-All views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect those of the author's employer-
I agree with the consensus the belt loop/slide is better than paddle.
We live in Texas. One of my sons carries an M&P M2.0 Compact 9mm. He uses a Bravo Concealment IWB with a belt clip. My father carries his OWB in a Safariland 7TS ALS with belt clip. I carry my 5 inch M&P M2.0 openly in a Safariland 7TS ALS with Guard and QLS. The QLS allows me to quickly and easily remove my holstered pistol from my belt. My father and son find their belt clips easy to remove.
If easy removal is a concern, you have several options.
O. Lee James III
CPT US Army (Ret)
Honorable Order of St Barbara
Let me know if I can answer any specific questions for you. The OWB2 is a fantastic holster and is my favorite. Are lead times are accurate, and we are running right at about 5 weeks right now. We may add the 2.0 to quick ship, however I am not promising anything. Thanks
sales@jmcustomkydex.com
Not to slight JMCK's excellent work, but I think a Safariland 7TS is a high-quality -- and inexpensive -- right now option (Amazon) if concealment isn't a concern. I'm a big fan of the 537 GLS pancake model if OWB concealment is needed and use that holster daily at work. Both are in the $40 range.
Given the time constraints, I would check HolsterOps and see if there is a Safariland model that looks good to you. I like the 7377 ALS for a field holster, but retention is probably not optimal for a class. Regardless there are lots of choices. If you order on Monday, the holster will probably ship the next day.
Also, definitely check out the Gideon by Dale Fricke. I really like this holster. I think his lead time is about time is about two weeks.
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Sure. I probably should have included some qualifiers in my previous response. I'm not LEO or military, so I only carry in my capacity as a private citizen. I usually carry a Glock 19/26 AIWB, though sometimes I pocket carry a G43 or J-frame.
Regarding the 7377 7TS ALS (LINK) as a field holster:
I really like having some form of retention when I'm out in the woods. I've never lost a pistol, but I feel better knowing that the pistol is locked into the holster. Last year a friend wounded a deer at last light. We ended up blood trailing the deer at night in the rain and having to climb up and down the sides of a pretty steep gulley. I wasn't worried about losing the pistol. OWB at ~3:30 works better on me than AIWB for this sort of physical activity. In the past I've used a Bianchi UM84 with a flap. It does a great job of protecting the pistol but holds on to dirt and moisture.
Regarding retention being not optimal for a class:
I definitely should have qualified this. I don't use a retention holster for EDC (distinct from field carry), so there's little need for me to train from a retention holster. My main training goal is to get my pistol out quickly and get a couple of good hits on target. Because I carry concealed in public, this goal takes priority over defending against a gun grab. AIWB leaves me with less to think about (hands closer to the gun, gun generally more protected), so I can meet that goal faster than carrying IWB, OWB, or OWB with retention.
To add some context about my field carry, all of my hunting is within a mile or two of where I grew up and where my parents still live. We're on good terms with all the neighbors and everyone generally gets along well. I perceive the chances of me needing to use a handgun defensively while hunting as being much much lower then when not hunting. If I hunted on public land, my risk assessment would be different. (When I'm hiking/camping on public land, I use a Hill People kit bag when I have my pack on and then change to AIWB when we make camp.) If I were LEO, I speculate that I would use my duty holster for most (all?) classes.
To ramble on a little more, I recently bought a HK P30 v3 and ordered a 7377 to use until I decide whether or not I want to spend money on good kydex for the P30. Today my draws to hits on an 8" plate at ~8 yards were about 1.6 to 1.8 seconds. My best for the day was 1.50 seconds. Most of the time, the retention doesn't seem to slow me down, but the few times I missed hitting the release lever, it really added to my time. For comparison, when shooting a Glock from AIWB, I'm usually in the 1.3 to 1.5 range with my best time ever being 1.18 seconds. I don't think I've ever timed myself with my Glock from the 7377, but I should do that for a better comparison.
In full disclosure, I recently had a pocket carry fail, so I'm rethinking using a OWB retention holster for my G43 when I'm wearing a tucked in shirt and a jacket. I feel like I've used too many words, but hopefully I've explained my situation well enough to help with interpreting my previous comment. If any of my reasoning seems faulty, I welcome constructive criticism.
Unless I missed it, I'm surprised no one suggested to use a holster in training the same way you carry or intend to carry. Assuming it's a class that lets you carry in class like you carry in everyday life.
Last edited by Wendell; 01-22-2019 at 07:00 PM.