TandemKross offers rimfire enthusiasts their SideSlinger holster, which not only looks great, but does something amazing. This holster manages to fit the Browning Buck Mark, S&W SW22 Victory, and Ruger Mark series pistols. Who knew!? Even better, it accommodates pistols equipped with small reflex (red or green dot) sights. As the owner of all three of these pistols, I had to check out the SideSlinger, and TandemKross was nice enough to send one for testing and evaluation.
SideSlinger construction
First, its full name is the SideSlinger Premium Leather Ranch Holster. In a world where most holsters are molded Kydex, it’s made from actual leather. Specifically, vegetable tanned steer hide. They’re made by a Colorado company that’s been in business since 1952. So they might know a thing or two about stitching up leather holsters. Starting with smooth, full grain 9-10 ounce leather, each is individually hand cut. Heavy nylon saddle stitching ensures a long-lasting holster. Burnished and dyed edges keep it looking as good as it is durable.
Details
As mentioned, the SideSlinger has an open top for red dots, a C-More, or View-All sight. Factory irons work just fine too. The muzzle end is open, so different barrels lengths fit with ease. Compensators are no problem either. And check out my suppressor host Mark IV in it below. Coated brass snaps with two positions allow for a secure fit. Speaking of fit, the SideSlinger can be used with belts up to two inches wide.
This is where I would usually have an “installation” sub-heading
But I don’t think a holster requires much explanation. The SideSlinger is only available as a right hand, outside the waistband holster. It fits nicely on the hip, and rides below the belt. When worn with a jacket, access is still easy enough. Stitching on the belt loop is done in a block shape, so there are effectively two rows of stitching. It should hold up fine over time, given the relatively light weight of most rimfire pistols. Note that TandemKross has a nice PDF covering care and break-in. It pays to read that and get the best fit. The image below was taken by my wife, and doesn’t quite capture the color accurately. It’s definitely closer to the other photos, taken with a Canon DSLR, than this one, taken with a phone. But you can see that it rides a bit low, which I like.
Fits most models, but not all accessories will work
Although it will work with the most popular rimfire models, there are a few items to be aware of. If your pistol has a gas pedal (forward thumb rest), it’s probably not going to fit. Same with the oversize safety. And if you have a competition magazine release, that stands proud of the grip, I have some bad news. It will spit the magazine out when holstering. Ruger’s Mark IV has a fat rail that fits snug, but the leather will break in and loosen a bit over time. The TandemKross Halo charging ring works fine. As do most optics, unless they are mounted too far forward.
Bill, the bearded hero and awesome tech guy from TandemKross, shares some details on the SideSlinger in the video below. While their tech “how-to” videos are usually pretty serious, their promo videos always give me a little chuckle. And this one certainly keeps up with their fine tradition of not taking themselves too seriously.
Final thoughts
Am I a bit disappointed that it doesn’t fit my “Competition” pistols? Yes. But it holds my completely stock Browning Buck Mark, which is really what I want it for. And the brown leather really complements something like a stainless Hunter. Compared to the price of a Kydex holster, $74.99 might seem a bit steep for some. But I have a vintage leather holster for my single action revolver that is more than 70 years old, and it’s in fine shape. Leather really does age well when taken care of. So I would expect the same from the SideSlinger, as long as it’s given a bit of attention, and not abused.
If I was looking for a holster to carry my rimfire while hiking, or on an actual ranch, or even, you know, for range trips, this would be high on my list. I have at least three different pistols that it works well with, which is a plus. And it looks great. To get yours, check out TandemKross.com. Note that I’ve linked to their Ruger page, but the holster is the same across the different brands.