holster type question

new2thagame · December 12, 2008, 11:45 PM

what is a paddle holster? i know what the regular belt holsters are but what are the paddle ones meant for? thanks in advance

eddyb74 · December 13, 2008, 12:08 AM

Paddle holsters have a large curved "paddle" that is slipped inside your wasteband to carry the weight of the gun. the gun rides outside your pants. They are nice if you are going to take your gun off and on constantly. I've tried them and find they don't ride close enough for concealed carry.

new2thagame · December 13, 2008, 07:27 AM

ok thank you. i would like to have one of shoulder harness kind but havent seen any

BillCA · December 13, 2008, 08:02 AM

As Eddy mentioned, the big advantage to paddle holsters is ease of getting them on and off. Usually they're easier to get on than to take off (in my experience). The downside is that they don't hug the body quite as close as a good belt holster or an IWB (inside waistband) style.

If you want a CCW holster that can be easily dismounted, look for the "Summer special" style (Milt Sparks, Galco, etc.) which has a pair of loops that snap on under the belt. Other styles that snap on, such as the Versa Max 2 or Galco's Matrix series, are better fitting than a paddle but slower to get on/off.

For a shoulder holster, it will depend on the handgun you're carrying and it's barrel length. For 4" or shorter barrels, the most common are horizontal rigs like Galco's Miami Classic (very comfortable). For longer barrels, a vertical shoulder holster is recommended. The old Bianchi X-15 still works (though a tad bulky) and others make similar rigs.

The downside of a shoulder holster is that you are comitted to wearing a covering jacket or coat all the time. This can be less than comfortable in warm conditions or conspicious when others are in shirtsleeves.

December 12, 2008, 11:45 PM	#1
new2thagame Junior Member Join Date: December 6, 2008 Posts: 9	holster type question what is a paddle holster? i know what the regular belt holsters are but what are the paddle ones meant for? thanks in advance __________________ G23, soon to be;Raging Bull .44

December 13, 2008, 07:27 AM	#3
new2thagame Junior Member Join Date: December 6, 2008 Posts: 9	ok thank you. i would like to have one of shoulder harness kind but havent seen any __________________ G23, soon to be;Raging Bull .44

December 13, 2008, 08:02 AM	#4
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	As Eddy mentioned, the big advantage to paddle holsters is ease of getting them on and off. Usually they're easier to get on than to take off (in my experience). The downside is that they don't hug the body quite as close as a good belt holster or an IWB (inside waistband) style. If you want a CCW holster that can be easily dismounted, look for the "Summer special" style (Milt Sparks, Galco, etc.) which has a pair of loops that snap on under the belt. Other styles that snap on, such as the Versa Max 2 or Galco's Matrix series, are better fitting than a paddle but slower to get on/off. For a shoulder holster, it will depend on the handgun you're carrying and it's barrel length. For 4" or shorter barrels, the most common are horizontal rigs like Galco's Miami Classic (very comfortable). For longer barrels, a vertical shoulder holster is recommended. The old Bianchi X-15 still works (though a tad bulky) and others make similar rigs. The downside of a shoulder holster is that you are comitted to wearing a covering jacket or coat all the time. This can be less than comfortable in warm conditions or conspicious when others are in shirtsleeves. __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)

December 13, 2008, 12:08 AM	#2
eddyb74 Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 222	Paddle holsters have a large curved "paddle" that is slipped inside your wasteband to carry the weight of the gun. the gun rides outside your pants. They are nice if you are going to take your gun off and on constantly. I've tried them and find they don't ride close enough for concealed carry.