've used shoulder holster and find I like them for road trips. I have a Game Miami Classic that I have used for years with a couple of different guns. A Mitch Rosen Style Master for 1911's. The thing I don't like about that holster is that it leaves a lot of the muzzle exposed, especially with a 5" Government sized model.


I do have 2 different Galco VHS holsters. The one for my Smith 329 works well but, with having a bulky revolver under one arm an a double speed loader carrier under the other, it's a little wide and feels like I can't let my arms all the way down. The one for my 1911 Government has been a complete disaster. The retention of the snap going over the trigger guard just does not provide any retention. Twice I've had the gun slide out the top of the holster once landing in a snow bank and once landing on the sidewalk at a very busy has station/strip mall.

Here's the original link where I described my experience with the Galco VHS.

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...790048994#9790048994

quote:

I do have 2 different Galco VHS holsters. The one for my Smith 329 works well but, with having a bulky revolver under one arm an a double speed loader carrier under the other, it's a little wide and feels like I can't let my arms all the way down.

That's an interesting observation. The one thing I don't like about the 329 is how wide it is. There's a noticeable difference in bulk between it and my L-framed 69...much moreso than there is between the J-Frame and the L-Frame. Finding a carry solution to accommodate the girth of an N-Frame can be a challenge.

Last spring in AK we drove almost 2000 miles in a Ford Focus, and having that thing stuffed between my hip and the console was pretty uncomfortable. At one point I thought that a shoulder holster might be ideal for the 329 since it's so light (I'd tried one for my Beretta 92 in the past, but hated it because the gun was so heavy), but your experience makes me think I probably wouldn't like that either. You may have just saved me $200!

I have/wear a Galco Miami Classic since the 90's. It wears well under a jacket/sport coat and has proven durable. Highly recommended.

I've never used one, so this advice is from a friend: Whatever you get, practice wearing it at home with an empty handgun before you take it out in public. My friend didn't, and she was deeply embarrassed when her pistol fell out of the new holster that she was wearing under her blazer at a dinner party. Big "Oops!"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: toivo,

For a horizontal rig, nothing that I have found beats the Andrews Monarch. The extra strap, across one’s back, adds to the stability of the rig, and enable one to bend forward, without the holster body and ammo pouches tending to drop forward. Mine (I have two) see little use, because the hot, humid SE Texas Coastal Prairie climate, where I live, makes any shoulder holster rather miserable to wear outdoors, most of the year.

The Miami Classic is hard to beat, but is generally gun specific. If you want something a bit more universal for those day a different gun is on your carry list, the Bianchi X15 is hard to beat. I have the Miami Classic for my Glocks, but my X15's fit virtually everything I own from my S&W Shields, my P229r, my Beretta PX4, and all the Glocks, and are comfortable doing it.