Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Pistol Binocular Chest Carry

Looking for a pack to carry a 4 inch revolver concealed underneath/behind a standard size binoculars.
Experiences? Suggestions?

Never thought of it but think it would work well.

Dress with a pair of khaki shorts, tall white socks, goofy hat and a "Bird Watchers of America" t-shirt and the slightly bulky binocs would never get a second glance.

dont know about wearing a "goofy hat" but i am looking to avoid notice in the National Parks and wrap around bucket seats of my Jeep make my normal kidney carry and jacket problematic

It is LEGAL for you to carry a firearm in National Parks.

Avoid "notice" by NOT discharging said firearm. THAT is NOT legal.

There is a rumor going around that these work.
HPG Kit Bag

i was looking at those but never talked to anyone put alot of miles on....hows the venting between back side of pack and your chest?

Just a intriguing idea. Also wonder if you could hollow out an old large frame camera and conceal a small semiautomatic in it.

small automatic i"ll drop in a pocket, Im talking 4 inch 44 revolver for bear protection kinda thing. Usually and frequently still do carry on my hip under a jacket but with new wrap around jeep seats i need to come off my belt

I have the HPG Recon, as well as the Snubby Recon. A 4" Ruger GP100 fits in the Recon, but not the Snubby. There is no venting between the bag and your chest if you have it pulled tight to your body, so it does get a bit sweaty in warm weather.

thanks, thats the kinda "real" experience thats valuable

Yes, if it is warm, you'll probably be pretty sweaty. Also, heavy binos and a revolver will concentrate the pressure of the cylinder on your ribs/sternum in some cases. Not bad, just something to be aware of.

I just toss the pisto(not revolver) in the mesh back on the AGC. It holds the pack off, so ya don't get sweatty....

Closest thing I've seen is Eberlestock's Nosegunner that would have to be modified to conceal your pistol completely. I don't think it would be to hard to ad a lid for the pistol compartment. A few bino packs have mole loops that you could possibly hang an HPG kitbag from.

I've started doing the same.

The HPG kit bag is probably your best choice. Mine is the Recon version and I did exactly as you're describing while in Glacier a couple years ago. G29 in the rear pouch and binos in the front, no one had a clue I was carrying. You will sweat but that's unavoidable. Also, the cylinder may dig into your sternum, but your build and amount of clothing could make that a non-issue.

I use a HPG bag a lot for carry and while hunting. When hunting I wear bino's over the HPG with a Rick Young bino harness/cover. It works very well for me. If it's hot I will sweat, but I'm going to do that anyhow. One thing I like about wearing the bino's over the HPG is it offsets the bino's from my body a bit. I've had the bino's fog when against my body if I had the lenses uncovered.

I use the HPG way more than I ever thought I would. It's just so handy.

Another vote for the kit bag. It has become one of my favorite pieces of gear, not just for the ability to carry a gun.

Not sexy but for years I’ve layered an old M3 or M7 (revolver or auto) under my Kuiu bino harness. Fits my 4” S&W 19 nicely in a modified horizontal position. I’ve only used it on rattlers.

I have one of the older HPG chest rigs too but I end up stashing too much into it so I don’t use it much. Well built & no complaints about the bag, just doesn’t suit my needs as I tend to be a minimalist.

I don't believe that was the question. I'm with the OP, I don't want people to know if I'm carrying, whether it's legal or not. I like to talk with people I meet on the trail, and most are infinitely more at ease if they don't know I'm carrying a handgun.

And for the people with bad intent that I might have to use it on, it goes without saying that I'm better off with them not knowing I'm carrying. And for park rangers, I'm not into inviting a bunch of questions or scrutiny. Pretty simple.

Another vote for the HPG kit bag, not only for a handgun, but other stuff I want handy. Works really well for fishing gear too.

I don't always feel the need to carry a revolver on my chest, but when I do I carry it in the front zip pocket of a 9" x 10" Fieldline pack that I modified. I removed the shoulder strap from the pack and attached a Crooked Horn bino carrier to it. The carrier keeps it close to my chest and no side to side movement. At times it can get a little warm, but sweat can not reach the gun. I also use the pack for binoculars and/or range finder.