Appendix Carry

[lindertw]

just got back from ToddG's monthly practice session at the NRA range, where I ran my HK P30/CCC Shaggy combo. This month's session covered drawing and reloading on the move...

This was my third range visit with the P30 (~550 rounds down range so far), and the first using the Shaggy w/SKD mag carrier setup carrying under an untucked polo shirt.

It could not have been a more perfectly timed practice session, as it gave me a solid three hours under watchful eyes while I worked on the AIWB draw, and HK paddle mag release. Weaknesses have been identified and I now have a better idea of what to work on with dry fire/movement/reloads at home.

[snare]

I think I've mentioned before that I have carried AIWB since 1991.

Last weekend my lady and I attended Tactical Response's Fighting Pistol course ( worth every penny !!! ). There were 25 shooters and we were the only two carrying AIWB. I carry a G19 in Dale Fricke's Archangel holster and his Archangel IWB mag pouch (both of which I have had Dale modify it a bit for me). The combo worked great.

I wear the holster at about 1230 (right handed) and the mag pouch sit immediately to the holster's left in the gap.

My lady carries a G26 in a High Noon Public Secret w/clip and carries a 15 round mag in her pocket.

We shoot from many positions including supine, seated, kneeling etc., and even shoot while rising from supine. We also shot, fixed malfunctions and reloaded on the move at various speeds. AIWB worked great.

In fact, the only time I have found it to be inconvenient at all was when I was shoveling and using a pick axe in the garden.

[luvmy40]

Does anyone know when they will taking orders for the Shaggy again?

It seems like everytime I check they are still not taking any orders...

I wish I could give a date. Every time I make up some ground on the backlog something comes up and I lose a few days or a week of production. This is exactly why I stopped taking new orders. It was getting to be impossible to be even remotely accurate on shipping dates.

Shoot me an email rschaefer@customcarryconcepts I will put you on the list to receive an email a few days before I bring website back on line.

Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks to everyone for your patience.

[JSantoro]

just got back from ToddG's monthly practice session at the NRA range, where I ran my HK P30/CCC Shaggy combo....

Whoa, first real try at AIWB, too? Did I read that right? Or just first time AIWB with that holster?

If so, I had no idea, and you did really well with it. Smooth, little if any real wasted motion; not like me and my 3+o'clock. Get away from feeling the need to stand all the way up to draw, you're gonna be an unholy terror, man.

[lindertw]

Whoa, first real try at AIWB, too? Did I read that right? Or just first time AIWB with that holster?

If so, I had no idea, and you did really well with it. Smooth, little if any real wasted motion; not like me and my 3+o'clock. Get away from feeling the need to stand all the way up to draw, you're gonna be an unholy terror, man.

almost - I tried my G19 in a CCC Looper late last year a few times at the range, but could not get comfortable with reholstering so I switched back to my RCS phantom @ 3 o'clock and ran that setup until very recently...

thanks Jim - last night was like back to square one in a lot of respects (trigger, mag release and AIWB setup), but I'll keep working at it. These practice sessions really drive home the basics - again this particular class was perfect timing for me with the pistol/carry method changeover

you did well (especially the last run of the night); just remember what Todd mentioned and you'll shave some time off the draw in no time (hand to the gun vice sweeping your cover garment so much).

[VolGrad]

So I got my Shaggy a couple of weeks ago but didn't have my G19 back from Gentle Ben to try it out. I ended up picking up another G19 this week and tried the Shaggy out yesterday for the first time.

From a non-operator type guy ... here's my take on the holster.

I really like the simplicity of the design. It is very well made and is perfectly fitted to the pistol. I like the way the adjustment screw is a regular old flat head and not a hex like everyone else wants to use. I hate that. Seriously, why not just use something most folks have on their multi-tool and or can use a knife blade in a pinch? Anyway, back to the holster. It securely holds the pistol and gives that positive snap when you put the gun in/out. The snap loops are my preference for any holster so that's a win here. The snaps are pretty tight since they are new but will loosen up over time. I had an issue with one and had to actually take the holster off to re-snap it and thread my belt through. That's not a problem ... it will loosen up over time. The holster was very stable and I never felt like it was going to move/shift/flip out/etc. Overall, I highly recommend this holster for folks looking for kydex. I would just as soon have this over the other kydex holsters I've tried, including Comp-Tac. The only thing Comp-Tac has over this one from CCC is a shorter wait time ... nothing more. Sometimes you have to wait for quality. Well ... almost always.

Unfortunately, as I had already once decided I can't AIWB a G19 due to my short stature. I am 5'6" and the G19 is just a bit too much for comfort for me. I wore this for about 3 hours before I just gave up and shifted it to 3 o'clock. There it was fantastic and that's where it stayed for the remainder of the day. No big deal. It wasn't the holster ... it was just the size of the gun and my height that was an issue. I love AIWB and for short excursions the G19 might still work.

I do carry my P238 AIWB quite comfortably and love it there.

[John_Wayne777]

Keep playing with the appendix position, bro. Believe it or not one inch of difference in placement can mean the difference between comfortable carry and pain. It's something you have to play with to get just right. Took me about 3 weeks of daily use to find my "sweet spot" where it's now perfectly comfortable for all day carry.

[DocGKR]

While I carry a 1911 or G19 85% of the time using a Sparks Heritage #1 or a Alessi DOJ in the 3 o'clock position, I've found appendix carry in the 1 o'clock position is very useful in certain work & sport attire. The one place it does NOT work well is for bicycle and horseback riding. Since there is minimal difference in carry position between my normal 3 o'clock and AIWB at 1 o'clock, there is no significant loss in motor memory between these two carry modes. Over the years, I've carried J-frames, S&W 3913/4013/4513, G19/17's, full size M&P's and 1911's in this mode with NO problems. As noted by many others, extensive practice drawing & reholstering with an empty handgun or a "blue gun" before carrying for real is a wise idea.

As I mentioned back on page 6 of this epic length thread, shortly after 9/11, Lou Alessi made holsters so issued M1911 pistols could be carried AIWB--this was the only effective carry method while wearing a double breasted service dress uniform coat, especially when seated in a vehicle.



It also turned out to work very well when needing to discreetly carry a pistol while in field uniforms--for example when doing civil affairs/medcaps with host nationals/indigenous folks:



It also works well in civilian attire:



These Alessi holsters worked perfectly for the intended mission. I became a big fan of their slight reverse cant. To date, this is the most comfortable and effective A-IWB holster I have used--the only thing that could be improved upon is perhaps a better belt fastener (although I am not aware of anyone breaking one of the Talon clips while using this particular holster). I'll soon be trying one of the new Garrity Invictus models for 1911's and see how that compares.

In addition, I have been using the CCC Looper holsters for the G19 and M&P45--these have worked well, especially since the loop design was strengthened (I broke a couple of the older ones); I have the CCC "Shaggy" on order for both G19 and M&P45 and look forward to trying them.

[VolGrad]

Keep playing with the appendix position, bro. Believe it or not one inch of difference in placement can mean the difference between comfortable carry and pain. It's something you have to play with to get just right. Took me about 3 weeks of daily use to find my "sweet spot" where it's now perfectly comfortable for all day carry.

I believe you and will keep trying. I tell people I loved my CTAC when I first got it but it literally took me almost a year of trying different heights, cants, positions until I found the sweet spot for me ... the one that made me totally forget it was there ... and invisible.

[dookie1481]

I've really tried with the Shaggy, but I just can't seem to get it to conceal my pistol at all. The wedge shape (and the shape of my belly) pushes the butt of the gun away from my body and makes concealment damn near impossible. I've gone back to my Looper (which I keep forgetting to sent in to get fixed) and have my Shaggy up for trade in the EE if anyone is interested.

Jay