Crossdraw: In Defense of the Other OWB 

Hey gang, I won't be here for this premier. I hope you enjoy it and have a great day!

I have always carried cross draw. I learned from a lieutenant on the Williamsburg Virginia police dept ages ago. Everything you described is correct. One place you can be seated is a restaurant and able to get your pistol out discreetly and easily. You can have your pistol in your hand under your coat and no one knows. Some people will say that you can get it taken as it is right in front. It is very easy to protect. Put your left arm across your body over the pistol and hook your thumb in your belt. It will take someone a lot of work to get at your pistol. You will not be able to get it out quickly but you CAN get it weak hand. Try to get a pistol out of a high ride strong side holster with your weak hand. Sweeping your cover garment back to draw a strong side carry is a neon sign that says "going for gun" In a car you are most likely going to want to point your pistol out the driver window. With a cross draw it is a very quick move. If someone is in the car with you it will be very hard for them to snatch your pistol. One more thing, there are relatively few people who are left handed. If someone is looking for the telltale bulge of a pistol they rarely look on the left size.. I once went someplace they were looking for guns. I pulled the right side of my coat back and they waved me though. I had an M1911 and four spare mags n the other side.

I will always be surprised to find out how many do called gun experts their are out there . As we age our comfort level changes & we need to adjust to those changes . Wise to have an open mind . People say bad things about shoulder holsters and yet they have there place .

I will sometimes carry crossdraw, a carry over from carrying two revolvers in Cowboy shooting . There are other reasons. One it works well when seated. Two you can access the the weapon with your non preferred hand. Three , if done correctly , it is fast. You can also have your hands in front of you and access the weapon quickly. Last, it is safe when you draw as you did. Cutting the circle instead of sweeping the circle. You can also draw with the holster side forward, drawing the revolver pointing at your target and stepping g back to create some distance. This was a draw Doc Holiday used very well

I switched to cross draw after a shoulder injury, carrying iwb & owb have found it to be very comfortable and safe. The only thing I had to work out was the holster to get the cant I desired. I should have switched years ago.

I truly believe that the lack of comfort while sitting or driving, especially a larger handgun, are the reasons people will leave their weapon at home or in their vehicle. The cross draw holster in my opinion is the perfect option. Excellent video! 👏

"You'll shoot your eye out kid" lol.

Im a still active LEO in NH and I'm 68 years old. until recently I carried a Browning High Power off duty. However after having a shoulder injury , I found strong side carry hard on the joint. I decided to buy a CZ75 PCR compact and a 1791 4 way holster and wear it cross draw. It is so much better for me and a pleasure to carry. I have a draw full of holsters like most people that collect dust, But I've now got 5 different 1791 leather holsters and the quality is amazing..I'll never buy another holster unless its from 1791. Check them out, you wont go back Chief

Cross draw also makes weapons retention more secure as it would be much harder for a perp to reach your weapon from behind.

I got into cross draw carry off of horseback and tractor work as a youngster, while sitting you have faster access to it and a much more natural draw. Typically I carry a small bird head revolver there, usually a .22 for ranch critters. I may have another larger caliber pistol on my right hip in a standard rig, or may slide the holster from one to the other (hip for walking, slide across the belt for seated). Not something I bother with concealing, all open carry work stuff, but has its place.

More than likely you heard the same mantra from police instructors over the decades that cross draw holsters were inefficient and unsafe. And for police and military training purposes I'd definitely agree. However, for citizen concealed carry a "trained" cross draw could work well. I'm a bit old fashioned, but I often carry a four inch model 10 or model 64 in a Kramer holster worn cross draw.

Another advantage I like is that I can stand in a non-threatening appearing posture with my arms casually folded across my chest with my right hand concealed inside my cover garment already fully on the pistol grip. This gives me great comfort knowing I am already well into the drawing process in case a sketchy situation escalates.

Carry cross draw everyday 3 seasons out of 4. 1911 or CZ75 in a shoulder rig with two extra mags, often under a light vest when the weather warms. Love it, and in a vehicle there is no better way IMHO. 😎

After getting a cross draw holster, I found that it was more comfortable when walking distances. Carrying OWB at

Something else to be mindful of is that you can always turn your body slightly when drawing to keep the amount of firearm sweep down. I see this very often with the SASS cowboy shooters who like to have one revolver set up as a crossdraw.

Perfect demonstration of drawing a handgun. The handgun needs to be towards the target as soon as possible and close to the drawer’s body when drawing to minimize someone taking the gun away.

Good perspective & consideration. I have been intending on making a couple crossdraw holsters for various purposes of which you mentioned. Very helpful. Confirmation for my objective.

I was a young deputy at the Polk County in Florida. "America's Sheriff" Grady Judd was my patrol major. I remember seeing the old time Florida Troopers still using the cross draw holsters. This was because a lot of trooper cars didn't have cages. The trooper would put his prisoner in the front passenger seat. Another reason for cross draw holsters is back or sciatic nerve pain. I have set up duty rig with the holster moved up on the belt. This helps with the nerve pain. But I still experience a little pain. I deal with the pain on duty. Off duty I use a cross draw holster. I have also got some shoulder holsters. These holster have also helped.

When driving or in an office environment the cross draw is the best superior and faster than a shoulder rig for the same applications. I have used the IWB for so long even with large heavy handguns, I don't even know its there.I have found that the VEDDER IWB with the optional claw device holds the weapon close to the body is the most comfortable system for me. I used a shoulder rig often when a major case investigator working violent crimes and in charge of bank robbery investigations. Many hours on stakeouts. I use a concealment vest today as well and one must be sure it is not encumbered by the seat belt, so I pull it over to allow a rapid draw if necessary. The Florida Highway Patrol for decades essentially used the cross draw back in the days of revolvers. They used five and six inch guns including the COLT PYTHON, S&W MODEL 27 and some Model 28 .357 Magnum sidearms.

Thank You. I have open carried on the hip when hiking. Snags were a problem. I transitioned to a cross draw chest rig and have had no issues. Practice at the range has me getting my model 19 on target quicker than from the hip. So, I agree - sometimes it is better.