[newbie4help]

I live in a cold climate most of the year, so I think the bulge of a 17 wouldn't be noticeable. I realize they're harder to conceal than compacts/subcompacts but I don't have money for multiple guns and its main duty is a night-stand pistol.

What holster is appropriate? I'm in the process of getting a CHL (it'll be months til I actually receive it but I'm thinking ahead and want to keep an eye out for a cheap deal). I'm open to anything - shoulder holsters (since I'd more than likely be able to wear coat), ankle holster (is that possible with a 17?) etc. I kind of like the idea of shoulder because it'd be easy to coneal with coat and I wouldn't worry about crossing my body with the muzzle.

[MJRW]

I'm assuming this is for defensive uses based on your post. Given that, I have to say that I think shoulder carry isn't right. I don't think ankle carry is possible. Shoulder carry is for barely reasonable hand cannons. They don't draw as well waist band carried fire arms and they are also easier to interrupt during the draw. For a Glock 17, you may be more successful and comfortable with waist band carry than shoulder carry, anyway. I can conceal a Glock 17 sized weapon in shorts and a t-shirt without any issues. That said, the keys to successful conceal carry are as follow:

1. Belt

I'd rather carry with a great belt and a mediocre holster than a mediocre belt and a great holster. Most newcomers to carrying shrug off the belt as an unnecessary luxury or novelty and think "well, I've got a good belt." If you didn't buy your belt with the idea of hanging a gun off of it, you don't have a good belt. Don't even argue this, not even inside your head. Your belt isn't right. What a good belt does is:

- Distributes the weight across your entire waist. This is huge for comfort. And more comfort means you're more likely to carry. And a gun on the hip in a mediocre holster trumps the crap out of a gun in the nightstand in a great holster.
- A good belt doesn't flex. With no flex, the holster stays where it is when you draw which makes drawing faster and prevents you from getting to that awkward position of your holster and your gun up by your nipples as you're trying to shoot some bad guys.
- It holds the guns firmly in place and keeps your gun from leaning out. Not only does that print, but with enough lean, you've got your pistol pointed at your hardware. Never good.

2. Attitude

Many newcomers to carry really worry about printing. A little printing may happen. No one is going to wonder if that is a Glock 17 grip they see there. Most people will not notice it, and those that do, most will not even think of gun as a possibility. What they will notice though is when you refuse to pick up your right arm or you always stand with your right side against a wall. No one knows you're carrying but you. So act like it and no one will know you're carrying but you.

3. Holster

I know this is probably the information you thought was important, but I promise you, as long as your holster isn't crap, the above two matter more. That said, I do prefer carrying in good holsters over mediocre holsters. You will likely want to go IWB or OWB. I prefer IWB for concealability and drawing. I personally don't like Galco, though they appear popular. I despise anything kydex for IWB. My recommendation for IWB is Milt Sparks, either the Versamax 2 or the Watch Six. Yes, there is a wait for them. Yes, the wait is worth it. The Versamax 2 and Watch Six both have loops set further apart and are not mounted directly adjacent to the gun. This wider loop posititioning provides a more stable platform for the holster which reduces shifting of the weapon, and also since they are located further around the waist curve, reduce the gun leaning out. Additionally, with the loops not being adjacent to the gun, the holster's profile is thinner.

The Watch Six isn't terribly expensive, about $20-$30 more than popular Galcos. I don't know many other brands with comparable price points. Perhaps others have some recommendations.

Summary and additional thoughts

Get a good belt. Be cool. Get the best holster you can afford after that. Get the right equipment now or you will end up buying it in the future after you realize that compromised equipment didn't live up to your expectations.

[444]

Milt Sparks Versa Max II

[LoneOak]

If you want something real quick give Larry and Isabel at Tennessee Holsters (http://www.gun-works.com/) a guick look, they ship most items in two or three days. If you have a little more patience and can wait for a few months than Tom at Southern Holsters, LLC. (http://southernholsters.com/store/privacy.php) makes a great product that carries great and makes my XD-9-SC disappear until I need it. Tom at Southern Holsters has temporally stopped taking custom orders till he can get caught up but he is reporting that he will soon have items in stock for immediate shipping hopefull sometime this coming fall.

[Evenflo76]

I have a Glock 17. First pistol I had owned in years. After purchasing it I went through this dilemma. The full size grip does not help.

I went through a bunch of holsters. None worked well for me. Yes, I have a Beltman Belt and studied up on carry. Much to my surprise, I found a good, make that excellent holster for concealing my 17. and it only cost $12

$12


It amazingly, is made by Gaston also. It is the Sport/Combat holster. Best $12 I ever spent. It fits the pistol perfectly, and inherently pulls the grip into the body closer than anything else. Try it first before you have a shoebox full of leather wonder jobs made " John Doe Leatherworks " $150 flavor of the month. Oh, and it will deliver within the same lunar cycle you order it in.

Here is a link: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=594181&t=11082005

[jonboynumba1]

I like a good open-top pancake holster (wear my G22 that way strong side FBI cant/rake. Like a hi-ride type. Almost everyone that makes holster offers something like that...hard to beat for comfort and security. Bianchi makes an auto-retention model that's nice to for around $65-70 if you want some retention without something as big a PITA as a strap and snap. I like leather but I still use a wilderness.com frequent flyer model belt (lighter less rambo looking version of the instructor belt) been very good to me...order it to fit the slots in your holster (width wise).

actually the $12 Glock holster does work pretty well to...order the size for the G21/20 and it fits the 17/22 a little looser where drawing and reholstering is better...still retains it well enough...but the end of the bbl pokes out and wears against you....I'd get a good leather pancake when time and money allows...but he's right it does work well enough....basically a plastic pancake holster.

[Wedge]

I carry my Glock 17 year round in Texas using an Alessi PCH holster. I carry under a large t-shirt or a short sleeved, untucked button up shirt. I'm 190lbs, but have a narrow waist so all but the most fitted t-shirts are usually good to go for me.

The Alessi PCH is the best holster I have ever used, hands down. The PCH is a IWB holster.

I wear an athletic undershirt to prevent any irritation.

I was carrying on Sunday. 104-106F. Ran errands, no one noticed, except my wife, who knows everything. Super comfortable, I forgot it was there.

When I lived in the frozen north (aka Western NY), I routinely carried my Ruger Blackhawk 5.5" barrel .45 Colt under either a flannel shirt (in the "warm months") or just under my Carhartt jacket. Shoulder or OWB. I hated both holsters (cheap uncle mike's) but they did the job and with the cover garb at my disposal it really didn't matter. A stout belt helped a lot.

[XDGirl]

pancake holster

[the_fallguy]

MJRW gave you some really good advice. You would do well to follow it.

[treeprof]

The Versa Max II is, in my opinion, the best IWB holster available. The cumulative effects of an herniated disk have now relegated mine to the storage bin, as I cannot wear any form of IWB anymore. For OWB, I'm partial to Kramer holsters in horsehide, and their belt scabbard holsters with the FBI cant work very well for my G-17 and SIG 226.

[Halo is for Kids]

I'll pass on my battered crossbreed to you. Pay shipping and it's yours, no bull.
I took a boxcutter to it to make it fit a Glock 34 without snaging the mag safety. It was a good hold over until my order was filled at Milt Sparks.

Pros:
-cheap.
-no wait.
-fairly comfortable.
-thin.
-concealable.
-fits almost all glocks.

Cons:
-this one is cut for my glock 34 safety, so no resale value:(.
-those kydex clips are hell on a leather belt.
-not comfortable to sit in for a long time. The versa max II has a cutout that allows it to flex when seated. This one has no flex.

OLD:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/haloisforkids/holster/100_0443.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/haloisforkids/holster/100_0446.jpg

NEW:
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/haloisforkids/holster/100_0297.jpg