If you are like me, you are always looking for a holster that feels just right. Something that is minimal yet works under every situation you throw at it. For an armed citizen, off duty officer or anyone who does not want to outsource their protection, carrying a firearm is a very real situation. A huge topic with carrying is the method and position of your firearm.
Finding your style of carry is only something that can be done via trial and error. The most common holsters are IWB (inside the waist band) and OWB (outside the waist band). IWB holsters ride between your body and your pants while OWB are on your belt and offer more comfort but are less concealable. Shoulder holsters are a little over the top to some, but in specific situations it’s better to be armed than not. The external forms of carry are not my preferred method due to the risk of not having complete control of the firearm, but as I said before, it is better to be armed than a victim.
For me, the best method is appendix carry, which is just before the 3 o’clock position. This method is a little unorthodox in the way that it brings your firearm “danger close”. Yes, the muzzle of the firearm is pointed at some important equipment regardless male or female, but to me, the pros out weigh the cons. And through trying various modes of carry, appendix was the easiest to manage.
First off, I am a smaller dude only weighing 145lbs (65.7 kg) and I stand 5′ 9″ (175.5 cm) tall. Thus I have very limited ways of concealing and I have tried a few. For a full size or mid size handgun, this method works great. It allows plenty of comfort when sitting down, but as many of you know the level of comfort is dependent to how it works specifically for you. You need to learn (as well as any other carry methods) how to sit down and angle your body as to not print or jab yourself with the firearm.
One of the biggest pros is the ease of the draw. Through various classes and scenarios, I have found that the appendix mode it is the quickest and most controlled for me. My biggest concern was drawing from concealment in a vehicle, which most forms of carry make it very hard to do so. With the appendix carry, drawing and re-holstering is manageable with one hand. Granted, with proper training this is easily achievable. As it is with any holster, you need to train a lot with it in order to become proficient in using it.
The holster I have here is the Armordillo Concealment X-Fer holster. It is in my opinion one of the best concealment options currently on the market. I do use a weapon mounted light which is also the sole reason for this holster. It is different than other holsters due to the fact it relies on the weapon light for retention. Unlike conventional holsters that capture the whole firearm and need to be custom made for each handgun, the X-Fer can be exchanged between any type of handgun that share the same weapon light.
This ease of use and ability to be attached to any of my handguns was a huge selling point for me. The complete simplicity behind this product is perfect and it works flawlessly. For a holster that only costs around 50 USD and that ships to you within the week is fantastic. They currently have X-Fer holster models for the Surefire x300/200/X300 ultra and the Streamlight TLR-1. It is completely ambidextrous with a multitude of degrees that are adjusted with a simple Philips screwdriver. If you are in the market for a new and very well made holster, consider this one.
Firearms Used
- Smith and Wesson M&P w/ Trijicon RMR, SureFire x300
- Load – (Hornady Critical Defense .40 S&W 165gr FTX)
- Springfield Armory Operator 1911 w/ SureFire x300
- Load – (Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 230gr JHP)
- SIG P229r Ultra w/SureFire x300
- Load – (CorBon DPX 9mm +P 115gr JHP)