All,
I was wondering how many of you carry a concealed pistol with a light attached.
My current CCW weapon is a Glock 19. The G19 is also my night stand gun and so I have a TLR-1 for it. I also have a SureFire G2 that is always with it. I always carry at least one extra mag (in case the one in fails) and a G2. I have ordered a BladeTech holster that will accomodate the G19 with the TLR-1 mounted. I prefer having a seperate light just in case I need to illuminate a non-threat like dropped keys. I also like the idea of being able to blind a target while covering and shooting at them and also being 101% positive what I am shooting at. That is the reason I am thinking of carrying with the light mounted in addition to the G2.
I have shot enough with and without the light that I can hit well either way. I looking at this as just another option, what do you all think and what are your experiences?
Thank you for looking at my post. I really appreciate this board and all the good information posted by true professionals.
V/r
Mike
Va Beach
Provided your body type and holster will allow you to somewhat “comfortably” carry in this manner you have nothing to lose.
IF you’re trained in proper light manipulation techniques and you’re confident then go for it. Its a personal preference thing more than anything else.
I have a Raven Phantom for G19 with X300 enroute. It’s for another project but just for shits & giggles I’m going to try it IWB with their overhooks to see what I think.
I’m a scrawny bastard, so I’m not optimistic.
As long as you still have a separate handheld light, I see no downside to carrying with the light attached other than concealability and (possibly, depending on holster chosen) ability to re-holster one-handed if need be.
I wear plain clothes all day, usually an untucked button-down shirt. Underneath is a G22 with an X300 in a Raven Concealment. I never would have believed you could conceal something like that so well, but RC does the trick. In fact, I’m a leather holster, thumbbreak kind of shooter and the RC is plastic, open-top. That’s how pleased I am with it.
On my looser (IWB pants), the entire thing fits inside remarkably well. I don’t have the hooks or loops to do that, but it’s nice to know the option is there.
Aker makes a decent leather holster for a gun/light combo, but it rode too high and was too vertical for my tastes. Some of the guys I work with use that one though and are happy with it.
Generally I carry concealed without a light simply because I find it’s more comfortable. I have two main holsters I use for concealing my primary carry guns, both from Raven Concealment. One is for the M&P with a mounted light, the other is for the M&P without the light.
I generally carry IWB in the holster without the light attached under an untucked shirt. The holster for the mounted light is set up for on the belt carry generally with a light jacket as concealment.
I’m just an ordinary citizen, not LEO, and I carry a G34 with Surefire X400 and Surefire DG-11 switch attached in a Raven Concealment Systems Phantom at 3:00 on a Galco 1.75" leather belt. This holster is usable as a OWB or IWB and I use it IWB with the Raven hard overloops. I’m 5’10" and 210 lbs with love handles, and the rig is comfortable (enough). I’m retired, and can pick my wardrobe. I usually wear a cotton t-shirt under the holster and a button-up patterned overshirt, or if it’s chilly, a sweater. Here in the Texas weather, I usually wear Woolrich Elite shorts.
I have tried Blade Tech and Comp-Tac IWB rigs also. The Raven is more stable than a Comp-Tac CTC or a Blade Tech IWB, flatter in profile than the Blade Tech, and just as flat as the Comp-Tac.
The gun is also my home defense nightstand gun, and I leave the X400 and DG-11 mounted all the time just so I won’t have to worry about removing and attaching it frequently and attendant boresight issues with the laser. With my lifestyle, I don’t expect to need a light or laser outside the house, but it’s there just in case. All my training is with the X400 attached.
I’m a big fan of the DG-11 because it allows me to activate the laser and light just by taking a normal firing grip on the gun. The second finger of my firing hand hits the switch; it’s very intuitive. This means that in an extremely stressful situation I don’t have to remember to reach forward to activate the X400.
I have also used RCS with great results. ( G35/34 w a TLR 1). OWB is a breeze and IWB with rubber loop is more than doable. If I was starting from scratch, I would spend the extra money on a Surefire with the DG switch so running the light and shooting could be a completely one handed operation if needed.
What would really be the cats meow would be AIWB with a g19/23 and a light that did not protrude past the barrel. I thought the TLR 3 was going to fill that niche.
I run a full size M&P9 w/TLR-1 in a Raven ACR. I have to be pretty careful with the positioning of the holster (closer to centerline than true appendix) but it is very workable. I’m 6’1" & 190# if that helps any.
Another Raven Concealment user, Glock 19 with SF X300.
Initially, I carried OWB only, but I did order it with IWB loops. With OWB I didn’t have any issues, as expected. Then, one day, I decided to try IWB. I never thought of doing it IWB 'cause the holster looks big-ass. Then I looked at myself in a mirror and said “Dude, your ass is big, so may be that big-ass holster will work:D”. Seriously, I am 6’2", 190 lbs, waist 34-35. Since then I’ve worn it almost exclusively IWB. I’ve done 5 hour drives and 3 hour moderate difficulty hikes, no problems. Needless to say, regular activity presents no issues.