Some of my favorite holsters are OWB designs, meant to be worn with a belt. As much as I like them, there are plenty of days that I do not wear a belt. On top of the belt requirement, if you plan to carry concealed, you generally need a jacket.

The Belt and Jacket Requirement

Wearing a sport coat or suit coat is an everyday thing for me, so OWB holsters have always made sense in the right setting. They can be comfortable, stable, and very practical if your clothing supports them.

Author with OWB holsters
Author with OWB holsters from the collection.

The Favorite Depends on the Gun

When it comes to choosing a favorite holster, I am hard pressed. It depends on which gun I am carrying and what clothing I am wearing. That old Bucheimer holster for my Colt Cobra is a half-century old, and I love it as much today as I did in the 1970s.

My Cobra is nickel, but if it were blue, I might not like the loose fit it exhibits after so many years of use. Fit affects wear, and older leather should be judged with that in mind.

OWB paddle holster
OWB holster paired with a revolver.
OWB holster second view
A second view of the OWB paddle holster setup.

Collector Variety

OWB leather can range from plain, working holsters to more decorative pieces with exotic hide or special construction. That variety is part of what makes gun leather interesting from a collector standpoint.

OWB holster with commemorative firearm
OWB holster paired with a commemorative firearm.
OWB holster and firearm detail
Another view of the OWB holster and firearm pairing.
Rafter S OWB holster
Rafter S leather with distinctive texture and finish.
Rafter S OWB holster detail
A closer look at Rafter S leather construction.
Ostrich OWB holster for Colt Mustang
An ostrich OWB holster made for a Colt Mustang.
An OWB holster can be one of the easiest and most comfortable ways to carry, provided the belt, cover garment, and gun all work together.

Where This Fits in the Gun Leather Section

This page is one stop in the broader Gun Leather section, where I am gathering the holsters, magazine carriers, vintage leather, shotgun cases, and custom pieces that have been part of my collecting life.

The goal is not to rank every carry method or turn the section into a buying guide. It is to show how different leather designs work with different firearms, clothing, purposes, and collector preferences. From here, you can move naturally to the other leather pages and compare how each style fits into the larger story.

Gun Leather Hub

The main entry point for holsters, cases, magazine carriers, and vintage leather.

Inside Waistband Holsters

Concealment, clips, straps, and smaller frame pistols carried IWB.

Outside Waistband Holsters

Belt holsters, jackets, old Bucheimer leather, and OWB practical use.

Shoulder Holsters

Custom shoulder rigs, vintage examples, and collector-grade craftsmanship.

From My Bench

For storage, cleaning, reference books, range supplies, and bench items that support a collection, I keep a curated gear list separate from the editorial article.

Outside Waistband 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.