{"id":2796,"date":"2024-12-08T21:24:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-08T21:24:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2796"},"modified":"2024-12-08T21:24:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-08T21:24:54","slug":"mitch-rosen-extraordinary-gunleather-the-armory-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2796","title":{"rendered":"Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather – The Armory Life"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Mike Humphries<\/a><\/p>\n

I<\/span>\u2019ll be frank with you. I\u2019m kind of a traditionalist, and kind of not. Let me explain. Yes, I love M1911 style pistols with antler or wooden grips, but I also like a Hellcat OSP tricked out with a Shield RMSc<\/a>. Rifles? Sign me up for an Springfield Armory M1A<\/a> with a walnut stock as well as a SR-style SAINT rifle<\/a>\u00a0tricked out with a red dot sight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you are looking for exceptional leather for your pistol, you might want to consider Mitch\u00a0Rosen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But one area where I am a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist is with gun holsters. I only like them in leather. Yes, I have run synthetic holsters in training classes and totally get why people like them, but my everyday carry gun is going to be encased in good, old-fashioned leather. You know, that creaky old stuff that smells good and looks even better.<\/p>\n

And for those familiar with leather, they know it requires an artisan\u2019s skill to truly do it right. You need top-quality materials, a deep awareness of its strengths (and weaknesses), and years of experience in shaping and molding it into an effective sheath for the most important piece a gear a person can carry \u2014 a self-defense firearm.<\/p>\n

\"A
The southpaw author likes leather for his carry guns and recently tried out some Mitch Rosen\u00a0gear.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Exceptional Source of CCW Holsters<\/h2>\n

I recently picked up a Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Operator full-size 1911 (to learn more about that pistol, click here<\/a>), and I needed to find a good holster to carry it. I wanted an expert\u2019s opinion, so I put in a quick call to my good friend Roy Huntington of\u00a0American Handgunner<\/em>\u00a0magazine fame.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s easy. Mitch Rosen. Let me get you in touch with him,\u201d Roy said. For me, if Roy said it\u2019s good, it\u2019s good. So, I happily started looking around on the Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather website and waited for the connection with Mr. Rosen.<\/p>\n

\"Inside
Mitch Rosen (shown here) has been producing high-quality leather holsters and gear for more than two\u00a0decades.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mitch Rosen \u2013 Man Behind the Holster<\/h2>\n

Thanks to the connection via Roy, I had the opportunity to talk directly with Mitch Rosen himself. I was curious what got him into the holster making business more than 20 years ago, and what makes his products unique. Over the course of our conversation, I was able to learn a great deal about his company and its offerings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got involved in IPSC when I was still living in Manhattan,\u201d he explained to me. \u201cBut, I didn\u2019t have any prior handgun shooting experience and didn\u2019t have any gear.\u201d After he asked around about what was best for him to get, he ordered a holster, magazine carrier and belt rig.<\/p>\n

\"A
Shown is a 5M single mag carrier from Mitch Rosen in black\u00a0cowhide.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhen I opened the box, I thought, \u2018This is it? This is supposed to be the best?\u2019 It was functional, but I was expecting more. When I moved to New Hampshire a few years later, I decided to make them the way I thought they should be made. Function is essential, but so are fit and finish,\u201d he told me.<\/p>\n

The first holster he made was for the 1911 and was a short version of his current 5JR<\/a>. \u201cI wanted to make a holster that would carry any length 1911 in the same holster. Although I got it to work, I learned the full length version was the best design. Front sights should be covered,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\"A
Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather focuses on the quality of the products first, and costs\u00a0second.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Extraordinary Efforts in the Gun Industry<\/h2>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re enough \u2018economy\u2019 products available. I wanted to manufacture the best quality holsters around. The material, finish, hand work and detail of them would be the apex of the industry,\u201d Rosen explained to me when I asked what his company brings to the holster market.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe use the best materials possible. If my business was run by an accountant, all our products would be based on price \u2014 period. I buy based on what\u2019s best, then see what I\u2019m going to have to pay,\u201d he told me.<\/p>\n

\"A
The author picked up one of Mitch Rosen\u2019s USD-II-SF<\/span> inside-the-waistband holsters for the Range Officer Elite Operator from Springfield\u00a0Armory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He continued on and explained to me that the company has become more and more self-sufficient over the years, and even casts their own handgun dummies to use for fitting. Other parts used for production are machined in his machine shop, which he set up in 2011. \u201cOur casting and machining operations are an important part of how we maintain our exceptional level of quality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

All holsters, belts and mag pouches from Mitch Rosen are constructed of best quality cowhide. However, the company does also offer optional luxury leathers such as crocodile, sharkskin, shell cordovan, ostrich and more if the customer so desires.<\/p>\n

\"Workers
You can see the expansive collection of casting \u201cdummies\u201d of pistols here that Mitch Rosen uses to ensure proper\u00a0fit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As you can probably tell, cutting corners is not an option for Rosen. However, he has developed an \u201cExpressline\u201d of gear that is designed to offer more modestly priced options without sacrificing any quality. \u201cTo do this, there are fewer options and colors offered,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis allows for a more streamlined manufacturing process, and this translates into lower production costs.\u201d<\/p>\n

My Option for Concealed Carry<\/h2>\n

While discussing my holster options with Rosen, I let him know that I\u2019m a southpaw. \u201cThat\u2019s no problem,\u201d he told me during our conversation. When I told him the pistol I had and how I wanted to carry it, he recommended the USD-II-SF<\/span> in left-hand for me.<\/p>\n

\"A
The USD-II-SF<\/span> comes with a removable belt loop, allowing you to change it out for ones in different widths and\u00a0colors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s a slimline construction holster featuring a full lining and sight rails, and it employs an interchangeable belt loop system (with additional belt loops offered in different widths and colors). It also features a body side leather extension, which is lined and steel-reinforced. I ordered it in black cowhide along with a matching 5M single mag pouch and gun belt.<\/p>\n

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After some very impatient waiting on my part, I received the rig about two and half months later (official stated wait time on his website is 10 to 12 weeks). When I opened the box, I was immediately impressed with the quality of the gear. The fit and finish of all of it was exceptional, from the exquisitely shaped and stitched holster and mag pouch to the belt with its solid brass buckle. The belt itself is a true \u201cgun belt,\u201d cut on a curve to combine comfort and support against the weight of your gun and spare magazine.<\/p>\n

\"This
The author picked up a holster, mag pouch and belt from Mitch Rosen, all in black\u00a0cowhide.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I immediately made it my new carry rig with the Springfield Armory 1911, and was impressed by how effectively it concealed the pistol, and how comfortable it was to carry with the pistol and a loaded spare magazine.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The packaging accompanying the rig was adorned with the following statement: \u201cNo Gimmicks. Simply Extraordinary Fit, Finish and Function.\u201d Now that I have tried it out for myself, I can say that I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.<\/p>\n

The rig I acquired is absolutely beautiful, and a wonderful complement to my new 1911 pistol. So be sure to check out Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather at the link below and see which holster is right for you.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!<\/em><\/p>\n

Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n

Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n

Featured in this article<\/span><\/h5>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Mitch <\/p>\n

Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather <\/h3>\n


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1911 Range Officer\u00ae Elite Operator\u00ae<\/span><\/h3>\n


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By Mike Humphries I\u2019ll be frank with you. I\u2019m kind of a traditionalist, and kind of not. Let me explain. Yes, I love M1911 style pistols with antler or wooden grips, but I also like a Hellcat OSP tricked out with a Shield RMSc. Rifles? Sign me up for an Springfield Armory M1A with a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2796"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2796\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}