Just curious what CCW holsters you guys were using for your handguns. I have been considering a new IWB. I really want to be able to tuck my shirt in if needed and saw the Galco U.S.A., Galco U.D.C., and the Supertuck by Crossbreed holsters. Any of you have one of these by any chance? Any recommendations?
I have learned to either untuck my shirt or wear a concealing garment over a tucked in shirt, like a sport coat or some such so, I can’t help you in that regard.
What I can say is that all of my IWB holsters are Milt Sparks VM-2s and are most comfortable for me with a full size handgun (rides down my hip without digging into it). OWB is even more comfortable with a compact and for OWB, it’s Mitch Rosen.
I’ve probably not helped at all.
For CCW I’m partial to the Blackhawk Askins holster. Works great with my G19 or my G34. Very comfortable and offers great concealment. Pulls the gun very close to the body and if you’re a big guy doesn’t print.
That said it sucks for anything else. Like other slide holsters a hot barrel can be a bit uncomfortable if you’re on the range shooting. It isn’t exactly a quick holster either.
If I have to tuck and cannot wear a cover garment over it, I either use a fanny pack or a pocket holster (the latter with an appropriate sized mouse gun).
For daily carry, I use a CCC Looper in the appendix position.
I like the Milt Sparks Executive Companion. The flange makes it the most comfortable IWB for me.
You might want to check out Raven Concelament’s holsters. Their holsters can be configured with a number of different types of hardware that will allow various modes of carry, including tuckable loops.
I have a crossbreed, not the supertuck though. Great holster, comfortable & hides a G21 pretty dang good.
If you choose an IWB, make sure you get something that allows re-holstering, which is essentially none of the leather IWB holsters I’ve tried in the last – oh, thirty some years. (I believe some do have metal reinforcement around the opening and that would probably do the job. Extra thicknesses of leather are not adequate.) Otherwise, if you have your belt tight enough to hold your rig in place securely, as soon as you draw, the holster collapses and now you have a gun in your hand you have no way to get rid of. If you have to perform some other task or need to return to a concealed condition you are out of luck without using both hands and a lot of obvious groping to get it back in. (If you have to handcuff a suspect this is a bad thing. Sticking it under your armpit or asking them to hold it for you are not good options…)
I like the Blade-Tech IWBs because re-holstering is as smooth as drawing. And you get a good click to let you know it’s home. And it doesn’t matter how stiff or tight a belt you wear.
Also, be advised some outside the waistband holsters have this same problem. Pancakes, belts slides, etc. Anything that has loops on either side of a symmetrical “pouch” is suspect. The Blackhawk Sherpa CQC couldn’t be better for re-holstering in an outside the waistband holster.
In my opinion a good defensive holster provides for both drawing and re-holstering equally well. And there is a tactical need to do both quickly and easily in the real world. There are holsters that do this. I would avoid the rest.
Every leather IWB holster I’ve ever used maintained its shape for reholstering. Some use extra leather, some kydex, and some metal (worst option imo). It’s true that cheap leather IWB’s may not be designed for this, but any decent one will be.
I’ve bought a number of expensive IWB leather holsters from major makers and none would allow reliable one handed re-holstering for me. And the longer the gun has been out of the holster, the more likely it is that it won’t make it back in. Especially with rigorous movement.
That’s the tricky thing about requirements – there’s lots of variability in the physical world and one person’s experience can’t be applied to all. If enough pressure is being applied by the belt on the holster, the resistance will be overcome and it will collapse. I would suspect that Todd’s build and personal clothing preferences allow leather to work OK for him as it would others. But Kydex has a much great modulus of elasticity than leather does. So I think Kydex would be a safer bet – since buying a holster is a gamble at best anyway.
Holsters obviously are subject to a lot of personal scrutiny – which is why there are so many of them. Only the user can decide if they meet their approval or not. But my bottom line advice is make sure it works for re-holstering – whether it is made from leather, plastic, or wood – because I believe it is an important and typically overlooked consideration.
I’ve been using a Galco IWB for some time with my 1911 and previously a Springfield XD-45. They both worked fairly well but for the 1911 the weight made the holster cant sometimes unless my belt was almost uncomfortably tight. The Milt-Sparks VM II I think is the best option out there but the wait time on them is insane. The wait time is probably worth it, but they aren’t taking orders right now. Beyond that you’d need an interim solution until your VMII arrives.
I recently ordered a Comp-Tac C-Tac holster for my 1911 which has been my daily carry for over a year now. Sometimes I carry a Springfield XD, but I recently bought a Glock 23 as a carry option. I’m still shopping for a holster for that, but the Comp-Tac M-Tac seems like a good option for me. Though again a VM II would be ideal. I prefer leather to Kydex or other materials.
I use a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2. Very comfortable and rock solid.
That’s the issue with me on IWBs. I like my holster to stay exactly where I put it, no matter what. Like it was bolted to steel. And I don’t like my pants sliding down into gang banger mode. You constantly have to be working on both with an IWB. But they do conceal well.
By the way, belts matter in all this. Dramatically. I like the stiffest, hardest one I can find in 1 1/2 inch width. For me the perfect belt can not be deformed edge to edge by any amount of hand strength. And the length needs to be infinitely adjustable, not just inch spaced holes. I find the Wilderness Instructor CSMs are the best for me. A good belt will make any holster better.
I would be interested in hearing what people don’t like about Kydex? Seems to answer a lot of problems. I know some people are concerned about finish wear. I guess I just don’t care. To me tactical weapons are tools, not works of art. If I wear them out I’ll just buy more. If they look like crap then that means I’ve done my homework.
I can’t say I don’t like kydex since I carry in a kydex holster every day. However, it definitely has some costs. First and foremost, it’s much more brittle than leather. While plenty of people have quality leather holsters which have lasted decades, most folks look at kydex as something that they know will break eventually. This is especially true if you’re going to expect the holster to survive any kind of retention/DT training (or a real fight over the gun).
Some people say it’s worse for the finish of the gun. Bleh. Maybe, maybe not. The solution to that is (1) get a better finish and (2) stop being a girl. It’s a tool, not a museum exhibit.
Some people dislike the “click” it makes when drawing and holstering. Bleh. I’m not worried about having to go ninja on someone. Stealth drawing my gun in a silent room is not likely to be a situation forced upon me in my life.
Many people feel it’s less comfortable, especially for IWB use. I don’t have that problem, but I always have a t-shirt or undershirt between my body and my gun. For folks who have it against their skin all day, it can be – again, for some people – less comfortable than leather.
Kydex isn’t nearly as nice to look at. See “don’t be a girl,” above.
As for the comments about IWB, again I’d just have to say that my experience has been the exact opposite. I find it more comfortable and more secure. My holster is not locked in place “like it was bolted to steel” yet I still manage a reasonably fast draw. The little bit of freedom it has to move around adds to the comfort. Just a YMMV thing, I guess. Ditto with pulling my pants down. Not a problem I’ve had.
As far as the pants getting pulled down, I’ve become quite aware of this problem as I have next to no butt. I have integrated the use of clip on suspenders as part of my daily dress. Just a little tension goes a long way, just part of dressing around your weapon for me.
This is what I CCW:
I think body shape has a lot to do with this. I am pretty parallel up and down through the midsection, so I have to crank my belt down to develop enough friction to keep everything where it ought to be. Which is always a temporary state. This all seems to get better with outside the waistband carry for me. Of course all this depends on the gun. A 40 ounce 1911 and a 25 ounce plastic framed pistol are quite different animals.
Agreed, the cranking down to keep things where it should be gets to me after awhile. The suspenders alow me to stay comfortable all day. As well the mid 40’s have taken a toll on the whole mid section being parallel anymore 
I thought leather was the only way to go before. I still love leather for IWB, but I have a raven holster that is excellent as well. I will echo what Todd G says, the CCC looper is a pretty darn good holster. I bought one used with the thought of trying it out. I was shocked at how comfortable it was. I’m not sure if it will be an everyday holster for me or not, but it is definitely worth taking a look at. Take at Look at Andrew’s Leather as well. Great holsters.
- 1 for Milt Spark Versa max. But at least 6 month backorder, well worth the wait