Chest Holster for Revolver

[1075tech]

I'm thinking of a chest holster to carry my S&W 686 6" during hunting or hiking. I will likely end up with some sort of scope or red dot on it.

For those of you that have one, what do you have or what are your recommendations?

 

[ArmedCorgi]

I've heard great things about this company. I have been eyeballing and thinking of getting one of these holsters from them for hunting with my GP100 Guide's Choice™ Leather Chest Holster

 

[Mk44]

+1 for Diamond D chest holster.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj3gr7F7dTgAhVqRN8KHUElA0wQjBAwBHoECAMQCw&url=https://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/pages/clearance-items&usg=AOvVaw24oa2r9ml3w7Um947OyfJI

Diamond D makes them for revolvers. (this guy did a review on it for his pistol.)

 

[1075tech]

Hmm... But according to their sight, they don't do "custom" work, such as accommodating scopes.

I'd hate to pay that much for one only to have to modify it.

 

[Jaywmustang]

Here is my diamond d holster for my g40. I have only worn it around the house and it’s comfy. I didn’t get time to sight in my g40 for hunting season so no real outdoor experience yet.

 

[livingston]

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Here is a less FUDDLY review.

 

[Mk44]

Hmm... But according to their sight, they don't do "custom" work, such as accommodating scopes.

I'd hate to pay that much for one only to have to modify it.

Maybe send Diamond D an email/ or give them a call to see if they can help you.

Galco & Tripe K make one for a scoped revolver. But I think Diamond D is a much better quality rig.

 

[Jaywmustang]

I was considering these guys when I was looking.

https://westernimagesleather.com/sportmans-chest-rig-®

 

[Deplorable Me]

Non leather:
REVOLVER HOLSTERS - Man Gear Alaska

 

[Hillbilly77]

I'm a bit late to the party, but I recommend Simply Rugged. I bought one of their rigs a couple years ago for my scoped Model 29-3.
They have good craftsmanship & quality and it carries well without a bunch of shifting around, etc.
They custom build the holster for your individual setup - they have you take pictures of the measurements, then they build the holster for you. They call the harness a "Chesty Puller" harness (named after the famed Marine). You do have to buy the harness separately.

I like it because it protects the scope as well as the gun and theres no fussing around with a retention strap wrapped around the scope, etc.

Here is my rig.

 

[Upstate43]

I'll add another vote for Guide's Choice Diamond D chest holster. Very, very well made. And custom-fit to your specific model. You'll have to call up and ask if he'll make a holster big enough to accommodate a scope. I have a chest holster for my 5" .357 mag M&P R8. It makes for a very easy carry when out in the woods, but still very accessible. Also has an easy-to-adjust strap that can allow for different carry styles. Should last a long time with basic maintenance. Costs a pretty penny, but a good chest holster is well worth it.

Here is a less FUDDLY review.

Who are you calling a FUDD? And why are you even bringing name-calling into this thread?

 

[adirondack47]

Something to keep in mind as “open carry” doesn’t exist in NY state, you may want to consider a more discreet option for both hunting and hiking or have separate options for both activities. Obviously a chest holster would be perfectly fine while hunting but may scare the sheep if you were climbing Mt Marcy with the same rig.

I wanted one option to cover both activities so I went with a Hill People Gear V1 Recon chest pack. I can carry everything from a 5” 10mm 1911 and a few mags to my 454 Ruger Alaskan at the ready while still being concealed. It’s worked out well so far; no issues to complain about.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Something to keep in mind as “open carry” doesn’t exist in NY state, you may want to consider a more discreet option for both hunting and hiking or have separate options for both activities. Obviously a chest holster would be perfectly fine while hunting but may scare the sheep if you were climbing Mt Marcy with the same rig.

I wanted one option to cover both activities so I went with a Hill People Gear V1 Recon chest pack. I can carry everything from a 5” 10mm 1911 and a few mags to my 454 Ruger Alaskan at the ready while still being concealed. It’s worked out well so far; no issues to complain about.

Careful now. People don't want to hear facts. They'll just tell you it's legal because no cop has ever bothered them.

 

[RocNYRunner]

Gun fighters Inc, Kenai chest holster. Have one for my Model 657.

Kenai Chest Holster – GunfightersINC

 

[Upstate43]

Something to keep in mind as “open carry” doesn’t exist in NY state, you may want to consider a more discreet option for both hunting and hiking or have separate options for both activities. Obviously a chest holster would be perfectly fine while hunting but may scare the sheep if you were climbing Mt Marcy with the same rig.

I wanted one option to cover both activities so I went with a Hill People Gear V1 Recon chest pack. I can carry everything from a 5” 10mm 1911 and a few mags to my 454 Ruger Alaskan at the ready while still being concealed. It’s worked out well so far; no issues to complain about.

It's a gray area. Technically, if you were hunting in the Mt. Marcy area, you could in fact open-carry a pistol. Handgun hunting is legal in NY, and I've never heard of one single person being arrested and charged for open-carrying a handgun while hunting (assuming they have the proper pistol permit and hunting license). In fact, if you call up and ask the DEC about that very issue, they'll tell you that it is perfectly legal to open carry your handgun while hunting or tracking. You might get a few raised eyebrows from other hikers, but I doubt anyone would call the cops on you since hunting is common enough in that area.

If you're simply hiking up Mt. Marcy outside of hunting season, you might run into someone who gives you trouble....I say "might" because I've been plenty of places in the ADK's where people open carry pistols into the woods to do some target shooting and no one really cares.

 

[1911guy]

While open carry is not an option, that portion of the law is not enforced while hunting Usually it is not enforced while camping, hiking. Go online and ask one those legal experts (Attorney).

 

[Upstate43]

While open carry is not an option, that portion of the law is not enforced while hunting Usually it is not enforced while camping, hiking. Go online and ask one those legal experts (Attorney).

Technically open carry is not illegal.

There is no NY law which explicitly forbids it.

People generally don't do it in public places because of the perceptions associated with it and because many county judges can take away your pistol privileges (pistol ownership is treated as a privilege in this state as opposed to being viewed as a fundamental right) with very little justification. I certainly wouldn't test the waters by open carrying in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. But open carrying while hunting and tracking is perfectly legal...if it were illegal, then handgun hunting would be totally infeasible and prohibited (which it isn't).

Open carrying while hiking or camping out in the woods is a bit more subjective. I've seen plenty of people do it, albeit in the northern counties of NY where different attitudes prevail. Open carrying up on a crowded high peaks trail during the height of summer might draw some unwanted attention. Open carrying in that same area while handgun hunting is perfectly acceptable, though there are certain trails which go over easements where possession of any type of firearm is prohibited.

 

[Gonzobird]

I'll add another vote for Guide's Choice Diamond D chest holster. Very, very well made. And custom-fit to your specific model. You'll have to call up and ask if he'll make a holster big enough to accommodate a scope. I have a chest holster for my 5" .357 mag M&P R8. It makes for a very easy carry when out in the woods, but still very accessible. Also has an easy-to-adjust strap that can allow for different carry styles. Should last a long time with basic maintenance. Costs a pretty penny, but a good chest holster is well worth it.




Who are you calling a FUDD? And why are you even bringing name-calling into this thread?

You get what you pay for. I would rather have a holster that will last a lifetime than a nylon that will last a few years. I keep going to order this and then psych myself out. Maybe ill do it right now.

 

[whauburger]

I love the diamond d for my 44 mag.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Penal law 265 makes the possession and carry of firearms (pistols, revolvers, SBRs, and Assault Weapons) illegal unless exempted.

Penal law 400 gives you the exemption from prosecution from Penal law 265. It gives you a license to have and carry concealed. It doesn't say to "have and carry concealed and openly." If you read towards the bottom of Penal Law 400, it says, " 17. Applicability of section. The provisions of article two hundred sixty-five of this chapter relating to illegal possession of a firearm, shall not apply to an offense which also constitutes a violation of this section by a person holding an otherwise valid license under the provisions of this section and such offense shall only be punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to this section."


So while they aren't giving you an exception to carry openly, law enforcement doesn't bother you when you do so at the range, on your property, hunting, ect. They can but they don't. Just the same as they don't bother armed guards who carry openly because it would be stupid for a uniformed armed guard to do so. Their license also says, "To have and carry concealed."

It's a poorly written law just like other poorly written laws in this state. You know like the one that says that if you have the ammo in the same area as the gun, it's considered loaded even if there is no round in the chamber or magazine. It's ignored all the time because it's impossible to follow.

 

[1911guy]

Technically open carry is not illegal.

There is no NY law which explicitly forbids it.

As the attorney who explained it to me and in the book of pistol laws written by an attorney and a retired state trooper explained it: open carry is prohibited in the established law that creates the handgun license because the handgun license is worded as a "concealed carry license" or a license to "carry a concealed" handgun.

So technically only concealed carry is legal. To make the statement that open carry it not illegal is misleading, but the affect of the law is typically the same. But someone could get in serious trouble if he/she accepts your word and openly carries downtown for example.

 

[1911guy]

OOPS. I see that my post has been previously handled. I should read ahead before answering. mea culpa.

 

[S&W Fan]

You get what you pay for. I would rather have a holster that will last a lifetime than a nylon that will last a few years. I keep going to order this and then psych myself out. Maybe ill do it right now.

Just DO IT ! You won’t be disappointed. It will probably outlast your need for it.

 

[Upstate43]

You get what you pay for. I would rather have a holster that will last a lifetime than a nylon that will last a few years. I keep going to order this and then psych myself out. Maybe ill do it right now.

If you plan to carry outside a lot, I'd do it. It's a big cost to swallow (at least for a holster) but you do get what you pay for. The Diamond D Guide's choice, out of all the chest holsters I've seen, has the best quality and the best functionality/adjustment. Plus carrying on your chest is so much easier than other carrying in other fashions when moving through the woods.

As the attorney who explained it to me and in the book of pistol laws written by an attorney and a retired state trooper explained it: open carry is prohibited in the established law that creates the handgun license because the handgun license is worded as a "concealed carry license" or a license to "carry a concealed" handgun.

So technically only concealed carry is legal. To make the statement that open carry it not illegal is misleading, but the affect of the law is typically the same. But someone could get in serious trouble if he/she accepts your word and openly carries downtown for example.

I totally understand what the penal code states in regards to pistol permitting. "Have and carry concealed" means you are getting a permit to carry concealed. However, there is no law which explicitly forbids open carry. If a prosecutor wanted to charge you with something, he/she would have to refer to a specific law which you violated. That's how the legal system works. Simply stating that pistol permit only says "carry concealed" isn't enough; there would have to be some specific prohibition of carrying openly to which the prosecutor could point to.

Now, the judge who signed off on your permit could very well revoke your permit because of infractions or inappropriate behavior (perceived or real)...these permits are treated as privileges, not fundamental rights.

Also, open carry by definition can't be forbidden in all aspects, otherwise how would someone be able to handgun hunt or even go to the range for target shooting. Technically, the pistol permit penal code doesn't explicitly list those activities as exceptions, but yet we all know that we are allowed to openly brandish our pistols (and openly carry) in order to conduct them. The DEC (Rangers and ECO's) will openly acknowledge that you are allowed to openly carry your handgun while hunting in the woods.

The law is written poorly I agree. In general it's a good idea to avoid openly carrying your pistol...I agree with that too.

But to say that open carry of a pistol is forbidden in all cases is not correct. Hunting, tracking wounded game and target shooting on state land are some of the more obvious exceptions.

 

[1911guy]

If a prosecutor wanted to charge you he would most likely charge you with not complying with licensing law or some such verbiage. You are only arguing semantics to no real purpose. To top it off you may cause someone serious trouble by your insistence that open carry is not illegal. Assume that what is not legal is illegal in this god awful state for gun owners

 

[Gonzobird]

Can't the holster be worn to the side as a shoulder holster as well?

I remember watching the video on the company site and the guy showed how it could be adjusted.

In that case throwing on a jacket or windbreaker would have conceal well.

I'm going to order one for my Blackhawk now. Fuck it I have the money.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I totally understand what the penal code states in regards to pistol permitting. "Have and carry concealed" means you are getting a permit to carry concealed. However, there is no law which explicitly forbids open carry. If a prosecutor wanted to charge you with something, he/she would have to refer to a specific law which you violated. That's how the legal system works

Except there is. Penal law 265 makes it illegal to possess a pistol. Penal Law 400 only gives you the exemption to possess it and carry it. As far as carry goes, you only have an exemption to carry concealed. You have no exemption to carry openly. None. You have no license to carry openly. Remember. Penal law 400 is what gives you the exemption from the total criminality of possessing a pistol in Penal Law 265. This isn't like PA where anyone can buy and possess a pistol at home and while carrying openly but needs to be licensed only to carry concealed. Here in NY it's the opposite. All methods of possession are illegal unless exempted.

Simply stating that pistol permit only says "carry concealed" isn't enough; there would have to be some specific prohibition of carrying openly to which the prosecutor could point to.

And there is one they can point to. It's right in Penal Law 400. In Penal law 400 which gives you the exemption to have and carry concealed it states that The provisions of article two hundred sixty-five of this chapter relating to illegal possession of a firearm, shall not apply to an offense which also constitutes a violation of this section by a person holding an otherwise valid license under the provisions of this section and such offense shall only be punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to this section.

Carrying the wrong way from what your exemption is for is a violation of the exemption they gave you. They don't give you an exemption to have and carry any way you please.

When an act is flat out deemed illegal, only a specific exemption makes the act legal. They don't have to spell out every specific scenarios on what's illegal. Everything is illegal by default unless exempted.

 

[Upstate43]

Except there is. Penal law 265 makes it illegal to possess a pistol. Penal Law 400 only gives you the exemption to possess it and carry it. As far as carry goes, you only have an exemption to carry concealed. You have no exemption to carry openly. None. You have no license to carry openly. Remember. Penal law 400 is what gives you the exemption from the total criminality of possessing a pistol in Penal Law 265. This isn't like PA where anyone can buy and possess a pistol at home and while carrying openly but needs to be licensed only to carry concealed. Here in NY it's the opposite. All methods of possession are illegal unless exempted.



And there is one they can point to. It's right in Penal Law 400. In Penal law 400 which gives you the exemption to have and carry concealed it states that The provisions of article two hundred sixty-five of this chapter relating to illegal possession of a firearm, shall not apply to an offense which also constitutes a violation of this section by a person holding an otherwise valid license under the provisions of this section and such offense shall only be punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to this section.

Carrying the wrong way from what your exemption is for is a violation of the exemption they gave you. They don't give you an exemption to have and carry any way you please.

When an act is flat out deemed illegal, only a specific exemption makes the act legal. They don't have to spell out every specific scenarios on what's illegal. Everything is illegal by default unless exempted.

I guess this where you and I disagree. Penal Law 400 lays out the type of licenses that are available for pistol ownership (and exemption from Penal Law 265):

Types of licenses.  A license for gunsmith or dealer in firearms shall be issued to engage in such business.  A license for a pistol or revolver, other than an assault weapon or a disguised gun, shall be issued to (a) have and possess in his dwelling by a householder;  (b) have and possess in his place of business by a merchant or storekeeper;  (c) have and carry concealed while so employed by a messenger employed by a banking institution or express company;  (d) have and carry concealed by a justice of the supreme court in the first or second judicial departments, or by a judge of the New York city civil court or the New York city criminal court;  (e) have and carry concealed while so employed by a regular employee of an institution of the state, or of any county, city, town or village, under control of a commissioner of correction of the city or any warden, superintendent or head keeper of any state prison, penitentiary, workhouse, county jail or other institution for the detention of persons convicted or accused of crime or held as witnesses in criminal cases, provided that application is made therefor by such commissioner, warden, superintendent or head keeper;  (f) have and carry concealed, without regard to employment or place of possession, by any person when proper cause exists for the issuance thereof;  and (g) have, possess, collect and carry antique pistols which are defined as follows:  (i) any single shot, muzzle loading pistol with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system manufactured in or before l898, which is not designed for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition;  and (ii) any replica of any pistol described in clause (i) hereof if such replica--

Clause (f) is the one that is widely sought and given and is informally referred to as the "unrestricted" license. There is no 'sportsman/target' license despite the fact that a lot of people throw the term around. The clause states "have and carry concealed" but nowhere in Penal Code 400 does it state that you can be legally punished for carrying openly. A prosecutor could argue that you violated the intent of Penal Code 400 by openly carrying, but that argument would have a tough time surviving challenges and scrutiny. It is widely understood that you have to openly brandish your pistol in order to target shoot or hunt...target shooting and hunting are allowed on most state lands....police agencies, judges and DA's are well aware that people go onto those lands to target shoot and hunt (it's no secret). I have never heard of a single person in NY being charged and convicted for openly carrying a handgun while hunting or target shooting on public lands (assuming that person followed all DEC regulations).

Now, openly carrying a pistol down a crowded city street in Buffalo, NY might get you into hot waters. So it's obvious, despite the wording of Penal Code 400, that there is room for interpretation. You can't open carry a pistol where ever the hell you want, but at some level it is allowed otherwise handgun hunting and pistol target shooting on public lands would be explicitly forbidden...which they're not.


Your counterpoint with regards to Penal Code 265 has no relevance to the argument.

The provisions of article two hundred sixty-five of this chapter relating to illegal possession of a firearm, shall not apply to an offense which also constitutes a violation of this section by a person holding an otherwise valid license under the provisions of this section and such offense shall only be punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to this section.

Penal Code 265 DOES NOT explicitly state that open carry of a firearm (whether it be pistol or long gun) is forbidden. It merely states that illegally possessing a pistol is forbidden. If you have the proper permit, you are allowed to carry a pistol and thus are exempt from that portion of Penal Code 265.

In order for a court to find someone "guilty" of openly carrying a pistol w/ a CCW permit, there would have to be some specific language (either in Code 265 or 400) which explicitly forbids such an activity....there is no such language. People have adopted a cautious attitude due to the "have and carry concealed" language used in Penal Code 400, but it is a gray area. You brandish your pistol to target shoot or hunt on public lands. You are allowed to openly carry your pistol or any firearm on your own property or inside your house. You are allowed to brandish your pistol to target shoot at private ranges.

I am not advising anyone that it is okay to wear a pistol on your hip as you walk into your local gas station. But it's also bad advice to say that your pistol has to be totally concealed in all situations.

 

[1911guy]

[SIGH} So stubborn. I give up trying to convince the one who will not be convinced. Have your day in court. Good luck.