Shoulder rig in a coat?

Dashunde · November 7, 2013, 11:15 PM

I'm about to have my favorite 15 year old leather coat re-lined and I'd really like to have a shoulder rig of some sort sewn into it to carry some of my heavier pistols over the winter.
Has anyone else done this? Seems like it could stitched to the inside of a sturdy liner, maybe the vest section could be a soft canvas?

Should I just buy a ordinary rig, size it to fit me over a thin sweatshirt to account for the new liner, then trim and rivet the straps (no buckles) and have them sew it in?

Is there a kit of some sort out there just for this purpose?

dayman · November 8, 2013, 05:54 AM

The only issue I see is that if you had a holster sewn in you'd be limited to one holster - and thus basically one gun.

I assume you're talking about keeping the holster between the liner and the coat, and adding some sort of opening in the liner to access the holster.

Maybe you could attach the shoulder rig to the liner with snaps instead. That way you could take it out if you wanted, or cycle in another holster.
Another option would be sewing in a rig that allows different holsters to be attached.

Another issue to think about it having the weight of the holster/gun on the liner is probably going to make it significantly more difficult to get the coat on and off.
You're going to want to make sure the liner attaches to the coat really securely, or it's probably going to feel like trying to take off 2 coats at once.

Very cool idea though. Make sure you post pictures when you figure it all out.

WESHOOT2 · November 8, 2013, 01:13 PM

One-sided clothes fit funny (they don't 'drape' properly).

Dragline45 · November 8, 2013, 03:16 PM

I don't see how it would work very well. When you wear a shoulder rig the weight of the gun is dispersed across your back and shoulders, where as if it was in the coat it would constantly pull down on one side of the coat unless you carried a gun on each side. For a quick trip to the store I have thrown a pistol in a pocket of a winter coat and noticed this right away.

spacecoast · November 8, 2013, 03:23 PM

On the rare occasions I wear a sport coat, a light pocket gun like an LCP works fine in the inside breast pocket. A couple of full magazines hanging from straps on the other side could help balance out the weight of a heavier gun.

Chaz88 · November 8, 2013, 03:28 PM

Do not know if any would fit your needs but there are several places that sell coats and vests with built in CC provisions. http://www.nrastore.com/nrastore/Products.aspx?c=6 Would be one of them.

Dashunde · November 9, 2013, 09:32 AM

Quote:

When you wear a shoulder rig the weight of the gun is dispersed across your back and shoulders, where as if it was in the coat it would constantly pull down on one side of the coat unless you carried a gun on each side.

Right, thats why I'd want to keep the whole rig intact, shoulder straps and all, but simply sewn to the liner, between the liner and insulating filler (so that the straps dont print thru the leather)

The whole idea is that the rig shoulders the weight but its all hidden by the coat and the exterior of the coat isnt drawn tight from the load.

I'd want to use the two leather-rimmed inner pocket openings as velcro "pull-downs" for access to the gun on the left and 2 spares on the right.

A interchangeable holster and spare mags could be thin kydex supported typical leather strapping.

I have concerns with the leather though...stretching and no longer fitting correctly, therby eventually transferring the load to the liner.
Straps made of Nylon or kevlar thread would be easier to sew into the liner and probably wouldnt stretch much.

Dashunde · November 9, 2013, 09:53 AM

Chaz, the NRA store link is great, I had no idea there were so many already out there... problem is I love my coat!

But now I'm also giving serious thought to buying the denim one for lighter carry just to see how well its supported internally... LCP/PM9, maybe a G27?

November 7, 2013, 11:15 PM	#1
Dashunde Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2004 Posts: 2,021	Shoulder rig in a coat? I'm about to have my favorite 15 year old leather coat re-lined and I'd really like to have a shoulder rig of some sort sewn into it to carry some of my heavier pistols over the winter. Has anyone else done this? Seems like it could stitched to the inside of a sturdy liner, maybe the vest section could be a soft canvas? Should I just buy a ordinary rig, size it to fit me over a thin sweatshirt to account for the new liner, then trim and rivet the straps (no buckles) and have them sew it in? Is there a kit of some sort out there just for this purpose?

November 8, 2013, 05:54 AM	#2
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	The only issue I see is that if you had a holster sewn in you'd be limited to one holster - and thus basically one gun. I assume you're talking about keeping the holster between the liner and the coat, and adding some sort of opening in the liner to access the holster. Maybe you could attach the shoulder rig to the liner with snaps instead. That way you could take it out if you wanted, or cycle in another holster. Another option would be sewing in a rig that allows different holsters to be attached. Another issue to think about it having the weight of the holster/gun on the liner is probably going to make it significantly more difficult to get the coat on and off. You're going to want to make sure the liner attaches to the coat really securely, or it's probably going to feel like trying to take off 2 coats at once. Very cool idea though. Make sure you post pictures when you figure it all out.

November 8, 2013, 01:13 PM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	One-sided clothes fit funny (they don't 'drape' properly).

November 8, 2013, 03:16 PM	#4
Dragline45 Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2010 Posts: 3,513	I don't see how it would work very well. When you wear a shoulder rig the weight of the gun is dispersed across your back and shoulders, where as if it was in the coat it would constantly pull down on one side of the coat unless you carried a gun on each side. For a quick trip to the store I have thrown a pistol in a pocket of a winter coat and noticed this right away.

November 8, 2013, 03:23 PM	#5
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	On the rare occasions I wear a sport coat, a light pocket gun like an LCP works fine in the inside breast pocket. A couple of full magazines hanging from straps on the other side could help balance out the weight of a heavier gun.

November 8, 2013, 03:28 PM	#6
Chaz88 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2010 Posts: 1,243	Do not know if any would fit your needs but there are several places that sell coats and vests with built in CC provisions. http://www.nrastore.com/nrastore/Products.aspx?c=6 Would be one of them.

November 9, 2013, 09:53 AM	#8
Dashunde Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2004 Posts: 2,021	Chaz, the NRA store link is great, I had no idea there were so many already out there... problem is I love my coat! But now I'm also giving serious thought to buying the denim one for lighter carry just to see how well its supported internally... LCP/PM9, maybe a G27?