Need holster ideas

Hello all -

I've lurked for a while, but not posted.

My carry gun is a Kel-Tec P-11 in a simple leather wrap with a belt clip. This works great for SOB, and is ok for strong-side. I recently got a good deal on two new pistols - H & K UPS Compact in .40, and Sig 228. Neither has been to the range yet, but I'm sure when I get them there I will find them to be fine firearms, and one will soon become my new carry pistol.

I don't know much about holsters, but what I have seen that looks concealable and comfortable were Galco and Fobus models. Just curious how concealable and comfortable they really are, and if there are other options out there that would better suit my needs. I'm 6'1" or so, and about 25 pounds overweight.

I can't seem to find many pics, but if any of you have pics of your rigs I'd like to see how you carry.

Thanks for any advice.

Darren

I carry my USP Compact .45 in a Comp-Tac C-T.A.C., and I really like it. It's IWB, so you can't really see much in a picture, but I've attached a pic of me wearing mine, and they've got more on the page I linked to.

Make sure you use a good gunbelt! The USP Compact and 228 are quite a bit heavier than your P-11 (slightly less than twice as much for the USP, slightly more for the SIG). You need to give them plenty of support!

I'd forget about using a Fobus, the ones I've seen were in a word, junk.

Why not call gary brommland at 423.733.1779 and get one of his free consultations on holsters . He is a mod here and custom leathersmith . I bet you will be supprised how much you didnt know about choosing a holster after visiting with gary .

i doubt I would spend a lot of money on a carry holster for the Kel-Tec P-11. Why? I consider the pistol to be a very good beater, in other words, a great car/carry weapon. What would I buy for it? I would take a long look at Lou Alessi's Hard Shell Talon, it offers a lot of bang for the buck. Regards, Richard:smile:

Alessi Hard Shell Talon holsters:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/fa1d291d.jpg

Howdy!

Welcome aboard! Please feel free to give us a call (423.733.1779). We do phone consultations (at no charge) for newbies (or anyone else with a concealment problem). Good luck!

You asked about Galco and Fobus. I concur with a poster above that called Fobus "junk". They sell because they are cheap, not because they work well.

As for Galco, many of their holsters are quite functional and they are widely used. I do believe they are somewhat overpriced for a mass produced, plain vanilla holster, however. If you are going to spend the money for a Galco, it would be wise to look at some of the smaller custom makers to see what you could have for just a bit more money.

Since you just bought a H&K USP 40c and a Sig P228, I wanted to point out an interesting point about these two guns. They are almost identical in size, and many holsters will fit either one. I learned this by accident, as I have a USP 40c and a Sig P229, which is the same size as the P228. This could be useful to you in saving a few dollars and switching guns back and forth between the same holster.

The two pictures below show the same holster - a Kramer horsehide belt scabbard designed for the USP 40c. But the Sig P229 fits perfectly in the holster as well, with no movement.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...cHolster05.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...229holster.jpg

Actually, the 229 is slightly thicker than a 228. I would recommend against carrying a firearm in a holster that was not originally made for it (in the strongest possible terms!). This could have tragic results.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gary Brommeland

Actually, the 229 is slightly thicker than a 228. I would recommend against carrying a firearm in a holster that was not originally made for it (in the strongest possible terms!). This could have tragic results.

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Wise words, indeed. Heed them well. And welcome to the forum! There is much to learn here, starting with this: http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin...ad.php?t=11349 . Let us know what you decide!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gary Brommeland

Actually, the 229 is slightly thicker than a 228. I would recommend against carrying a firearm in a holster that was not originally made for it (in the strongest possible terms!). This could have tragic results.

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Holster users and holster makers have different economic motivations.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pogo2

Holster users and holster makers have different economic motivations.

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Yes, we do. Holster makers have to insure that we do not get sued when someone does something incredibly stupid and gets themselves (or someone else) killed.

Carrying the wrong gun in a holster can cause:

The gun to fall out.

The gun to get stuck.

The safety to either be engaged or disengaged accidently.

The mag button to release the magazine, resulting in your carrying around a single shot pistol (unless it has a mag safety - in which case you are carrying around a no shot pistol)

If you think that you are doing something smart in saving less than $100 in order to not have to buy the correct holster for your particular firearm, I cannot help you. However, I would recommend that you either :

A.Get some training , or

B.Sell all of your guns.

Your accusation carrys the implication that I would intentionally give someone bad advice in a life and death matter in order to make a few bucks. Forum rules prevent my honest, complete reply to that.

I am going to stand up for gary here , IMO his only motive is safety .
Can a holster fit different guns YES and sometimes safely , howeaver sometimes not . 1911 holsters as a rule will fit Kahr p series 9 and 40 handguns and that is prob ok , but if you have something like a glock or xd i would be leery of using a holster not designed for the firearm . The shorter and somewhat " crisper " triggers offered by them makes them more susceptable to being discharged by protrusions ect where a holster was moulded to another gun . That is just a for instance hope it generates a bit of though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Redneck Repairs

I am going to stand up for gary here , IMO his only motive is safety .
Can a holster fit different guns YES and sometimes safely , howeaver sometimes not . 1911 holsters as a rule will fit Kahr p series 9 and 40 handguns and that is prob ok , but if you have something like a glock or xd i would be leery of using a holster not designed for the firearm . The shorter and somewhat " crisper " triggers offered by them makes them more susceptable to being discharged by protrusions ect where a holster was moulded to another gun . That is just a for instance hope it generates a bit of though.

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Thank you, sir. I failed to mention that using the wrong gun/holster combination can also leave a trigger exposed as well, which could easily lead to an "irresponsible discharge". Thank's for the reminder :smile:

I'm backing Gary on this too; and not just as a holster-maker but as an LE Firearms Instructor. If an officer shows up on my range for qual wearing a holster not designed for his gun he is not shooting that day.
And this brings up an interesting point regarding molding.
Pogo, I'm suprised a 229 will fit in a holster molded for a USP 40C.
Rest assured this will not hold true for every holster. There is no way you are going to fit a 229 in one of my holsters for a USP-C! The trigger-guards and ejection ports are a completely differnt configuration, and my molding is so precise and my stitch lines so close to the shape of the exact pistol that it simply will not work!
The 229 is approximately 1/4 inch wider from top of slide to base of trigger-guard than the USP-C. The USP trigger-guard is flat across the bottom, the 229 is bowed. You would have to hammer a 229 into my USP-C holsters with a rubber mallet and stretch the leather to get it fit, then good luck drawing it!

Hi Darren, also, you may get a hold of Kevin at http://kdholsters.com/. I recently received a holster from him for my Kel-tec P3AT and boy is it a nice holster!! Please see my review of the holster at this link. http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaB...num=1166497508
There is a waiting period involved with getting a holster from Kevin, but it is worth the wait. The holster is a work of art. I will leave you with some pics.

Ron

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...%20Light/3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...%20Light/2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...%20Light/6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...%20Light/1.jpg