holster help for a short barrel 1911

[moodyamber]

Ok so I'm FINALLY going to get my new gun this weekend after drooling for over a month over it. Now I need a new holster b/c I'm not sure it will fit well in my full size 1911 holster.

I've been looking at the Galco Walkabout in its commander model.But this model is a Commander size for a 4.5" barrel.My gun has a 4" barrel.Would it still fit properly in the holster with .5" extra space?Has anyone had experience with this model or company?

What do you carry your short barrel in?Any specific company youd suggest?I wear IWB and dont have a belt so thats to be considered too.Any suggestions are appreciated.

(BTW, the gun in question is a Springfield 1911 GI.45 Champion w/a 4"barrel)

[longtooth]

Your gun will fit fine in the holster you have for a 5". You will just have some air in the bottom.
Galco USA is excellent quality leather. I have 4. I have not worn the walkabout so dont know about it.

[agdude]

The walkabout is ok... but all I have to say is GALCO SKYOPS!!!

Best holster I have ever had... and I have one for almost all of my carry pieces now

[Skiprr]

The lack of a belt limits your choices, I think. But since you asked us to chime with our own experiences, what I've settled on is a Kimber Ultra CDP (3-inch barrel) in a Comp-Tac CTAC 1911 slide. The Kimber's barrel comes about 1/2-inch shy of reaching the bottom of the slide, so a 4-inch barrel would extend just a bit beyond...probably not enough to expose the back of the front sight. Some folks have reported pinching issues with the CTAC, but mine was all-day comfortable right out of the box. The thing I like most about the CTAC is the thin Kydex flanked by leather supports: it's a very thin profile with the leather flexing fore and aft. The one downside, for me, is that it doesn't adjust to quite as much FBI cant as I would like; I'd like about 5-10 degrees more. Because the profile is so thin, I even decided to get McCormick slim-line grips for the Kimber.

[Mike from Texas]

Well against the advice of the guys at Sidearmor, I bought a short Blade Tech holster for my Kimber Ultra Carry. The guys at Sidearmor don't sell a holster for the 3" barrel guns (only 4 & 5") because they said the short holsters tend to dig into your hip. Soooooo, I get the Blade Tech in and sure enough, it's uncomfortable as all get out. I can't stand to wear it for much over an hour at a time. $75 lesson learned. I'm thinking of buying a Comp-Tac Infidel for it now because I ordered one for my Glock 29 and it is much more comfortable than my Blade Tech. I'm thinking of buying either a Tucker Answer or a Cross breed for my Ultra Carry because the both use leather between the kydex and your body and should be much more comfortable than the all kydex ones.

[Big Calhoun]

I recently obtained a Galco Jack-[Butt] (10 yr daughter rule) shoulder rig for my Kimber Compact. The jury is still out... I will say that the quality is exceptional and adjusting it is very straight-forward. Finding the right 'fit' is another matter. I also like the fact that it's modular so I can essentially use the same rig for different firearms while only needing to replace the holster and/or ammo carrier. It also has connections for tie-downs and accessories and can be adjusted for a diagnol carry position.

Comfort wise, it's not bad: No jagged edges or uncomfortable buckles. Function wise...like I said, the jury is still out. I have it positioned in a way that works well with an open shirt. As I start to button, I start printing, so I'm trying to fix that aspect. This is also only my second shoulder rig so I'm still learning.

The SkyOps definately looks like a good holster and I wouldn't mind picking that up. I also have a Galco Conceable belt holster for a HK P2000SK and that thing disappears with just about any clothing combination.

[nemesis]

I've been looking at the Galco Walkabout in its commander model.But this model is a Commander size for a 4.5" barrel.My gun has a 4" barrel.Would it still fit properly in the holster with .5" extra space?Has anyone had experience with this model or company?

(BTW, the gun in question is a Springfield 1911 GI.45 Champion w/a 4"barrel)

I can't recommend the Galco Walkabout or Bianchi's equivalent, the Model 6D ATB. They certainly are attractively priced but the low cost gets you what is, essentially, a leather gunsock. Don't expect any protection from the various lumps and bumps on the gun.

It's well worth the money to move up to Bianchi's economical Model 100 or the Galco Scout.

If you want better, consider the Galco Ultra Deep Cover (tuckable), SkyOps (tuckable) or the horsehide Royal Guard.

[moodyamber]

Thanks guys,I'll definitely look into these other options before I buy.

[moodyamber]

ok so after looking into my other options I've found a different holster.The Bianchi S3.The shop that I bought my new Springer from yesterday (*happy dance*) had one and I got to put it on and see how it works with my body/gun.Its pretty sweet,especially since it was marked down from $79 to $39 (I'm female, I cant miss a good shopping bargain! LOL!).I only had enough cash on me to purchase my sweet little 1911 so I'm going back tomorrow to pick up the Bianchi.Woohoo!

[Venus Pax]

I'm not a big belt fan either, but I found it makes all the difference in keeping the gun & holster in place.
I don't use a gun belt either; I just use whatever appears sturdiest in the stores. I'm currently using a reversible (blk or brown) belt from Macy's. I paid $40 for it and it works well.

(I'm considering another belt just to wear for IDPA & range practice.)