I got this question on the Triple Nickle video, (edit, just added link) and my answer got big so I’ll give it its own post- “Also, I believe you’ve said before you carry a Philster holster but can you talk about (or link to) some info on appendix carry? I’m currently running a P365 XMacro Comp on a P365 grip to conceal better at 4 o’clock, but I’d love to be more comfy and get the gun in front of me. So far (at 6’3” and 260 lbs) I haven’t figured that out. Any tips?”
https://www.facebook.com/larry.correia/videos/1113383889881194
Okay, this one is in honor of Jack Clemons because he was the big dude who gave me advice as a big dude to figure out how to make AIWB comfy (and also Hyrum Grissom, who hooked me up with a different rig because my first one was pokey and designed for skinny people!)
First off, we don’t want to hear it Fuds. Appendix is perfectly safe as long as you aren’t an idiot, and the single most common self inflicted gunshot wound is still the old hip down the leg whoops I was a dumbass speed holstering move, so buzz off.
AIWB is faster to draw from and conceals great. If you’re built like me (all torso, no hips/butt) then it doesn’t pull your pants down all day like regular hip carry.
The biggest issue is comfort, and that comes down to fiddling with it. Regular hip carry you just slap it on about where you want and call it good. Appendix you really need to fiddle around with it to find the sweet spot. For me the issue wasn’t walking or standing, but sitting, especially driving in a car for a long time.
Also, where you position it in front is going to vary based upon your physique and how you wear your pants. I don’t run it directly in the middle, I run it off to the side of my centerline a bit. I go pretty far right compared to most, but I’ve got more real estate to work with. 😀 Some guys will go more towards the middle, it just depends on build and comfort.
My regular holster is a Phlster Floodlight, but having a flash light on my carry gun is just a happy bonus because the main reason I originally went with the Floodlight is that the end is bigger and rounder and felt a lot better. (plus as a gun hipster who likes to try out all sorts of different weird guns, being able to not have to buy new holsters each time is awesome).
A good AIWB is going to have some adjustment available. The wing thingy (let me demonstrate my mastery of terminology) determines how much it levers the gun back against your body. This keeps the grip from making a big obvious rectangle under your shirt.
Contrary to what you might think, smaller is not necessarily more comfortable, because it’s about where the end of the holster pokes your body. That’s why a lot of people who carry stubby guns are doing it in longer holsters. The shorter ones have less of a lever effect below the waist line, which causes the top end to flop over your belt, which prints, and can really suck when it pokes you forever while you are driving.
So try it out, wear it around, use it, and then figure out where the hot spots are. What I mean by that is find out where the holster is bugging you, rubbing, poking, basically any discomfort. Then they’ve got foam wedges you can buy to stick onto your holsters to mold them to your body and prevent those hot spots. You can also use these foam wedges to get the angles perfect so there’s absolutely zero printing, even under very light clothing.
Or, I will get a Dr. Schol’s gel shoe insert, chop it into shape, and super glue it directly onto the plastic. I got this trick from Annette Evans and it works brilliantly. Plus, since I wear an undershirt the gel tends to stick to the fabric, so my it doesn’t get untucked when I’m drawing over and over. (and clothing getting into holsters is a safety concern)
On that note, either style of holster, you get no points for speedy holstering. Take your time. Look at the holster first to make sure it is clear of obstructions, then gently and deliberately put the gun back. Don’t just angry shove. That’s how you get a super fun trip to the ER.
I’m not flexible enough to look my gun into the holster. Like my body literally doesn’t bend that much in the middle. But go slow, and before you holster move your hips so that if it does ND on the way into the holster, you’re putting the bullet into the ground and not your body. This is something I have to constantly remind myself to do, because I’ll get into a groove where I’ll be drawing and holstering hundreds of times. If I catch myself going too fast on holstering, it is time to pause and refocus.
There’s a bunch of different brands, I can’t comment on them all. Note though that most of the high volume, really serious, hard core types are using the same handful of holster brands. I did another post a while back about what makes a good holster in general.
But once you find one you like, that works, and you’ve learned how to tune it to your body, you’re golden. I can drive a car all day and not notice the gun now. On the downside my holster looks like a big silly pillow with blue and yellow gel shoe inserts all over it like some kind of clown thing, but it’s comfy, and as the videos show, it works good. 😀
