Looking for that Cross Draw Holster

As much as I like D.M. Bullard's leather holsters (I have three of them and two mag carriers) I am looking for a less expensive alternative to cross draw holsters. I also like Remora holsters and have found that they function very well in the cross draw position and are very easy to get on and off, and to re-adjust if necessary. They seldom shift position and only do so if you do a bunch of extreme up and down movements, like bending way over and squatting, etc. Even then, they don't tend to move much. It's more in my mind than in actuality. The thing I don't like, and it's not particular to Remoras, it having it shoved inside my waistband. It's fine for a few hours, but for an all day carry, it gets wearisome for me. Some people don't mind at all, but they like IWB carry anyway, no matter what holster they use.

I am looking for a good alternative OWB cross draw holster. I found interesting ones at texasdonkeys.com which is also Rising Star Holsters. Jim Crawford is the owner and holster maker and he does a very nice job of making holsters of Herman Oak leather. I bought an LC9 cross draw OWB from him. It was a beauty but with the size of the LC9 that particular design did not work out well. The holster had a large, long belt loop but because of the size and weight of the LC9, that design did not pull the butt of the gun in close enough for good concealment. I called Jim and discussed this with him and we agreed to exchange the LC9 cross draw for an LCP cross draw. The smaller size and weight of the LCP should keep the gun in proper position. I should receive it in a day or two so I will report, with photos, the results.

For the LC9, not to mention the SR9c, an OWB holster must have a design capable of pulling the butt of the pistol into the body. Jim's other designs, for larger guns, have two "loops", one on the back and one on the 'inboard' side of the holster nearer the belt buckle, which should do that nicely. I haven't tried one yet. I might as Jim's work is first class and the design looks right.

On aspect of cross draw holsters that are overdone in my opinion is the tendency of makers to put a significant cant on the holster. I don't think this is necessary for quick access, nor is it a feature that helps conceal the pistol. A cross draw position is more difficult to hide due to the fact that the butt of the gun points toward your midline, getting the butt closer to the belt buckle and closer to view if you are wearing an unbuttoned shirt, or more prone to printing under a loose shirt. If the gun is worn more straight up-and-down, the butt is further away from midline and tends to tuck in close to your body reducing printing and visibility. For example, today, going for a quick morning walk with my wife, I grabbed the SR9c in the Remora and wore it IWB, cross draw, straight drop (vertical, no cant), under a light sweater. Invisible, fairly comfortable and as easy to get to as a holster with a cant.

My experience with D.M. Bullard's work is that his designs work, and work well, and the end product fits the gun it is designed and made for and will last as long as the gun lasts, certainly longer than I will. But, at this point the demand for his holsters far exceeds his output. He's expanded and is training more help, but his standards are so high that it will be a long time before his lead time gets back to "reasonable". Right now, if he starts taking custom orders again, it is still likely to be three or four months. And you can expect to pay a premium for his work, which I do not begrudge him. It's worth it.

So, the search goes on. I have enough carry systems to be effective now so I'm in no great hurry to find the best cross draw setup. I'll report here from time to time on my findings.