In the last few installments of this short series, I’ve looked at options for concealing snub-nosed revolvers — specifically the Smith & Wesson J-frame sized .38s. Pocket carry is one of the most versatile for these small wheelguns. Inside-the-waistband options have gotten much more versatile in the last few years.
Still, one of the easiest ways to carry is the classic outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster — a style that is almost completely dominated by leather. These designs have been around for decades, almost a century, with very subtle changes.
Why carry a small revolver OWB?
I’ve spilled a good bit of virtual ink in the defense of the EDC revolver lifestyle. Despite the really low capacity (five rounds in some cases), I can still make a case for a solid .38. True, outside of Taurus, optics are hard to affix and lights remain a distinct challenge, but I still like the platform.
And OWB is fast, even when you are concealing OWB carry with a long shirt tail or coat. Front pocket carry can present unique difficulties on the draw. IWB carry is a discipline that requires practice to master the garment-clearing stage. OWB carry is where most all of us start.
Don’t get me wrong. Any type of active carry requires that you train in order to be safe. Even a rock-solid open-top holster designed for convenience on the range requires practice and conscientious use.
Still, if your clothing options allow for a bit of extra cover, OWB is easy, fast, and provides one of the most comfortable methods to keep a firearm within reach.
High-Ride OWB
Many holster companies began making Kydex designs for full-sized guns. As the industry began to downsize with the single-stack .45s and 9mms, most added a token OWB and focused on appendix carry with IWBs. But a gun, even a small one, stuck in your pants can make sitting for prolonged periods uncomfortable.
Holsters like these ride high on the hip. There’s typically a cant involved that minimizes the length of the gun by shifting it out of vertical alignment. The high position isn’t ideal for a draw, but it is the easiest way to carry strong-side.
And this is everything — this ease of carry. If your holster is comfortable, effective, easy to access, and efficient, you will be much more likely to actually wear it. I work from home and wear a holster like this almost constantly. Even in the heat of summer, I’ll throw a baggy Hawaiian shirt on over a t-shirt if I have to make a run to the store. I tend not to obsess about how much it might print and tend to favor shirts with distracting patterns or prints that break up the outline of the gun.
Thumb break or open top?
How secure do you want the gun to be? When I began carrying a firearm, I tried every manner of holster I could find. The most comfortable for me was a thumb break holster for a 1911 I carried cocked-and-locked.
I am still leery of carrying 1911s in any holster that doesn’t have a physical separation that stands in the way of the hammer — but that’s mostly mental on my part. But the friction of a good leather or Kydex design may not be enough to get over the mental blocks for some.
With a double-action wheel gun, you can comfortably carry in either style. I’m not opposed to either. I’ve trained enough with a thumb break holster that I still find myself sweeping for the break on some draws.
An open-top holster is faster, I’d think, if only by a fraction of a second. The thumb snap, obviously, makes things a bit more secure.
The DeSantis Gunhide Thumb Break
Take this timeless design from DeSantis. The Desantis Gunhide Thumb Break has clean lines, a classic look, and is built like a tank. This is the type of holster that sets the bar for carrying a J-frame — they even make it for the 3″ barrel Model 60.
Like several of these holsters, the Gunhide has adjustable tension off the rear of the trigger guard. The contrast stitching makes the look a bit more fashionable for those who want it to be seen, and the snap provides the positive closure that lets you know the whole thing is neatly wrapped up tight.
The Gunhide sells for $61.99.
The DeSantis Fletc 2.0
The Fletc 2.0 isn’t as easy to find for the revolvers, but there are many similar open-top semiatuo fits. It is almost identical to the Gunhide, but it adds an open-top design for those who privilege time-to-target over retention. The holster is comfortable, too.
One bonus here is the added ammo pouch. This is not a speedloader, by any stretch, but is a solid way to add more capacity for those who might have the time and/or cover to reload.
MSRP on this one is $100.99.
The Bianchi Model 58
Bianchi has long been a go-to brand for leather holsters. The Model 57 is Bianchi’s flagship open-top strong-side holster. The 58 began as a design with a steep cant. Some consider it a small-of-back option.
This is a prototype design that is taking the cant further to make it more useful for small-of-back carry. It is still an open-top holster, but the fit is really secure. Wearing a small-of-back holster can be tricky for those who sit in hard-backed chairs, but they’re typically very comfortable otherwise and are super easy to conceal.
The one element about carrying like this that has always given me pause is the way I tend to muzzle about 270° every time I draw. Of all the possible carry locations, apart from ankle carry, this is the style that requires the most distance of travel.
MSRP on the Model 58 is $59.50.
The Bianchi 5BHL
While almost all of these include belt loops that are sewn from both the front and the back of the holster — a pancake design of sorts that holds the holster flat against the body, the Bianchi 5BHL is different. This holster has a belt loop that is sewn to the back of the holster, which is made of one larger (layered) fold.
Whit kicks the holster itself a ways off the hip and makes the transition to the belt harder to conceal. But the suede-lined holster is one of the most robust designs available.
The 5BHL has an MSRP of $97.50.
