Crossbreed came in mail today.

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

I got my first decent holster today and it is a crossbreed supertuck for my 1911. I wore it around a little bit and I am very impressed with it so far. Feels much more natural to carry then those cheap nylon holsters I will lwt you know how i feel after a full day of carry.. Anybody got any tricks they use for carrying 5 inch 1911?

 

[Valkman]

Anybody got any tricks they use for carrying 5 inch 1911?

Yep, it's all in the belt you use. Get a good one and you'll never regret it.

But congrats on finding a holster you like. I've never tried a hybrid holster, always went full leather even for my polymer guns.

 

[JTQ]

The "get a good belt" comment is the best advice you can get.

With a big gun like a 1911, more forward cant, meaning the muzzle gets pointed farther back and the grip rotates up closer to vertical, will usually help.

Lots of guys like to have those adjustable holsters ride as low as possible. That never makes sense to me, especially with a 5" 1911 as you may find the muzzle bottoming out when you sit. I prefer to have the gun ride a little higher. It doesn't hurt concealment, there is less chance of smacking the muzzle when you sit, and it makes the grip more accessible for an easy draw.

Edit to add: Lots of guys want to wear those hybrids at 3:00. They really are designed for aft of the hip, in the 3:30 to 4:00 position. Wearing right on the hip at 3:00 can make it difficult to draw from, especially if you are thin. A heavy guy may have enough flat space on his side at 3:00 to where it may work fine.

 

[herrwalther]

I didn't really like Croosbreed's holster design. After much consideration and research White hat was the company I went with. Similar hybrid design to Crossbreed, but a superior product in my opinion.

Tips for a 1911? A great belt and carry often. The more you carry something, the more comfortable it gets, especially with leather holsters.

 

[rwehnau]

I have a QwikClip myself and it is an everyday carry. A good carry belt will make all the difference

 

[1911 guy]

Pay close attention when the others have said to buy a good belt. This is advice worth heeding. The sky is the limit depending on your budget, but the best I have found for high function at low cost is the Wilderness Instructor belt. Get the 5-stitch model, no need for the stiffening insert unless you're carrying a full game rig with lots and lots of reloads.

Carry behind the point of your hip. It's not perfect, but there is no perfect way to carry a two pound piece of steel attached to your waist. Behind the point of your hip (3:30 position) is the best of all possible imperfect ways to carry a handgun. Any other position should be viewed as a situation specific compromise.

Carry a reload. Not only because magazines are the foremost cause of malfunctions, but because of your comfort. Even one reload helps balance the load on your hips. I carry two when i can conceal it, for this reason. The odds of actually needing two reloads is infinitely small. Comfort, however, is a daily thing.

Be honest about your wardrobe. Not everything in your closet will enable you to conceal a handgun. Not everything will enable you to conceal with a particular holster. I prefer OWB carry, but carry IWB when cover garments will not allow the slightly more comfortable OWB holster. A full length mirror is helpful. A second set of eyes even more so, until you get the feel of concealing well.

Be aware of how you move. Certain movements will alter the fit of your clothing, as well as the position of your handgun relative to your body. It's called "printing". It means someone can see the outline of your pistol, usually the grip frame, through your clothing.

Speaking of printing, shirts with patterns, especially darker colors, work very well to conceal a handgun. The darker the color of the shirt, the less important a pattern becomes. The lighter the color of the shirt, the more important the pattern is. It draws the eye away from a specific point (your gun) and tells the eye to "Oh look! A pattern! Let's try to see it all at once!"

Depending on your shape and the fit of your pants, consider the inexpensive Perry Suspenders. I think they are made by Dicky. Elastic, but strong enough to spread the load across both your waist and shoulders. I tried them once several years ago and now wear them daily.