NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
General Categories => Carry Issues => Topic started by: Mark B on February 11, 2014, 05:09:38 PM
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Need some opinions on holster location. I have always carried at 4 o clock right handed. (Sig239, CB Supertuck). Due to some lingering issues and limited range of motion due to rotator cuff surgery 15 months ago I am considering front carry. Does anyone have any thoughts on a good holster and any pros and cons to front carry? Thanks in advance.
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I have been carrying in the appendix position for several years now. Started off with the Dale Fricke Joab. I am currently using the Dale Fricke Archangel. It is a bit more comfortable and I prefer the snap loops.
Pros; Quickest and most accessible position to have your gun. Also the easiest to defend.
Cons; Not terribly comfortable. You cant carry with an open front jacket or shirt. And must have the right body type (sorry, no beer bellies)
- Shawn
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I used to appendix carry a lot because I have nerve damage on my left side and too much pressure on my hip from a belt can cause a lot of pain. That's gradually gotten better with time so I switched over to 4:00 carry.
Appendix carry conceals very well as long as you have the correct cover garment. I used to carry a S&W 642 in a belly band holster since that was about as much weight I could bear around my waist for an extended period, and with a shirt covering it you absolutely could not tell it was there even if you knew where to look.
I agree with Shawn on all the pros and cons. It's especially uncomfortable if you have an office job and spend a lot of time seated, like me.
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Thanks guys. I understand what your saying about the comfort while sitting. After looking at several holsters, I think its either a Dale Fricke or CB. Shawn, any reason why you went to the Archangel from the Joab?
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I thought I was perfectly happy with the Joab and the belt hooks until Mike at The Bullet Hole had me try on the Archangel. It has a slightly different profile and feels thinner. The snap loops also secure the gun better and it moves around less. Its just as easy to take on and off without removing my belt which is an important feature to me.
- Shawn
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I thought I was perfectly happy with the Joab and the belt hooks until Mike at The Bullet Hole had me try on the Archangel. It has a slightly different profile and feels thinner. The snap loops also secure the gun better and it moves around less. Its just as easy to take on and off without removing my belt which is an important feature to me.
Yep. I wear my Archangel all the time when I'm not at work. (School---can't carry.) AIWB really is a very individual sort of thing, though. For me, once I found the right holster, AIWB is now completely comfortable sitting, standing, driving in a car (even for long distances), etc. I use my Archangel for fall-winter-spring carry, and a CCC Shaggy for summer carry. (And carry a G17 year-round.)
The Shaggy holds the gun butt closer to my body so it conceals slightly better than the Archangel, but is also slightly less comfortable. In weather that isn't completely boiling hot, concealment is easier so I go with the Archangel. In really hot weather with much lighter clothing, the Shaggy is needed for that extra-low profile. If I carried a G26, I'd use the Archangel year-round. (And I often use a G19 with the Archangel in the summer, too.)
The Shaggy originally came with a hard kydex loop, and that was the one thing I really disliked about it---like Shawn, I very much prefer to be able to take the entire holster off my belt without undoing the belt. (See? Shawn and I can agree on something! :) )
The latest iteration of the Shaggy includes a choice of loops, including a set of soft snap loops. (And if you have an older Shaggy, you can buy just the loops and replace them, which is what I did.)
I have several friends who have converted to AIWB. I have several others who converted back to IWB because they realized over time that it just wasn't comfortable enough for daily carry for them. It really is all about individual body type---and having a non-flat stomach isn't necessarily the defining choice. (I certainly don't have rock-hard abs.)
The problem, of course, is the fact that you won't know it works for you until you try it, and good AIWB holsters (mostly) aren't cheap. If you've got a friend who will let you borrow one for awhile, that is the best thing.
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But AIWB won't prepare you for IDPA or USPSA matches...... :P
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But AIWB won't prepare you for IDPA or USPSA matches...... :P
It is okay---my AIWB draw is consistently faster than my concealed draw from an OWB that I have to use for IDPA. (I'd get faster if I was allowed to actually use my real carry gear in IDPA. :) )
And we use those fancy drop-offset holsters (even in Production!) in USPSA. None of that "realistic" stuff for us gamers!
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Thanks guys for the help. I have a box full of holsters another won't hurt, Archangel it is.
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Don't give up on the 4 o'clock carry because of the surgery, been there done that. Keep at the rehab and you can gain a lot of motion back. My dreams of becoming a MLB pitcher are over, ;) but I can grab my carry handgun just fine. Good luck.
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Archangel it is.
And he'll include a New Testament for you.... :)
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Don't give up on the 4 o'clock carry because of the surgery, been there done that. Keep at the rehab and you can gain a lot of motion back. My dreams of becoming a MLB pitcher are over, ;) but I can grab my carry handgun just fine. Good luck.
It seems what I gained in the first 12 months is about the limit. It was a fairly extensive surgery due to the amount of damage. I am happy with the gains made but it's never going to be "factory fresh".
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It seems what I gained in the first 12 months is about the limit. It was a fairly extensive surgery due to the amount of damage. I am happy with the gains made but it's never going to be "factory fresh".
...and draws from AIWB are faster anyway. :)