As you might expect, this conceals very well under just an untucked shirt (which I think looks sloppy except with an Hawaiian shirt):Of course, with some contortions, it will appear:
That is unavoidable. Unless you decide to yoga in public, I think you are safe.
Of course, under the sport coat that I wear while teaching, it completely disappears.
The fit to the gun is flawlessly tight. There is no safety or retention strap. I like these, but there are two reasons for these straps: to prevent the gun from falling out while running or leaping fences (which is largely a peace officer activity), and to prevent someone taking your gun away. Police officers have this problem because they have to get very close to do a patdown or apply cuffs. If a civilian lets a dangerous person get that close, you have made a serious error.
I normally carry my Mustang in an IWB holster in my pants pocket when teaching. Remember: the pistol's trigger guard should always be enclosed when in your pocket. If you feel like complaining that .380 ACP is an inadequate defensive caliber, remember Cramer's Maxim of Defensive Handguns: The pipsqueak handgun you have on you is a way better weapon than the service pistol that you left in your car because it is so large and heavy that you are reluctant to carry it concealed. Just remember that the mass murderer needs to be pretty close before you open fire. And with the exception of the Luby's Massacre in Waco, Texas, where an off-duty officer wounded the killer from 75 yards away (!!!) successful defensive uses against mass murderers are usually close and personal.
You can order these here. And a larger collection of Mustang holsters.
One last note: Especially with nylon holsters and even some leather holsters, reholstering your pistol can be a struggle, especially because the belt is necessarily tight to hold the gun securely. In this case, the holster is substantial enough that this is not a problem. Once I found the entry, it went back in without difficulty and still a tight fit.
Running the belt over the holster rather than under it will affect the retention, and the re-insertion effort needed. Pants retention also changes when the gun is withdrawn.
ReplyDeleteMy preference is to have an OWB holster be outside the belt. Otherwise, it might as well be inside the pants, and better hidden.
> If a civilian lets a dangerous person get that close, you have made a serious error.
ReplyDeleteGoing to strongly disagree here.
Almost all people are dangerous (call it 95% of the people between the ages of 12 and 75) given the right context. Police officers and the like have the ability to *assume* that they are in the context where the person they're dealing with is dangerous. We (civilians) deal with them *all* the time, not just in the context where they are dangerous.
I *GUARANTEE* that in the last 10 years you have stood in line at a store (gas station, convenience store etc.) with someone who has a violent felony. You may have even had one in your class room get close enough to hand in his homework. But you weren't the guy his wife was sexing up when he wasn't around, so he wasn't made at *you*.
While running or jumping over fences is stuff cops do with their pistols, getting shoved around or getting knocked head over heels is something *civilians* do with their pistols before they realize it's killing time, so you want your handgun to stay in place while you are wrestling with someone or maybe dancing at your family member's wedding.
Civilians do not handcuff or patdown people (except after a nice dinner). Anyone who gets within hand reach distance better be a friend or I will back off. Also, police sidearms are usually exposed. Will a bad guy know where to reach for my gun? Not likely. Unless he is very observant, he will not notice that I am lefthanded, and would reach to my right side. He might go for a shoulder holster.
ReplyDeleteThe holster holds the gun quite securely, even without a strap.
When it comes to retention I'd rather be safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteRemember the FBI agent who lost his gun on the dance floor- and when he grabbed it to pick it up, he had an ND? Even worse, he accidentally shot a bystander when he picked up his gun.
That's a man who didn't expect any of that to happen, but it did.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article212440994.html
"getting shoved around or getting knocked head over heels is something *civilians* do with their pistols before they realize it's killing time,..."
ReplyDeleteTHIS
As Tam points out, when in public YOUR gun can easily become ANYONE'S gun if you loose control of it. Getting knocked down or bounced off a wall or car, or simply tripping on the curb, can launch a poorly restrained gun into public view and reach.
I try not to rely entirely on a thumb break to keep a gun from falling out of a holster, mostly for this reason. Judging from videos, I would estimate that someone gets shot about 50% of the time when someone drops a gun during a confrontation. That's from hand or holster, etc. You're lucky if all you lose is the gun.
Getting caught up in a robbery attempt at the "stop and rob" on your way home is probably the least likely sort of situation you will encounter in your CCW life. It's the drunk or drugged customer there that takes a dislike to your presence that is more likely. Social discourse that goes sideways is much more likely to endanger you in your day to day life. That situation is when people get physical.
Virtually everyone you deal with is within arms reach, unless they are behind a counter. Aggressive idiots can go from across the room to in your face very quickly. Even being behind a counter doesn't make you safe from physical attack. I recently saw a video where a customer reached into a clerk's access window and grabbed the clerk. The clerk grabbed the arm, and got stabbed for his effort. He died.
BTW, as a fellow lefthander, I should point out that left-handed holsters are much more likely to be defective than the identical one for right-handers. Multiple reasons for this.
ReplyDeleteLeather, tightly fitted, thumb-break, belt mounted, are all individual problem areas. Start combining them and the potential goes up. From one man shops to the biggest makers all screw up lefty holsters.
Also, I suggest you acquire some right-handed versions, and practice with them, if you are capable of shooting with your right hand. Injuring your dominant hand is not the time to look for a temporary replacement to keep you covered. (If right-handers bothered to do this, we wouldn't have problems finding good lefty holsters!)
Ah - I now have another excuse for the Hawaiian shirts I always wear. But then, I already use them for that purpose.
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