Last year I got my hands on a Taurus Raging Bull 454 Casull. Quickly, I realized that this was a bit much for a hip holster, especially for travel out west including loaning it to my brother for an Alaska trip. That began my search for a reasonably priced Chest holster.
I first found Panther Creek Gunleather through their EBay store and found a glowing review on YouTube. So, I placed an order on 11/16/2014 which required that I pay $86.94 in full up front. A holster arrived the first weekend in December but it was for a much smaller gun as my barrel would not begin to fit. I sent an email and the owner, Mark, promptly called me and offered a replacement but asked that I keep the straps and await a replacment holster. So, I spent $6 and sent back the holster and waited. By January I was still waiting so I spent another $6 and returned the straps and asked for a refund. By February I posted negative comments of their service on a couple of forums and was contacted on 2/9/15 to say if I would remove the comments they would send a holster but would not offer a refund ... I removed my comments, including a thread here but now it is the end of March and nothing. No response to contacts, no holster, no refund.
My Blackhawk Alaskan Guide Holster came into play in January when I was tired of waiting. I spent about $58 on it from Optics Planet and it arrived in four days. It seems to be based on the design of Grizzlytuff holsters and is well made. It has cartridge loops and a pocket for a speed loader tho I do not anticipate speed loading 454 casull! These carry VERY well and you forget they are there. I will be taking my Spec Ops version on a four day trip next month so will know better how it does on more than day hikes.
My only complaint is that the cylinder of the 454 snags a bit on the draw and I am working to find a way to fix that since I would not want that to happen in bear country. (I am sure a leather holster would prevent that but I have had no luck in getting Mark to fill my order at Panther Creek and could not bring myself to pre-pay another holster order with someone else right now.) I liked it well enough to purchase the Spec Ops version for my Glocks and it fits all of their mid-fullsize versions with an extra mag in tow.
All in all, the Blackhawks are great bang-for-the-buck and don't involve risk for being out $98.94 with a holster maker who won't refund my money or send me a holster. If I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the Blackhawk from the start OR paid the extra to get one of the better known leather models such as the Guides Choice or the Kenai from Www.gunfightersinc.com
Hope that helps if you find your self in the market for a chest holster!
I first found Panther Creek Gunleather through their EBay store and found a glowing review on YouTube. So, I placed an order on 11/16/2014 which required that I pay $86.94 in full up front. A holster arrived the first weekend in December but it was for a much smaller gun as my barrel would not begin to fit. I sent an email and the owner, Mark, promptly called me and offered a replacement but asked that I keep the straps and await a replacment holster. So, I spent $6 and sent back the holster and waited. By January I was still waiting so I spent another $6 and returned the straps and asked for a refund. By February I posted negative comments of their service on a couple of forums and was contacted on 2/9/15 to say if I would remove the comments they would send a holster but would not offer a refund ... I removed my comments, including a thread here but now it is the end of March and nothing. No response to contacts, no holster, no refund.
My Blackhawk Alaskan Guide Holster came into play in January when I was tired of waiting. I spent about $58 on it from Optics Planet and it arrived in four days. It seems to be based on the design of Grizzlytuff holsters and is well made. It has cartridge loops and a pocket for a speed loader tho I do not anticipate speed loading 454 casull! These carry VERY well and you forget they are there. I will be taking my Spec Ops version on a four day trip next month so will know better how it does on more than day hikes.
My only complaint is that the cylinder of the 454 snags a bit on the draw and I am working to find a way to fix that since I would not want that to happen in bear country. (I am sure a leather holster would prevent that but I have had no luck in getting Mark to fill my order at Panther Creek and could not bring myself to pre-pay another holster order with someone else right now.) I liked it well enough to purchase the Spec Ops version for my Glocks and it fits all of their mid-fullsize versions with an extra mag in tow.
All in all, the Blackhawks are great bang-for-the-buck and don't involve risk for being out $98.94 with a holster maker who won't refund my money or send me a holster. If I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the Blackhawk from the start OR paid the extra to get one of the better known leather models such as the Guides Choice or the Kenai from Www.gunfightersinc.com
Hope that helps if you find your self in the market for a chest holster!
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