Plainclothes Holster

[TxShooter]

I work in Investigations for a small rural Sheriff's Office. Daily dress ranges from a button-up shirt and jeans or khakis to the ubiquitous 5.11 Tuxedo. For the most part concealment isn't a concern outside of certain tasks like helping Narcotics do surveillance.

My primary pistol is a SIG P226R 9mm in a Galco FLETCH. I've recently started working with a full size P320 9mm in a Safariland 6377. My only real complaint with the ALS is the width. I've been thinking about picking up another FLETCH, but before I drop the money I was wondering if anyone here had experience with kydex rigs like the CompTac International duty holster or the Raven thumbreak and how closely they ride versus a leather pancake?

Any ideas are appreciated.

[breakingtime91]

Full disclaimer: not a cop. Have you considered just carrying concealed in general. I may be weird but I have always found appendix or iwb to be more comfotorable than owb.

[orionz06]

The fullsize 320 is an easy gun to carry AIWB an strong side would be just the same, if considering concealed.

[HCM]

The 7TS updated versions of the ALS are a bit less bulky. Safariland also has a pancake style GLS, the 537 but it is not yet available for the SIG 320.

Bravo concealment down in the valley has a kydex pancake with a thumb release hood which is relatively slim https://www.bravoconcealment.com/col...iant=880195817

If you are going with a pancake, I like flat back holsters like the FLETCH. Aker, Mitch Rosen and El Paso Saddlery make some nice flat backs as well.

Now that DPS is issuing the 320 you should be able to get prison leather for it.

[Chipster]

It seems I've played this game so many times over the years as I've transitioned from drugs, to task forces, to sex crimes and back to drugs and everything inbetween. I'd say go concealed all the time. Administrations get used to it and it's a nice transition to off duty. Think things like, no Taser, no cuffs, no radio, etc... and suddenly wearing a gun out in the open just seems like a bad idea. I'd also suggest dumping logo polos representing the department for less obvious wear. Victims like it as it becomes more personable, and everybody who needs to know who you are, already likely does regardless of the clothes. I'd also suggest a neck badge. Order a flat badge and get a medal type emblem from a trophy store and glue it to it. It looks a bit like flavor flav, but it sits flat and shines like a diamond when you need it too. Nobody looks at your belt badge unless there's a gun exposed on a belt. Nothing more exciting than having guns pointed at you by responding uniforms when you're worried about the guy you're pointing a gun at.

Saying all that I like AIWB. CCC Shaggy or JMCK. You can't really go wrong with either.

[Lon]

Look at the Safariland pro-fit 578 line. I used one in plainclothes. Was actually a closer fit to the body than I wanted. Added spacers to push the holster out a bit. Similar release to the GLS line.

[Whiskey_Bravo]

That Bravo holster with the spring loaded hood is a hunk of shit. I have one for my duty gun and I hate the way it fits. Sticks too far off the body and the retention hood is awkward unless the holster is far back, almost behind the hip.

I have yet to find a Kydex OWB holster that conceals better than a Raven Concealment with OWB pancake wings. I normally prefer a straight drop/zero cant, but full size guns carry well with their FBI cant. I'm issued a Glock 21 so I'm sure it's similar to your full size Sigs.

That being said though, I am using a JM Custom OWB V1 Light Bearing for gun with X300-U for all my training class/building carry/road job needs. Concealment isn't my biggest concern currently, being in uniform patrol.

[LittleLebowski]

For plainclothes requiring retention, I'd look at the Safariland GLS. I wrote an article about it, I quite like it.

http://www.gunnuts.net/2014/08/25/sa...olster-review/

[TxShooter]

Thank you for all of your thoughts and suggestions.

I can see the advantage of being concealed all the time. At this point that option is only afford to our Narotics investigator, or if circumstances require it on a limited basis. Administration wants us to be readily identifiable as peace officers with a tucked shirt mandatory. Being a smaller agency, CID is also expected to any in-progress calls such as burglaries or assaults.

Culture wise it's also the norm for this part of Northeast Texas. At times you see some oddities, like the detective from another agency who was fully decked out in a 5.11 Tuxedo with a tiny P232 on his belt. On the other end of the spectrum you'll see people wearing double carved belts like the Rangers.

[SLG]

On the other end of the spectrum you'll see people wearing double carved belts like the Rangers.

I know what I'd do if I was a Texas lawman. :-)