I don't know why LEO's don't wear their pistols in cross draw. I've packed iron a lot in the bush and tried both strong side and cross draw and I would have to say that cross draw as I've shown in the photo (actually for sitting down I might move the holster back about 1 inch) is more comfortable, gets in the way way less and is still very fast to hand. The curve of the holster/gun curves over the top of the leg when sitting down. I also find that drawing the pistol is easier in cross draw as all the movements are natural, as opposed to the strong side draw where I must move my arm back and up in a move that I don't normally do anywhere else. A fellow usually has his hands out front doing something anyway most of the time so that grip is just inches from his hand. For fun, I practised holding a cup of coffee, dropping it and drawing all in one smooth motion .... with just a bit of practice, that is very fast. I don't do that much, however, because I think it is hard on the old Colt's notches. That being said, my experience is with longer barrelled antiques. I packed one made in 1873 with an 8" barrel for a couple years ..... hauling an 8" barrel out the strong side, is really awkward. The LEO's use guns and holsters that are a lot different so maybe it makes sense a strong side draw but for me, cross draw works much better. If I had to use a strong side draw then I'd like to have the pistol much lower on the right, but then you have to tie down the holster around your leg which is a pain , otherwise the entire belt moves up when you want to draw and it is banging on rocks and things all the time. Strapping an iron on your thigh works in the movies and for ERTs but for practical everyday use in the bush, no way.
I'm not a big fan of a rear mounted holster. It might seem concealed to you but it sticks out like a sore thumb when you sit down or bend over. I was in a cafe in Winnipeg once when some seedy looking characters came in for coffee. I was minding my own business but when I see seedy looking characters, I like to size them up so I know what I have to deal with if there is a problem. Suddenly, I see that one fellow has the outline of a piece under his ratty looking clothing. That got my attention. I started scanning the other two for what they might have hidden and I could see one other was also carrying a concealed weapon in a fanny pack type of thing. I was thinking about wandering out of the cafe so I could call the cops without getting those disreputable-looking characters all excited, but as I was about to do it their conversation soon revealed that they were undercover cops taking a coffee break. I would have never guessed had I not seen the tell-tail outlines of their concealed weapons or heard their conversation .... but the concealed pistols were what got my initial attention. There is a psychological phenomenon that if it is out of sight, then it is hidden, and that is the danger of a pistol in a holster or fanny pack that is somewhere between 3 and 9 o'clock ..... a fellow can get sloppy, especially if he is bending over or sitting down. In a cross draw position you can see out of the corner of your eye just how badly things are sticking out.
A cross draw that comes across the stomach is very concealable unless a fellow has a bit of a pot belly. One thing to note, however, it is against the law to carry an antique pistol concealed. The moment you conceal it, it becomes a 'firearm' and you commit a criminal offence. There has been a whole discussion on this on the CGN antique forum.
