Have any right-handed shooters ever wondered whether a left-handed holster might make sense at the 5 o’clock position? That was the experiment behind this page.

Finding the right position for concealed carry is an important first step in selecting the right holster. Sometimes this becomes a chicken-or-egg problem: do you choose the holster first, or the position first? Experimenting can provide the answer, but not every experiment becomes a keeper.

clock template for indicating position of gun in concealed carry scenarios
A simple clock-position reference for thinking about holster placement.

Why I Tried It

The thought was simple. If a right-handed shooter wears a left-handed holster around the 5 o’clock position, the grip points toward the right. In theory, that might make the draw feel more natural.

Occasionally I will try something new with a less expensive holster just to see how it works. In this case, the holster I ordered online came from Slovakia. Another holster I had ordered previously came from Turkey. Both reminded me that online holster shopping can produce surprises.

What Did Not Work for Me

After trying this at the 5 o’clock to 6 o’clock position, I leaned toward getting a correct right-hand holster and moving more toward the 4 o’clock position. Sometimes I like to wear a right-handed holster on the left side, butt forward, as a cross-draw setup.

If the holster has a thumb-break retention strap, the strap can end up on the opposite side away from the thumb. That alone made the idea less attractive to me for small-of-back use.

left-handed holster
The left-hand holster experiment that prompted the article.

Three Common Reminders

  • Keep your finger off the trigger.
  • Do not sweep your body.
  • Practice carefully and deliberately.
Not a good idea, at least not for me. I wanted to try small-of-back, but it may not be for me.

Collector Takeaway

Not every holster experiment works, and that is useful information. The leather drawer can teach you what fits your body, your clothing, your firearm, and your habits. Sometimes the best lesson is deciding what not to use.

Where This Fits in the Gun Leather Section

This article is part of my broader Gun Leather collection, where holsters, magazine carriers, vintage cases, and custom leather are viewed as part of the larger collecting story.

Each piece of leather says something about the firearm it was made for, the era it came from, and the way collectors actually use, store, and preserve their guns. From here, you can explore related leather pages and compare the different styles, materials, and purposes represented across the collection.

Left-Hand Holster Options

Left-hand holsters can be useful for true left-handed shooters and for some cross-draw experiments, but fit and draw mechanics matter.


Browse Left-Hand Holsters

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Greg Cook

About Greg Cook

Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.