Concealed Carry: Concealing A Single-Action Revolver

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With all the modern handgun choices available today it might seem counterintuitive, but single-action revolvers are still a viable concealed carry option.

• For those competent with one, a single-action revolver can be a legitimate carry option.
• Barranti Leather offers an IWB option for single-action revolvers.
• For short-term carry, you can open the loading gate of the revolver and secure it IWB.
• It can be quickly closed, with a little practice, when the gun is drawn.

Though few modern trainers will admit it, a single-action revolver can be suitable for personal protection. But, this is only true if you’re competent with that revolver and if you have it with you when you need it. (Incidentally, this applies to any handgun you might carry for protection.) Historically, single-action revolvers are carried outside the belt in some sort of cowboy-like holster. While this might make access fast and easy, it is almost impossible to cover up.

On occasion, I’ll carry a single-action revolver for personal protection, particularly when I’ve been in the field hunting and carrying it for another purpose. I stumbled upon a very unique holster to help me do this called the Summer Classic; it’s hand made by Mike Barranti of Barranti Leather.

This holster resembles several frequently used for the inside-the-waist-band (IWB) carry of semi-autos or double-action revolvers. It’s also magically comfortable and as secure and easy to access as any IWB-style holster I’ve worn. For those of you who can handle a single-action Colt or Ruger, I’d suggest you try one out. Additionally, Barranti will custom make just about any gun-leather product you can imagine, and his work is magnificently extraordinary.

Oh, and by the way, for the incidental short-term and secure concealed carry of a single-action revolver, you can always open the loading gate and it will catch on your belt when you shove the revolver in your waistband. I’d not carry a revolver like this long term, but in a pinch, it’ll do just fine. When you draw the revolver, just click the loading gate closed with your trigger finger. I learned this carry technique from a real cowboy.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2018 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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