The 4 Best 1911 Shoulder Holsters

If you are a particularly active conceal carry gunowner, you may want to consider purchasing a shoulder holster over the average inside waistband holster. Should holsters allow for free hands, significantly more adjustability features, and the confidence that you hip won’t push your weapon out over your waistband.

We’ve put together a review of the best shoulder holsters for 1911 pistols on the market.

Best Budget Buy	Depring Tactical Universal Shoulder Holster	Made from durable 600D Nylon Fully adjustable one size fits most Double pistol holsters with snap button closures Polyester simply isn’t as appealing as leather	$29 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	Barsony Nylon Gun Concealment 1911 Shoulder Holster	Affordable cost Suede leather shoulder pads Sight protection and thumb break Not high quality materials will need to be replaced	$103 Shop NowClick to read my review
	XCH Leather Shoulder Holsters Vertical/Horizontal	Affordable cost for leather Durable and protective material Fits many subcompact handguns Strap adjustability is limited	$64 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Galco Jackass Rig 1911 Leather Shoulder Holster	High quality leather materials Molded holster Swivel back plate for harness comfort Expensive cost No shoulder pads	$181 Shop NowClick to read my review

We realize that for IWB and OWB holsters, leather may be the most sought after option amongst most consumers. While we did include a couple of leather shoulder holster options here, we personally think that leather may not always be the best bet for a shoulder holster. These types of holsters require more advanced levels of adjustment over the shoulders and around the torso, and you need something that will be flexible enough to bend with you as you go about your day. While leather is very nice, we suggest considering how much your Colt 1911 will be moving with you throughout the day if you conceal carry it within a shoulder holster.

Depring Tactical Universal Fit Shoulder Holster

Materials — This product is constructed of lightweight and breathable polyester so it is comfortable to wear. With plastic buckles that have been molded to secure your Ruger GP100. The shoulder straps are adjustable and have shoulder panels to assist spread the weight more evenly. Its drop-down belt loops keep everything in place and reduce movement when you’re on the move. Which is convenient and useful. Ruger GP100 and most other handguns are compatible with this holster and its double-magazine pouch. Which may be detached and switched places using buckles. 

Performance — When you’re putting your weapon away, the Depring Tactical holster is ideal as a protective cover. So this holster is a big aid, especially for military and law enforcement professionals. As well as civilian gun fans who use it on a regular basis. In terms of fitment, It’s best for medium to large pistols with 3.5″ to 5″ barrels and several firearms of similar size. If you wish to carry two medium/large pistols, you can cut the stitching on subcompact/compact handgun holsters to suit larger firearms.

What we say — The Depring Tactical Universal Fit Shoulder Holster makes underarm carry more accessible to the general public. It’s a fantastic starter set for the price. Especially if you’re looking for an inexpensive holster and yet have good features. This holster is for you.

Barsony Nylon Gun Concealment 1911 Shoulder Holster

Materials — The Barsony Nylon Gun Concealment Shoulder Holster for 1911 is a fully adjustable system with a nylon holster and nylon double magazine pouch. The shoulder pads cover beyond just the shoulders, and they’re made of a suede leather material for gripping onto clothing. The adjustable straps along the back and down the wearer’s sides can be modified to fit up to a 60″ chest size. This holster is ambidextrous, so it can be modified for any shooter. The holster for your 1911 is equipped with an adjustable retention strap and a sewn in sight protector channel so drawing and re-holstering your weapon should be a smooth transition.

Performance — Our favorite component of the Barsony Nylon Gun Concealment Shoulder Holster for 1911 is that sewn in sight protector channel, which isn’t as common of a feature in shoulder holsters as we would like it to be. We also prefer the suede leather shoulder straps, as they will prevent any slipping or sliding around as you bend over or go about your day. Unfortunately, our one complaint here is similar to our complaint on the previous option: it’s not made of the highest quality materials, and you will have to anticipate replacing it or repairing it after some time.

What we say — Again, the Barsony Nylon Gun Concealment Holster is the best 1911 holster for any gunowners with comfort as a top priority with the advantage of a more trustworthy and well known brand name. That being said, you’ll be paying significantly more for this one at around $55. That price still isn’t breaking the bank, so it’s a good deal for a shoulder holster.

XCH Leather Shoulder Holsters Vertical/Horizontal

Materials — The XCH Leather Shoulder Holster for 1911 is made almost entirely of a dark brown 100% genuine cowhide leather with detailed stitching. It is ambidextrous, and it can be worn as either a horizontal or vertical shoulder holster. It happens to fit more than just your Colt 1911, for anyone who likes to conceal carry a variety of pistols. This holster will also hold a Sig Sauer P232, Tokarev TT, Colt Defender, Commander, Makarov, and a few other similar caliber subcompact handguns. It comes with a single magazine pouch, and the straps are adjustable by a system of snap buttons.

Performance — Now we’re getting into more statement piece shoulder holsters. The genuine cowhide leather making up the majority of the XCH 1911 Vertical Shoulder Holster is very beautiful and durable. For someone who know they’ll wear out a nylon holster within a year, investing in a leather shoulder holster would be a great option. The tough leather is flexible enough to move with the body while also protecting the finish on your pistol. What’s lacking is the adjustability on this one. The straps provide holes for the snap buttons, similar to a belt, but that leave some wearers incredibly limited as to how well the holster fits.

What we say — For anyone who loves the smell of leather and the smell of money saved, the XCH Vertical Shoulder Holster for 1911s is a great option for you. It costs easily under $100. The holster should fit most gunowners, and we highly suggest giving it a test run before deciding that it won’t fit your stature.

Galco Jackass Rig 1911 Leather Shoulder Holster

Materials — The Galco Jackass Rig Shoulder Holster for 1911 is another all leather holster made of a Center Cut Steerhide harness and molded durable leather holster and magazine pouch. This is the only shoulder holster in this review with molded holsters specifically designed to secure and protect your Colt 1911. The four straps of the steerhide harness are connected in the back by a Flexalon swivel back plate, which allows you to adjust your harness straps in a more diagonal position for comfort. The straps themselves also have Galco swivel connectors to adjust for size and body shape. The holster has a snap retention strap to hold your pistol in place.

Performance — The Galco Jackass Rig 1911 Shoulder Holster is a sexy looking piece to carry on your person. We love the molded leather holster because it gives us the extra assurance that our Colt 1911 will stay in place during travel or day to day activities. The adjustability system for this holster is a little different than what we’ve seen on the other products in this review, but they aren’t limiting at all. Despite being made of comfortable leather, we do still wish this holster had additional shoulder padding installed.

What we say — The Galco Jackass Rig Leather Shoulder Holster for 1911 Pistols is the most expensive option within this review. Expect to pay around $150 for this bad boy. However, if you have the dough, we highly suggest investing in this holster. This is a great option for anyone who moves around a lot and needs their shoulder holster to maneuver with them. It also looks and smells fantastic.

Our Favorite 1911 Shoulder Holster

We decided that the best 1911 shoulder holster for the everyday gunowner to purchase is the Barsony Shoulder Holster. Although leather is usually very nice, we think a shoulder holster requires an extra level of comfort, since there is friction and tension across multiple parts of your torso. Even so, the suede leather shoulder pads should offer some comfort, but they’ll work best at keeping your holster in place as your body moves around.

Our best budget option is the Depring Tactical Universal Shoulder Holster. It is a good-quality holster that does the job at a very reasonable price.

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