Musings on Holsters for CCW

[Kleanbore]

Long, long ago, I had a holster that my grandfather used for his .32 Regulation Police revolver. I have lost it.

Im 2008, conealed carry became a possibility. Knowing little about SD, I bought a 642, because it fit into a pants pocket. I was advised to buy a pocket holster. I did.

In 2010, I bought an STI .45. Thinking that concealment would be enhanced by using an IWB holster, I ordered one--a good one.. I used it in a class--for which an OWB holster was recommended-- and found that reholstering was impeded by the gut overhang that was then part tof my EDC.

After the class, I became a fan of the 9MM. I chose a Ruger SR-9C. I had an immediate need for a holster, and I bought something from Midway Arms. I did not like it.

For a later firearm, I chose an OWB holster from Crossbreed in Springfield. MO. MUCH better, in every respect.

Oppen heart surgery made slide racking difficult, and I went back to carrying the STI for a while. And then one day, I went down a flight of stairs feet first. The gun caught on every stai,r and a number of ribs were really bashed.

That IWB holster had really exacerbated the impact on each of my ribs.

The doctor said that the pain would probably last for two or three months. The actual time turned out out to be--five years.

The Crossbreed Suuperslide OWB holster has a leather piece that spreads the weight of the gun, and any impact on it, ,over a large area. It is much more comfortable.

And, I think, safer

 

[Anchorite]

I have always gravitated toward OWB and high on the waist pancake style. Just seems the most intuitive. And I’ve tried lots of other positions over the years.

 

[Gork10]

I to prefer a OWB holster. Have several in both leather and kydex. No problem concealing one of my hi powers or a Beretta APX. Never liked IWB, even when I was a lot skinner.

 

[jar]

I tend to use OWB holsters more often than IWB and generally avoid Kydex holsters after a similar event.

 

[JERRY]

OWB is far more comfortable for me, but the weather here doesn't lend itself to regular coat weather. I've been using a Muddy River Tactical IWB mostly.

 

[JTQ]

... I went back to carrying the STI for a while. And then one day, I went down a flight of stairs feet first. The gun caught on every stai,r and a number of ribs were really bashed.

The Crossbreed Suuperslide OWB holster has a leather piece that spreads the weight of the gun, and any impact on it, ,over a large area. It is much more comfortable.

Crossbreed SuperSlide https://www.crossbreedholsters.com/product/superslide-owb-holster/

I generally prefer OWB. As the years have gone on, I've become less of a fan of sweat shields. If the holster does have a sweat shield, I prefer that it extends no farther than the back of the slide like the sweat shield on a Milt Sparks Summer Special II ( https://www.miltsparks.com/inside-the-waistband/summer-special-2/ ) or the sweat shield used by Garrett Holsters ( https://www.giholsters.com/product-p/hst1400.htm ), especially with a 1911 or other single action auto that I need to disengage the thumb safety. Those sweat shields provide an index point for my thumb that I use to push of the sweat shield and the thumb naturally ends up on the thumb safety.

As the late Ed Head demonstrates in this GunTalkTV video at about the :40 mark, I expect to get on the thumb safety when I obtain a master grip on the gun, not to disengage it, just get on it. I don't want to have to search for the thumb safety after I've drawn the gun, it is part of how I grip a single action auto, and very large sweat shields prevent me from doing this.



Having said that, I've never taken a tumble and had the injuries the OP had, so that may effect my choices, and if carrying a non-single action auto, it doesn't really matter to me what size the sweat shield is since I don't need to find the thumb safety.

 

[trackskippy]

I started carrying back in the mid 70's. Holsters were pretty simple, and basic, and there wasn't much in the way of choice. Most of my early holsters were Bianchi's, both OWB and IWB. The few OWB's I used were more or less early learning curve sorts of things and pretty quickly abandoned. I did still use them on occasion with a couple of 4" revolvers. 1911's and occasionally 4" K and N frames being most of what I was carrying then, and predominantly the 1911.

I figured out early on that if you want actually to conceal the gun, in an all-day, everyday thing, especially in NPE's, IWB was the only way to go. Up until Ted Blocker came out with his LFI rig, I was using the adjustable cant Bianchi "Pistol Pocket" IWB's, and they worked well. I really liked the Blocker LFI rig too, but the velcro in the belt tended to need a bit of regular attention in short order.

Tried a few others here and there as things got better and switched over to a couple of different Galco IWB holsters for a while and the last of those were Royal Guards. Those, and a Milt Sparks VMII were also pretty much the last leather holsters I used. I always had a lot of trouble with leather holsters and constantly dealing with and trying to fend off rusting and finish issues, especially in the summer months, and when the first Kydex holsters showed up, I jumped right on board that train and have never looked back.

Kydex is the best thing to ever have happened to holsters too. So far anyway.

Blade Tech got most of my money early on and then when I switched over to AIWB, Suarez's "Gunfighter" was the one, and now more recently, since those holsters are no longer available, a Tenicor Velo4 has taken its place.

One thing too about the Kydex holsters is, they pretty much last forever and don't wear out. Your gun and body are also in a better place. At the end of my using leather holsters, I was usually buying at least one new holster every year and rotating through them every other day in the summer, usually trashing one of those and buying a new one at the end of the summer. My first Blade Tech went over a decade of daily use, and I still have it, and its still as useable today as it was when new.

Ive always been active, both work and play, and have sipped, fallen, gone down, rolled around, crashed into things at work, bounced around in a couple of minor car/bike wrecks, and for the most part, the gun was never an issue. Like anything else you always have on you, things will get you once in a while, but it is what it is I guess.

 

[Japle]

When you’re new to Concealed Carry, you feel like there’s a big sign over your head that screams “GUN!!” That feeling will pass.
I wear cargo shorts almost all the time and wear a tucked-in T-shirt with an unbuttoned sports shirt over the gun. I started off with Hawaiian shirts because I thought the pattern would make the 1911 or Glock 17 I wore less noticeable. That was a waste of time. No one’s looking for guns. Unless you’re a supermodel or on fire, you might as well be invisible. People are far too wrapped up in their own thoughts to notice bulges under your clothes. No one’s looking at you at all.
These days I still wear open shirts over a 14-round 9mm with a red dot sight. I use a plastic paddle holster. It’s not a very big package on my 143 lb frame, but it does bulge. No one ever notices.
Wearing an IWB holster because you think it’ll conceal better is uncomfortable and a waste of time.

 

[trackskippy]

IWB definitely conceals better and is very comfortable, once you find your "spot" and you get used to it, which doesn't take long at all, and is doable in all but extreme cases. Not a waste of time at all either. And AIWB just takes things up a couple of more levels in that respect.

I wear my normal street clothes (the same exact thing Id be wearing if I wasn't carrying a gun), in my proper size (don't "size up"), and have never had any issues carrying full sized handguns (1911's, SIG P220's, P226's, Glock 17's) doing so, year-round, and I carry in the same place with the same gun, every day, year round.

Its all about figuring out what works for you, and figuring out what works best. We are all different, but there are still some things that regardless of what some will tell you, definitely work better than others, regardless of your build, weight, etc.

And whats equally, if not more important than what you wear and/or how you carry your gun and gear, is your attitude and how you carry yourself. You may have what you think is the best stuff on earth for hiding and carrying a gun, but if you look and act the least bit sketchy at a subliminal level, you'll light up like a spotlight was on you to anyone who is paying attention and looking. And even to those who arent.

.

 

[Art30/30]

I started carrying in 2006. I started with a small guy I met reading this site. I don’t know if any of you remember the Kholster? But I graduated to the Crossbreed IWB and I swear by them. I have always carried IWB. I guess I was afraid of printing at first but I got over that.

 

[Tilos]

I tend to buy IWB holsters but wear them sandwiched between my pants and belt.
That way I don't need to buy my jeans in a bigger size, just a longer/stiffer belt.
If the holster belt clips are open at the bottom, I put on small zip ties to close them and feed my belt thru them.
If I skip the 3 o'clock belt loop on my jeans, I can move the holster from the 2 o'clock position back to the 5 o'clock position.
So, I can slide it to the 2-3 o'clock position when driving and move it to the 5 o'clock position when walking around.
Of course I do all these position changes discreetly, while sitting in my truck.
2 o'clock, over my front pocket:

5 o'clock, next to the back/center belt loop:

OOPs: that holster has a claw that fits under the belt loops and pulls the grip in tight.
jmo,
.

 

[Old Dog]

I think the biggest mistake those new to concealed carry make is obsessing about concealment -- worrying about possible "printing" and looking for the slimmest, shortest handguns and least obtrusive holsters.

Most males, regardless of body type, can easily conceal up to a full sized, double stack semiauto or 4" barreled or shorter revolver, in a quality OWB pancake style holster under a minimal over-garment.

A decent mid or high rise OWB pancake and a QUALITY belt (at least 1.5" wide with decent thickness and/or a core reinforcement) cinched tightly to pull the butt of the handgun into the side -- AND with pants pulled up at least to the natural waist (not sagging in the slightest) and even a loose t-shirt of decent thickness or (not tapered) untucked shirt will conceal the handgun easily.

There really is no need to go IWB (or, especially, AIWB), unless it really makes you that more confident in your concealment. Certainly, the more one worries about concealment, the slower and more difficult one's draw will be.

 

[trackskippy]

I've never noticed any difference or loss of speed or access between OWB and IWB. The guns were in the same place with the same cover and required the same from me to get to the gun. The difference is, with IWB I can work and go about my daily business without worrying about the holster inadvertently popping out and showing itself if I lift my arms, bend over etc. Nothing shows below the belt with IWB.

AIWB is just that much easier at hiding and protecting the gun, and it is easier and quicker to access the gun. One big plus with AIWB is, you can move freely when active and doing physical stuff, especially bend over freely, without worrying about drawing the cover tight against the gun and fully outlining it, something that tends to stand right out with anything back past 3 o'clock.

Concealment is generally pretty easy, even for full sized guns, and printing usually isn't much of a worry, but it can be, and it's still something to consider and be aware of. A lot depends on your lifestyle and what it is you do, and where you're doing it. Just casually walking around town shopping without much worry should something happen and you're outed, is a very different experience compared to doing an active job in places you aren't supposed to have a gun and if you get outed, things could get ugly.

The quickest way to figure out if what you use will be comfortable and effective for day long use and keep your stress level in check, is spend the day somewhere where carrying your gun is restricted and you have to go about your day doing whatever it is you do, without giving any thought to the gun, consciously or otherwise. I'm pretty sure you'll have a different outlook on things as to what works best in all/most situations.

 

[Ks5shooter]

OWB most of the time IWB when I cant.Vedder brand has been good to me as well as RM Holsters.

 

[JDeere]

IWB for concealment plus I can't wear a jacket on 100 degree days so I stay the same year round. Fishing shirts it is...

 

[ECVMatt]

I agree that printing is an overrated concept. CCWing carries the responsibility to keep the gun concealed but in most cases a t-shirt or single layer is enough to do the job. I wear regular clothes, jeans and a t-shirt and carry my Glock 19 in a Tenicor Velo daily. I do carry AIWB, but also have some OWB holsters for long drives or if I am camping/fishing and hitting the nearest town for lunch.

Like picking a handgun, holsters are a very personal thing. What works fabulously for one person might be horribly painful for another. This leads to the inevitable "Box O' Holsters" to find the right fit. The one good thing is that once the fit is found, it usually lasts for awhile. I have some leather holsters for CCW but much prefer kydex.

As stated above, I think the hunt for the smallest possible gun is not always the best route to take. New shooter in general are going to find these types of guns more difficult to shoot and have more recoil that a full to mid sized gun. I know that some situations dictate a smaller gun, but even in trunks, which I wear daily from April to October, I can conceal a Glock 19 with no problems.

Selecting the "perfect" holster is probably going to be a journey rather than a destination. As we age, gain a few pound, loose a few pounds, etc the effect on a preferred method of carry will happen. It is important to remain open minded and flexible to find the best possible way to safely carry your firearm.

 

[JTQ]

Kydex is the best thing to ever have happened to holsters too. So far anyway.

One thing too about the Kydex holsters is, they pretty much last forever and don't wear out.

I do like kydex and have quite a few kydex holsters and mag pouches, and they are very durable. On the whole, I probably prefer kydex.

However, leather is less likely to suffer the "catastrophic" failure that can affect kydex. Snapping a belt loop, or holster/pouch body, or a screw coming off or breaking the kydex at the junction with the holster/mag pouch are things that can happen with kydex, that aren't likely with leather.

Admittedly, leather will probably wear out over time, but it's something that will be gradual and you can track it, but that instantaneous failure, where your holster or pouch is now useless, is more related to kydex.

 

[Kleanbore]

I think the biggest mistake those new to concealed carry make is obsessing about concealment -- worrying about possible "printing" and looking for the slimmest, shortest handguns and least obtrusive holsters.

Yes indeed, and that is certainly wy i stared out with IWB holsters.

Heck, no one would carry a flashlight or a multi-tool IWB.

Most males, regardless of body type, can easily conceal up to a full sized, double stack semiauto or 4" barreled or shorter revolver, in a quality OWB pancake style holster under a minimal over-garment.

A decent mid or high rise OWB pancake and a QUALITY belt (at least 1.5" wide with decent thickness and/or a core reinforcement) cinched tightly to pull the butt of the handgun into the side -- AND with pants pulled up at least to the natural waist (not sagging in the slightest) and even a loose t-shirt of decent thickness or (not tapered) untucked shirt will conceal the handgun easily..

Again, yes.

I could have saved myself a lot of grief by performing just a little bit of loads analysis before choosing a holster. With IWB, forces on the gun in any axis impinge directly on the body.

That's what happened to me whan the grip of the pistol impacted the stairs. And--it is what happens when movement causes inertial forces while walking, using stirs, ets. There is a comfort factor.

With OWB, such forces are spread, and are carried by the belt and pants. The leather shield on the Crossbreed Superslide helps, too.

I wish I had figured that out in advance.

I carry from dawn to dusk, and I never notice it.

 

[Art30/30]

I tend to buy IWB holsters but wear them sandwiched between my pants and belt.
That way I don't need to buy my jeans in a bigger size, just a longer/stiffer belt.
If the holster belt clips are open at the bottom, I put on small zip ties to close them and feed my belt thru them.
If I skip the 3 o'clock belt loop on my jeans, I can move the holster from the 2 o'clock position back to the 5 o'clock position.
So, I can slide it to the 2-3 o'clock position when driving and move it to the 5 o'clock position when walking around.
Of course I do all these position changes discreetly, while sitting in my truck.
2 o'clock, over my front pocket:
View attachment 1197221
5 o'clock, next to the back/center belt loop:
View attachment 1197222
OOPs: that holster has a claw that fits under the belt loops and pulls the grip in tight.
jmo,
.

THAT is a great idea! I am going to try that.

 

[JTQ]

THAT is a great idea! I am going to try that.

Mitch Rosen, and others, offer holsters specifically designed for that, if you're interested.

Between the Waistband and Belt Holsters

mitchrosen.com

 

[Art30/30]

Mitch Rosen, and others, offer holsters specifically designed for that, if you're interested.

Between the Waistband and Belt Holsters

mitchrosen.com

Those are some high quality holsters!! Thanks

 

[trackskippy]

I do like kydex and have quite a few kydex holsters and mag pouches, and they are very durable. On the whole, I probably prefer kydex.

However, leather is less likely to suffer the "catastrophic" failure that can affect kydex. Snapping a belt loop, or holster/pouch body, or a screw coming off or breaking the kydex at the junction with the holster/mag pouch are things that can happen with kydex, that aren't likely with leather.

Admittedly, leather will probably wear out over time, but it's something that will be gradual and you can track it, but that instantaneous failure, where your holster or pouch is now useless, is more related to kydex.

I havent had anything catastrophic happen, yet anyway, with my Kydex holsters. I have had a piece of a sweat shield break off on my first holster sometime during the day at work, and a small crack, that wasn't in a critical area, appear on another. Both holsters were used daily and used heavily in practice and dry fire, etc. I still have both and I wouldn't hesitate to use either of them.

Screws do occasionally work loose and need some readjustment from time to time, and are just something you need to watch and go over in your daily inspection of things. The thing Ive gone through the most were the rubber snap loops. They tend to deteriorate over time, but are usually pretty obvious about whats going on with them and I always replaced them before on broke. These days, I use the loops that are fixed and made of a stronger material. They arent quite as handy, but the better choice.

Some of the removable hook type loops, both metal and plastic work well, but a lot of them arent very well thought out or where they are attached to the holster, and you need to figure those out and if you're comfortable with them. I prefer the metal, double clip versions of those, as they are more secure and tend to fix the gun in place on the belt better.

Leather holsters have caused more damage to my guns and my body than Kydex has. The finish wear with leather is more overall and then there is the rust issue. Leather continually embeds and holds all the abrasive crap it picks up in use and you aren't getting that out with an air hose or a wipe, and its basically turning into a sort of emery if you think about it.

Kydex only usually contacts the gun in a couple of specific spots and there is minimal to no wear. You can rinse the crap out of it at the end of the day under the kitchen tap and dry it out with a paper towel. Kydex also doesn't rub you raw when it gets wet like leather and continue to do so all day with every move you make. Kydex "might" get annoying in the same situation, but for the most part, it just slides across the skin with little irritation.

I like nice leather holsters as much as the next guy, but not for anything other than maybe special occasion, BBQ type use. I do use things like the "Tanker" type over the shoulder type holsters, and have a couple of flap and minimal shoulder holsters that are used for special use sorts of guns, but other than that, anything that gets day long, daily use, goes in Kydex or something other than leather.

One other holster that I have, and find is actually one of the most versatile holsters I have (wont ever be without one), are the Smart Carry pouch type holsters that ride in front and below the belt. If you need a holster that will allow you to carry a realistic gun with a reload, and barring a metal detector and/or pat-down*, let you go through the day in just a pair of shorts with no shirt, that's the holster for you. It works well with pretty much any type of clothing you wear too, and is a lot better than a small gun in your pants pocket that you cant get to quickly and easily, especially when seated or when your hand isn't on the gun. I can draw my Glock 26 from mine, almost as quickly as I can draw my 17 from its AIWB holster, and I can easily quickly access it while seated too.

* my brother uses one for his Glock 42 and was working at an event as a vendor and was randomly challenged by security (they didn't think he worked there). His small utility type belt knife drew some unwanted attention and arguing that ended up leading to a quick frisk, and they never caught the gun. I wouldn't bet on it if someone knew what they were doing or was serious about the pat down and you were carrying a bigger gun, but in this case, it worked well.


Thsi is the the first Blade Tech holster (on the right) that I bought back in the 90's. The one on the left was a spare I bought in case I needed it, as I do with most things I use all the time. The original at that point has over a decade of daily use on it , and it and the gun were retired right around that time when I switched over to SIG's. I used the same type holster with them too. If you notice, the top of the sweat shield has snapped off at some point and I just rounded off the sharp corners and carried on. It originally looked like the one on the left.

 

[Anchorite]

Kydex=plastic/polymer guns.
Leather=steel guns.


That’s how I look at things.
And all my revolvers get leather.

 

[Tilos]

THAT is a great idea! I am going to try that.

Here is another hybred holster I added belt clips to, and wear it between my belt and jeans.
I bought the clips and Chicago screws online and made the slot fillers out of some sheet plastic.
A started with this:

And ended up with this.
Note the zip tied clips:

Adding the clips allows me to adjust the cant and holster height whereas the slots in the leather did not.
From the back showing the plastic fillers/Chicago screws in the leather slots, sorry for the pic quality:

Holster on my body wearing cargo shorts:


jmo.
.

 

[DT Guy]

There really aren't many places you can wear a firearm that don't present a hazard in some falls. SOB holsters are, IMHO, just asking for a spinal injury. IWB or OWB, regardless of holster style, are still putting a big solid chunk of steel/polymer on your body and holding it tightly to you.

Shoulder holsters are probably safer if your arm is down, but if your arm goes up (and if you're falling, that's certainly in the cards) that gun and mags are right along your upper ribs and shoulder joint. Ankle carry is probably safer, but anyone who's banged their firearm against some solid furniture and felt the impact in their ankle will tell you it's not risk-free.

Off-body carry has, again, IMHO, too many drawbacks to outweigh the benefits of being able to drop/discard it if you fall. In fact, the only time I use it is on a motorcycle, since the speeds and potential impacts for a body-worn holster significantly changes that equation; I've had a large brass BUTTON on jeans (I don't ride in jeans anymore, BTW) leave a huge bruise in a low-side; I can only imagine what a pistol would have done.

Larry