30 Day Revolver Carry Experiment

[crebralfix]

The purpose of this experiment is to learn how to carry a revolver (or two or three) so I may teach it adequately in a course. There are many subtle differences in revolver carry that I need to discover. These little tips that I learn will hopefully help ease my students' road to proficiency.

If you have any tips or tricks for revolver carry, please post them in this thread. All ideas are welcome!

I've been slowly gearing up for my revolver carry experiment. It's been a long process, mostly due to the difficulty in carrying spare ammunition in both a concealed and easy-to-get-to way. The Simple Ammo Holder went a long way toward getting to my 24 round minimum loadout. Now that I've worked out the ammunition carry problems, I had to decide which gun to use:

This:



or this:



I really, really like the 8 round Model 27. But, the 625 has more durable moonclips that are easier to reload (only 6 stubby rounds to contend with). I chose to go with the 625 until I can get a moonclip fixer for the M27. Unfortunately, the six shot capacity of the 625 means I'll have to carry three spare moonclips to get to my 24 round minimum (same as three 8 round magazines for the SIG P220).

Today, I started the experiment. I carried the following items:


Yes, there are only 18 rounds here. I was carrying a M36, but dumped it because it was not comfortable to wear two guns with jeans.

The 5" Cold Steel Voyager was carried in the appendix position on the right side. The 3" Spyderco went into a jeans pocket, as did the cell phone and the moonclip in the Simple Holder.

The 625 was carried strong side. The California Competition Works holder was worn on the belt, in front. I carried it IWB...I just flipped it around. This worked well, but became uncomfortable after four hours or so. I will have to make a body shield from kydex and attach it to the bottom of the holder.

The plan of action is to wear the 625 as my primary CCW. I will build another dual moonclip belt holder (the current one is for 8x357 Magnum). However, I'll use the California Competition Works holder IWB and make a special shield for it (for comfort). I plan upon carrying two moonclips in my Simple Holder in my pocket (total 24 rounds).

I'll wear either a M36 or a Ruger SP101 as a BUG. The M36 will have 38 Special caliber cartridges, while the Ruger will have Remington UMC 357 Magnum JHPs. If I carry the J-Frame, I'll have one spare reload for it. I'll use a Bianchi Speedstrip with six rounds.



This will be interesting!

 

[NoirFan]

Wow, an N-frame... you aren't messing around. This is a cool thread and as a K-frame carrier I'll be following it closely.

 

[PRM]

SAA Carry

Not going to get into Single Action VS. Double Action, that has been beat to death on THR. Here is one of my favorites: Colt SAA, .45LC/.45ACP, 5.5 inch in an El Paso Saddlery "Crosshair."

For a big gun it rides high and out of the way.

http://www.epsaddlery.com/pc-162-11-crosshair.aspx

 

[crebralfix]

In my mind, it doesn't matter what gun you carry...just carry a gun! If that works for you, then just do it!!

 

[crebralfix]

(I'm posting several backposts from another forum)

Day 2 (November 29, 2008):

I carried this gun all afternoon. It was no more difficult to carry than a SIG P220. The main problem was the ammo...it's a bit annoying. The Simple Holder didn't like my jeans pocket, but it worked within acceptable parameters. I ended up wearing the metal moonclip holder OWB because it became uncomfortable. I'll solve this tomorrow with a special sweat shield.

I like this new holster. It holds the gun securely and the widely spaced loops offer a good, consistent presentation to the hand. The forward cant is perfect for achieving a solid grip high on the gun. Retention is also good, but that's to be expected since the tension is tunable.

 

[crebralfix]

Nov 30, 2008

Today, I've switched from jeans to 511's. This allows the addition of my S&W Model 36 J-Frame revolver carried in the appendix position.

So now I am wearing two revolvers with a total of 28 rounds.

 

[crebralfix]

December 2, 2008

Now you guys have me carrying this around in my front pocket:



I've been carrying it in a DeSantis Nemesis.

UGH! When will it end? Now I'm going to have to get a 3" 686+.

 

[crebralfix]

December 4, 2008

Today, I carried my 625 in the appendix position.





Now here's the cool part: I turned the California Competition Works Moonclip Holder backwards so it's IWB. The metal clip bends under the belt, so it resists coming off. Since the gun is IWB, there's a gap that the clip fits into perfectly. In the photo above, the gap (1" deep) to the right of the holster belt loop and to the left the belt buckle. Combine this with two Shotist Simple Moonclip Holders in the pocket, and I have one fast reload and two fairly quick reloads.

 

[crebralfix]

Here's the J-Frame. It's an Airweight and carries quite nicely.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I'm curious

as to what make those IWB holsters are. They look extremely functional.

Thanks.

 

[hankdatank1362]

That 625 in the appendix carry does NOT look comfortable to sit down in.

But you have a lot of nice kydex. I really like that speedloader pouch.

 

[crebralfix]

I make the holsters and gear myself.

It's actually comfy in the appendix position because it's sitting at an angle. The bottom of the barrel doesn't touch my leg or press on the nerve. Look at how the loops are set and imagine the belt in there.

 

[hankdatank1362]

Actually, you might be on to something. The barrel looks like it might sit between your right leg and your, um, genitals.

Does the butt of the revovler jab your stomach? (You seem pretty trim, this might not be a concern with you.)

How does the kydex speedstrip holder work? It's not too tight to pinch the cartridges off if you yank the strip out?

I'm intruiged by some of your (very nice) designs.

 

[crebralfix]

Appendix carry requires a physically fit body...a "successful life" body interferes with this method of carry.

The barrel isn't long enough to go down that far. However, revolvers with 3" barrels are much better for appendix carry...more "latitude".

The revolver stocks don't dig into my stomach. The problem with the AIWB holster was the flared top part. I had to cut that down to 1/4" below the back of the hammer (not pictured). The kydex dug into my stomach if I sat down.

The speed strip holder doesn't grip the speed strip tightly. Yank on the tab and it comes right out. I do need to improve the holder's "stickiness" in the pocket...it tends to move up. But, it works great in the back pocket of jeans and keeps the rounds from getting banged up (my primary concern).

 

[7.62X25mm]

Any chance you people might edit your photos to smaller files?

There's an option in PhotoShop.

 

[hankdatank1362]

The barrel isn't long enough to go down that far

You flatter me.

 

[The Bushmaster]

crebralfix. I'm 5' 7" and 145 lbs and carry a Mod 19 Combat magnum 2 1/2" at the appendex (IWB Kellogg Leather) carry and with comfort even sitting. I carry 12 rounds in a cartridge loop belt slide on the left rear.

 

[average_shooter]

The purpose of this experiment is to learn how to carry a revolver (or two or three) so I may teach it adequately in a course.

With all due respect, I have a suggestion.

Most of your students are not going to want to make all their own gear.

I think it would be highly beneficial to your students for you to carry in more "conventional" manners in order to more accurately teach them what they could expect. Your students are more likely going to be buying holsters and speed loaders or speed strips. I recommend trying to figure out a way for a person new to carry to do so effectively, with as little extra effort going into the gear as possible.

Seems to me you're figuring out what works really well for you, but that isn't necessarily going to transfer to your students.

 

[James T Thomas]

big iron on the hip

"Cerebe:"

I do admire that S&W that you "carry."

I carry the model 629, Ruger Blackhawk or GP100, which are large revolvers also.

The most comfortable and practical carry has been the simple hip, belt holster carry. However, I have tried; briefly, shoulder holsters, and "duty" type belt holsters, and found, for me, the most comfortable is the "Pancake" style. They seem to distribute the weight over a larger area, and to keep the gun closer to my body than others. One is a Bianchi 7/7L for medium frames, and the other is the El Paso mdl. 88 "Tortilla."

And of course as you will read here on THR by so many others, the belt is an important component to the holster; an especially good quality one.

The other recommendation is not equipment, but the mental aspect of simply resolving your mind to "hump" the bulk involved and as the kids of today say, "just do it." An to forget it.

 

[crebralfix]

I think it would be highly beneficial to your students for you to carry in more "conventional" manners in order to more accurately teach them what they could expect. Your students are more likely going to be buying holsters and speed loaders or speed strips. I recommend trying to figure out a way for a person new to carry to do so effectively, with as little extra effort going into the gear as possible.

Very true. I do have HKS speedloaders for the SP101 and Model 36.

Is it your experience that most folks use speedloaders versus speed strips?

I have both appendix and strong side holsters for the 625. I carry it in both modes, depending upon my needs at the time (typical for me). I do have a kydex OWB side holster, but it's for a S&W 327 TRR8 with 5" barrel.

 

[crebralfix]

Belt is either a Galco polymer (awesome for CCW and supporting heavy guns) or a Don Hume B109 (1.25" wide).

 

[average_shooter]

Is it your experience that most folks use speedloaders versus speed strips?

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't as clear with my critique as intended. Again, no disrespect intended here. However:

You stated in the title that this is to be an "experiment" and I feel you started out in the very first sentence with a decent thesis. But it appears you quickly veered off and went into "gear mode" going to the extent of stating:

I make the holsters and gear myself.

While this is all well and good for your personal carry purposes, it would seem to me to be missing the point if the intention is to teach students what may or may not work for them. For them, they will, at least initially, be dealing with "off the shelf" equipment, not their own custom made stuff.

I believe that if the intention is to learn how to comfortably and effectively carry a concealed revolver you should focus less on making your own equipment, which works for you, and focus more on equipment and methods that beginning carriers will encounter.

Proving that a large-framed revolver can be concealed is a good teaching tool. However, I would think for concealed carry purposes more people are going to be carrying something along the lines of your J-frame there. Perhaps focusing more on getting that "down pat" will be of greater benefit to your students. Though maybe I'm wrong.

It just seems to me that many of the responses so far have been focusing on the gear, which is ok and tends to happen in such a group, I often get very interested in the gear as well. But if the purpose of this "experiment" is to learn how to carry a revolver and pass on that knowledge to students, your custom-made stuff is going to be of little benefit to them. Unless you produce your equipment for sale to your students or the general public.

So, in the end, I guess my recommendation is simply that it may be wise and of greater benefit to try various "off the shelf" equipment and learn the advantages and disadvantages of each. As it is now, I can see a student thinking, "Gee, if I have to make all my own equipment just to comfortably and effectively conceal a revolver, I'm not going to bother."

 

[AKGuy]

Pretty sweet thread!

As a revolver fanatic--I've found that most pistols are just too fat for my hands for me to deal with--the only thing that I've "struggled" with over the years is carrying enough ammo for at least one reload.

For concealed carry I alternate between S&W 686+ and S&W 640, both loaded with 357 mag rounds. The 686+ is "fine" with sweatshirt, sweater, whatever. The 640 is for days when I'm wearing lighter/less bulky overclothing. I'm pretty fanatical about avoiding "printing."

I use linear striploaders instead of cylindrical speedloaders and follow the "trick" of just "skipping" a round if necessary to complete the reload and return to presentation faster by cycling through an empty slot than fiddling around with trying to get one more round into place. Way faster and less irritating than fat round speedloaders...

Works for me, as the saying goes...

 

[Padri]

These are all good ideas. However, what works for me, and I carry a revolver quite a bit, is a Barami Hip Grip with a Tyler T Grip. I need no bulky hoster and it is easy and secure to carry. I use Bianchi Speed Strips for extra rounds. Very, Very concealable.

 

[jc650]

I do like the idea of showing that a larger frame revolver is indeed concealable. I do though agree with a previous poster that showing some off the shelf equipment might make more sense than homemade items.

I carry a SW MP340 with a speed strip and use 3 very different carry methods.

I will usually pocket or IWB carry and the least used method of the 3 would be ankle carry.