This is a discussion on How to measure cant? within the Defensive Carry Holsters & Carry Options forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Well, geometry was the only class in high school in which I didn't do well, and now it's come back to haunt me. I want ...
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Well, geometry was the only class in high school in which I didn't do well, and now it's come back to haunt me. I want to order a holster, but I need to specify the cant. How can I measure the cant (as I've set it up) on my CBST? Help a spatially challenged gal out! :))
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The average cant on a concealed holster is around 15 to 20 degrees which angles the gun forward enough to make concealing the butt easier. Zero degree or "Straight Drop is where the holster holds the gun straight up and down. Think of having the slide perfectly vertical as zero degrees cant.
A 15 to 20 degree cant is an easy draw and does help conceal better than a straight drop.
You may want to look at others too like the CompTac holsters with user adjustable cant. I prefer the C-Tac but many of their holsters have adjustable cant.
North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit Instructor
NRA Personal Protection and Basic Pistol Instructor
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I agree with NC Bullseye. The 15 degree cant is referred to as FBI (forward body index). The adjustable comp-tac works as shown:
ctac_ani.gif
Click on the image and you'll see how it adjusts. You can adjust height and cant. The one shown is an older model, but you get the idea.
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I have my CBST set up perfectly, but I don't know how to figure out what the cant is on it. I'm going to order a sideguard Mininal Clip, but I have to specify cant and I'd like it to match my ST.
You will need some sort of angle finder. If you look at the photo posted above you want to find the angle from the right side of the holster (top/sight channel) to where it intersects the bottom of the belt. For argument sake lets say it measures 105 degrees. Subtract 90 from that number to get your cant, 105 - 90 = 15.
"I got a lot of problems with you people!" - Frank Costanza
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If you have a Harbor Freight nearby they have cheap rafter squares,a triangle with degrees,you can lay your crossbreed on a paper or cardboardslide your belt through the belt clips and draw a straight line along the belt,then mark a line along the top of the slide from top to bottom which will give you an angled line off the belt line,then use the square to measure the degrees of the angled line
"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"
--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC .
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Off to the hardware store!
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Pick up a one of the cheap acrylic protractors found in the school supplies section at most general merchandise stores.
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I remember those! :). I tried to use my compass, and I think the holster is canted at approximately 12 degrees.
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I'll order one with a 15 degree cant, since mine is around 12.
Thanks everyone for your help!
HERE YOU GO. Thanks Matt Del Fatti.
Del Fatti Leather - Rake and Belt measurements
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Erik at SideGuard Holsters will actually do custom canting so you can get your 12 degrees if that's where you like it. I ordered a Tuck Clip from him with a 7 degree cant without issue.
,____,
//' British Agent
"
Walther P99, 9mm
Walther PPS, 9mm
"Happiness is a warm Gun."
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I find a lot of the above quite surprising, as it conflicts with much that is known about carry angle for concealment.Originally Posted by Spirit4earth
First: knowing the raw angle that the holster would carry at, if your belt were perfectly parallel to the ground surface, is nice to know. But belts are not, in practice, parallel with the ground surface, and for many reasons all of them being HFE (human factors and ergonomics). Not important, though, if you begin with a holster that, in practice, carries at the angle you like.
Second: carry angle is "muzzle forward" or "butt forward", because a gunslinger wants the former and a gunman the latter. So when referring to carry angle or rake, pair it with something like "muzzle forward or rearward" or some such.
Third: a 15 degree butt forward angle might or not be ideal for you; but to say that "the answer" is 15 degrees is to follow an urban myth. It's unlikely that 15 degs will give you optimum concealment, comfort, and presentation. In practice, holster designers use a number that is more like 20 degrees and up to 25 degrees because IT DEPENDS ON THE BARREL LENGTH OF YOUR PISTOL, not on HFE.
Fourth: the carry angle being referred to is a RESULT, not a goal. A competent holster designer will determine angle based on the below pic, and as mentioned in 3 above, varies with barrel length. In the case of the pic, the holster was designed to accommodate a shorter barrel length, too, so a compromise angle was used.
a de santis_by_nichols (3)a.jpg
The horizontal yellow line is the "perfect world" belt worn parallel to the ground. The photo has been rotated to illustrate that, but in fact the belt was not parallel. The angled yellow line creates the included angle we measure when calling out carry angle or "rake".
The green line informs the longer barrelled Glock, and the blue line informs the shorter Glock: carry angle is determined by "splitting the difference" with the purple line being at 90 degs to the belt. This makes the angled yellow line a result, not a goal.
All of which is more than the OP wanted to know, of course; and is meant to help everyone understand why carry angle is not just a matter of opinion or discussion; it has a basis in science.
Cheers!
Red (Richard) Nichols
Holster Designer / Maker since 1958
The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything. - Nietzsche
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I never thought I would have to whip out old school supplies to determine what would be comfortable in a carry rig.
Thanks for the info rednichols.
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