[Dot_mdb]

What are the pros and cons of ankle holsters? Are they suitable for a S&W J frame 640 which weighs about 21 oz.?

Also, on which leg would a right handed shooter wear the holster?

Bill

[Serpico]

with the right holster, 21 ounces is about the upper limit...yeah, I know ther are guys with kimbers on their ankles but in the real world, a j-frame or smaller is best suited for this kind of carry...they are worn inside leg, opposite of shooting hand....I have a renegade 500 for my j-frame and it works perfectly...very comfortable and no movement whatsoever....the snap is a pull through design....very secure and fast...the holster is a soft pouch which is more concealable than molded leather....at 46 bucks it is a great deal.... the pros are that you can have your gun all the time...it is fast from a seated position (like in your car)...and undetectable....the cons are it is a bit slow from standing but you can always transfer it to a pocket when leaving a bar or restuarant at night if you feel the need....

http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/album/00000364/renegade_500_ankle_holster.jpg

[Penman]

The Renegade is a nice unit, they have different models. They are the most compact ankle holsters I've encountered, and while they may not last as long as some others, they are also less expensive and a spare is easily affordable. They can be hard to locate, don't have my brochure handy-try a phone number search for Phoenix.

[P95Carry]

I'm seriously considering an ankle rig ....... happened on this link ...

http://www.mindspring.com/~brco/holstdex.htm

Could lead to some useful info .. haven't fully checked it out yet.

[Erik]

I carry a Kahr MK40 or my ankle on now and then. Three to five steps into my day and I forget that it is there.

I have an Alessi Ankle Rig, by the way. Worth every penny, if you ask me.

[cordex]

What are the pros and cons of ankle holsters?
Pro: very deep cover. Can be great for an "always" gun. Not going to get bumped often.
Con: Takes longer to get at than many other kinds of holster
Are they suitable for a S&W J frame 640 which weighs about 21 oz.?
I routinely carry a S&W Mod 60 J frame in .357 ... I don't know how much it weighs offhand, but I don't even notice it.
Also, on which leg would a right handed shooter wear the holster?
Inside of weak leg.

I've got a Galco that works very nicely.

[Johnny Guest]

- - - as enumerated above.

I like the Uncle Mike's nylon version quite well. Adjustable thumb break so I'm able to carry Colt D- and Smith J-frames interchangeably. Wide elastic strap runs thru a plastic rectangle and then Velcroes back onto itself-- Never any problem with it coming undone.

"Conventional Wisdom" seems to dictate wearing the holster on inside of weak side ankle. This may be fine, but I have a plate and some screws in the bone just above my left ankle, and wearing a pistol there hurts. Some 30 years ago, I became accustomed to wearing the ankle rig on inside of strong hand side leg. This places the butt forward, just above the ankle bone, with cylinder and barrel riding down to rear of the ankle. Very comfortable and concealable, at least for me. The little pistol is accessible with either hand, and the draw doesn't seem to take me any longer than the other side.

Best - -
Johnny

[Glamdring]

Johnny Guest: I have a UM ankle holster, have tried it with my P11 and the holster isn't very comfortable. Are there any tricks to wearing it?

[cordex]

I became accustomed to wearing the ankle rig on inside of strong hand side leg. This places the butt forward, just above the ankle bone, with cylinder and barrel riding down to rear of the ankle.
I would think that it would be more likely to be bumped against things if worn on the outside of either leg. But if it works ...

[SodaPop]

I'd go with a pocket gun before I'd carry in an ankle holster. If you have enough confidence in carrying it that way, go ahead. Most people I know that carry knives carrying it in a boot and I wouldn't want to mess with them. I'd rather have a gun up against my waste incase I got in a scuffle. The knife in the boot is kind of a secondary self defense measure.

[Jeff OTMG]

Like Erik, I have a Kahr MK9, weighs a little more than that steel J-frame, and using an Alessi ankle holster I can carry for many hours with no problem.

[Kentucky Rifle]

I carry a J-frame or "J-framed sized" revolver in a Galco ankle glove every day. It's a great holster that was moderately priced. (Under $100.) Very happy with it.
The retired LEO at the gun shop where I purchased the Galco had been wearing a 638 in one for years. I asked him about running~he replied "No problem". It actually feels better now than when I bought it. Broken in a little I guess.

KR

[Johnny Guest]

Glamdring - -
Most of the time I've worn the UM holster has been OVER a sock, and inside a boot top. When wearing it without boots, I wear a thin sock next to my skin, put the holster over that, and then cover most of the holster with another dark colored sock. I leave just the grip area and thumb break uncovered at the top.

I've carried a P11 in same holster, though not nearly so much as the alloy frame .38s. For me, the P11 works even better than the .38s.

My son frequently carries a P11 in an UM as well. I've never asked him if he wears a sock under his holster, though.

cordex: I would think that it would be more likely to be bumped against things if worn on the outside of either leg. But if it works ... Agree. I tried it on outside of ankle early on, and found exactly that problem. Besides, wearing it on inside of whichever side ankle allows for a draw with either hand.

Serpico mentioned that the ankle rig is fast while seated in a car. It also shines ANYTIME you're seated - - In office, in a cafe, on a park bench, at a movie. And, wearing it inside strong ankle, you can cross your legs and have our hand unobtrusively mere inches from the butt. If you happen to be resting a file folder on your lap, you can actually have hand ON the piece.

Best,
Johnny

[JCM298]

I've been carrying a snub in an ankle holster for 40+ years. I've tried a number of them but found that the Renegade, Phoenix, AZ, 602-482-6777, is the most comfortable,
John

[Oracle]

I'm carrying my Glock 26 in a Fobus ankle holster now, I really like it. It does take a bit of "getting used to", but now I'm fine with it. I'm in outside sales, so I drive a whole lot, and the ankle holster is both easier to get to and more comfortable than an IWB when driving.

[cordex]

oops! Silly me. I read that as "outside of strong leg" rather than "inside of strong leg".

My bad.

[Serpico]

BTW FYI....if you like an ankle rig for spare ammo, cuffs, ID or a cell phone, renegade will sew a custom pocketed one up for you...just call them....

[dfariswheel]

A perspective from a holster maker:

The minuses of the ankle rig are:

Really not that concealable UNLESS you're into bell bottom jeans. Climbing in and out of cars or climbing steps often exposes the bottom half of the holster. The "lump" on you're ankle looks "wrong", and there's nothing else made of leather or nylon that people wear around an ankle BUT a gun.
These days, people wear so many beepers, cell phones, glasses cases, and PDA's on their waist, that people don't notice "lumps and bumps" there like they used to.

To draw the gun when standing, you're faced with two untenable choices.
1. Stand on one leg like a stork, in a very unstable position while lifting the gun leg up. One slip or push, and you're down and very vulnerable.
2. Squat down to draw, basically bowing down in front of an attacker and putting yourself in a vulnerable position.
In either case, you are unable to dodge, move, or take cover, until the draw is complete.

Slower draw than most other carries.

Telegraphs your intention to arm yourself.
When drawing from the typical strong-side waist position, you're intentions are not that apparent. It's possible to draw the gun unnoticed, and be ready to defend yourself, without anybody noticing that you're armed. If the danger passes, it's possible nobody will ever know you were armed and ready.
Dropping to a squat, or lifting one leg in a moment of danger is NOT "normal" movement. People instantly know you're going for a gun, and you may get hit before you can access the gun.
If the danger passes, you're the guy standing on one leg or kneeling on the floor very publicly re-holstering a gun.

Gun security.
There's a fine line between having a gun that's well-secured in the holster, and having a fast draw. A holster that doesn't secure the gun, risks having your cannon sliding across the floor at Aunt Tillie's party. Failure to properly re-apply the retention devices is asking for a loose gun situation if you have to run or climb, or if it's just works itself out. When you just walk, you're "slinging" your gun around.
The other side of the coin, is a too-secure retention. If the retention devices are too aggressive the draw is even slower, and can be fouled by retention devices that don't release quickly. The unstable "stork" draw position is even more unstable if you're fumbling with a strap that won't let go.

Dirt.
Your shoes get good and dusty/dirty/wet, and the gun and holster will too. Good maintenance is a MUST.

Altered walk.
Most "gun smart" people will notice the altered "limp" walk of even an experienced ankle holster wearer. Even the lightest rig alters the walk.

"Kick the gun" problems.
Some people have a problem with the off side leg kicking the gun when it's worn on the inside of the leg. This is always noticeable to other people, and can turn the holster to the front or back side of the leg, making it print big time through the pants leg.

"Kick the can" problems.
In the reverse of the above situation, when the gun's on the outside of the leg, the gun can be bumped into furniture, door frames, etc. The loud "THUMP" is again, always noticed, and again, the gun can shift.

Re-holstering:
Returning the gun in the holster has all the problems of the draw methods, made even worse by the fact that inserting the gun and re-applying the retention device is always more awkward than drawing it. Again, you're either down on the floor, or hopping around on one leg.

The pluses of the ankle carry are:
People just don't tend to look for guns on people's ankle's, unless alerted by one of the above minuses.

The ankle rig is very good when seated. If you ride a desk or drive most of the time, this is a viable carry method.

Another method of carry, in addition to the above, is to wear the gun BACKWARD on the inside of the right leg, (assuming you're right-handed).
In this variation, many people find the gun is easier to grasp.

[Serpico]

Some interesting info in the above post...but to clarify things a bit, my rig conceals perfectly well and I don't own any bellbottom jeans...in fact, I wear it with straight leg jeans over a georgia boot and no one is the wiser...as for a limp, if it's there, you would have to be an orthopedic surgeon to spot it....I never kick my gun with my other leg so I don't really understand that one....as for dirt, my gun gets a little dusty but that's about it....unless your walking along a dirt road or puddle jumping, it's a non-issue....but you are right about it being slower and less tactcial..but that is the price for ultimate concealment....and for the umteenth time, reholstering is not really a concern for civilian CCW carry...if you find yourelf pulling your gun, it can always go in your waistband until the cops arrive...