Galco Miami Classic Shoulder System for 1911 5-Inch Colt, Kimber, para, Springfield

Great item

I own several shoulder holsters, both leather and nylon, this holster is by far the best.The leather is thick saddle leather. I thought you just can't get this quality of Leather in commercial products anymore, but I was wrong.Your Pistol must be Fitted to the Holster, it takes several days, almost a week to "Break In" your holster. Just follow the directions for fitting that comes with the holster. Using a plastic bag works well(per the instructions), I had to do it for three nights before the holster fit was PERFECT.Fitting the holster to your body also takes a few days, but the end result(a secure comfortable fit) is well worth the time spent.I love the way it fits my body. I don't even use the tie downs most of the time.After breaking in, I am able to carry my 1911 5' in Condition One, Two or Three with no problems at all.Although the holster is only rated to carry in C3.I don't think there is a CC holster in the world that will fully conceal a 1911 full sized(5'), but this holster is about as close to fully concealed as your going to get, IMO.***********UPDATE October 2013: After using this holster for several months now, I still like it... However, I have found one thing that I do not like and is causing me to look at another Holster.The strap leather is Suede. I find the suede tends to stick and hang on my shirts, causing me to have to adjust the holster on a regular basis (every few minutes if I am actively moving around). In my opinion the holster would have been better if the leather straps were made with a slick or polished surface so they would slide and move with your body and not have to be constantly adjusted.

I like it. Fyi beware the "purchased together" item listing. Get the unit and the reg tie downs, that's it. Only get the Y tie down if you plan on not carrying the mag pouches. You do not need the extra screws either. I fell victim to their return shipping charges on the Y tiedown... Other than that my last gripe is that the leather is great but plastic strap adjusters all the way around. Plastic... Maybe it'll be ok, but to pair nice leather with plastic is just not right to me. I wish I had known. Since I have it, I'll use it and if the plastic fails I'll make my own brass fittings. It rides nicely once you get it fit. Play around with it before you use the provided screws. The gun is horizontal / no cant on me. I'm ok with that. I'm 185 and pretty avg size so consider if that's an issue for you (horiz ride). Maybe it rides diff on fatter/ skinner folk, I dunno. I like it for the most part, wearing now. Requires break in for smooth draw / snap, but that's too be expected with any leather holster. It's up to you now. 😎

I've been carrying concealed now for a few months, and this holster has been my daily rig. It's very well balanced and comfortable. I carry a full size 1911, modified and with a compensator, making it a 6 inch slide instead of the standard 5 inches. Even with the added size, my sidearm doesn't print even with only a light jacket worn to cover up.Because of the upward muzzle angle, you can easily conceal large frame handguns with this rig, ideal for concealed permit holders who don't want to sacrifice by carrying smaller weapons. Due to the upward angle, however, it can be tricky to draw if needed, while sitting or in a car. For this, I would recommend a Galco Miami Classic series because they are horizontal carry.All in all, this is extremely well made and very comfortable to wear, even with full size steel guns.One thing, the retention screw on the holster itself does tend to come loose after a few draws. The screw has a rubber bushing inside that rides against the trigger guard to keep it tight fitting, but since there is a retention strap in the rear to hold the gun in by the slide, this screw system might not be necessary for you if you can deal without. It is more in case your strap comes undone, so that the gun doesn't just fall out. I tried clear nail polish on the threads, but it doesn't hold. You can try loctite, but if you do, use blue or purple, NOT RED. The screw is not metal, and red loctite is permanent for heavy duty use such as engine head bolts.

Shoulder holsters are an excellent method. They often get a bad reputation due to the cross draw, and are generally banned at ranges. I argue that with proper training and practice those risks can be minimized. There are risk with every holster. Shoulder systems have upsides to consider, starting with comfort, ease of access when seated, and the benefits of keeping everything together in a rig (system). Galco (originally the Jackass Leather Company) is a pioneer of the shoulder system. The Jackass system allows for canting the gun upward so the overall depth/length is reduced. I use it with a 3" 1911 and it conceals well even for my small stature and thin frame. It is easy to conceal under an overgarment, and comfortable to carry. I have not needed any additional belt tie downs as I wear it high enough into the armpits (without discomfort) that swinging is not an issue. I bought mine a couple of years ago when it was provided with metal screws and brass nuts for fasteners for the leather straps. Nowadays they come with plastic grommets. I believe the metal hardware can be purchased separately. Overall quality is really good.