Signal Boost: Your favorite “all-day” holster & your measurements

[RevolverRob]

This is P-F and we should boost the signal-to-noise ratio relative to other forums. Rather than just describe your favorite holsters or methods of carry, let’s help folks out with a sense of your build. This way, folks of similar builds may be able to find holsters that work best for them with less trial and error. While everyone is different, it seems more likely someone closer to your body type will have similar success vs. someone with a distinct body type.

These should be the holsters that you can wear pretty much all day everyday that conceals your chosen piece in the way you most prefer.

Gun: 5” 1911

Holster(s): Milt Sparks Summer Special 1 (IWB), Red Nichols Beat the Devil Avenger (OWB)

Carry position: 4 o’clock, straddling belt loop.

Ride Height: front of ejection port just below top of belt.

Cant: 20-degrees (both holsters)

Build: “Short/Broad”, height 5’7”, weight ~200 pounds, inseam 28.5”, waist 34”, sleeve 32”, t-shirt size L-XL.

[WobblyPossum]

Glock 19 carried primarily AIWB. I alternate between a DSG Orion that I added a foam wedge to and a Tenicor Velo depending on which pants I’m wearing. I use the spring steel belt clip on the Orion and the Discrete Carry Concepts belt clips on the Velo. The spacing of the clips on the Velo doesn’t interact well with several of my pants. The front right belt loop of the pants is too close to the centerline which forces the holster closer to the centerline where the built in wedge causes discomfort. Wearing the pants with belt loops in the right place for the Velo places the Velo’s wedge in the inguinal crease. When the holster is in the right spot, it’s very comfortable. The Orion works well with the pants that the Velo doesn’t.

I am 5’11” tall and weigh in the 150-155# range. I’m currently recovering from knee surgery which limits the kind of work outs I can engage in so I’ve lost some weight.

[Alpha Sierra]

Gun: CZ P-01

Holster(s): TT Gunleather Convertible or JMCK IWB 1 (discontinued) (IWB), Winthrop Holsters leather pancake (OWB)

Carry position: 3:30

Ride Height: bottom of belt about even with front of trigger guard.

Cant: TT and Winthrop: 20 degrees, JMCK: 51 degrees. I prefer 10 fwd

Build: height 5’9”, weight 190 pounds, inseam 30”, waist 36”, sleeve 33”, chest: 43".

ETA bar none my favorite OWB holsters are those made by KT-Mech. Ride height and cant are perfect for me, allowing to easily conceal a full size service pistol (CZ P-09, P-10F, 75BD) under an untucked buttown down shirt in the summer.

[GearFondler]

Gun: G19 with Comp, RMR, and TLR7

Holster: Tenicor Sagax Lux at 1:00
All day comfort and concealment.

Pre TLR: RCS Eidolon at 1:00
Very slightly more comfortable and concealed than the Sagax Lux but not enough to make me regret the change.

5' 7", 164 lbs, 33" waist, 29" inseam

[Totem Polar]

Ruger LCR .38

Legacy Firearms "Apollo minimalist" AIWB

Super comfy and low profile. Caveat: best practice is taking the holster off to re-holster, similar to winged trigger guards (eg. Raven VG). I admit that this restriction is not for everybody, and certainly not for class line training, but, hell, it’s an LCR. If I need to conceal it in a hurry post-deployment, I can just drop it into a pocket.

5’ 10", 165+lbs, 33x32, 40R

[FNFAN]

Gun: Glock 23

Holster: Safariland ALS

Carry position: 3:00

Ride Height: ejection port just above top of belt.

Cant: Vertical

Build: 6’6”, weight 255 pounds, inseam 38”, waist 38”, sleeve 37”,T-shirt size XL-XXL.

[Joe in PNG]

Gun: Colt 1911 Commander 9mm

Belt: Mastermind Specialist

Holster: Custom Carry Concepts Gesalt with extended tab and leather comfort layer

Carry position: 3:00, right behind the point of my hipbone

Cant: tilted all the way forward

Body: 6'2", @210 lbs (at the time)

[NH Shooter]

Guns: Walther PPQ M1 5-inch, Walther PPS Classic

Holsters: JMCK #3 IWB, worn just behind hip

Cant: 15 degrees on both holsters

Belt: The Wilderness Instructor

Build: 5-7, 185 lbs. (most of my excess baggage in the stomach area). The good news is I lost 15 pounds in 2019, and am still progressing toward my 165 target, slowly but surely.

Commentary

I wear the JMCK #3/PPS combo every day, every waking minute with the exception of when I have to go to corporate in MA. Other than the additional weight, no noticeable change in comfort wearing the 5-inch PPQ. The PPQ is also faster out of the holster, even more so back in.

I have experimented with AIWB but I cant get "all day comfortable" with it.

[S Jenks]

Gun:
Beretta PX4 CC

Belt:
Graith Specialist
Comp-Tac Gunbelt (tapered)

Holsters:
JMCK AIWB with 1.5” steel clip (no pad or claw but may experiment a small pad soon)
or
JMCK IWB 3 with 10 degree cant and 1.5” steel clip

Carry position:
AIWB 12:30 - just to the right of centerline
IWB 3 - 3:00/3:30

Body:
5’ 10” 190lbs 33” waist

[JAD]

‘Comfort’ is a little interesting. I usually have a minor hot spot after wearing a service pistol aiwb all day, but I am more ‘comfortable’ than with my EX-RSO because I’m never concerned about printing, or my shirt having caught on the MSH.

Likewise, I have less of a hot spot with a G43 or 442, but I am more ‘comfortable’ with the capabilities of a service pistol.

Lightweight Commander, SME over the loop at 1:00, Alessi 1.5” belt*, spare mag at 9:00 in a Wilson carrier.

5’10”, 175#, 40R, 32x32, 16x33.

*i actually prefer the Specialist but it doesn’t have the ass to get through the sme’s loops. I use it for clip on holsters.