Appendix IWB holster - safety of leather vs. kydex?

[OkieStubble]

I haven’t read the entire thread but will start here.

Yes there are leather AIWB specific options they however, are very niche and pricey.

JRC made the “Watson Special”, which was a collaboration with Joe Watson of Watson knives and another holster which I can’t recall the name of.

Palmetto leather and TT Gunleatherare making some now too.

If you want the best though it is made by John Ralston of 5 Shot leather. It is named the “SME”, after its codesigner who was/is a federal agent that was looking for a leather AIWB holster that concealed as well as kydex. John’s work comes with a serious wait and price tag and he is not the best to work with (I’ve got a decent amount of holster made by him).

Someone asked what makes a holster an AIWB holster; it typically has some sort of “wing”, built in to help rotate the grip of the gun inwards to aid in concealment. In the case of the SME is also has some reverse cant to position the grip parallel with the belt line.

Here is one of mine, 7 years old and still working great. The other is a JRC I sold off. I’ll add some details in another post.View attachment 1800586View attachment 1800583

Great post! Those are both very good looking leather holsters. Is the wing on the black one leather? What does the other side look like?

 

[OkieStubble]

Re the LCP, I have not owned one, and am not likely too. Just MHO, but their striker guns are systemically/structurally poor copies of other manufacturers' products (e.g., their break-out was a rebranded KelTec) and Ruger tries adding some of their own doo-dads, much like Ford engineers with their Toyota made engines that fail so painfully. But. There haven't been a bunch of recalls, and I'm not getting rid of the LC9 from my father.

Regarding the Sig, the unit armorer removed the decocker so that it could not be deactivated in a tussle. It was carried SAO, which is what raised my eyebrows. He was ex-Delta working with DEA at that time. He's in his 70s now.

He’s a tough warrior who could probably curl a heavy barbell with his trigger finger.

I am more of a girlie man and need/want a lighter trigger pull. .

You do realize the LCP line of pistol’s are not striker fired pistol’s but are in fact hammer fired correct? The hammer is just hidden by the slide, but it can be seen when in the cocked position from the rear U notch cut out in the back of the slide.

 

[NPV]

Great post! Those are both very good looking leather holsters. Is the wing on the black one leather? What does the other side look like?

Yes the wing is stacked leather stitched together so it is pretty thick, I’ll have to grab a picture tomorrow. But that thread I linked should have some pictures.

 

[OkieStubble]

Yes the wing is stacked leather stitched together so it is pretty thick, I’ll have to grab a picture tomorrow. But that thread I linked should have some pictures.

I followed the link and those pictures did show much more detail. Also, what a great post in that thread! Awesome review my man! Very detailed and articulate review. I learned a lot!

While I have seriously been considering trying my Springfield Commander in the AIWB position, it’s difficult; mentally speaking not to naturally feel, very apprehensive about carrying cocked & locked either over your femoral or junk pile.

I noticed in the pics, you are more of a femoral kind of guy. I’m not too much for getting poked in my hip flexor with a fuller sized pistol, slide and barrel, so I tend to move my belt buckle over to 11 o’clock and carry my G43X over my kibble & bits.

Cocked & Locked would definitely take some testicular fortitude to carry a 1911 and not walk into a wall or door from just the sheer distraction of constantly thinking about what’s hovering over my kielbasa and casting a dark mental shadow of impending doom.

 

[NPV]

I followed the link and those pictures did show much more detail. Also, what a great post in that thread! Awesome review my man! Very detailed and articulate review. I learned a lot!

While I have seriously been considering trying my Springfield Commander in the AIWB position, it’s difficult; mentally speaking not to naturally feel, very apprehensive about carrying cocked & locked either over your femoral or junk pile.

I noticed in the pics, you are more of a femoral kind of guy. I’m not too much for getting poked in my hip flexor with a fuller sized pistol, slide and barrel, so I tend to move my belt buckle over to 11 o’clock and carry my G43X over my kibble & bits.

Cocked & Locked would definitely take some testicular fortitude to carry a 1911 and not walk into a wall or door from just the sheer distraction of constantly thinking about what’s hovering over my kielbasa and casting a dark mental shadow of impending doom.

I’m with you nowadays, I’m carrying closer to centerline. But I carry a 5” Government model so if I go dead center there’s some uhhhhh errrrrrr “interference”, . The second page of that thread has a picture I took much more recently with the position I’ve been using.

I understand the metal hurdle, a TDA gun really is the safest and mentally best choice. Both because when walking around it’s hammer down under no preloaded tension, and you can arrest the hammer with your thumb when reholstering.

 

[ctr]

Re the LCP, I have not owned one, and am not likely too. Just MHO, but their striker guns are systemically/structurally poor copies of other manufacturers' products (e.g., their break-out was a rebranded KelTec) and Ruger tries adding some of their own doo-dads, much like Ford engineers with their Toyota made engines that fail so painfully. But. There haven't been a bunch of recalls, and I'm not getting rid of the LC9 from my father.

Regarding the Sig, the unit armorer removed the decocker so that it could not be deactivated in a tussle. It was carried SAO, which is what raised my eyebrows. He was ex-Delta working with DEA at that time. He's in his 70s now.

An unsupported opinion not shared by many.

 

[Rob72]

He’s a tough warrior who could probably curl a heavy barbell with his trigger finger.

I am more of a girlie man and need/want a lighter trigger pull. .

You do realize the LCP line of pistol’s are not striker fired pistol’s but are in fact hammer fired correct? The hammer is just hidden by the slide, but it can be seen when in the cocked position from the rear U notch cut out in the back of the slide.

Yes, ala KelTec.

 

[OkieStubble]

I’m with you nowadays, I’m carrying closer to centerline. But I carry a 5” Government model so if I go dead center there’s some uhhhhh errrrrrr “interference”, . The second page of that thread has a picture I took much more recently with the position I’ve been using.

I understand the metal hurdle, a TDA gun really is the safest and mentally best choice. Both because when walking around it’s hammer down under no preloaded tension, and you can arrest the hammer with your thumb when reholstering.

Agreed. And lol’d @ interference! I always prefer boxers over briefs when carrying centerline. In the words of the classic church hymnal; “swing loooow, sweeet chariot…”.

 

[dojpros]

NPV- Yes