And that is why he is a “mall ninja.” I have had one for years. Wore it everyday while wearing a suit. It is good for the right reasons. I don’t like cross-draw on any holster but for a shoulder holster it more than fills the bill.
“The Original Jackass Rig™ was reintroduced for Galco International’s 30th Anniversary. Galco’s predecessor, "The Famous Jackass Leather Company," first introduced this shoulder system in 1970.”

A little info for your mall creature:
The Galco Gunleather Story

An Official Journal Of The NRA | The Galco Gunleather Story

The author was offered a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of Galco Gunleather, one of the true success stories in the firearm industry.

www.americanrifleman.org

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Miami...
“When I designed that first horizontal shoulder system for a real Chicago police officer back in the early 1970s, I'd have never guessed that a fictional vice cop would make it famous!"

About the Galco Miami Classic Shoulder Holster Rig aka the Original Jackass Rig

The story of how Don Johnson's "Sonny Crockett" came to wear the Galco Miami Classic Shoulder Holster System on the TV show "Miami Vice."

www.galcogunleather.com

 

It doesn't look or feel substantial out of the package but if you adjust it properly, it carries well and is comfortable. Mine has held up well for many years. It isn't my regular method of carry but it gets frequent use. It is a good option to have and this style holster was around long before Don Johnson.

 

Great story. Have several Galco holsters two being early Miami Classics for the 1911 & Sig 226. Such good info found on this forum...thanks.

 

My first one was a Jackass Rig in the 70’s. Still have a Miami Classic for a 1911. Don’t wear one much at all anymore but at certain times they have served me very well.

 

I normally carry OWB, strong side but when seated in a vehicle the Miami Classic makes a handgun more accessible to me. On trips or when doing a lot of driving I usually carry a backup gun in the Classic.

 

I started wearing shoulder holsters in the late 80's early 90's. I tried the Miami Classic, but, I didn't like it. The straps were too skinny and stressed my shoulders and caused upper back pain. I switched to the El Paso Saddlery shoulder holster with wider straps and no stress or pain. Later I got the Galco Jackass Rig and it also was very comfortable to wear (wider shoulder straps) for 6 or 7 hours, conducting surveillance from my parked vehicle.

Lately, I've switched to the Galco VHS shoulder holster because I prefer carry with the muzzle pointed down, not upward and back toward anyone that happens to be behind you. I have wider shoulder straps on my VHS shoulder holster by buying the wider straps and putting them on the VHS holster.

 

As I write this I just got in from running around doing life stuff.
I have a Galco harness and mag carrier but a Survival Sheath kydex holster with my Glock 32 in it.with a Glock 31 mag in the gun and 2 in the mag holder and since I was going into several kosher markets I had a spare 22 round mag in my left front pocket.

I use shoulder holsters in the winter a lot.

I have a mirror image one as above for my Hi Power.

I also compiled the parts to make a vertical one for my Glock 35 with 6 inch KKM 357sig .

 

I have a Miami Classic for a G20, but I sold the pistol several years ago. I found that a Ruger SR40 or SR40C fits it and I had the 40C, but sold it as well. I keep thinking about getting a 1911 holster to fit the shoulder harness.

 

Spent many a stakeout wearing a 1911 in a Miami Classic. When sitting for long periods in cars or observation vans, this was the best method of carry, both for comfort and speed of presentation from the seated position.

 

Thanks its good to hear the rig works as all the big name writers have stated.

I had another thread on the mall ninjas thinking but it got deleted. SO time to make a new thread elsewhere.

The funny thing is, the use in hollywood still renders the shoulder holster to hollywood fantasy..

The pointing to Bullseye threads on basic minimum accuracy on the 50 yard line was invalidated by "they use customized guns", despite customized often being "they put a bomar rear sight in place of a GI rear.."

Shoulder holsters are "not used by serious shooters, law enforcement, self defense people because (his favorite run adn gun shooting sport) does not allow for the use of shoulder holsters. Thus, its invalid to all for that tiny reason.

 

I have several Galco Miami Classic horizontal shoulder holsters (and two Galco vertical carry holsters). As stated above, I have the harnesses with 2 1/2" wide shoulder straps.

One feature the 1911 horizontal holster has is a plastic tab that maintains the thumb safety on for condition one carry. See photo.

 

I have a vintage Jackass Rig for my 1911’s I wear.
I wore a Miami Classic on the job with whatever Glock I carried.
They are very practical, plus they look cool, too.

 

Does anyone who ACTUALLY use these rigs...


ever THINK they have been slowed down in the draw, or that the draw is HARDER to do, or involve extra steps/hand/arm motions to

draw and point the gun at a target? when compared to using a standard strongside belt holster.

 

Does anyone who ACTUALLY use these rigs...


ever THINK they have been slowed down in the draw, or that the draw is HARDER to do, or involve extra steps/hand/arm motions to

draw and point the gun at a target? when compared to using a standard strongside belt holster.

I carry in a shoulder holster about 90% of the time-three back surgeries make belt carry problematic.

There are drawbacks to ever type of carry; OWB is harder to conceal, IWB can be uncomfortable or even painful (especially with back issues), some folks aren't built to do IWB comfortably.

Is my should holster as fast as my competition rigs? Of course not. But I also can (and have) had my hand on my gun in a crowded place with no one noticing-try that with an OWB a four o'clock.

As far as 'extra' movements; break it down and you'll see they're DIFFERENT movements, but not really more complex or difficult, assuming you've practiced (as you need to with any carry method.)

Larry

 

If you are worried about the speed of presentation of your pistol, I would say within reason it will have little to no bearing on the out come of a self defense situation.

Situational awareness, then your tactics, if possible getting behind cover, followed by shot placement. These will insure you go home.

I will give you an example, your sitting at a dead stop in traffic. You can not drive away your stuck.

Your texting on your phone and the next thing you know a crazy man is pounding on your drivers door window. You drop your phone go into shock for a second, you then see he has a big piece of re bar sharpened to a needle point and he is driving it through your window, towards your chest, Now your way behind the curve and not in a good place.

Seated in a car belted in unaware is not a good place to defend yourself from.

If you watched the crazy guy hitting other cars as he approached your car no matter what style of holster you happened to have you can remove your handgun from it's holster and be ready for what comes.

 

but if you carrying OWB or IWB on the left side, that gun is not coming out when sitting in your car.

If its on the right side, then you have a slow draw ahead.

And if your carrying in a shoulder holster with the gunon the right, its going to be a pain in the ass to present the gun on your attacker, left handed freaks.

Right handed shooter, with gun in shoulder rig on left side isnt going to be impacted like the others.

However, I have hand issues and in the past cross draw with the gun holstered on the left hip was alot faster and easier to get the gun out and pointing at my target.

 

Is the LITE option a smarter option for starting out,,


I relaized the jackass has the guns butt at a downward angle to the ground, while the Miami is horizontal.

 

Not sure about that rig but I know that Galco leather is the best in the industry. When visiting family in AZ. back in the late 90's I drove over and purchased a Royal guard and belt over the counter for my 1911. They had a nice little show room.

 

I’m sure many of you do this but this post reminded me of a couple of things—when I was a kid learning to drive eons ago… my Dad always insisted on keeping one car length away from stopped vehicles ahead of my vehicle or at least be able to see the vehicles rear tires in front of me entirely at minimum… in addition to ”safe” traveling distances between vehicles when driving at all speeds.
Car jackings were not as prevalent then as now but still occurred (learned to drive in Detroit) a lesson long ingrained now for me. Took a lot of reinforcement for my GF who had been driving for years to learn this but now she does it automatically as well.
For years when getting into my vehicle I slipped my gun in pocket of back on passenger seat to be able to quickly grab if needed when stopped at lights or in traffic. I still do this depending on vehicle and passengers—but there are so many other options now if you wear your gun on your waist to access your gun quickly if needed:
15 Best Car Holsters (Vehicles & Trucks) in 2024

15 Best Car Holsters (Vehicles & Trucks) in 2025

If you are planning on exercising that second amendment right, it is inevitable that you will be mixing firearms with vehicles like cars.

www.marineapproved.com