Review of Redi Shooter Adjustable Hip Carrier "Holster" for Long Guns

I'm not in love with the Redi Shooter, but I don't hate it. It works all right in most cases, and can be adjusted pretty well. Just realize that adjustment may not be intuitive; I had to move the front clamp pivot outward (thus opening the bottom of the clamp wider) before it would clamp my rifle's forearm more securely.

The flimsy strap, buckle, and pin rings are a turn-off, and I worry about abusing the finish of wood-stocked guns when used with the Redi Shooter, but it does its job, and that's a good thing.

When I first received the Redi Shooter, I messed with it for fifteen minutes or so. My first impression: A good idea, poorly executed. Since then, I have used the Redi Shooter in the field, and while useful, it has its drawbacks.

Redi Shooter is a plastic assembly with two adjustable spring-loaded clamps, intended to hold your rifle or shotgun horizontally while you stand or walk. It should hold your gun securely and also allow you to remove your gun in a hurry. Sometimes it does that job, and sometimes not.

The Redi Shooter is called "fully adjustable," but adjustment isn't always easy. After completely removing the knob that controls the spring tension, I tried to remove one of the clamp pivot pins, and its ring bent very easily. The rings look like, and ought to be, spring-steel rings (like key rings), but instead they are cheap, soft, and easily-bent.

The belt and strap are made of flimsy light-weight black webbing, and the buckle on my waist strap is deformed so it doesn't latch completely. The shoulder strap is so thin that it pulled right out of its plastic adjuster.

Redi Shooter's design allows the gun to contact hard plastic and, at times, steel pins and rings. If you care about your guns' finish, you don't want that.

Using it

The first thing I used the Redi Shooter for was holding an over/under shotgun, with the barrels broken open, at a skeet range. It worked well and easily carried my gun around to the various stations.

During deer season, I toted a light, well-balanced, synthetic-stocked Savage Sierra 308 rifle in it. It rode fine in the Redi Shooter during a short walk to the stand. On a longer walk the next morning, however, the gun kept working its way loose. The forearm was forced rearward in its clamp until the gun wanted to tip - muzzle up. Not good.

Then I built a rifle in 338-06. Despite its very heavy barrel, the front end kept riding up in its clamp. I later moved the clamp outward and adjusted it so the outside jaw had more angle to it, and that worked better - while still allowing for a fast "draw."

Fast Draw?

Pulling a rifle out of the Redi Shooter to shoulder it is easy and convenient, and the shoulder strap helps keep it comfortable by helping to support the weight of the gun.

No Good for Wood

I would not - ever - try Redi Shooter with a wood-stocked rifle that I cared about. The clamps would most likely dent the wood, and possibly mar it in other ways. I hesitated to use it with Dad's old Browning shotgun, but so far I haven't noticed any ill effects on that well-worn popper. It helps that the Redi Shooter clamps mainly onto its receiver rather than the stock.

No Love/Hate Here

The Redi Shooter is a great idea which needs some refinement. What I would like to see most are better quality straps, buckle, and rings, and some way to protect wood stocks from damage. I foresee more use in my Redi Shooter's future, which tells you I don't hate it... but I just can't bring myself to love it.

- Russ Chastain

Disclosure: A review sample was provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.