Delaware Concealed Carry Forum
CCW Methods & Issues => CCW Equipment => Topic started by: Wickedrex on January 06, 2012, 07:53:19 PM
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Hello, as I am finishing up my paperwork to send in for my permit, I have been doing some research into holsters for one of my handguns. I currently have a Glock 30 .45 auto, a Glock 19 9mm, a Sig P250 Tactical 9mm and a 3" Tuarus Judge. For all intensive purposes, I will most likely be carrying the Glock 30 exclusively. I do wanna get a nice leather pancake or paddle holster for outside the waistband carry in the colder months but I really want to carry inside the waistband for the most part. I am 5'11", right handed and weigh about 195 lbs. I'm not skinny but not fat. As for dress, I'm a mechanic by trade so mostly jeans and tshirts or button downs/ polos when going out. Clothes aren't big but fit properly as my wife says! :D The two IWB holster I was considering was the Crossbreed Supertuck Deluxe and the Comptac Minotaur MTAC holster. I'm not a big fan of Kydex for fear of it gradually beating the slide Of the gun up but kinda liked the reviews the MTAC was getting. How do these two holsters compare and which would be more comfortable for a man with my frame? Also, I wasn't sure if I wanted to carry in the 4 o'clock position or in an appendix IWB position at like 1:30ish position. Can either of these holsters be carried in the AIWB position comfortably as well? Any other suggestions on a decent holster for the Glock 30? Not too many choices out there for this little monster. I was looking to spend up to around $100. Thanks in advance...
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I carry a Glock 29: same size as your G30. I'm 6'2", 220 lb.
I haven't really found a long term IWB solution for this firearm. I carry it one of two ways:
--Most often: concealed in plain sight in a Safepacker, worn at 3:30 on a strong leather belt. I do that year round, wearing shorts, khakis or jeans.
--Business casual: close to my, um, heart in a SmartCarry, under pleated Dockers.
I used to wear it in a normal holster under a concealing garment, but it's a really thick gun. I was always concerned about printing. With either of the above solutions, I don't worry about anything.
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I carry a G29 IWB at 2o'clock on this holster - http://www.donhume.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_5&products_id=35
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I have the G27 and just order the Crossbreed Super tuck Deluxe.
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I have noticed it is pretty hard to find a comfortable holster for this weapon. I have tried a cheaply uncle mikes IWB around the house to kinda get used to carrying but haven't found a very comfy place on the waistband to carry it yet. And printing is god aweful with the cheap holster but I was hoping both of these issues would be helped and maybe almost eliminated with a good holster. I did notice the MTac has adjustable cant. Does that allow it to be worn in multiple positions or is it only for adjusting gun angle in one particular spot?
As for the smartcarry, that actually looks pretty nice but not sure how it will work with jeans. The picture of Charlie on their website has on jeans but not all of my jeans fit like his! :D
I was looking at that exact Don Hume holster for IWB carry as well as the 721ot for OWB carry. I was wondering how it was but worried it may not be that nice though because of the price. I've heard good things about Don Hume holsters but was worried it was too generic.
There is definitely a bunch of choices out there and I'm just trying to used my wait time researching holsters before I pull the trigger on one. They are pretty pricey and just wanna get started trying them out on the right foot. Thanks again
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I carry a Glock 29: same size as your G30. I'm 6'2", 220 lb.
I haven't really found a long term IWB solution for this firearm. I carry it one of two ways:
--Most often: concealed in plain sight in a Safepacker, worn at 3:30 on a strong leather belt. I do that year round, wearing shorts, khakis or jeans.
--Business casual: close to my, um, heart in a SmartCarry, under pleated Dockers.
I used to wear it in a normal holster under a concealing garment, but it's a really thick gun. I was always concerned about printing. With either of the above solutions, I don't worry about anything.
Oldgraygeek, curious what position is 3:30?
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I carry a Glock 29: same size as your G30. I'm 6'2", 220 lb.
I haven't really found a long term IWB solution for this firearm. I carry it one of two ways:
--Most often: concealed in plain sight in a Safepacker, worn at 3:30 on a strong leather belt. I do that year round, wearing shorts, khakis or jeans.
--Business casual: close to my, um, heart in a SmartCarry, under pleated Dockers.
I used to wear it in a normal holster under a concealing garment, but it's a really thick gun. I was always concerned about printing. With either of the above solutions, I don't worry about anything.
Oldgraygeek, curious what position is 3:30?
Right behind the belt loop at 3:00.
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I have noticed it is pretty hard to find a comfortable holster for this weapon. I have tried a cheaply uncle mikes IWB around the house to kinda get used to carrying but haven't found a very comfy place on the waistband to carry it yet. And printing is god aweful with the cheap holster but I was hoping both of these issues would be helped and maybe almost eliminated with a good holster. I did notice the MTac has adjustable cant. Does that allow it to be worn in multiple positions or is it only for adjusting gun angle in one particular spot?
As for the smartcarry, that actually looks pretty nice but not sure how it will work with jeans. The picture of Charlie on their website has on jeans but not all of my jeans fit like his! :D
I was looking at that exact Don Hume holster for IWB carry as well as the 721ot for OWB carry. I was wondering how it was but worried it may not be that nice though because of the price. I've heard good things about Don Hume holsters but was worried it was too generic.
There is definitely a bunch of choices out there and I'm just trying to used my wait time researching holsters before I pull the trigger on one. They are pretty pricey and just wanna get started trying them out on the right foot. Thanks again
I carry a full size S&W M&P that's about the same size/weight as your G30. When I carry IWB I always use a CB supertuck. The coating on the gun is what they term "Melanite", which is the same as the Glock's "Tennifer", and I haven't noticed any wear or anything like that... The leather portion of the holster shows some darkening and wear, but even the kydex side of the gun shows nothing that can't be wiped off during a wipe down.
As for comfort and printing... I wear this setup with jeans and usually a t-shirt or polo style shirt. If the shirt is short I have to be aware of bending over and exposing it, but it goes completely unnoticed. I have one shirt that's a very heavy, yet very thin material. That one will print a little since it almost seems to "form" around it, but even that you can't tell what it is I'm carrying.. Could be a cell phone, pager, or whatever...
I also have an UM's kydex paddle holster that I wear at 3 o'clock covered with a jacket or button down feces thrown over a t-shirt occasionally too... Even with it as far out as it sticks it isn't noticeable...
One thing to bear in mind, and the reason I'm mentioning it is.... YOU are your most harsh critic... In other words, it took me a while to realize it, but what seems OBVIOUS to you is usually OBLIVIOUS to others... It's like the guy who has a zit on his face and thinks EVERYONE is staring at him, when really you can't even see it from more than a couple inches away...
Most of the time one simple rule applies... If YOU forget about the gun, everyone else will too... ;) Act like it isn't there, and for everyone else it'll disappear... ;)
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Old Grey,
I never pictured Wally as being 6' 2"", 220lbs. Holy cow!
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Old Grey,
I never pictured Wally as being 6' 2"", 220lbs. Holy cow!
Two years ago, I was 330 lbs...
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Rusiruis, thanks for the reply. As for being our own harshest critic, I truely never thought about it like that and it makes total sense.
I think I narrowed it down to a couple of different choices with them being the Supertuck, the Mtac, the Raven phantom, the Don Hume and Desantis IWB holsters. I guess what means the most to me right now is one that is slightly forgiving and adjustable so I can try the gun at different positions. I kinda like the 3 o'clock position the best. I could deal with the two or four o'clock position but would take a bunch of getting used to especially at two o'clock. And I haven't even gotten that far into the printing issue yet! ;D. Thats why I decided to pick your minds to get me started on the right track. I'm sure most of this will be a non-issue especially after carrying for bit. I know like anything else is mostly user preference but with so many options out there, I wanna get started in the right direction without blowing a bunch of money on experimenting.
Now, I noticed the Supertuck states it is intended to be worn in the four o'clock position. Is this the only place it can be worn or just where it SHOULD be placed and other places could be a option?
Btw, sounds like we have a nice and fit group here! Keep up the good work!
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I use the Crossbreed Super Tuck 80% of the time & the 0400 seems the most comfortable, but you can slide it in an position. On the side at 0300 it will stick out & drive into your hip . ??? I'm 6' & 195 ...after you ware it for awhile you forget it's there. The other 20% of the time I use a shoulder holster in colder weather. I carry different guns, but the shoulder holster lets me carry the Ruger 357 comfortably.
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Wise words, Rusirius. I still catch myself nervously looking down, to check things out, which is not good. That, more than any printing, would draw attention!
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Now, I noticed the Supertuck states it is intended to be worn in the four o'clock position. Is this the only place it can be worn or just where it SHOULD be placed and other places could be a option?
Btw, sounds like we have a nice and fit group here! Keep up the good work!
I find it most comfortable for me at about 4 o'clock, which with the cant I have set put the grip right around 3:30. For me personally it just seems to feel "at home" there and doesn't ever get in my way... Rather standing, sitting, etc it always seems to stay out of the way. Not sure that's true for everyone, but I'd guess it's probably true for most, and that's probably why they recommend that position. However, as knotacare pointed out, you can slide it in any position you want. the cant can be adjusted quite a bit (4 positions on front clip combined with 4 positions on the rear clip) however the holster automatically has some cant built in, so while I've never tried, I doubt you could get much negative cant, so I don't know how comfortable you could get with extreme front positions (i.e. 1-2 o'clock.)
I'm sure you've already seen or heard it before, but whatever holster you get, make sure you have a good gun belt to go along with it... I was one of those guys who didn't think it would make that big of a difference, but it really does make a HUGE difference. On the other hand, with the clothes I normally wear sometimes a big heavy thick gunbelt just doesn't work, so I have a "Swiss" belt I think I picked up in target... it's very thick and pretty wide compared to most belts (though nothing like a gun belt) but it actually does a good job of distributing the weight and working pretty well.
Anyway, point is, it's not "all" in the holster when it comes to comfort... The belt plays a big part in it too!
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The belt I use is a belt from Walmart. about a 1 1/4" wide, fairly thick leather and it has a double row of holes all the way around the belt with a double prong buckle. It is comfortable, and the extra holes work for hanging extra things onto the belt with clips or rings. Inexpensive and durable. I've had it for years and wear almost daily.
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Ok, so I finally made a purchase on a new holster I found online. I got a holster made by SHTF Gear called the ACE-1 for my glock 30. It is a hybrid holster very similar in construction and form to a Super Tuck or a Theis holster. The owner of the company, Clay, was very nice, professional and helpful. Anyhow, it is made of cowhide which seems kind of stiff right now and I have leather belt straps for it. I had a question for those who are familiar or are using this style holster. When wearing it in the recommended 4 o clock position, my gun prints pretty badly on my T-shirt especially at the base of the grip towards the small of my back. I'm just curious if this will get better as the holster breaks in or is this an issue with my gun size, clothes or a combination of the two.
My clothes fit pretty well, nothing too baggy or oversized. It fits very comfy on my waist band in my pants. I have a very nice 1.5" leather belt that is very sturdy. What do you guys think? Should I start shopping for a thinner gun, a new shirt selection or change my carrying position? Or should I just give it time as the holster needs to break in more? I really like this carry position as it is very comfy and I truely would like to not change my wardrobe. I really like the way I dress and my wife especially would like it if I didn't. I mean i know it is a large (or i should say thick!) gun but a lot of people carry these or something similar. I have a glock 19 and i feel i would have similar issues with it as well. What do you all think?
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Wickedrex,
Here's a tip for breaking in new leather holsters I got with my IWB holster from The Holster Store. Take you gun, and make sure it is empty and even remove the clip, for safety purposes. Wrap the entire gun to the handle in wax paper, wax side out. Wrap around gun at least 2-3 times. Insert the wrapped gun in the holster repeatedly. This will transfer the wax to the leather interior of the holster and make it slide easy. They also suggest leaving the wrapped gun in your holster over night as the extra thickness of the wax paper will help stretch the leather.
Now another tip. I did not have any wax paper. So, I took a candle and lit it and took an old tooth brush and applied the liquid hot wax inside the holster (doesn't take a lot) as best as I could. This left the wax a little gloppy inside the holster. Then I held the holster upside down and used the candles flame to melt the wax, which absorbed into the leather. In less than an hour I had my holster working like a champ and as slick a snot on a door knob. Good idea to wipe you gun off when done (wax, not snot). Ha, Ha!
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Sturmruger,
Thanks for the reply. This holster is a very well made hybrid. I am pretty impressed. I did notice that the gun seems to stick a little in the holster and when reholstering sometimes you can hear the slide move a little. It hasn't moved to the point where it would in chamber a round though. I am currently trying the wax paper thing on it now. I still am a little concerned with the printing issues. As I wear it around the house, it seems to get a little better each day but I'm still concerned my 30 may be a little thick (or better yet, I may be!) ;D. I'm just hoping the leather breaks in so it doesn't print so badly. I'm new to the IWB carry and hope it works for me.
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Sturmruger,
Thanks for the reply. This holster is a very well made hybrid. I am pretty impressed. I did notice that the gun seems to stick a little in the holster and when reholstering sometimes you can hear the slide move a little. It hasn't moved to the point where it would in chamber a round though. I am currently trying the wax paper thing on it now. I still am a little concerned with the printing issues. As I wear it around the house, it seems to get a little better each day but I'm still concerned my 30 may be a little thick (or better yet, I may be!) ;D. I'm just hoping the leather breaks in so it doesn't print so badly. I'm new to the IWB carry and hope it works for me.
Don't get too wrapped up in the printing thing... First off, put your own mind at ease knowing that there is no brandishing law in DE. So even if someone DOES see it and reports it, other than an inconvenience it doesn't matter... Second off, I've said it several times in posts on this board and others... YOU are your own worst critic. You KNOW you are carrying a gun, and because you are new to it there's this deep seeded place in your brain that society has implanted that screams out, "Only cops and criminals carry guns, and I'm not a cop!".
Ask someone who is law enforcement how they can tell if someone is carrying a weapon or not... It generally isn't because they can SEE it, it's because of the mannerisms and actions of the person who is carrying it.
When you do things like keep your strong side arm clenched closer to your side while walking, you do it because you are AWARE of the gun... That's the key...
You need to FORGET about the gun... Unless a situation develops where you NEED it, you shouldn't even realize you have it. If YOU forget about it, so will everyone else around you...
Think of it like this... When you say you have a bad "print", think about how it REALLY looks... Take yourself and your OWN knowledge out of the equation... If you walked up to a complete stranger, pointed at the slight buldge and said, "What do you think I have here?", what do you think their answer would be?
Remember society implants that only cops and criminals carry guns? You're not either, and most people don't assume you are one or the other... So if they see a buldge their first assumption isn't going to be a gun, because YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE CARRYING ONE OF THOSE THINGS AROUND! So their minds are naturally going to go to things that you MIGHT be carrying around, things they've seen before... Like maybe a cell phone, mp3 player, pager, etc....
So take another look and see just how bad it really is... Chances are, it's not as bad as you'd think... and even if it is, as long as you forget about it, nobody else will notice it anyway... ;)
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I carry concealed "in plain sight" in a Safepacker. When I first got it, I was afraid it would scream "GUN" like a fanny pack.
Over six years, exactly two people have correctly identified it as a holster.
People don't notice things that belong there... and, if you look like you belong where you are, everything you're carrying belongs too.
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You know what, you guys did bring this up earlier in the thread. That was a few weeks ago and before I purchased my holster. I guess with all of the info I gained, I formulated in my mind an idea of what was exceptable. Upon receiving my holster and using with my firearm, I wound up spazzing a little and forget all of the valuable insight given to me by you all! :o. Now that I've collected myself and reread through your posts, it all makes sense again. Even my wife stated that yes she could every once in a while notice a bulge on my side but almost everyone would think it were a cell phone on a belt clip. Your wisdom has sunk back in! ;D
As for the wax paper aroUnd the gun to ease the gun in and out...... WOW what difference! Goes in and out like butter now. Very secure still though. Just took the grittiness out of it. Thanks again everyone for your input!