Questions About Design And Balance...

[Jimbob]

tried to post some pics....trying again.....hope this helps you to see the arc from the top of the gun coming down to the trigger guard....it is essetial that the holster has enough "meat" to support the holster....even if it rides sort of high!!

Hope these pics help a bit....made these rigs a while a go....

[Jimbob]

tried to post some pics....trying again.....hope this helps you to see the arc from the top of the gun coming down to the trigger guard....it is essetial that the holster has enough "meat" to support the holster....even if it rides sort of high!!

Hope these pics help a bit....made these rigs a while a go....

[mattsh]

My input on the question about the full length sight channel is that you are better off not doing this. I did this on a holster long before I found this forum. A man who had done this his whole life and had government contracts for holsters mentored me and advised against it. He said that over time I would find that the sight channel would get loose and the holster would lose retention abilities. His input was to keep as much of the stitching next to the gun as possible to maintain a snug fit and retention.

[Rednichols]

May God bless,

Dwight

I've been doing this (designing and making holsters) for way too long, and can say with authority that this is the best advice you've been given on this thread (cut from the above poster):

The ideal placement for maximum stability is low, . . . just enough opening between the belt top and the grip front to get your fingers to get a really good hold onto the grip of the weapon. And when you cut your belt slots, . . . do not be generous.

To that I would add: get the carry angle right for the "clocking" position along the waistline. It would be rare that MORE angle than 25 degrees grip-forward would be satisfactory when carried behind the trousers seam, and much less if carried in front of the seam.

This is my first post in a very long time on this forum, and I'll try to be gentler than I have been on other forums because I see a genuine interest in "getting it right" on this forum. That said, when it comes to safety -- these are not benign instruments that we carry in holsters -- I do tend to be a bit rough. But I'll try to do better :-)

I would suggest you should be suspicious of the "get a good belt" posts. Needing a good belt is a sign of a poor design (when talking concealment holsters at the waistline).

[Rednichols]

The FBI was the group most responsible for requiring significant cant in a holstered pistol, thinking that the cant made it faster to bring the gun onto target. This is pretty much an outmoded concept today. The growth of action shooting sports and tactical police teams has led widespread acceptance of a vertical draw and punch-out technique.

This is partially true, but not the whole story by any means. It's accepted that the "FBI tilt" was created to lead the gunman into a crouch when firing, and thereby to make a smaller target of himself. The vertical draw that was developed out of action shooting (I am one of the founders of the Bianchi Cup from which this was adapted) might not be ideally suited to the street; I wouldn't know, not being a gunman myself. But the FBI used an angle of as much as 40 degrees grip-forward -- and more importantly, exclusively used revolvers with NONE of the weight in the grip that is found in double-stack magged nines used today. Carry angles like this are not suitable to autos carried at, say, 3:30 along the waistline. Today we still use this position and have pulled back to the 20-25 degree range. Why? So we can comfortably conceal the darned thing, and still have a reasonable chance of grasping the weapon comfortably for the draw. I do suggest caution when considering carrying in front of the trousers seam (about 2:00) in the so-called appendix position that has been so popular on pistol ranges: when seated there are major parts of your anatomy in the way of a bullet (and yes, I do know someone who became "half a man" that way).

[chiefjason]

Welcome aboard Red. Or back aboard if that's the case.

[CAVE]

Thank you all for the information. I have been trying different styles and positions. I am still practicing, but things are getting better. I find I really like getting the trigger belt loop super close to the guns grip (like stated above). I did one with my SR22 that was low enough it got in the way of my grip. For the target range and for packing during trapping or hiking, I really liked it. Obviously it isn't ideal for self defense or quick draw, but it is a 22lr after all. Anyways, I am having fun trying out different ideas and styles thanks to you all.