Best Practices for Putting on a Stiker-Fired Gun While Seated

[Mark D]

Hoping for some P-F input on the best methods to put on a gun AIWB, while seated.

A couple of times a day I remove a holstered G19 from my belt, or put it back onto my belt. This is performed while seated in a car. My actions are legal, but discretion is important. The most hazardous part, in my opinion, is putting the gun into my beltline while seated.

The pistol lives in a lock box in the car when I'm inside a NPE. When I leave the NPE, my technique is this:

1) From the driver's seat, open lock box and visually and physically confirm the pistol is fully inserted in the kydex holster (JMCK or DSG).

2) left thumb creates gap between belt and stomach.

3) right hand inserts the holstered pistol into the beltline, with right thumb riding the striker control device.

4) Drape concealment garment over the gun butt, adjust belt clips as necessary.

Is there anything else I should be doing to minimize the risk? (Apart from using a different gun or different carry method).

Thanks.

[ubervic]

Given your decision to strap-up and de-strap while seated in your car, I believe that your procedure and reasoning are valid and appropriate.

[rangerover]

Interested in this thread. You are braver than I am. I too have to holster and unholster frequently but I always do it standing up. Often I holster/unholster in a store parking lot a few blocks away from where I am going so people don’t see me unholster then leave the car unattended. I also live in Ohio where open carry is legal and not unheard of so I don’t care if people in a 7/11 parking lot see me.

[JHC]

Keeping the gun seated in a quality holster through this process renders it as safe as anything else you could do with it.

[runcible]

Well, it's an administrative action, but that doesn't exclude it for benefiting from some deliberation in the process.

You may find that something along the lines of the following to be beneficial:

...take the holstered gun into your firing hand, orienting the muzzle towards the engine block and keeping everything below the plane of your window sill.

...index your shoulderblades against the back of your seat, plant both feet flat against the floor, and bridge your hips upwards sufficient that you can insert the rig into your pants without the muzzle-line intersecting with your bodyparts while still keeping the rig below the plane of the window sill.

...use the ring and pinky fingers of the firing hand to clear your topmost garment(s) up, pinch\pin said garment in place with the firing-side elbow.

...glide the rig down the flat plane of your abdomen until the muzzle-end of the holster is just shy of contacting the top of your lower-body garment or belt.

...support hand pinches the belt near the opposite side inguinal crease, thumb inside and clasping fingers on the outside; lift the belt and garment away from your body and then track said hand over towards the shooting side, until the triangular void is centered below the rig held in hand.

...insert the rig fully into your lower body garment, shifting your trigger finger from an exterior register along the holster body to an exterior register pinching the outer fabric; use your support hand to fasten the attachment hardware.

...release the firing hand from the weapon, check and verify the attachment hardware's fastening.

...relax your hips back down onto the seat, resituate your cover garment, and continue on with your travels.

[TheRoland]

When I had to do this daily for about a month, I drove somewhere private that I could stand while taking my holster off or putting it on. It added 10 minute to my drive and might have made some warehouse security guard scratch their heads but I remained unshot.

[Duces Tecum]

Step 1: Get a SCD . . .

[psalms144.1]

Keeping the gun seated in a quality holster through this process renders it as safe as anything else you could do with it.

This, this, a thousand times, THIS! Get a good quality kydex IWB with a sturdy clip. Carry in that. When you need to de-gun, take the whole holstered pistol out of your pants, secure it, then go on about your business.

[HCM]

Interested in this thread. You are braver than I am. I too have to holster and unholster frequently but I always do it standing up. Often I holster/unholster in a store parking lot a few blocks away from where I am going so people don’t see me unholster then leave the car unattended. I also live in Ohio where open carry is legal and not unheard of so I don’t care if people in a 7/11 parking lot see me.

Just to clarify, the OP is putting on and taking off an already holstered pistol, not unholstering and re-bolstering, which as you noted is riskier.

[HCM]

Step 1: Get a SCD . . .

The OP has a SCD - see step 3.