Ruger Chest Holster — In Stock, Ready to Ship
Ruger's revolvers are the working guns of the backcountry, and I keep Draekan rigs built for the ones people actually pack. Off the shelf in a few days instead of the four-month custom wait.
Ruger is the brand where barrel length really decides things. The line runs from the stubby Alaskan up past 7.5", and how a rig carries changes a lot across that spread. Here's how I'd think about it.
The sweet spot — 4" to 6"
The GP100, the Redhawk and the Toklat live in this range, and it's where a chest holster does exactly what it's meant to. The gun sits square against you, clear of a pack belt, and your hand finds the grip without looking.
The Toklat at 5" in .44 Magnum is the one I build most, and that's no accident — it's the right amount of gun at the right length for this kind of carry.
Worth knowing if you're in Canada: Ruger builds the GP100 and the Redhawk at 4.2" rather than a round 4", and the extra fifth of an inch is deliberate. Canadian law draws the line between a restricted and a prohibited handgun at 105 mm — about 4.13" — so Ruger put the barrel just over it. Those are the ones that get in.
The Alaskan — carries beautifully, shoots hard
The Super Redhawk Alaskan is what I'm asked for most for bear country, and on a chest rig it's excellent. Short is an advantage up there: it's compact, it sits tight to you, and there's no barrel hanging down past the holster. It's one of the easiest guns I build for to wear all day.
The honest caveat isn't the holster, it's the gun. That much cartridge out of a 2.5" barrel is a genuine handful — the blast and the recoil are serious, and it isn't a revolver most people enjoy putting a box through. That matters more than it sounds like it should, because a bear gun you flinch with isn't much of a bear gun. If you carry one, commit to practising with it. I've written about why fast follow-up shots beat raw power if you want the longer version.
7.5" and the Blackhawks
The Super Redhawk, the long Redhawk and the Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk family run out to 7.5", and the Blackhawks start short at 3.75".
At 7.5" I stop pretending. That's a lot of revolver on your chest — long draw, and simply large on your front. The hip is heavy, the chest is awkward, and there's no honest third answer. I build plenty of them. I just won't tell you it's comfortable.
I don't build for the 10.5" at all. There's no version of that gun that carries well on a person, and I'd rather say so than take the order.
How these are built
Wet-molded to your Ruger from full-grain Wickett & Craig and lined with a second layer, so the leather holds its shape and never marks the finish. Retention is friction fit — the mold does the holding — with a hammer thong over the top as secondary. Stitched with heavy bonded nylon, rich brown with white stitching.
Ships within 3–5 business days.
Not seeing your Ruger above? I'll build the same rig to order for any model I have a mold for.
