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Best Concealment Holster for Rapid Handgun Presentation / Access

8K views 43 replies 20 participants last post by  dryb2860 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, was wondering if anyone here has found a holster that truly delivers in terms of total concealment and rapid handgun presentation / access. I'm a former LEO with a background in special units but, I haven't carried for quite some time and I swear the number of available holsters has increased exponentially. I've already got the proverbial "drawer full of holsters" and I'm not really interested in adding more to it. I'm new to this whole forum thing so I hope I did this right, not really sure what a thread and sticky post are. Regardless, any insight you have to offer would be greatly appreciated. I've already done some research and I have a few holsters in mind but, I'm interested to know what others are using and if anyone has found a particular holster that really stands out in terms of the above mentioned criteria. I'm carrying a G27 and I'd like to be able to conceal it with my shirt tucked in as well as out. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Concealment Solutions - Black Mamba

Concealment Solutions - Custom made concealment holsters

I have one and love it. They have great customer service as well. However, you are going to get tons of different answers. There are a lot of good holster makers out there. This just happens to be the one I prefer (based on your criteria).

An appendix carry holster would give you the fastest access to your firearm, but it would print like nobody's business if you tucked your shirt in.
 
#3 ·
^^^^^

Yeah, I've found that appendix carry will give the slight edge in presentation time as well...

I've also found my recently aquired spare tire makes this method of carry extremely uncomfortable!

Any of the good quality kydex hybrid holsters should fit the bill...

I carry a G19 (slightly larger than a 27) in a Galco King Tuk everywhere but church and work.

I am able to tuck, but rarely do so... just not my style.

Good luck in your endeavors...

:hand15:
 
#4 ·
Sorry, took me a second to figure out how to respond here. I should've stipulated that I was talking about AIWB carry and I know exactly what you mean about the printing issue, hence the reason for this thread post. There's no doubt that appendix carry offers an edge but, I'm also looking for something I can conceal regardless of where I might be going. G27 isn't big in terms of size so I would think that there has to be something out there. I'm looking at the EHUD by Dale Fricke, Minotaur Nuetral by Comp-tac, and the ACR by Raven (not sure if you can tuck a shirt with the ACR, or any of them for that matter, and still keep your handgun concealed.) Also not sure what SOP is terms of responding to replies but, thanks to both of you for your input. I looked at the Mamba, it looks like a lot of material. What kind of clothes do you typically wear with that? And to kerberos, do you find that you can hide your handgun underneath a dress shirt when you tuck?
 
#6 ·
An excellent, low cost holster is the Mr. Softy from High Noon Holsters.

It's small and light, there is a tuckable option, too.

The only downside would be that it's a real thin leather. While that aids in comfort, a two-handed reholster is necessary because it doesn't have a reinforced mouth.

I also have a High Noon Public Secret leather holster. It's an excellent holster, I think. Although, I'm beginning to prefer appendix holsters with loops, instead of clips. The clips are easy to take on and off, but the loops give you an option of straddling a belt loop. That's important, to me, because the belt loops aren't always in the same place when using different brands of pants.

Excellent AIWB info right here.
 
#19 ·
That is an assassintaion technique. Total time to draw should include time to put left hand in pocket and push the firearm up into position. Not useful for self defense, IMO.

Scary video. How to counter? The only warning I saw was a tiny, easily overlooked, change in body language as the killers approached the target.
 
#8 ·
How is the concealment on those? Have you ever tried wearing them with a tucked shirt? My wife likes to go out on the town and I can't stomach the thought of going back to jackets and sweaters when it's hot. Dealing with it for now but, I have to find something else. Also, any success in hiding them under a T-shirt?
 
#10 ·
I personally use a Crossbreed SuperTuck Deluxe. I carry my Glock 30 in it all day everyday, and have for several months. Since I have got used to it, most of the time I don't even realize I have it on. The folks who have a G30 will attest to the fact that it can be somewhat of a chunk little piece of hardware to carry. However, I don't have any problems with the SuperTuck. It is a very comfortable holster.

Now I will admit I have done some 'whittling' on the holster to suit my personal taste. I have basically cut away all of the upper portion of the holster even with the top of the belt clips. The reason for doing this was I didn't like the way I had to extract the weapon from the holster. Due to the upper portion of the leather I found myself having to extract the weapon from the holster by using my thumb on the front of the rear sight. I didn't like that.

When I draw I want my hand on the weapon in the place it will be when fired. I have not noticed any lack of comfort since making the modifications.

Another suggestion specifically for the G30 would be to purchase a 9 round magazine versus the 10 round with the pinky grip. You will find by doing this you will significantly reduce any printing.

If you will watch this video from Hickok45 I have done the same to my SuperTuck.

Legal Carry ( Inside the Waistband) - YouTube

Another suggestion I would make is to purchase a quality belt for whatever IWB holster you choose. Personally I wear a DeSantis 1-1/2" Plain Lined Belt with the SuperTuck holster. I have had good luck with this belt although there are hundreds of quality belts to choose from.

1 1/2" Plain Lined Belt — DeSantis Holster

I also carry a .38 Chiefs Special J-Frame in a DeSantis Cozy Partner that I have had good luck with.

J 36, 37, 60, 317, 331, 337, 360 2 1/4" — DeSantis Holster

There are many options available. Best of luck to you.
 
#11 ·
Ok, so this is interesting. I do a Google search on "Total Concealment Rapid Access Shirt Tucked In Sparrow" to try and get a peek at how the guy in the video is actually doing this. A bunch of nothing comes up so, I drop the Sparrow and search for "Total Concealment Rapid Access Shirt Tucked In". At the top of the list is a link for a video titled "CL4 Holsters -Rapid Access with Your Shirt Tucked In or Out." I know I've searched for rapid access concealment before and I've never seen this. Also, there is already a link for this sticky post there. Anyways, has anyone ever heard of CL4 Holsters before? Video is of a guy rolling to one side and drawing a 1911 (totally concealed), at the end there's a website address of Tradecraft USA: Tradecraft USA's Official Website - Professional Grade Concealed Carry Holsters.. I would attach the video here but, I don't know how. I checked out the website a little and I'm really thinking about buying one of these holsters. Going to go check it out some more now and I'll report more later but, I was pretty excited about this and I wanted to know if anyone else has had any experience with this company or their holsters. PS- Thanks pfries for posting that video - It helped!
 
#12 ·
TOTAL concealment? Tucked shirt?

Option 1 - Smartcarry. Think of it as a low appendix carry. I wear mine at 11:00 (I'm right handed) so the barrel has more room down the front of my left leg. The draw is surprisingly fast, due to not having to sweep aside or untuck a cover garment prior to the draw. In the winter, you can leave the bottom of your coat undone for easy access. Wear dark colored pleated pants and even a large pistol will disappear.

Option 2 - Pocket carry. Your G27 might be a bit too large/heavy for that. I can fit my G26 in Dockers or my duty uniform pants (use it as a BUG). Most days off duty I pocket carry a LCR on the right and a LCP on the left. Pocket carry gives you the ability to already have a combat grip on the gun in an iffy situation, while still being discreet. This is a very important advantage IMHO - one I have used many times, on and off duty.

Good luck!
 
#14 ·
Checked out the smart carry that seems to make sense, how thick is that strap? Have you or anyone else ever heard of CL4 Holsters by Tradecraft USA? I just found their site and I think I'm going to order one. Never seen anything like it but, it looks like it works great. I'm not sure about the pocket carry. I know a lot of guys on the force used to carry a back-up that way but once you're in the thick of a fight good luck getting to your handgun. I do agree that it's nice in terms of establishing the grip but, if you don't see it coming, you could be SOL. Plus, your pockets are the first place a bad guy is usually going to go. Just my two cents on that.
 
#15 ·
The strap on the Smartcarry is pretty thin.

I have not seen the CL4 before. Interesting. But if you are looking for "total" concealment, then that rules out anything around the waist, IMHO. You WILL print as you move around. Whether anyone notices depends on how observant they are - and in some cases, you may not want to rely on being around people who are clueless.
 
#16 ·
Hi 10th, good to hear back from you, my nephew informed me that I was not responding correctly with my replies. I slowed down a little and spent last night and the better part of this morning comparing the SmartCarry vs. the CL4. I watched videos on both holsters a few times and finally decided to try the CL4, ordered the Executive model. Access just looks better to me in a fight.

Still curious to know what other people think about this though, never seen anything like it before. I don’t know if it’s going to work but, if it’s half as good as the demos, I’ll be happy. Typically I would agree about the printing IWB, at least with a full size handgun but, dang if they didn’t conceal a Desert Eagle that way, under a stinking t-shirt. The other thing I found interesting was the way they actually measured access, never seen that before either. Anyhow, I’ll refrain from singing praises until I try this and see if it really works. Stay safe out there brother and thanks for the input. And thanks to everyone else as well! Don’t mean to ignore anyone and I did look at most of the other holsters that were mentioned.
 
#17 ·
I carry in a Dale Fricke Archangel or Ehud regularly.

When I need to 'tuck', I have a Desantis bellyband that has been slightly modified.

I added a Dale Fricke Zack holster to my bellyband with threaded post screws and carry it in my normal AIWB position, except now I can cover it with my tucked shirt.

It works great for church, business casual or any other time when a more formal appearance is needed.

I can carry my G26 or 19 (both with milled RDS) concealed very easily with this set-up.
 
#20 ·
I carry in a Dale Fricke Archangel or Ehud regularly.

When I need to 'tuck', I have a Desantis bellyband that has been slightly modified.

I added a Dale Fricke Zack holster to my bellyband with threaded post screws and carry it in my normal AIWB position, except now I can cover it with my tucked shirt.
I just picked up an archangel for my glock 19. I will definitely say it allows a person to get their gun into action quickly. Very nice holster.

sent via iCarry
 
#18 ·
TAC1,

Please be sure to post a review once you have tried the CL4. Your earlier post was the first I had heard of that holster. I looked for some reviews; I found lots of videos, etc by the vendor, but no reviews by uninvolved users. It does look like a very similar concept to the Versacarry, but a very different implementation.

I tend to be a holster "junky", always looking for the next best thing.
 
#21 ·
Scott, that sounds interesting. This forum thing is pretty cool for hearing people’s ideas and views. I was wondering why the need to attach a holster to a bellyband vs. just using the bellyband itself. I’ve used bellybands quite a bit for work. They get the job done okay but, I just don’t care for the girdle feeling all day.
 
#22 ·
Yes, I’ll let you guys know about the CL4 if you’re interested. I know what you mean about not finding anything other than what’s been posted by the company. I even put a call in to them to see if I could get anyone on the phone and find out what the story was. No one answered but, it is the weekend. Left a message and we’ll see what happens, I’m not holding my breath. Can’t wait to get it though, I’ll try calling again on Monday.
 
#23 ·
Agree completely but I would still like to know how they're actually securing the handgun though, if at all. I know they're disabling safeties so who knows but, it is very scary and I'm not sure there is a counter for it. Honest to goodness assassination is almost impossible to defend against when you're on your own and difficult even for highly trained teams. We just have to pay attention, train, and never become complacent. Thanks for the input. Stay safe.

Ok, gotta run guys. The wife is not liking this forum thing. I'll be in touch.
 
#25 ·
Hi guys,
Talked to the owner of Tradecraft yesterday and my CL4 should be here on Wednesday. I spent the better part of this evening trying the access drill from the challenge video with different holsters. About the only way to come close to pulling this off is with an appendix carry rig. Has anyone else tried this and if not, how do you typically test or measure for handgun access?

I’ve searched for just about every variation of wording in regards to measuring or testing for “handgun access” that I can think of and I can’t find anything else on this anywhere. Regardless of the holster you’re using, we always hear about making sure that your handgun is accessible but, what is an accessible handgun and how else might you measure for this?
 
#26 ·
Accessibility is kind of a subjective thing. What's accessible to one might be too slow for another.

One way to consider it is; how many steps does it take to clear your cover garment and get a grip on your pistol?

Typically, appendix carry is quicker to access than other modes of carry. But that's gonna depend greatly on the user's skill, holster type, cover garment type, etc.



Sent from my Galaxy S2
 
#28 ·
Without being specific WRT holsters....... any holster on my strong-side in the (approximately) 4 to 5-o'clock position, wether IWB or OWB, seems to offer the best 'access' with my dress (winter or summer) AND offers the best concealment overall.

Can you access your sidearm..... with either hand, from multiple positions from a good concealed location on your person?
 
#29 ·
No, I fully admit that I cannot. That's why I'm really kind of excited about this new holster. Should be here today I think and I really hope it works. And even if it doesn't, I'm just saying that there has to be a "best way" to achieve this. I mean c'mon there's a proper way to shoot a handgun, swing a golf club, or throw a football, why should it be any different when it comes to carrying a handgun for self-defense. In my opinion I think the biggest problem is that there are a heck of a lot of theories out there but, they're never put to the test. I mean if something doesn't work in a self-defense situation and you end up dead, all the rest of us hear about is the fact that you ended up dead. Look at MMA, there were a lot of opinions on what the best martial art was prior to UFC and it was pretty much every man for himself. Then they actually starting fighting and we found out what works best and what doesn't. There's a measure. The techniques that have proven most effective rise to the top and everyone trains in them. So what I'm saying is why is concealed carry different, we talk about access and concealment but, what's the measure and how do we really know that we're as prepared as we can be? Thanks for your input though, not saying I have the answer, just looking to talk about it.
 
#30 ·
If I wore a pistol at 4:00-5:00 there is no way I could reach it with my left hand, plus it would print every time I bend over, and it would be a pain in the ___ every time I sat down. However, wearing between 10:00 to 2:00, I can reach it easily with either hand, it is very concealable and very comfortable. I have no trouble carrying a pistol with a 4-1/2" barrel and 16 rounds this way.
 
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#31 ·
Thanks for the input, I agree. I would comment more but, I gotta little problem here. CL4 showed up today and it looks like this is going to have to be a trial by fire. What are the chances that the holster comes on the one day that my wife decides to get the mail. Now she's out shopping with it and I just got the "here we go again speech." Made the mistake of trying to explain why I need this and she laid down a CL4 challenge of her own. She promised not to go onto the website but, if she can find the gun on me later tonight it's either gotta go back or I have to spend a week with her at my mother-in-law's. Guess I'm gonna find out how well this works real quick because she's been around me and guns for a long time. Also ordered a Smartcarry to compare against, glad that didn't come today!
 
#32 ·
I'll be interested in your trial by fire review on the C4L holster. I've been a AIWB carrier since 2007, and there has been a huge uptick in good appendix carry holsters being made. I currently carry in JM Custom Kydex appendix holsters. Biggest problem with tucked appendix carry is the printing/bulge on the front of your body. I've only seen really skinny/athletic body types be able to pull off AIWB without looking like a tumor or weird.

There are many times when I need to be dressed business casual in a NPE with a tucked shirt, so AIWB will not work with the holsters I have. I have to pocket carry a smaller gun in those instances.

The Raven Vanguard II is tuckable appendix trigger guard holster. Raven Concealment intros the VanGuard2. | Military Times GearScout

J.R. Customs Handmade Holsters has a tuckable appendix holster. AIWB-CDA
 
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