RE: Holster IWB w/ no retention. How?

fshalor

fshalor

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Good morning,

Half way through summer, and I gave in both waiting for the Crossbreed I ordered to arrive and gave up on wearing pants all the time. Picked up a DeSantis Sof Tuk, IWB, convertible to picket carry, and angle is adjustable Construction looks good. (Very good for ~ $20 holster, actually.) However...

How the heck does anyone carry with a holster with next to no retention? While gravity is good, and the gun does not move in the holster while walking, I feel more than just a little worried about this thing. I feel like if I, oh, say, fart to vigorously, that it will instantly pop out of the leather.

I've verified the size a few times on two different sources (DeSantis and Midway), and the vendor sold me the proper unit sized for my gun with no laser/other doo-dads attached.

I'm coming from mostly wearing ankle holsters, or a Forbus paddle with my glock 26 in it. Maybe it's just some adjustment of my comfort zone on my part.

Should I add a thumb-break tab and snap?

Thoughts? Is a near zero force required to draw leather iwb holster something you guys would consider "safe and normal"?
 
I would want some retention for sure. The two best holsters I have found in my ventures are either the Crossbreed or The Comp-Tac Mtac style holster. I highly recommend you spend the money on a good carry rig, the last thing you want is for it to tumble out while doing your normal daily routines.
 
How loose are your shorts? IMO, wearing a decent belt provides plenty of pressure/friction to securely hold my SR9C. Personally, I don't think I'd like anything with a thumb break tab (for IWB anyway). I find it unnecessary and it might be too much to think about in a stressful situation.
 
Good quality holsters have plenty of retention without a strap. If your holster doesn't have retention without a snap, then it is a crap holster -- throw it away and get a real holster.

I've done a full shoulder role with a steel 1911 in an open top, OWB holster. The gun stayed put.
 
Lukes83 said:
How loose are your shorts? IMO, wearing a decent belt provides plenty of pressure/friction to securely hold my SR9C. Personally, I don't think I'd like anything with a thumb break tab (for IWB anyway). I find it unnecessary and it might be too much to think about in a stressful situation.
Click to expand...

Remora, sr9c, wilderness 5 stitch belt, cartswheels, no worries.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
I use a SofTuk with my S&W m36, usually in jeans with a The Wilderness Instructor CSM belt. Gravity and friction are all that hold it in, which if you're wearing real pants, shouldn't be an issue. If you're wearing gym shorts or something else without a belt, something with some more retention (either passive or active) might be a good idea.
 
That's what has me bugged about this... Slide gun in (it's "the right model for the gun") ... get zero grip. Or at least what I'd consider zero grip. If I tighten the belt all the way and then some, it's stable, but uncomfortable. The only way I can get any grip from the holster is with the overly tightened belt. It can't hold the gun on its own.

I guess it's just not what I was expecting. I thought I'd have to actually break in this thing a little to make it "possible" to get the gun in and out. Instead it seems waaay too big for the LC9 its sized for.

Side note: (And complete ringer on my part), my Glock 26 slides right in, and the holster holds on quite well. IE, I can hold the holster upside down by the edges with a full gun (with snap caps!) and it wont fall free.
The LC9 would bump completely free if held horizontal and blown on strongly.

I'm just confused. Can't wait for the Crossbreeds I ordered weeks ago to make it here.
 
Sr9c in remora. I have no issue with sweat pant, basketball shorts or pants with a belt. I work a active job and haven't had one issue bending lifting stuff or running around.
 
My j frame is totally secure in my ankle holster (Alessi Sp?) or supertuck with no retention, my Kimber Pro carry is solid in my DeSantis, but can't wait for my crossbreed OWB to arrive :)
 
I just looked at the crossbreed supertuck deluxe for my gun and i don't see any retention? am i missing something?
 
slap shot said:
I just looked at the crossbreed supertuck deluxe for my gun and i don't see any retention? am i missing something?
Click to expand...

The gun isn't going to come out of a supertuck unless you grab it and pull it out. The construction of the kydex along with the tension of your belt will keep it there.

Seriously, you DON'T NEED A RETENTION DEVICE ON ANY DECENT IWB HOLSTER. Yes, I'm shouting.
 
By "retention" I was referring to the physical ability of the "thing" to "hold". Not thumb-break or locking spring loaded tab or anything.

I'm just completely confused by the sizing. Maybe they just sent me the wrong holster with the wrong numbers stamped on the leather.

Ah well, one more for the "junk" box.
 
fshalor said:
By "retention" I was referring to the physical ability of the "thing" to "hold". Not thumb-break or locking spring loaded tab or anything.

I'm just completely confused by the sizing. Maybe they just sent me the wrong holster with the wrong numbers stamped on the leather.

Ah well, one more for the "junk" box.
Click to expand...

It's not a surprise that a $20 holster is a POS.
 
M1911 said:
It's not a surprise that a $20 holster is a POS.
Click to expand...

I have several different IWB holsters for different autos that cost me between $25 and $35 and I've never had a gun fall out of any of them. They are Done Humes, Gould &Goodrich, and a High Noon. I have hiked, jogged short bursts and rolled around on the ground will all of them and the only one that showed any sign of letting the gun go was the G&G for the Walther PPK/s. That one however was lent to a friend a few years ago and came back to me fitting my gun a lot less secure than it had before I lent it. I think my bud wrapped it in a f*ckin' sock while trying out though. With all that said I do have a Milt Sparks SSII for 1911 that will never let go unless you yank. I have considered seeing if I can get one specially made for the Makarov as that and slabsides are the two guns I carry most, but really the Don Hume I carry the Mak with has never given me a reason not to trust it.

I will say this: If you carry with one of those $10 Uncle Mikes IWB holsters, you need to save some cash for a better holster.
 

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