Odd cross draw carry...

[Cpl. Klinger]

I work at a travel plaza, and from time to time we get folks from armed carriers that stop in for fuel and such. Usually they go unnoticed, but last night I saw something strange. I was heading to the bathroom behind one of these drivers, and as I did, I found myself looking down the barrel of the Glock he was carrying cross-draw on his left side from a shoulder harness, about even with his kidneys. As he walked, the top of the slide was parallel to the floor so that as he walked and turned, he would sweep anyone behind him with the barrel. It just seems an extremely odd method of carry to me. Granted, a holstered weapon is "safer" than one in someone's hand, it was a tiny bit unnerving for even a gun nut like me. So am I nuts, am I missing something, or was this guy a little out there?

 

[iChokePeople]

Horizontal shoulder rig is nothing new.

 

[bobzilla]

the shoulder rig I own is a horizontal carry as well.

 

[Bubbajms]

Think of how often a conventionally holstered handgun points at your own feet!!

 

[AndersonIN]

Unless you're going to have the handle (or muzzle) of the weapon directly under your armpit you really don't have a choice with a shoulder holster.

 

[iChokePeople]

Think of how often a conventionally holstered handgun points at your own feet!!

Or someone else's, if you have a holster with any cant at all.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

For comfortable vehicle carry, you generally have limited choices. I've seen shoulder holsters of various types and a couple of radically-raked cross draw belt mounts; the idea being you aren't having to lean over or push your elbow back into the seatback to draw your weapon while seated. While I understand the preoccupation with "muzzle safety" in instruction and on the range, in practice with modern firearms, if you don't place your finger on the trigger before you have acquired your target and are ready to fire, I don't see where it matters much what the muzzle sweeps on the draw stroke.

 

[jgreiner]

I have seen a number of shoulder holster setups that seem to use this....the barrel sweeps everyone behind them.

 

[bobzilla]

Or someone else's, if you have a holster with any cant at all.

Or your nuts when appendix carried! OMG! I can never carry a firearm again because the barrel might "sweep" someone/myself. Oh... the HORRORS!

 

[iChokePeople]

While I understand the preoccupation with "muzzle safety" in instruction and on the range, in practice with modern firearms, if you don't place your finger on the trigger before you have acquired your target and are ready to fire, I don't see where it matters much what the muzzle sweeps on the draw stroke.

For the record, they don't bother me -- I'm with you on holstered (properly...) vs. unholstered. I know others disagree.

 

[asipes]

I found myself looking down the barrel of the Glock he was carrying cross-draw on his left side from a shoulder harness...

... it was a tiny bit unnerving for even a gun nut like me. So am I nuts, am I missing something, or was this guy a little out there?

I agree. Don't really care what the scenario is. I don't ever want to look down the barrel an assembled gun.

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

I can understand the idea behind shoulder rigs, and even googled a little to see what variations there are. Personally, I either carry open on the right or in the front right pocket, depending upon what I happen to be carrying. And I understand that a holstered firearm is going to point at something (feet, junk or whatnot), but it's still unnerving to be looking down the barrel of a weapon walking behind someone. Maybe if the holster had a closed bottom where the barrel couldn't be seen, then that might be another story. In that case one could assume that it was something other than a weapon. I'm not faulting the guy entirely for his method of carry. If it works for him, so be it. However, there just seems to be so much odd about it, in terms of presentation and practicality. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

Horizontal shoulder rig is nothing new.

the shoulder rig I own is a horizontal carry as well.

I have seen a number of shoulder holster setups that seem to use this....the barrel sweeps everyone behind them.

Or your nuts when appendix carried! OMG! I can never carry a firearm again because the barrel might "sweep" someone/myself. Oh... the HORRORS!

 

[Birds Away]

I only worry about being "swept" if a hand is on the gun. Despite what the lib media will tell you I have never heard of a gun jumping up and shooting without some human interaction.

 

[bobzilla]

I only worry about being "swept" if a hand is on the gun. Despite what the lib media will tell you I have never heard of a gun jumping up and shooting without some human interaction.

This. You're not getting "swept" unless someone is holding the gun. I mean, if you were, how could ANYONE ever walkin into a gun shop? I mean, you're getting swept by DOZENS of guns ALL AT ONCE! OMG!

Some people need to chill out and stop worrying about everything.

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

This. You're not getting "swept" unless someone is holding the gun. I mean, if you were, how could ANYONE ever walkin into a gun shop? I mean, you're getting swept by DOZENS of guns ALL AT ONCE! OMG!

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I always, ALWAYS make sure when I am holding a weapon in a gun shop or otherwise, loaded or not (because a gun is always loaded, right? One of the big four rules, right?) that if I am holding a weapon I point it up and away from others unless I intend to fire it (never point a weapon at anything unless you intend to destroy it, right?). My wife is probably tired of hearing me remind her when we go into a shop to do so. In my mind, it's non-negotiable: never sweep anyone with a weapon held in your hand unless you intend to shoot them. Period. It's both a point of civility and safety.

All I intended to point out was that this method of carry seemed very odd to me. My opinions on anything otherwise are just that, my opinions. I thought it was odd, hadn't seen it done before and asked. I wouldn't carry that way, and I can see how it feeds the anti's when it comes to open carrying (even with the person in question being someone they would "expect" to be carrying). I realize that a holstered weapon is generally considered safe. But when it comes to the big four, I don't give. Some rules are made to be broken, those are not.

 

[bobzilla]

So you do or do not go into gun shops?

 

[cedartop]

Have you ever watched Miami Vice? A lot of us fell into the shoulder holster trap back in the day. I use to rock a Galco Miami Classic with a Smith 4006 under the right arm, and two mags plus a set of handcuff's under the left. Of course that was concealed

 

[Rey B]

I think bobzilla is pointing out that most gun stores have pistols on display pointed toward the front of the case quite often. The main difference being that you were fairly certain that the gun in the holster was loaded.

 

[iChokePeople]

I think bobzilla is pointing out that most gun stores have pistols on display pointed toward the front of the case quite often. The main difference being that you were fairly certain that the gun in the holster was loaded.

I thought we always treated all guns as if they're loaded...