My load-out varies too much, lately, to be both specific and brief, and, depending upon upon how my next LEOSA qual goes, I may be Glock-only, for a while. With PD ranges not doing quals, due to the pandemic, I may go to a private shooting school/range, several hours away, that does LEOSA quals, get everything done as quickly as possible, which means using a Glock, while gloved-up, then tossing everything, including my outer later of clothing, into a bag, and my boots into the back of the truck, for the trip home. My wife’s health is too fragile for me to risk doing anything extra, such as shooting the qual a second time for revolvers. Reloading revolvers is a bit tedious while gloved-up.
Plus, the shooting school specifies that one must wear a duty-type holster, and I am not certain what I still have, for revolvers, will meet their standards, and I would rather not take the time to change rigs, anyway.
If the qual card they give me does not specify auto, well, I may carry both autos and revolvers. The card my former employer issues will specify either auto, or revolver; I need to shoot a qual for each, if I want to carry both
After this COVID thing settles down, well, I can go to the Houston PD range, and get qual’ed with both revolver and auto. I can qual as often as I want; no need to wait a year. An LEOSA qual card has a specified date, and is good for one year. (I am kicking myself for not getting my qual done early, before this pandemic mess.)
I like the Milt Sparks PMK, and the Kramer Vertical Scabbard, and the Kramer Crossdraw, which I wear AOWB, rather than cross-draw. If I feel like AIWB, well, JMCK, of course.
If I can dress around them, I like the GP100, Speed Six, and K-snubs. I will often bring HKS speed-loaders, for these medium-frame weapons.
Light days, or deeper concealment, or just because, well, SP101, times however many I feel like carrying; three is not unusual. With the cylinder providing less work space, with these little guys, I do not usually carry speed-loaders, as the multiple guns provide the speed. Bianchi Slow Strips, which I carry, are only speedy for a two-round “tactical” reload.
My hands are long, but not wide. My fingers are not long. So, an SP101 is a quite good fit; I can get my pinkie firmly onto the OEM SP101 grip.
J-snubs punish the base joint of my right thumb, unless I use over-sized, cushioned grips. That makes a J as big as an SP101. On occasion, I will carry a J-snub on the left side.
Short barrels, 2” to 3”, are fine. I may well carry a longer-barreled weapon, when the urge strikes, such as on road trips, but my eyesight is fading, with age, and I no longer enjoy qualified immunity, so the idea is to scrape an attacker off of me, especially in this county, where the DA seems to have a grudge against LEOs.
Last edited by Rex G; 04-05-2020 at 08:36 PM.
Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.
Don’t tread on volcanos!
Yes, I have, using a Kramer pocket holster. but finding trousers with sufficiently voluminous pockets has become truly problematic. Now that I almost live in VertX pants, I have plenty of volume, except that the grip is not reliably concealed, due to the rear part of the front pocket being cut so low, so I have to wear a long cover garment. I had recently found a local place to try Duluth fire hose pants, but then this pandemic shut-down happened.
The only jeans that worked, for this, for me, were Diamond Gusset, but I was not impressed buy their longevity. That was some time ago, and I wonder if their pockets have gotten smaller, as seems to have become the style with other jeans.
Whether or not pocket carry is a “good idea,” or not, however, extends to the tactical aspect. When one is bent at the hip or waist, getting the weapon clear of the pocket can be problematic. Unless one can reliably anticipate trouble, pocket carry may not be the best place for one’s primary weapon.
Overall, a J-Frame, round-butt, with the classic 1-7/8” barrel, is a better pocket gun. The SP101 starts with a 2.25” barrel, and a longer, less-rounded grip.
Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.
Don’t tread on volcanos!
I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.
For me, anything with greater than a 1 7/8" barrel leaves at least a hint of back strap visible under certain circumstances where the pocket flexes open a hair. Probably solvable with deeper pocketed pants but haven't been in a rush to change my wardrobe. Also probably too paranoid about other folks powers of observation :-)