Canting for Concealment: High Noon Holsters

[Packman]

I'm picking up my S&W 3913 next week, so it's holster time.

I'm looking at the Public Secret with belt clip. I intend to carry appendix, and I want the reinforced opening, and obviously a straight-drop is best for appendix.
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/Public_Secret_w_clip/public_secret_w_clip.html

However, I'm thinking I'll get a second holster for carrying back around 3:30 or 4:00. This is much more comfortable in some pants, and as long as I'm not at work, concealment isn't as crucial.

My question is this: How much does a canted holster help with concealment? Is it worth spending the money to buy a second, canted holster to carry in this position?

I'm considering getting the Bare Asset, which is canted, but not reinforced. The real benefit to this one is the price, which is just 26$.

OR, I can get the Tail Gunner, which is pretty much the same idea, except reinforced and with a stabilizer wing. Downside? 95$, plus slower turnaround time for being custom made.

Should I not mess with the second holster? Is a straight drop in the 3:30-4:00 going to be concealable enough? I'm a 6 foot, 140 guy, so I'm pretty much straight as a rail.

On a side note, these High Noons with the clips ARE tuckable, right?

 

[Zundfolge]

A canted holster helps a LOT.

Uncanted the butt of the pistol will print when even slightly bent over (and maybe even when you're standing straight up).

The only reason I'd consider an uncanted holster is if you're packing a very short gripped pistol (something where your pinky hangs off the bottom).

I've owned a couple of Kahr MKs over the years (VERY short grip ... shorter than your S&W) and found a canted holster even helped conceal them better (a Don Hume straight drop IWB holster came with one of them ... I eventually removed the clip on it and sewed it into a belly band. Canted).

The only other time to pack with an uncated holster is if you carry at 1 o'clock.


Oh and no, the clip on those High Noons are not tuckable. If you want tuckable you need to go with the Hidden Impact , Hidden Ally or Tailgate.

Of all those I'd recommend the Tailgate (I had a Tailgunner for a Steyr S40 several years ago and I liked it ... I like my modified pancake better, but the tail on the Tailgunner did help it from rotating as much. I still prefer a dual clip holster for stability ... if I had a 3913 I'd get a Ugly Bald Guy Striker).

 

[slicksleeve]

A slight butt forward cant helps me conceal quite a bit. I find that I can carry a full size revolver (4" K-Frame Smith and Wesson), under an untucked shirt that way. But this is outside the pants, not inside. I also have found that between 2 and 3 oclock to be a better hiding spot than 4 oclock position.

 

[AJChenMPH]

+1 on canting forward for better concealment when hip carrying.

The equivalent to the Public Secret that's tuckable is the Alter Ego:
http://www.highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/Alter_Ego/alter_ego.html

I carry my 3913 in a Bare Asset, and with an untucked polo shirt, you'd be hard-pressed to tell that I'm carrying.

 

[Packman]

Thanks for the help, folks. I opted for a Split Decision for Cant, and an Alter Ego for straight drop.

My primary method will be appendix carry, so I spend the money for a reinforced tuckable straight drop in the Alter Ego. I do want to carry on the hip sometimes, but not very often, so I chose not to drop the money on a reinforced canted holster right now. The Split Decision is tuckable, but not reinforced. I don't plan to use it ALL that often.

The big brown truck of happiness (UPS) should be arriving sometime today or tomorrow.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I make my own holsters, and recently started making my tuckable with Kydex belt loops. These are J-shaped with the tip of the lower curve turned in. The shaft of the J is attached to the holster with a Chicago screw (sometimes called a post screw).

When the holster is inserted between trousers and shirt, the curve of the J slips naturally over the belt, and the lower part snaps under the belt -- a very secure and stable method of attaching a tuckable.

A bonus is I simply drill a couple of extra holes n the shaft of the J. By using different combinations of holes, the user can adjust the cant to suit himself.