Looking for OWB holster advice

I've spent a few weeks looking for an OWB Solution for my Sig P226R BWTAC.

I'm looking for something along the lines of a Bruce Nelson Professional.

I've come across the Milt Sparks NLG, I don't know how long the wait for one of those would be but their ordering period is due to open for a brief period in a couple of days.

I've also come across the Combat Gunleather Holster #1 which looks to be right along the lines of what I'm looking for. I haven't heard back from them so I don't know how long their wait is. http://combatgunleather.com/index.ph...d=18&Itemid=30

I plan on getting a proper belt and mag pouches to go along with the holster.

Is there anything else I should be looking at and does anyone have any idea what kind of wait goes along the the selections above.

I'd really prefer not to have to buy an alternative to use in the meantime but I may just have to suck it up.

Shad

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Originally Posted by shadco

Is there anything else I should be looking at and does anyone have any idea what kind of wait goes along the the selections above.

Shad

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Shad,

My guess is that any of the guys like Sparks will all have substantial lead times.

You might consider shooting Andy an email at Horseshoe Leather to see what his backlog is like. His Covert 28 looks a lot like the holster you mentioned. He's always answered my emails promptly and his work is excellent.

http://www.holsters.org/covert_28-holster.htm

Take a look at the 5JR from Mitch Rosen. It the only OWB I use.

Have you checked out Haugen Handgun Leather? I have the speed scabbard 2 for a commander size 1911. The fit and finish are excellent. If I remember right, I waited about 5-6 weeks though.

Hello Shad,

I really like the looks of the #1 that you linked us to, and after 30 + years of OWB carrying, those are the only style holsters that I use anymore. However, I go with the Crossdraw models that don't have too radical of a muzzle forward rake and I wear them on my strong side at the 2 O'-Clock position, because it really makes for a fast & natural draw. Plus, if your belt rides a little lower across your stomach than it does across your back, the slight muzzle forward rake will keep the pistol more vertical where as the stright drop holsters will become more of a muzzle rear rake. Of course this becomes a moot point for the person that only carries at a position thats further back than 3 O'-Clock.

Another thing to consider is belt width. Do you often wear dress pants or suits, or even envision doing so in the future? If so, then you'll be better off sticking with 1-1/4" inch Gun Belts and buying holsters & mag carriers thats sized accordingly. I only bring this up because, I spent over 10 years of my life in suits & dress pants and most of that time wore them 7 days a week, and none of my 1-1/2" inch gun belts would go through the belt loops on the suit/dress pants (and I'm talkin' thinner high quality 1-1/2" gun belts). All that being said, if you only ocassionally wear a suit or dress pants, then go with a 1-1/2" gun belt (simply because it looks a little more appropriate with jeans) and buy accordingly sized holsters & mag carriers and then get an extra 1-1/4" gun belt for the times that you wear dress cloathing.

I also highly recomend only buying belts that are "cut on a contour". Contour Cut Belts don't pull away from your back when you bend forward like stright cut belts do, and they even offer a little bit of lower back support and due to them keeping constant pressure across your lower back they also help in keeping your shirt tail from pulling up & out of your pants so easily. Plus the contour cut belts are just overall more comfortable and their cut will help keep the upper portion of your pistol from rolling away from your body.

Here's the combination that I've settled on for carrying my Browning High Power's, and BTW, quality 1-1/4" gun belts will support service size automatics just fine in case you were wondering.

Galco's 1-1/4" CB2 Firm Contour Belt.
http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterP3.asp...&CatalogID=255

Andy Arratoonian's Model 28X Crossdraw.
http://www.holsters.org/crossdraw-holster.htm

Rusty Sherrick's Double Magazine Carrier.
http://www.c-rusty.com/pages/other%2...agcariers.html

If you go with a 1-1/2" Gun Belt, take a look at Galco's CB3 Concealable Contour Belt. It's thinner than most construction, tapered front & narrower buckle adds some comfort when seated and leaning forward, Ect.
http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterP3.asp...&CatalogID=254

Note: The only thing that I don't like about the Galco Belts mentioned above is, about 6 or 7 years ago they stopped shipping the Black ones with Brass Colored Buckles and started shipping them with Silver Buckles instead. But at that time, they sold me the brass colored buckles separately for only $10 bucs a piece when I added a coupla new CB2s & CB3s to my belt collection.

Rusty Sherrick's Holsters are also very high quality, and he's a heck of a nice guy to do business with and his lead times are usually very good as well.
http://www.c-rusty.com/

I hope this info helps you out Shad, along with anyone else reading the thread.

Check out Galco's Avenger. They make great products. I had one for my P220 and it appears comparable to your Combat Gunleather #1. I also wear the Galco SB3 daily so as not to look like a gun belt.

-B

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Haven't used allot of OWB holster's, but of the ones I have used, the Raven is the best I have used for me.

Kirkpatrick Leather makes a Bruce Nelson style and while I have not owned one, I do have other Kirkpatrick holsters and have laid my hands on the TSS. Solid gear, for sure.

The best OWB holster style, hands down, from a concealability POV is the pancake and for me no one does it better than John O'Rourke:

http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/p...s/DSC00489.jpg