Review: Brommeland Max-Con V IWB Holster
I recently became the proud owner of a Brommeland Max-Con V IWB holster for my Nighthawk Enforcer.
When I first received it I have to admit I thought from looking at the wide profile of it that it was an awful lot of leather to stick down my pants. But then again, with it's light weight and unbelievably thin profile I also thought it might do a pretty good job in hiding my full size 1911. After admiring the overall design, stitching and workmanship, I holstered my gun. It was a pretty snug fit so I wrapped the gun in 3 layers of wax paper and worked it in and out a bit. After I pretty much wore the paper out, I unwrapped it and tried it again. The wax paper had loosened it up considerably.
In a pair of Levis that are exactly my size (not 1" larger for carry purposes) and without a belt I shoved the holster down in my waistband at about the 3:30 position. Damn. If I had not had my hand on the grip of the gun, I would have sworn that it was not even in the holster. I was struck by how far the straps were apart as I was putting on my Wilderness 5 stitch. On the Brommeland Gunleather website Gary says, "The belt loops are spaced fore and aft to recess them below the outside profile of the frame and slide of the weapon, thus significantly enhancing concealment." It also seems to help stabilize the rig and, I suppose, helps distribute the weight of the gun. I say "I suppose" because the gun really seemed to have no weight to it even before putting on the belt. His statement regarding it "enhancing concealment" is an understatement. Just as my awareness of the gun disappeared, so did it's profile. The proper cant, thin profile, stable design and a secured with a good belt makes this holster rock solid, with one exception. As Gary says on his website, the holster is allowed to rock very slightly forward and I found this feature eases the pressure you normally feel when you are driving with an IWB holster.
I have carried in this holster for a couple of weeks now and I can tell you that concealing a full sized 1911 with nothing more than a tshirt over it is extremely effective. In Arizona, that's important because a tshirt is about all you can stand to wear in the heat of the summer. The workmanship, including the edges, stitching, snaps and finish of this holster is far superior to any of my "factory made" holsters. A bonus, to me, has also been that it eliminated a problem I have had with other IWB holsters I have had. They always seemed to press on a nerve in my hip and, after a short while, make my leg numb. This holster seems to have cured that particular problem.
The holster is so comfortable that after running errands today for a couple of hours my wife decided we should stop in Outback and have a steak. Not one to argue against a good slab of red meat, she got no argument from me and we stopped. Only after being seated (with a "thunk" of my gun hitting the back of the wood backed booth) did I remember I was carrying. Carrying in an establishment that serves alcohol in Arizona is verboten. I chose to leave it concealed rather than going back to the car to remove it.
Negatives? I have found nothing about this holster that I don't like after wearing it for a couple of weeks. When I first inspected it, it did seem a little "stiff" and being unlined I was a bit concerned with the "hardness" of the inside surface of the holster wearing the finish on my new gun. The stiffness, of course, insures a smooth, fast draw and the "hardness" of the inside surface has begun to disappear. After breaking it in, it feels "velvety" inside with absolutely no ill effects on the finish of the gun, even after inspecting the normal wear locations with a loupe. For IWB carry, this is one awesome example of craftsmanship.
If you prefer an IWB either full time or part time (like me), I recommend the Brommeland Max-Con V be at the top of your list. At under $80, the price is very reasonable for a fully custom made holster. I have much more than that tied up in my now unused IWB holsters gathering dust in my closet. I now know why custom gunleather is worth the wait. Here's some pics:
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The Brommeland Max-Con V.
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Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer.
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Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer (backside).
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Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer (muzzle).
When I first received it I have to admit I thought from looking at the wide profile of it that it was an awful lot of leather to stick down my pants. But then again, with it's light weight and unbelievably thin profile I also thought it might do a pretty good job in hiding my full size 1911. After admiring the overall design, stitching and workmanship, I holstered my gun. It was a pretty snug fit so I wrapped the gun in 3 layers of wax paper and worked it in and out a bit. After I pretty much wore the paper out, I unwrapped it and tried it again. The wax paper had loosened it up considerably.
In a pair of Levis that are exactly my size (not 1" larger for carry purposes) and without a belt I shoved the holster down in my waistband at about the 3:30 position. Damn. If I had not had my hand on the grip of the gun, I would have sworn that it was not even in the holster. I was struck by how far the straps were apart as I was putting on my Wilderness 5 stitch. On the Brommeland Gunleather website Gary says, "The belt loops are spaced fore and aft to recess them below the outside profile of the frame and slide of the weapon, thus significantly enhancing concealment." It also seems to help stabilize the rig and, I suppose, helps distribute the weight of the gun. I say "I suppose" because the gun really seemed to have no weight to it even before putting on the belt. His statement regarding it "enhancing concealment" is an understatement. Just as my awareness of the gun disappeared, so did it's profile. The proper cant, thin profile, stable design and a secured with a good belt makes this holster rock solid, with one exception. As Gary says on his website, the holster is allowed to rock very slightly forward and I found this feature eases the pressure you normally feel when you are driving with an IWB holster.
I have carried in this holster for a couple of weeks now and I can tell you that concealing a full sized 1911 with nothing more than a tshirt over it is extremely effective. In Arizona, that's important because a tshirt is about all you can stand to wear in the heat of the summer. The workmanship, including the edges, stitching, snaps and finish of this holster is far superior to any of my "factory made" holsters. A bonus, to me, has also been that it eliminated a problem I have had with other IWB holsters I have had. They always seemed to press on a nerve in my hip and, after a short while, make my leg numb. This holster seems to have cured that particular problem.
The holster is so comfortable that after running errands today for a couple of hours my wife decided we should stop in Outback and have a steak. Not one to argue against a good slab of red meat, she got no argument from me and we stopped. Only after being seated (with a "thunk" of my gun hitting the back of the wood backed booth) did I remember I was carrying. Carrying in an establishment that serves alcohol in Arizona is verboten. I chose to leave it concealed rather than going back to the car to remove it.
Negatives? I have found nothing about this holster that I don't like after wearing it for a couple of weeks. When I first inspected it, it did seem a little "stiff" and being unlined I was a bit concerned with the "hardness" of the inside surface of the holster wearing the finish on my new gun. The stiffness, of course, insures a smooth, fast draw and the "hardness" of the inside surface has begun to disappear. After breaking it in, it feels "velvety" inside with absolutely no ill effects on the finish of the gun, even after inspecting the normal wear locations with a loupe. For IWB carry, this is one awesome example of craftsmanship.
If you prefer an IWB either full time or part time (like me), I recommend the Brommeland Max-Con V be at the top of your list. At under $80, the price is very reasonable for a fully custom made holster. I have much more than that tied up in my now unused IWB holsters gathering dust in my closet. I now know why custom gunleather is worth the wait. Here's some pics:
The Brommeland Max-Con V.
Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer.
Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer (backside).
Max-Con V carrying my Nighthawk Enforcer (muzzle).
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
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615 Posts
Nice leather there Bumper...looks like it fits the Nighthawk like a pair of surgical gloves! :redface:
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998 Posts
Nice review. I like the straps being wider apart like that. It does help with retention, and it should also help distribute the weight of the pistol better.
Acp-
I cant speak for Bumpy, but I've had my MCV for about 2 yrs. And I can holster quite well one handed. I press the muzzle against the body guard as I press down into the holster. Actually, it helped me with my drawstroke in that by pressing the muzzle against the guard, it keeps the pistol very close the body. A few (hundred) reps both ways (draw/holster) and I noticed my gun staying closer and less likely to dolphin on the draw.
If you feel you must have a reinforced mouth, talk to GB about the MC VI.
Hope this helps,
Dan
I cant speak for Bumpy, but I've had my MCV for about 2 yrs. And I can holster quite well one handed. I press the muzzle against the body guard as I press down into the holster. Actually, it helped me with my drawstroke in that by pressing the muzzle against the guard, it keeps the pistol very close the body. A few (hundred) reps both ways (draw/holster) and I noticed my gun staying closer and less likely to dolphin on the draw.
If you feel you must have a reinforced mouth, talk to GB about the MC VI.
Hope this helps,
Dan
Joined
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50,362 Posts
Oh Man....A Bumper In A Brommeland
That is a PRETTY SPECIAL LOOKING HOLSTER/PISTOL COMBINATION.
It looks to me like that Nighthawk Enforcer was BORN in that holster!
Now...THAT...(up there)...Folks...is what a "well holstered" pistol should look like!
Make a mental note of it. :wink:
That is a PRETTY SPECIAL LOOKING HOLSTER/PISTOL COMBINATION.
It looks to me like that Nighthawk Enforcer was BORN in that holster!
Now...THAT...(up there)...Folks...is what a "well holstered" pistol should look like!
Make a mental note of it. :wink:
My observations have been the same as Dan's. It's pretty easy to reholster using the method he has already described, but it takes a while (or did for me) to get it down. As the holster loosens up it helps as well. I have really been surprised that as close as the gun is held to you that you really can't feel it there. While the Max-Con VI might be easier to reholster, I would be afraid that the reinforced mouth might change how good it conceals the gun. Having not tried the VI, I wouldn't know that, however.jdsumner said:
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1,426 Posts
Bumper said:
Hey Bumper!
Thanks for the review of my work - I really do appreciate your kind words (and those of others too!).
As far as the MC VI goes, you really cannot tell one apart from a V when wearing it. It is identical to the V in every detail, except that both the front and back panels are made from two VERY thin layers of leather glued and stitched together - with a steel reinforcement sandwiched in-between. (The V is a single ply of leather front and back).
As soon as we get moved and set up in the new shop, I've got a remake scheduled for my website. The VI will (finally!) be shown at that time.
BTW : Howdy to Jim Linch!!! Long time no hear from - glad to see you're still kickin'!
Great to see you here too Mr. Brommeland! I just found this forum last week, and it looks like a good one.
Nice to see people are still discovering your quality work. Being a "leather junkie" I always make a point to sing praises to the real artisans of the craft, of which you definitely are!
Keep up the good work!
Nice to see people are still discovering your quality work. Being a "leather junkie" I always make a point to sing praises to the real artisans of the craft, of which you definitely are!
Keep up the good work!
1 - 14 of 14 Posts
