Carrying the G34 with SureFire X300 in a modified DSG Arms Alpha holster...

[Tangle]

I know what you're thinking: The G34 is awfully big to carry and add a light....

Well, let's get that out of the way first. Here's my typical carry 'rig'. My wife makes inexpensive, sleeveless vests out of shirts. And yep, I wear this even in 95° weather. But I should say, that I'm rarely in the heat a lot. Mostly going into stores, etc. or back to the car. But I have been on picnics, etc. and I wear it. Because the vests are made from shirts, I can pick a really light material, or one like shown here, heavier denim. BTW, can you tell which side I'm wearing my G34 and light on?





Well, it's a trick question - I don't have it on in that pic. Now I do, can you tell which side I'm wearing it on?





It's here, and notice how tight:



And from the side - really not that much of a problem is it?



Well, certainly not everyone could carry that big of a gun and not with a cover vest. I'm fortunate that I can. And if I want to look a little spiffier, I can wear a nicer vest that started out as a vest. But, let's address the question of why not a G19 or G17 with the X300?

Weeeeeell, that's a good question, I'm glad you asked. If you attach the X300 to a G19, it sticks way beyond the muzzle. The same thing happens with a G17, the light just doesn't extend as far past the muzzle. So if one were to carry the X300 on either a G19 or G17 what determines the overall length of the entire package? The light!

So I figure if the light is the longest feature and determines the overall carry length, I might as well have a barrel that long as it would add no additional carry length and very little more weight. That cutout in the G34 slide restores the longer slide to the same weight as a G17. The only thing that adds weight is a bit more barrel, which is mostly air, if you see what I mean.

And with that out of the way, on to the holster mod.

I'm carrying the G34 plus X300 in a DSG Arms Kydex holster. This style seems to be 'all the rage' as they say. I do like it. It makes carrying this combination pretty easy. Of course the G34 is pretty light and the light only adds less than 4 ounces. So the whole thing is pretty light. I actually forget I have it on at times. It's not like I'm not aware it's there at times, but I think that's pretty much true for any medium to full size guns.

So what's the mod(s)???

OK, here's the holster as I received it - notice all the extra 'holster' past the muzzle.



Well that's a problem for two reasons: one, it makes the holster unnecessarily long and it would be long enough if it stopped at the end of the muzzle. Two, it's a closed muzzle. To me, that just means if debris, mud, sand, whatever, gets in the holster, it will have a hard time getting out and it may pack up. In any event, I wouldn't want my muzzle setting on something like that!

Here's what I did. I sanded the holster down such that the muzzle is still covered, but there's room for any debris to escape.



I actually went a bit further than I intended to; I prefer the muzzle to be covered a wee bit more, but this isn't bad:



In order to shorten the holster that much, I had to remove the bottom two rivets. That worked out nicely on the trigger side of the holster, but on the sights side, it left a bit too much unfastened holster. So I drilled a hole and put a black 10-32 button head cap screw in to hold the holster near the end of the holster. I couldn't find a black Philips head screw or I would have used that instead of the Allen head just so it would look like all the other screws.

I do like this better. It's shorter, so there's less to peek out from under a cover garment if I reach upwards with my right arm, and stuff has a way to get out if it gets in the holster. That's the modified holster in the pics of me wearing it BTW.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[varob]

In the first holster pic you have a RDS on the gun. Do you still run the RDS?

[Tangle]

In the first holster pic you have a RDS on the gun. Do you still run the RDS?

Let me re-phrase my answer, I'm no longer running the RDS; I prefer iron sights.

[mdmorgan]

Tangle, I also don't like all that extra kydex at the bottom of the holster. I was trying to figure out why they do that, and the only thing I came up with is that it simplifies sanding and buffing the bottom edge. I know that when I mold a holster, I leave about that much Kydex at the bottom because if you don't, it molds kind of wacky. I then cut and sand off the excess after molding. I bet they leave them long like that to save a step. Only thing I can think of.

I really like how high and tight Kydex can hold a gun. I still love leather, but it is just different. Here is me with my PF9 wearing a TLR3.
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[miller_man]

That's a monster of an EDC! lol.

But looks like youv'e got comfort and concealment, right on

[Tangle]

Tangle, I also don't like all that extra kydex at the bottom of the holster. I was trying to figure out why they do that, and the only thing I came up with is that it simplifies sanding and buffing the bottom edge. I know that when I mold a holster, I leave about that much Kydex at the bottom because if you don't, it molds kind of wacky. I then cut and sand off the excess after molding. I bet they leave them long like that to save a step. Only thing I can think of.

I hadn't thought about it, but that sure makes sense. I see no functional value to it.

...I really like how high and tight Kydex can hold a gun. I still love leather, but it is just different.

Yeah, I like leather too, but about the only full leather holsters I use/buy these days is horsehide for its rigidity and mositure barrier. Kydex, especially in this newer configuration and for IWBs, does some things it would be difficult to match in leather.

The Kydex allows that 'tight' carry you spoke of and especially for IWB one gains a terrific mositure/sweat barrier.

I think too, Kydex plus the tiny lights like the TLR3 in your pic, has made carrying a light on a CCW gun both practical and convenient.

[Tangle]

That's a monster of an EDC! lol.

But looks like youv'e got comfort and concealment, right on

Well, it's kind of big. It's no bigger than a full size 1911 that many carry and the G34 is lighter.

After reading a book recently by one of our sponsers, "Civil Chaos - Evade and Escape", I have expanded the role of my carry weapon to include the possibility of a SHTF/emergency type situation. I looked at my gun collections and pondered, if I should get caught away from home, today, in a riot/SHTF/emergency situation, which of these guns would I want to have with me? My answer is what you see in my pics.

I think there's a bit of over-reaction to big guns in these days of micro guns. As you can see, I have no problems carrying the G34 with the X300 attached. It's not heavy, so why not.

OTOH, some will simply not be able to carry with the method I do and will have no choice but to carry a smaller gun.

[CS_Holsters]

Good to see someone else with a G34 on there belt!

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I chose to not do the light on the gun, I use my light to much throughout the day.

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Have a great night.