JM Custom Kydex IWB 2 or Milt Sparks VM2 for Strong-side Carry?

[jwhit]

I currently carry a full size USP 45 in an Aliengear Cloaktuck 3.5 in the 3-3:30 position. While I find this to be a comfortable enough holster, I want to find something of higher quality. I have a JM custom kydex AIWB 2.5 on order so I can try out appendix carry, but I want to have another good holster for when I want to carry on my side. I've narrowed it down to the JMCK IWB 2 and the Milt Sparks Versa Max 2. I think both will be of good quality and are very similar in form, but I can't decide between getting kydex or leather (not really looking for another hybrid). I think the kydex would be more secure but I am fine with leather, especially when it comes from a reputable manufacturer like Sparks. I think the leather may be more comfortable though so it's hard to decide. Any input is appreciated. Thank you!

[NH Shooter]

For Tupperware, JMCK #2

https://i.ibb.co/Zx1mBwQ/ppq-14.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/8s5CD9d/ppq-15.jpg


For Classic heavy metal, Sparks;

https://i.ibb.co/DRMhwys/5906-11.jpg

[JTQ]

I think the kydex would be more secure ...
I can't tell you which you would like more, but leather holsters are typically quite secure. There is typically more range of retention with a leather holster than with a kydex holster, though I can't speak specifically for the JMCK IWB #2.

Kydex typically only has about a 1/4" of retention, once past that point, the gun practically jumps out of the holster. Admittedly, you usually have screw retention devices on most kydex where you can really crank up the tension, but I don't usually want to live with a holster dialed up that much.

Paraphrasing the late Paul Gomez, at about the 4:45 mark, "the good thing about kydex is it is fast, the bad thing about kydex is it is fast."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF7VbYh9Qqk

I have both leather and kydex holsters and like them both. In general, when I think of speed, I think of my kydex holsters. When I think of retention, I think of my leather holsters.

You'll have about a six month wait for the VM II, and it's going to cost about twice what the JMCK will cost you, so those things could also weigh into your decision.

[LittleLebowski]

It will definitely be easier to get the JMCK. The Sparks will be more comfortable. Either is good.

[revchuck38]

jwhit - Did you mean IWB 2 or OWB 2?

[BillSWPA]

I have not owned a Milt Sparks holster, and use a JM Custom Kydex IWB #3 any time I carry IWB.

I prefer kydex for IWB because it is thinner than reinforced leather. The top of a leather IWB holster will typically have two layers of leather on either side of the gun, and possibly a metal stiffener in between. Holsters with the metal stiffener typically use thinner leather since the metal provides the stiffness, but still add noticeable thickness. Holsters which rely entirely on the leather reinforcement can get quite thick. One leather IWB I used to own which did not use a metal reinforcement, and relied entirely on the leather for stiffness, added at least 1/4" to the total thickness which had to be concealed, and which had to fit between my pants waistband and me.

Leather is typically more secure. Kydex is very forgiving of drawing the gun at an angle with respect to the holster, while leather is unforgiving of failing to draw the gun in line with the holster. If you are drawing the gun properly, you are drawing it in line with the holster. Someone grabbing the gun may be less likely to draw it in line with the holster.

[jwhit]

jwhit - Did you mean IWB 2 or OWB 2?

IWB

[jwhit]

I can't tell you which you would like more, but leather holsters are typically quite secure. There is typically more range of retention with a leather holster than with a kydex holster, though I can't speak specifically for the JMCK IWB #2.

Kydex typically only has about a 1/4" of retention, once past that point, the gun practically jumps out of the holster. Admittedly, you usually have screw retention devices on most kydex where you can really crank up the tension, but I don't usually want to live with a holster dialed up that much.

Paraphrasing the late Paul Gomez, at about the 4:45 mark, "the good thing about kydex is it is fast, the bad thing about kydex is it is fast."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF7VbYh9Qqk

I have both leather and kydex holsters and like them both. In general, when I think of speed, I think of my kydex holsters. When I think of retention, I think of my leather holsters.

You'll have about a six month wait for the VM II, and it's going to cost about twice what the JMCK will cost you, so those things could also weigh into your decision.

I have an idea, I'll get the JMCK while I wait for the VMII and just have both :cool:

Good points about the leather, I used to think they were too "old school" but I'm starting to realize there is nothing wrong with a quality leather holster.

[Oldherkpilot]

The Sparks holster can be your winter holster and the JMCK your summer holster. Having spent some time in Little Rock, I assure you the kydex saves drying out leather holsters.

[Vista461]

For Classic heavy metal, Sparks;

https://i.ibb.co/DRMhwys/5906-11.jpg

I’m in love.

[NH Shooter]

IWB

Sorry, my feeble brain processed it as OWB.

Here's a JMCK IWB #3;

https://i.ibb.co/X3wHpxp/PPQ-10.jpg

[jwhit]

The Sparks holster can be your winter holster and the JMCK your summer holster. Having spent some time in Little Rock, I assure you the kydex saves drying out leather holsters.

What a coincidence, I’m in NLR! I’ll get both and do just that.

[03RN]

I just got a vm2 and it's quite a bit more stable and comfortable than my summer specials or jmcustom iwb holsters.

[jwhit]

I just got a vm2 and it's quite a bit more stable and comfortable than my summer specials or jmcustom iwb holsters.

How’s the thickness feel compared to a kydex holster?

[03RN]

How’s the thickness feel compared to a kydex holster?


I'd say it feels better. Horse hide is pretty thin and there's no hard edges

[jwhit]

I'd say it feels better. Horse hide is pretty thin and there's no hard edges

Did you get the full horsehide? I know the cowhide has the body side of the holster made of horsehide too.

[EVP]

This is pretty easy choice.


Get both, order the Sparks and forget about it. Play around with the JM and when the Sparks comes in you have a quality leather option. Both are great but only you can decide which you will prefer.

[JWH]

This is pretty easy choice.


Get both, order the Sparks and forget about it. Play around with the JM and when the Sparks comes in you have a quality leather option. Both are great but only you can decide which you will prefer.

This is articulated much better than most “buy both” posts.

[GyroF-16]

I have both the JMCK and VM2 for my daily-carry Beretta 92 Compact. I’m very satisfied with both.
That said, the kydex holster is the one I reach for every time. The Sparks holster is still in a box above the safe, but it’s been at least two years since I’ve used it.

Both are secure and comfortable. The JMCK holster is slimmer, and I can adjust it slightly in clock position and angle depending on the clothes I’m wearing and the car seat or chair that I’m sitting in. It’s also the easiest of the two to put on before heading out the door.

The Sparks VM2 is very consistent in position and angle, and, while a bit thicker, offers more “padding” against the back of my hipbone during a long day, or when I’m particularly lean and have less “natural” padding there.

I would recommend either or both holsters, but for my use, when/if I go to a Glock 19, I’ll use a JMCK, and probably not spend the time and money on a VM2.

[Sig_Fiend]

Since you already have one, jwhit, figured I'd mention this. The JMCK AIWB Wing Claw 2.5 also works great as a strong side holster. I've had many and carried many larger guns at 3:00 with them (with a straight drop), like a G34, P30, HK45, maybe a few I'm forgetting. They're more comfortable in that position than most other kydex holsters I've found. The claw also helps significantly with pulling in the grip on a larger gun in that position. Also, the hole spacing tends to help with stability quite a bit, which contributes to the comfort IMO.

[JAD]

The forward belt attachement for the IWB2 is on the holster body. The forward attachment for the VM2 is beside the body. This will do two things:
1) The VM2 is much more comfortable because the pressure of the belt is not directly on the thickest part of the handgun.
2) The VM2 will 'crawl' back towards 4:00; I cannot get a VM2 to stay at 3:00, and I have... gosh, 5 of them.

For a large, thick pistol like the USP the VM2 will be radically more comfortable. The VM2 will allow the grip to print a lot as it moves back toward 4:00 if you're thin. AIWB was made for concealing big ass pistols well -- stick with your wing claw and tough it out.

[jwhit]

Since you already have one, jwhit, figured I'd mention this. The JMCK AIWB Wing Claw 2.5 also works great as a strong side holster. I've had many and carried many larger guns at 3:00 with them (with a straight drop), like a G34, P30, HK45, maybe a few I'm forgetting. They're more comfortable in that position than most other kydex holsters I've found. The claw also helps significantly with pulling in the grip on a larger gun in that position. Also, the hole spacing tends to help with stability quite a bit, which contributes to the comfort IMO.

I ordered the AIWB 2.5 with the wide spaced soft loops, I'll have to try that out when it gets here! I've read that the wing may make a weird bulge on the beltline when used strong-side but everyone's body is different so if it works for you, it may work for me too.

[jwhit]

The forward belt attachement for the IWB2 is on the holster body. The forward attachment for the VM2 is beside the body. This will do two things:
1) The VM2 is much more comfortable because the pressure of the belt is not directly on the thickest part of the handgun.
2) The VM2 will 'crawl' back towards 4:00; I cannot get a VM2 to stay at 3:00, and I have... gosh, 5 of them.

For a large, thick pistol like the USP the VM2 will be radically more comfortable. The VM2 will allow the grip to print a lot as it moves back toward 4:00 if you're thin. AIWB was made for concealing big ass pistols well -- stick with your wing claw and tough it out.

Really good observation, thank you for that! I'll try the 2.5 in AIWB and side carry and if I have an issue I'll try out the VM-2. I'm pretty large so IDK if I'll have the same problem but you never know till you try.

[Sig_Fiend]

I ordered the AIWB 2.5 with the wide spaced soft loops, I'll have to try that out when it gets here! I've read that the wing may make a weird bulge on the beltline when used strong-side but everyone's body is different so if it works for you, it may work for me too.

I don't notice a bulge as much as the roughly triangular gap created between the claw and where the belt reaches your side again. The amount of gap differs depending on the belt stiffness. With a really stiff belt, it will be quite pronounced such that you could probably fit a few fingers in the gap.

With the wing claw, I've found I don't actually need as rigid a belt as I've used before. This ability to use less of a stiff belt due to the claw tucking the grip so well is a part of the comfort factor IMO.

For example, I've used Comp-Tac kydex-reinforced leather belts (https://www.comp-tac.com/kydex-reinforced-contour-belt) with this holster at 3:00 and found that to be a little too stiff, too significant a gap aft of the claw, and maybe a little less comfortable. On the other end of the spectrum, I've used nylon belts that aren't heavily reinforced or aren't using scuba webbing, such as the 5.11 1.5" double duty TDU belt (https://www.511tactical.com/double-duty-tdu-belt-1-5.html), and actually found it to be more comfortable and just as concealable despite being more flexible. I'd definitely recommend playing around with different belts when experimenting with that holster (or similar ones) when carried strong side.

[03RN]

I missed where you said you're going to try aiwb.

Good choice with a big gun. I have the 2.0 and 2.5 for 1911s and Berettas and they carry very comfortably and conceal well.

[titsonritz]

Good points about the leather, I used to think they were too "old school" but I'm starting to realize there is nothing wrong with a quality leather holster.

I've through a lot of excellent Kydex holsters but find myself gravitating back toward leather more and more.

[jwhit]

I've been doing more research and have had TT Gunleather recommended to me. I saw that they ride lower and I like that so I'm probably going to go with them when I get a leather holster since their quality is on par with Milt Sparks. Also their turnaround time is so much better, like a month or so. I'm planning on going with their standard Reinforced IWB holster (20 degree cant): https://www.ttgunleather.com/product-page/reinforced-iwb. When I save up for it, I'm going to skip the kydex and try this out.

[titsonritz]

Look at Kramer Leather Horsehide.

[Tony Mayer]

I have an idea, I'll get the JMCK while I wait for the VMII and just have both :cool:

Good points about the leather, I used to think they were too "old school" but I'm starting to realize there is nothing wrong with a quality leather holster.

I like where your heads at!! A couple things. The IWB2 is only available in the custom section.. it's not very popular (but maybe I should just make it a quick ship....hmmm)although it was one of the first holsters I designed so it's kind of near and dear to me. It only has the trailing wing because I think kydex is too "stiff" to work as the same style as a VMII, with a wing on both sides of the pistol. The IWB2 does ride higher than the IWB3 and is not available with a red dot cut, FYI.

As to the Milt Sparks holsters.. I think they are the BEST leather holster available (JRC is also very good but I am pretty sure he retired) and have been for a long, long time. Timeless designs that all of us kydex makers have somewhat copied to one extent or the other (my IWB3 is hugely inspired by the Summer Special) and they are good people with good customer service! I own all of the IWB models except the Criterion (will be remedying that though) and they are all fantastic holsters and work very well... can't go wrong with them IMO. Plus I just like the company a bunch!

[HeavyDuty]

I keep meaning to try an IWB2, I’m finally at a point where I can comfortably do IWB again.